I bought my first Ibanez back in '87. It was a PL (ProLine) and it was made in Japan. I currently have an RG 350 and a GIO bass. You really can't go wrong with Ibanez.
I'm thinking of getting my first Ibanez but I'm worried that it might have a thin neck which makes strings to be too close to each other, could you confirm?
The nomenclature of Ibanez guitars is head spinning. I came into guitar late in life and stumbled into an RG 652 Prestige as my 1st guitar. Best guitar $$ I’ve spent. Really great value for the buck.
About to learn on a friends Ibanez, just looking at them is inspiring haha. Your comment was inspiring so that’s why I responded, have a good one mate. Cheers!
I am an Ibanez addict! I own two electrics and am in the process of figuring out my third. I am definitely going 7 string. I like the RG, RGA, and the Universe. Both of mine are within the $700 USD range. A big shout out to Sweetwater on my second Ibanez and I will be getting my third from them.
@@Callekarl I looked at them but I am seriously looking at the RGA that's a 26.5 scale neck. It's close to $900 which is still affordable in my opinion. I like the new XL 7 string but it only comes in black from what I have seen.
@@TheMeJustMe75 I don't know about that one, I recently got my 7421, it's my first 7string. I'm surprised how good it sounds and how well built it is for the low price. And it's my first ibanez, but not my last👌
I've owned about 8 Ibanez since around 1983, and played too many to count. I have preferred some over others, but I've never seen a bad one. Not even the GIOs. Never, not one lemon.
I had an Ibanez ARZ6UCS (a $2,300 USD guitar) that I had to send back due to sloppy fret installation. This really sucked, because that model was hard to get my hands on to begin with, and then was discontinued, and so I was not able to obtain a replacement. Ibanez is not above the occasional lemon. My Ibanez RG652KFX is a work of art, though.
i had an S521 with a neck pocket gap significant enough to cause the neck to actually shift when bending. this was a 2021 model and they cost something like $400 dollars new, the quality of those generally isnt worth it for the price they ask. dime size pots, cheap muddy sounding ceramic pickups, poor quality control and for $400 you can do alot better. this all being said i still love ibanez, my most expensive guitar is an ibanez, its just best not to look at any company through rose tinted glasses.
I had an RGA42FM (the newer model with the F106 bridge, not the earlier model that was better for less with the Gibraltar II. I seem to find things late). I bought it brand new and it had gouges in the fretboard from machining and the nut was completely cut wrong, it was literally unplayable. BUT having said that - I have had many good quality guitars from Ibanez and most major companies but I have also had complete paperweights from those same companies.
@@DunderHead.5000 yea i REALLY hate the F106 bridge. im exclusively a hardtail player but the F106 is literally bottom of the barrel crap. $100 made in china pieces of crap ship with the same hardware so honestly, on the gios or whatever fine. but they put the F106 on pretty much all their hardtails less than $600. thats dumb imo. even stuff like the SEW761FM has the f106
I have a 1983 Roadstar II RS1000 that I bought used. The neck has been completely stable for the many decades I've had it. The previous owner had installed coil-splitter switches and I replaced the clunky trem with a Kahler flyer. The yellow in the cherry sunbust finish was turning green so I gently chipped away the front finish millimeter by millimeter to reveal a beautiful birdseye maple which I sanded smooth and it looks beautiful oiled. It looks and sounds great. Except for the original trem, everything about this was excellent.
Awesome topic. I bought the MM1 AZ and it's my favorite guitar. Before that I owned RGD and some RG. Awesome brand for playability built and versatility 🍺
Ibanez are all about the neck. If you like slim necks then check out the prestige Super Wizard HP necks. They are very thin along their entire length. If you play a lot of lead guitar they are definitely worth a try. You may never go back.
Great review! I have stuck with Prestige models for 20 years and of late the J Custom is the ultimate piece, not to mention several Signature models. Top brand, speaks for itself!
I am an RG man, myself. Got me a tremendously red 550 earlier this year. Road flare red, they call it. The damn thing can make a fire engine cry with envy. HSH with a floating tremolo and a really fast, slim wizard neck that feels great in the hand. It is the most versatile electric guitar I have ever owned. The clean tones lend themselves very nicely to jazz, blues and some 90s alternative stuff I really like. Add a small bit of gain, and you’ve got classic 70s rock tones. Turn the gain all the way up and this guitar absolutely roars and screams like an 80s shredder monster.
Love rgs, the only one I’ve had was this deep blue that I just didn’t fall in love with, then bought one with a metallic red color and fell in love. Ibanez really is one of the top brands in guitar
I own a RG440 made in Japan. This model was made for one year 86-87 gave birth to the RG 550. Made a short video. Type Ibanez RG440 RoadStar ll made in Japan.
I got an original RG550 back in the 90s (somewhere around 1992). Great guitar, you need good gear to appreciate it though, I never found a good amp for it until recently (I never wanted to spend enough money on the Amp, that's what the problem was mainly).
