I'm not a fan of the company Ibanez. I mean yes its a decent guitar but its most likely not a "true" custom guitar. The first factor making a guitar cheap or expensive is the actual guitar manufacturing process. Was the guitar hand-made? Was the guitar produced in a highly automated modern guitar factory? Ibanez guitars are mainly produced in Korea. The quality of material used for producing this guitar is most likely not what you think it is. This includes the woods used for the guitar neck and body, the paints, finishes, etc. I still have my custom built Brian Moore MC-1 that i personally help design and was always kept a breast on the manufacturing process. Today Brian Moore outsources to Korea which is a shame but still build 5 custom made guitars a year.

I guess its a cost factor. Why spend that kind of money for a mass produced instrument when you can spend that money towards a true custom guitar of your own. Or spend that money on a "better" quality production guitar.

Just not a fan of Ibanez as I've owned them in the past and have seen the shoddy work that comes out of their Korean factory. Personal opinion that's all.