Have to admit that you are quite good in what you do. You go into depth and have a good understanding of guitars, craftmanship and guitar concepts. Well done!
Excellent in-depth review, once again! It's really confusing that Ibanez uses all those crazy model numbers but has 7 completely different guitars with the same RG421 designation, even more so if you also count the older versions. lol The Air Norton is F-spaced because it's a bridge pickup. Ibanez puts it in the neck because that's what John Petrucci did in his Ibanez and he loved it (and people still like it). There are overwhelmingly more guitars with it in the neck position than in its rightful bridge position. lol The difference in brightness between the two Ibanez could be because of the different tonewoods (especially the tops and necks) or the tone-sucking Floyd Rose.
Holy wow. You did such an amazing job review this guitar. I was looking at guitars for days and days trying to find best bang for buck that looked cool. I saw tim henson playing something like the rg420hpfm but didn't want to spend that much and settled for this. I ended up buying it and it comes Sept 21st. Earned my sub!
I’m from Houston Texas but now I live in north Austin Texas I’ve been playing guitar for 36 years and you a very good guitar player and very informative and professional thanks for your knowledge
This must be the most comprehensive, straight-to-the point no-nonsense and objective guitar review I have ever watched. Great job! Looking to buy this guitar, or the Ibanez RG421HPAH-BWB and this helped a lot, thanks!
@@MaxSoloMusic Actually ended up purchasing the RG421HPAH-BWB, which I think is basically the same thing, but with Dimarzio Fusion Edge pickups. Should arrive tomorrow :)
Great in depth review! I like the colors and also the pickups. They sound better in this one. The detailed analysis is outstanding! Thank you Max!👍🏼👌🏼👏🏼
Great and thorough review, really helpful. I've been looking for a new and versatile electric guitar with a HH pick-up setup. I've had my eye on this one and it seems that you get a lot for your money. I've also been looking at the new PRS SE Standard/Custom 24-08, because it has 2 more pick-up settings and a tremolo. If you have any experience with PRS guitars, which one would you choose or would you go for a more expensive Ibanez model?
Thanks, terrific review. Beginner question - do guitars with tremolos (edge/floydrose or vintage) need to be completely reset every time a string goes out of tune.
Help please! I'd really appreciate opinions: I'm an early Intermediate player. I found this guitar open box for $540 including tax and shipping. Finish and feel is flawless, but can still return it if it's not a good deal. Is that a good price for this particular instrument? I don't know much about different guitars and how much I should actually be spending. I spent most of my time as a beginner learning how to play rather than learning about different makes and models. I'm stepping up from a Squier strat (much needed IMO), and I also was gifted a Gibson LP special tribute that isn't as comfortable to play. Frankly, it has humbuckers that don't sound as good as this Ibanez, and the Wizard III neck is especially easier to play for me because of my little girl hands - I know it's flat and has a flatter radius, but it's easier for me to manage, hands down. I routinely have to reposition my fretting hand on the Fenders I checked out because the neck is too deep in its profile. PS: I play mostly hard rock and classic rock, if that's a consideration.
Les Paul's are a completely different beast ...the body's resonate tone differently.... I play les Paul's and have been a dedicated player . I played the 421 and am seriously considering buying one ❤
Idsay the rg370ahmz sounds way better,plus tremolo,hsh setup,not even close to the hum this has when not playing,150 bucks less.Id say they messed up with this model price-wise
Hello Max .. please could you help me choose about overall opinion ... i have to choose either this guitar or ltd mh-1000 ... Iam talking about wood material and hardware ...
great review man.very clean and well laid out.i´ve found this guitar second hand for 400 Euros and i´m thinking about getting it.i actually wanna throw my nazgul/sentinel set in there,but i´m not sure how this would work because of the coil split switch.would this be an easy switch or a pain in the ass?do think the 400 would be a steal? thanks in advance!