My first real guitar was a brand new 1985 Roadstar II (RS-440) in dark red. Pickups were weak but that tremolo it had was a beast. Then I got a white RG-550. Also owned a black SR-400 bass. I currently have two more basses (one being a Mikro) and a yellow Jem Jr. with an upgraded Gotoh tremolo. My next Ibanez will be from the S series.
You know, music is deep. There is so much beauty for so many. I want to learn how to play guitar. With an Azes. I love the tones. I love the features. It can make an instrument so much more. I like to rock.
Thank you great video. Very good information. I’m new to Ibanez, and I started with a GRX70QA to see how I felt about them first. I love the one I have so I’m deciding on what I want to upgrade to.
I have a RG170 black from when I was 17. I sold it to my father, got it back, and it plays and sounds awesome! I thought it was gonna be warped and play like shit! It's back in my guitar rack with my more expensive guitars, I play it all the time. The powersound pickups sound great, very responsive. Not even considering swapping pickups.
I bought cheap Chinese Ibanez GIO with the idea to experiment with it. I plugged it at home and it sounded clean and crisp on the bridge pickup. It's like planning single coil but humbucker. That's the sound I need. Maybe there is less copper wire in the pickups. Maybe it's aluminum. Whatever it is it sounds the way I want it to sound. So I keep playing this guitar like it's the best thing ever.
@sirspongadoodle You can use equalizers to shape the tone but claiming pickups don't change the tone goes against the reason why people switch pick ups all the time. If you go with that argument you may claim microphones don't change the tone too. But we all know they do. Of course you can EQ everything. I am not sure what point are you trying to make.
@@aspirativemusicproduction2135 people use to smoke for health benefits, they also still think refined carbohydrates are healthy. Just because people do something doesnt mean it has a reason, also comparing microphones to pickups?? You have no idea how a microphone actually works and this proves it…
Ibanez is my absolute favorite guitar brand. The RG series is my fav series. The shape is perfection and almost every model is acceptable (excluding gio) and the higher end models are exceptional. My burl top Iron Label RGIX6DLB is one of the best guitars I have ever owned or played and I am 46 years old with 38 years of playing under my belt. The playability was exceptional, the tone amazing. The stock pickups are the best pickups I have ever heard hands down. I may have gotten lucky and it may have been a fluke but I am grateful. It is better than the prestige I had.
The AR series is seriously underrated. I own a 7 string RGD axion label and AR420. The AR came almost perfect and the RGD that was almost twice the price, full of issues and it had the Ibanez QC stamp on the tag as well. I wish Ibanez would do more with the AR series, like Premium and Prestige models, maybe some more aggressive metal versions and thicker bodies and necks.
@@danielx5039 you only need to swap the bridge pickup really, the neck pickup is so good for the clean and crunchy tones. That said I can get nice heavy tones from the bridge pickup too, I mostly play some riffs from Mastodon, Gojira and Black Sabbath. But I get what you mean, a hotter bridge pickup would be nicer for the pinch harmonics. At the moment I have it very close to the strings to compensate for the lower output but I'm thinking about putting a higher output ceramic pickup in there.
@@freakalishess exactly! Just to make the pinch harmonics scream, and add the crazy bends.... Eargasm! But the looks and the tri-pol switches for every pu make it a dream guitar for someone like me, intermediate lvl player... I can have all the fun and a great guitar to never let rest 😁
I think most Ibanez look like they are for metal, but I have one from the Talman range the TM303 & it's an amazing guitar for the money, just superb & I'll never sell it;
Even the ones that look like they are for metal or awesome for other stuff. I own an RG550 which is a quintessentially metal guitar. I tell you what though, it sounds great no matter what I play on it. Even Jazz, blues and country.
This is a fantastic video, thank you. I've been an Ibanez player since 1989 & they're awesome. (Even if they do cause lefties like me much heartache with how limited our selection is) I do have to pick you up on one thing though; Joe Satriani never played Sabers. He started out on the Ibanez Radius series (R440, I think) and then got Ibanez to make a signature JS series for him. He's been on those ever since. One player who did use the Saber series as a basis for his Ibanez signature model is the Australian sweep-meister Frank Gambale. Sadly, he no longer plays Ibanez, though.
I have a J Custom, with a full floating trem. I am a left handed guitar player and this is the best quality instrument I have ever touched. The ultimate tone generating machine with a sturdy feel that doesn't make you hurt after hours on stage.
i like that the j custom line offers things that are out of this world, i dont own one but just looking through alot of pictures people have taken and put on the internet makes me wonder why some companies like gibson are evenon the market, since ibanez offers so much for so many people, i ant imagine how well a J custom plays. also their floating trem isnt like anything else, theyre smooth and effortless to use, they stay in tune great (even the cheaper ones) and i have never ever had any trouble with them
I have a 7 string gio, a rg450 and an s561 an my favorite is the s series it's the lightest guitar I've ever held an there's just something about the sound of a super thin guitar that I love the rg450 has the same pickups and body wood but doesn't sound the same at all. I will say the necks on all of them feel great an I have no issues playing them but as far as tone if you like a slightly brighter and anemic sound it's amazing
9:30 Satriani has his own signature model, and before that played radius models. never seen him play a sabre. Nita Strauss has her signature sabre, JIVA10 and variants, but only since 2018. Herman Li of Dragonforce has played his signature sabre, EGEN1 and variants, since 2007. And Frank Gambale had a sabre signature model (FGM), starting already in 1991. I assume they're not mentioned since those artists left Ibanez a long time ago.
