Rocket Roll V Review

It's 25 years old so its got lots of little dents in it but if you stand like 2 feet away from it you can only notice one.

Features:	10
Sound:	10
Action:	8.5
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.7
Users rating:	8.3
Comments:	8

overall: 9.4

Featured review by: jthm_guitarist, on january 18, 2007

Purchased from: Guitar Castle

Features: This is an older verion than the other review. I don't know the exact year, but it was made very early '70s, before Gibson sued Ibanez. Made in Japan. It has 22 frets and a rosewood fretboard. I'm almost sure it's made of mahogany. The finish is like transparant and it looks like the wood is "striped" It's really nice. It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge and comes with passive electronics. It has 2 volumes and one tone, and a 3 way Switch. That's everything you need. H/H pickup configuration. I bought it second hand, so I don't know what the original pickups were. I don't know what tuners it has but they're big. It came with the original fitted Flying V case. // 10

Sound: I play rock and it suits it fine. I use it through a few different amps (mostly Marshalls) and it always sounds great. I play it through an RP80 and it sounds good no matter what. The original pickups were replaced when I purchased it. It has DiMarzio pickups now. It's not noisy at all and has tons of sustain, thanks to solid mahogany. Because it has separate volume for each pickup, you can turn on pickup on and the other off and do cool stutter effects with just the guitar. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar is well over 30+ years old and has seen years of gigging, so any factory settings are N/A. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is super easy to adjust, as are the pickups. But when adjusting the pickup, the spring did it's thing and shot out. But grab any clicky pen and that problem is beyond solved. Half of the screws holding in the pickguard are stripped, and all pieces of the original hardware have at least a little rust. The pickup selector is loose, but I've never had it move on it's own. The frets are pretty well worn. One volume knob seems a bit loose too. Remember the age. // 7

Reliability & Durability: It is very reliable and has withstood decades of playing. The strap buttons are odd to me, they are small and don't "fan out". But the strap has never come off and is hard to take off and on. I would defintitely use it without a backup, unless a string broke or something. The finish is definitely going to last. // 10

Impression: I've had it for one month but I play it nonstop. I've been playing guitar for a long time and I'm serious about it. If it were lost or stolen, I would do everything in my power to get it back/another. I love that it's identical to a Gibson V but affordable. If you find this guitar, buy it. No matter what you play, it can do amazing things for you. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: danilo19, on october 12, 2005

Price paid: $ 300

Purchased from: S & R Music Boutique

Features: It's an '82 so this thing is kinda a classic. It's 25 years old so its got lots of little dents in it but if you stand like 2 feet away from it you can only notice one. It has 22 frets. It's a set neck with mother of pearl inlays. I'm not sure what type of wood the neck is but it looks like a dark rosewood. The body is a gorgeous flamed maple. The finish is cool its a sunburst thats red around the edges and a natural wood orangish in the middle. The body style is a V which is also cool and its not as ard to sit with as people say, I just make it stradle my right leg which isnt any different 'cause I play classical too and thats how I'm used to holding my guitar. The bridge is a weird Tune-O-Matic type, probably the Ibanez version. I think these are passive electronics not really sure what that means but I dont think they had active electronics in the early '80s. The controls are 2 volumes, one for each humbucker, and a tone. It also has a 3 way Switch which kickass. This has double humbuckers, the one ION the neck position looks like a Gibson humbucker like the gold ones on black beauty LP's and the one in the neck I think is a Dimarzio. It also has "Ibanez Smooth Tuners." This guitar came with a Dean Markley molded V case which kinda sucked cause its all old and the handle fell off on one side so the person used a shoe string and tied it to the buckle of the broken strap, yea its kinda ghetto but at least its a hardshell case. // 10

Sound: Yes it definitely suits my style in every way, it has the look and sound. I'm using an Ibanez TB25R amp, Crybaby wah and a ART Extreme multieffects pedal. It had horrible feedback when I got it (yesterday) but I messed with my setting and now its better. It has a really full sound but not as bright but thats ok cause I use the EQ on my pedal and its fixed. Can make any sounds besides whammy stuff, the 3 way swith is great for lil a switchy-clicky effect. This has all the variety I could ask for. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I don't know how well it was set up at the factory cause that was 23 years ago but when I got it intonation and the action was great. I did a tiny bit of adjusting on the pole pieces on the neck humbucker cause the string would hit the poles when I hit the 22 fret on like 4 strings. The hardware is all gold and it has really worn but I'm absolutely alright with that. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand any type of playing. The hardware lasted this long I'm sure it will last a few more years. The strap buttons are good but I'm gonna replace them with strap locks. I'm gonna put the wing strap button on the bottom wing 'cause these guitars originally had buttons on both wings for some reason. I definitely could depend on it and I could gig with it without a backup but I wouldnt but I'm not sure my old POS Stagg Strat would be able to do the job. The finish is good but I'm considering gettin it painted black with wihite polka dots like MR Randy Rhoads' guitar or keeping it original and getting the same paint job done again just to make it look newer cause it has a spot like 2 inches long and wide on the back where I guess belt rash got the best of the paint and wore it to the wood. // 10

Impression: I play '80s metal and this guitar is perfect. I've been playing for almost 2 years and this is the first electric I'm actually proud of but I own a Stagg Strat and a First Act thing and I have a Carlo Robbelli classical which is my favorite and an esteban acoustic. I asked everything I wanted to know, soon as I walked in the store I played it for about 10 minutes then put 100 buck s on it for layaway and the next week I bought it. If it were lost id cry and maybe try to buy it again but I dont think ill ever find another one like this for 300 dollars. If it were stolen id find that b--ch and hang him with piano wire. I think if I had the option of this or a Jackson RR3 I'd choose this 'cause it's different and a classic. I wish it had a floyd and polka dots, if it had that it would be my dream guitar. // 10

Comments

[pommegrenade]

go u beast!!!!!

[OttovanZanten]

Wow, looks sweet =D

[the.spine.surfs]

Gah, are they re-issueing these?

[Evil_Magician]

Awesome.
It's like the one buckethead plays occasionaly , right ?

[Ali-b912]

the.spine.surfs wrote:

Gah, are they re-issueing these?

They better, along with the entire destroyer series.

[athlete1]

They better, along with the entire destroyer series.

agreed.been looking a long time for a good rocket roll.

[Jimothy]

I've got a knackered one of these, loadsa chips and the electrics are fecked. Fantastic action, can't wait to get it fixed.

[warrenguitar]

Really sweet guitar! My friend had one! It was my inspiration for like a year until i got my new guitar You wont be disappointed.