Don't even think! 400 is a good price for this one. I'm not very much familiar with nazgul/sentinel. If those are active pickups there might be some other tonal option that can be triggered using a switch. Needs some research and manual reading :)
@@MaxSoloMusic right,i just have to figure out how to implement the coil split switch into the wiring since i´ve put those nazguls into a cheap RG without that switch.well i guess i need to do some research on that
I would appreciate your opinion or advice, since you have tried and tested both guitars. Should I take this Ibanez with tremolo (Ibanez RG420HPFM-BRG) or the cheaper Harley Benton Fusion-III HH FR Roasted FBLB and invest in better magnets? Thanks!
i really like the sound of this guitar , but it looks super ugly , i was looking at the RG421HPAH but the videos ive seen from it doesnt have as bright of a sound as this one , can you please tell me if im wrong and its only in my head?
I just got 2 harley Benton Fusion T with Nyatoh body, roasted necks, HH and EMG PU's. The Nyatoh is a HEAVY wood! I thought the trend was using a lighter wood...Ibanez are quality guitars, but both my HB cost me $673 vs $799+tax. Fancy paint just doesn't justify higherprice for me!
Thank for your review.. I mean detailed knowledgeable review I would definitely going to by this guitar. And I reached your video's end point writing this comment. Am pranay and from 🇮🇳India
Viele Grüße aus München! Great review. Seems like a nice guitar!! I am looking to get an RG soon and probably will start with the 421 to get my feet wet.
@@MaxSoloMusic thanks! It will be my first Ibanez. After playing Gibson's most of my life I have recently discovered that super strats are much more ergonomic and WAY easier to play. And with a good set of pickups I can still get great rock guitar sounds. The pickups sound so much better in your RG421HP than they do in the premium that I wonder if it has a wiring issue. Maybe they used the wrong value pots? It sounds dark and muffled in comparison. Wierd.
Hii, i am from India. Ive been planning to buy an electric guitar, and Ibanez has always been my favorite. So i searched on the Internet and stumbled upon the RG421HPFM, it is indeed a lovely guitar and i'll be buying it soon. The only thing that bothers me is, it doesn't have a Graphtec nut.
I'm Sean from Westport IN USA. I love Ibanez Guitars. I own and have modded a 1996 RG and a 2017 Jem Jr. Both now have DiMarzio Tone Zone in bridge and Evolution in the neck. Stock pickups in the middle. Great channel I enjoy your reviews
Hi Max Questions for You. How would You compare this guitar with 3 way switch coil tap vs Ibanez RGRT621DPB BLF (5 way switch). They have the same pickups. Which one would be more versatile in terms of sound? Would it make sense to equip the RGRT621DPB with coil-tap tone knob?
Hey. These 2 are very close from the versatility perspective even though RGRT is a more expensive (I assume) guitar. A coil tap switch may improve thing even further but it will need some thinking since that 5-way switch is not an ordinary switch. It must be one of those Cor-Tek switches like in HB Dullahans and some other guitars
Add a standard 5-way and use the toggle switch to do something else like switch in the neck pickup. Or throw in a 3-way mini-toggle and have it activate bridge pickup one way, nothing in the middle, and neck pickup the other way.
I meant to say a Super Switch. Essentially, what Dyna-mix is doing is connecting one of the coils together with a capacitor and a resistor. That's what they call a power tap. That makes that coil sound darker and changes the overall sound of the pickup. Ibanez used the same idea on some models in 1978 or 1979 with single coils
Hold up!!! Locking Tuners = Tuning Stability????? Is this proven.. I keep getting mixed OPINIONS and that’s the key word OPINION... I have guitars with and without and I find my NON “Locking” to be more stable but they aren’t $200 plus tuning gears either but neither are
No, locking tunes is not equal to tuning stability. It is one of the things that may improve tuning stability. But they are definitely not the key factor
I bought the RG420HPFM. With tremoló I Santes to return it. But i’m from Argentina And it Cosme from indiana The fiesta impresión is how awfull is the tremolo So un Tuner right out of the box Any vintage gotoh Would be much better And. .. no i difn’t press the nut. Whatever The vintage gotoh no need it and doesn’t come included I got to sell this ibanez Looks gorgeous but technically poor
Great review. Ibanez needs to stop using Air Norton and Tone Zone. They have been using them for years and years and need they need to move onto better pickups now. They are really not that good compared to the pickups their competition brand are putting in there guitars of the same price range.
