I purchased this guitar through a local store. I actually was looking at the Blue Floral Jem, or Genesis RG series reissues, I played a couple of Jacksons and a Charvel too. Then I tried this JIVA 10 and I must say it blew me away, the sound is just killer, and the way it looks is fantastic. The finish is really one you have to see in person to get the full effect of, the pics don't really show it, but it has a greyish green tinge to the color that I think is really awesome and gives the guitar a great look. Honestly I had dismissed the guitar when looking at most sites online due to the photos and lack of reviews, but I was wrong to do so, seriously this is worth checking out and comparing, I walked away with it over the Jem and it was an easy decision...(sorry Steve).

Sound
This is probably the best sounding guitar I have ever played. I had the privilege of playing a '48 Fender Jazzmaster, which to date was the most versatile guitar I had used...until I played this one. It literally sounds great with any style I have thrown at it, blues, metal, folk, classic rock, even some country my buddy plays... they all sound great, I was really surprised. The five way switch allows for excellent low end, mids, and highs, I really would not change anything.

Features
The Edge Zero II tremolo is unbelievable, I have beat the crap out of it and it doesn't lose tuning even a little bit. There are videos of Nita picking it up by… read more the whammy bar and bouncing it and it stays in tune, I haven't done that (yet) but I have been rough with it and I find it flawless.The Dimarzio Pandemonium pickups in the bridge and neck are the star of the show as far as sounds, it's incredible what you can do with them tone-wise. The True Velvet single coil is really top of the line no complaints at all with the hardware or electronics.

Ease of Use
This guitar is designed to play fast, but really I found that it can handle any sound, The five way switch and the tone knob make it super easy to dial in what you want on the guitar itself. Once I had it setup, the playability is great, I can't think of anything I would change. The S style body is light and comfortable, I have played for hours with a strap and barely notice that it's there.As far as restringing with the floating tremolo, I must say it was the easiest floating tremolos I've ever restrung. Once it's setup just use the same brand and size string and it was like tuning a fixed bridge.I did have to have the guitar setup the first time, but that's pretty standard for any guitar out of the factory.

Quality
The finish is fantastic. As I stated above, you really have to see it in person to get the full depth and effect of the finish, it shows more in some videos I've seen, but I don't think the photos do it justice. The Beaten Path inlay really makes the ebony fretboard pop out. the 3 piece Nitro Wizard neck is effortless to play on, I really like that the finish on the body is also on the headstock. The body and hardware are professional quality, I found no flaw in mine at all. I think the guitar will last more than a lifetime if properly cared for.

Value
I thought the price was a little high compared to the Jem and other higher end Ibanez products, but once I played it and compared it to the other products, I feel it was worth the extra couple hundred. The ability to get practically any type of tone and have it sound amazingly good in all of them... well it was worth it to me anyway. I definitely recommend trying one out and seeing for yourself. Like I said earlier, I dismissed it and once I saw it and handled it in person, it's the one I bought...so...

Manufacturer Support
I have not had to contact customer support but Ibanez is known to have good support.

The Wow Factor
The Jiva looks amazing, sounds even better than it looks. The craftsmanship is not lacking in any way I can think of. You can find guitars that look and sound great, but I have not found any that are as versatile and fun to play as this one. I would recommend it and maybe even purchase a second myself.

Musical Background:
Experienced guitar player, been playing since 1995.

Musical Style:
Rock, Blues, Metal, Classic Rock, Classical, some Pop. read less