Ibanez Jem article
Ibanez Jem for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A double-locking tremolo and a 24-fret neck sound intimidating. Here's the honest, gentle way into your first Ibanez JEM.
Fancying an Ibanez JEM as your next guitar, or maybe even your first "proper" one? Good instinct, but let's be honest about what taking on an Ibanez JEM actually involves. This is a serious, technically demanding instrument built for shred-oriented playing, and going in with clear eyes will save you a lot of frustration. Here's the beginner-friendly version of everything you need to know.
Is a JEM Actually a Sensible First Guitar?
Honestly? It depends on what "beginner" means for you. If you've never picked up a guitar at all, the double-locking tremolo and technical demands of the design might be more guitar than you need right now — a simpler instrument will teach you the fundamentals without the extra maintenance overhead. If you've been playing a while on something simpler and want to grow into a more capable instrument, an Ibanez JEM (or the more affordable JEM Jr.) is a genuinely exciting step up, not an unreasonable one.
What Makes This Guitar Different From a "Normal" Electric
- 24 frets with deep cutaways — designed for reaching notes a standard 21 or 22-fret guitar simply can't offer, useful once your technique develops enough to use that range.
- A double-locking tremolo — clamps the strings at bridge and nut for serious tuning stability during heavy vibrato, but it means string changes take longer and need a proper technique.
- HSH pickups with a five-way switch — more tonal options than a simpler single-pickup or two-pickup guitar, which is genuinely useful once you start exploring different sounds.
- A slim, fast neck — comfortable for quick playing, though it can feel less substantial in your hand than a chunkier beginner-oriented neck if you're used to something else.
Your First Weeks: What to Actually Focus On
- Learn to tune it properly with the locking nut engaged, since a locked nut behaves differently to a standard one — get comfortable with fine-tuners at the bridge for small adjustments.
- Practise basic chords and scales before worrying about the tremolo at all — the whammy bar can wait.
- Get used to the 24-fret neck by playing simple melodies up and down its full length, so the extra range starts to feel normal rather than intimidating.
- Once comfortable, experiment gently with the tremolo — small dips and returns before anything aggressive.
- Learn the five-way switch's tonal options one at a time, rather than trying to absorb all five positions at once.
Maintenance You'll Need to Learn With an Ibanez JEM
This is the part beginners underestimate most. A double-locking tremolo needs strings stretched and locked correctly, the bridge set parallel to the body, and intonation rechecked whenever you change string gauge. None of it is difficult, but it is a genuine skill to learn, ideally shown to you once by an experienced player or tech rather than worked out entirely from scratch under pressure.
Should You Start With a JEM Jr. Instead?
If cost or commitment is a worry, Ibanez's more affordable JEM Jr. models give you the same general design and look with simpler hardware and electronics than the premium Japanese-made guitars. It's a genuinely sensible way to learn the instrument's quirks — the tremolo, the 24-fret neck, the switching — without the full flagship spend, and you can always move up once you know exactly what you love about it.
Building Good Habits Early
Get into the habit of loosening the tremolo's locking blocks before any big adjustment, rather than fighting the strings mid-change. Keep a small screwdriver and hex key set with the guitar at all times, since fine-tuning and lock adjustments are a regular part of ownership rather than an occasional chore. And don't be afraid to ask a shop or tech to walk you through your first full restring in person — watching it done once saves hours of frustrated guesswork later.
Common Beginner Worries, Answered Gently
| Worry | Reality |
|---|---|
| "I'll mess up the tremolo setup" | Get it shown once by a tech or experienced friend; after that it's routine |
| "24 frets is too much guitar" | You'll grow into the extra range naturally as your playing develops |
| "I don't understand the switch positions" | Learn one position a day rather than all five at once |
| "What if I can't afford the flagship model?" | A JEM Jr. teaches the same fundamentals for meaningfully less money |
Where to Go From Here
Once the basics feel comfortable, our full guide to what makes a JEM a JEM explains the deeper history and design details behind what you've been learning by feel, and our round-up of models at different budgets is worth a look if you're deciding exactly which one to start on.
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