Once again, Max. This is a very thorough take on a review. Really impressed. This is a great benchmark for all other channels.
Thanks Saarang. Really appreciate it!
Have to admit that you are quite good in what you do.
You go into depth and have a good understanding of guitars, craftmanship and guitar concepts.
Well done!
Thanks :)
Max I have said it before, your guitar reviews are the best on the panet!
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
Another great, true, and honest review from Max! Thanks a lot! I wish more manufacturers send you guitars to review and to compare.
Haha, that would be great! Although, I wish I had more space for guitars. My studio is tiny and it's it's already filled with stuff
Excellent in-depth review, once again!
It's really confusing that Ibanez uses all those crazy model numbers but has 7 completely different guitars with the same RG421 designation, even more so if you also count the older versions. lol
The Air Norton is F-spaced because it's a bridge pickup. Ibanez puts it in the neck because that's what John Petrucci did in his Ibanez and he loved it (and people still like it).
There are overwhelmingly more guitars with it in the neck position than in its rightful bridge position. lol
The difference in brightness between the two Ibanez could be because of the different tonewoods (especially the tops and necks) or the tone-sucking Floyd Rose.
By far one of the best reviews i've seen and heard so far! 🤘
Thanks. There’s more videos like this on the channel
Holy wow. You did such an amazing job review this guitar. I was looking at guitars for days and days trying to find best bang for buck that looked cool. I saw tim henson playing something like the rg420hpfm but didn't want to spend that much and settled for this. I ended up buying it and it comes Sept 21st. Earned my sub!
I’m from Houston Texas but now I live in north Austin Texas I’ve been playing guitar for 36 years and you a very good guitar player and very informative and professional thanks for your knowledge
This must be the most comprehensive, straight-to-the point no-nonsense and objective guitar review I have ever watched. Great job! Looking to buy this guitar, or the Ibanez RG421HPAH-BWB and this helped a lot, thanks!
Glad it was helpful! If you decide to pull the trigger on this one, let us know about your first impression
@@MaxSoloMusic Actually ended up purchasing the RG421HPAH-BWB, which I think is basically the same thing, but with Dimarzio Fusion Edge pickups. Should arrive tomorrow :)
@@ollipirttila Awesome!
Great in depth review! I like the colors and also the pickups. They sound better in this one. The detailed analysis is outstanding!
Thank you Max!👍🏼👌🏼👏🏼
Your detailed guitar reviews are great. Everything that you need to know, especially if someone is looking to purchase a new guitar. Thanks!
Great and thorough review, really helpful. I've been looking for a new and versatile electric guitar with a HH pick-up setup. I've had my eye on this one and it seems that you get a lot for your money. I've also been looking at the new PRS SE Standard/Custom 24-08, because it has 2 more pick-up settings and a tremolo. If you have any experience with PRS guitars, which one would you choose or would you go for a more expensive Ibanez model?
If you want tremolo for that, there's a 420 model, with same specs, but it has the ibanez standard double locking trem
Great Review. Just bought an Ibanez 421 BBS….The quality to price ratio is fantastic.
Thanks, terrific review. Beginner question - do guitars with tremolos (edge/floydrose or vintage) need to be completely reset every time a string goes out of tune.
Loved your review. Please, do a review of S1070PBZ. I’m planning to get one soon but there are not many of it. Thanks!
Really liked the RG421 review. 🙂 Keep on rockin'. 😁👍
Great guitar. I love the color and the gold plated hardware. I would love to review one too. Rock n Roll!!
Great video. Thanks a lot! What about full review of Ibanez RG1121PB-CIF Premium ?
Help please! I'd really appreciate opinions: I'm an early Intermediate player. I found this guitar open box for $540 including tax and shipping. Finish and feel is flawless, but can still return it if it's not a good deal. Is that a good price for this particular instrument? I don't know much about different guitars and how much I should actually be spending. I spent most of my time as a beginner learning how to play rather than learning about different makes and models. I'm stepping up from a Squier strat (much needed IMO), and I also was gifted a Gibson LP special tribute that isn't as comfortable to play. Frankly, it has humbuckers that don't sound as good as this Ibanez, and the Wizard III neck is especially easier to play for me because of my little girl hands - I know it's flat and has a flatter radius, but it's easier for me to manage, hands down. I routinely have to reposition my fretting hand on the Fenders I checked out because the neck is too deep in its profile. PS: I play mostly hard rock and classic rock, if that's a consideration.
Hey Amita. Yes, if it's new it's a good price. And the guitar is great!
Les Paul's are a completely different beast ...the body's resonate tone differently.... I play les Paul's and have been a dedicated player . I played the 421 and am seriously considering buying one ❤
That guitar as it is, sounds fantastic. Easily bridging the two genres. Not saying it couldn't be improved. Good vid
Thank you kindly!
Idsay the rg370ahmz sounds way better,plus tremolo,hsh setup,not even close to the hum this has when not playing,150 bucks less.Id say they messed up with this model price-wise
Hello Max .. please could you help me choose about overall opinion ... i have to choose either this guitar or ltd mh-1000 ... Iam talking about wood material and hardware ...
Wow I really love the tone in the ibanez it sounds really good thx for the review now its easier for me to decide which ibanez I wanna get next
This one is pretty solid!
great review man.very clean and well laid out.i´ve found this guitar second hand for 400 Euros and i´m thinking about getting it.i actually wanna throw my nazgul/sentinel set in there,but i´m not sure how this would work because of the coil split switch.would this be an easy switch or a pain in the ass?do think the 400 would be a steal? thanks in advance!
Don't even think! 400 is a good price for this one. I'm not very much familiar with nazgul/sentinel. If those are active pickups there might be some other tonal option that can be triggered using a switch. Needs some research and manual reading :)
@@MaxSoloMusic hey thanks for the reply.the nazgul is a passive pu,so i wouldn´t have to change the pots
@@ultrabounce then it's probably gonna be a simple swap. Beware of different wire color codes though
@@MaxSoloMusic right,i just have to figure out how to implement the coil split switch into the wiring since i´ve put those nazguls into a cheap RG without that switch.well i guess i need to do some research on that
I would appreciate your opinion or advice, since you have tried and tested both guitars. Should I take this Ibanez with tremolo (Ibanez RG420HPFM-BRG) or the cheaper Harley Benton Fusion-III HH FR Roasted FBLB and invest in better magnets? Thanks!
Good question. If I had to choose between the two I'd go with the Ibby. It has better pickups right out of the box
i really like the sound of this guitar , but it looks super ugly , i was looking at the RG421HPAH but the videos ive seen from it doesnt have as bright of a sound as this one , can you please tell me if im wrong and its only in my head?
I just got 2 harley Benton Fusion T with Nyatoh body, roasted necks, HH and EMG PU's. The Nyatoh is a HEAVY wood! I thought the trend was using a lighter wood...Ibanez are quality guitars, but both my HB cost me $673 vs $799+tax. Fancy paint just doesn't justify higherprice for me!
Hey man, i gonna get one, but i wonder the sounds is way more agreesive for metal?
Thank for your review.. I mean detailed knowledgeable review I would definitely going to by this guitar. And I reached your video's end point writing this comment. Am pranay and from 🇮🇳India
Fico na dúvida entre a ibanez RG421 e a Ibanez RGA 42 🤔
BTW...I HATE that gold bridge and tuners...ruins the whole guitar!
Viele Grüße aus München! Great review. Seems like a nice guitar!! I am looking to get an RG soon and probably will start with the 421 to get my feet wet.
Hey! Good choice!
@@MaxSoloMusic thanks! It will be my first Ibanez. After playing Gibson's most of my life I have recently discovered that super strats are much more ergonomic and WAY easier to play. And with a good set of pickups I can still get great rock guitar sounds. The pickups sound so much better in your RG421HP than they do in the premium that I wonder if it has a wiring issue. Maybe they used the wrong value pots? It sounds dark and muffled in comparison. Wierd.
It's a good idee that the intonation could be longer for the biggest string. For downtunning is very good.
for classic 70s and 80s rock/metal do you think these pickups will be fine or swap to seymour duncan saturday night special
I can imagine playing rock and metal with those pickups
420 model has the trem opposed to the 421 without.
Nice video. Please make a review of the ESP LTD H line 🙏. Thanks
Thanks. ESP won't talk to me. Could you please post this request on their social media?
Hii, i am from India. Ive been planning to buy an electric guitar, and Ibanez has always been my favorite. So i searched on the Internet and stumbled upon the RG421HPFM, it is indeed a lovely guitar and i'll be buying it soon. The only thing that bothers me is, it doesn't have a Graphtec nut.
Hello from North Carolina…USA
I'm Sean from Westport IN USA. I love Ibanez Guitars. I own and have modded a 1996 RG and a 2017 Jem Jr. Both now have DiMarzio Tone Zone in bridge and Evolution in the neck. Stock pickups in the middle. Great channel I enjoy your reviews
Hey Sean! Thanks for watching. I hope to make it to the States one day! I have Evolution in my RG550 and it absolutely rocks
They now make an RGA that has the same color scheme that loks even better with the same pickups I beleive and it has a Trem! The hardware is black.
ibanez rg421hpam-ab REVIEW PLEASE
bruh subscribed on the spot!
Awesome!
Do you prefer the 3 way with coil tap or 5 way switch?
Hi Max
Questions for You.
How would You compare this guitar with 3 way switch coil tap vs Ibanez RGRT621DPB BLF (5 way switch). They have the same pickups.
Which one would be more versatile in terms of sound?
Would it make sense to equip the RGRT621DPB with coil-tap tone knob?
Hey. These 2 are very close from the versatility perspective even though RGRT is a more expensive (I assume) guitar. A coil tap switch may improve thing even further but it will need some thinking since that 5-way switch is not an ordinary switch. It must be one of those Cor-Tek switches like in HB Dullahans and some other guitars
I really enjoy your point system. To me, the lower the score, the more beginner friendly and I think you made that point here
Thanks Anthony. Hardtail guitars tend to receive less points that guitars with tremolo
"Or i would get a 5 way switch and mod it so it works as a Dyna-mix"
Uhh... What? How!? Now im interested.
Add a standard 5-way and use the toggle switch to do something else like switch in the neck pickup. Or throw in a 3-way mini-toggle and have it activate bridge pickup one way, nothing in the middle, and neck pickup the other way.
I meant to say a Super Switch. Essentially, what Dyna-mix is doing is connecting one of the coils together with a capacitor and a resistor. That's what they call a power tap. That makes that coil sound darker and changes the overall sound of the pickup. Ibanez used the same idea on some models in 1978 or 1979 with single coils
Hold up!!! Locking Tuners = Tuning Stability????? Is this proven.. I keep getting mixed OPINIONS and that’s the key word OPINION... I have guitars with and without and I find my NON “Locking” to be more stable but they aren’t $200 plus tuning gears either but neither are
No, locking tunes is not equal to tuning stability. It is one of the things that may improve tuning stability. But they are definitely not the key factor
I bought the RG420HPFM. With tremoló
I Santes to return it. But i’m from Argentina
And it Cosme from indiana
The fiesta impresión is how awfull is the tremolo
So un Tuner right out of the box
Any vintage gotoh Would be much better
And. .. no i difn’t press the nut. Whatever
The vintage gotoh no need it and doesn’t come included
I got to sell this ibanez
Looks gorgeous but technically poor
Хорошо что я взял rg550
Genesis or a vintage one?
Great review. Ibanez needs to stop using Air Norton and Tone Zone. They have been using them for years and years and need they need to move onto better pickups now. They are really not that good compared to the pickups their competition brand are putting in there guitars of the same price range.