I'm looking for my first ever guitar at the moment, in the beginning of my search I was interested in a Squier but then I decided to go to my local Guitar Center and saw the GRG120QASP and it felt like love at first sight, if it weren't for the fact that I'm broke and only went there to do some window shopping I would have taken it home right then and there
Not gonna lie, I'm disappointed that everyone skips over the AR series as just being geared to beginners. They're incredible guitars that play, look, and sound great. They're better than many guitars that cost double the price. The 3-way pickup modes let you get pretty much any sound aside from a piezo obviously. You get a lot of value with an AR.
Interestingly enough, it's built in China, not Indonesia, so probably on the countary to popular opinions on guitars from these two countries, at least for Ibanez, Chinese manufactured ones are mostly better than Indonesian ones
i swear the ARs cost like £500, thats far from what id call a beginner guitar personally. however the most expensive guitar i own is an ibanez axion s series, so for me £500 is very expensive
I just got an azes40 today, like $260 I have 6 other Ibanez guitars and it's close or on par with most of them once I set it up and the pickup selections are pretty awesome. My 2 cents on the "geared towards beginners" thing is that they made an awesome budget guitar that any normal player would like but it won't look (price wise) scary to a beginner. Imo the biggest problem with "beginner/budget" guitars is they play and feel like shit so a beginner thinks it's REALLY hard to learn when in reality, the frets just need some work, the action is too high, the neck needs a twist or whatever This came to me from the other side of the country, I live in Nevada, so it's HOT today and the neck is straight, the frets feel smooth, no sharp edges.
I currently play an Ibanez grg121dx, and it’s pretty good for $240. Me and my dad are going to be building a guitar with a custom semi-hollow body that we’re building, and a warmoth neck. My tastes have changed a lot since I got the Ibanez, so I’m going for a more jazz focused guitar than chuggy chug chug. I still plan on having as high an output bridge pickup I can though.
I have the AS-93FM, very very affordable but man! With the right amp, you can get convincing Larry Carlton tones and much much more! Hope to have a JEM soon..
GAK A fair, fun, informative video. All Ibanez guitars save the custom shop price point you mention (and I know nothing about) are prone to unfinished fret issues which is crazy considering Hoshino USA here in the states will fix them on and sometimes off, warranty. But why let them get through Q/C in the first place? I own a Ibanez Prestige S6570Q which is 2000 USD. In addition to fret issues and despite a super ‘pro’ setup that wasn’t cheap, it sports: . A strange, loud vibrato on all harmonics on the G string. It’s not subtle. Everyone can hear it when I play them, tone deaf or great musician. (Even when unplugged.) . Riffs and solos above the 15th fret cause acoustic amplification - meaning notes resonate through the body, even when the guitar is unplugged. Below the 15th fret, no issues. Above and folks say, “where’s the amp?” . The fine tuners are, on G and B strings, a tad sharp/flat. Game over. I don’t deny they're a fine company with great guitars. My local retailer is huge with a coffee shop, books, lessons, and massive inventory. The “word on the street” according to them, is do not buy an Ibanez guitar you cannot first play. Some don’t have any issues. Mine did and was back-ordered so I had no way to play it first. I discovered them on receipt. Sadly, I’ll have to punt this guitar. I may buy a used one that excludes any show-stopping issues. This is not just my experience in the USA. If you phone say Guitar Center in the USA and ask about unfinished frets, they’ll certainly tell you it’s an on-going issue.
I really like how the jet king series looks and sounds, but I don’t know the difference between the (I think) 4 models. Can you make a video about that? Would love to hear a tone comparison. Thx!
My ibanez AZ242F(premium 4:50) is astonishingly good. From playability to QC and build quality its just as good as any strat iv played. With SS frets, roasted maple neck, gotoh bridge, and SD pickups with TEN very usable positions...the premium AZ's are the best value for $1000+ guitar...short of WARMOTH but im talking production line guitars...
I bought an RS440 back in the early 80's and still have it. I gigged with it as my main guitar for years. My only complaint about it is the locking nut and funky bridge tuner thing. All is well until you break a string on stage and have to break out a tool box to change it.
It seems so many people think of Ibanez as only shredder guitars, so if they aren’t into shredder guitars they disregard Ibanez While shredder guitars are an important part of Ibanez, they areso much more So thanks for this video I have two guitars and a bass from Ibanez, not one is a shredder Nothing against those guitars, but not my thing
Bought a used RGT42FM, kept it for about 3yrs and sold it, biggest mistake I ever made as it was by far the best axe I ever had but didn't realize it at the time. I've been looking for another Ibanez neck through ever since...
I would love a very budget friendly quality HT in either a Xiphos or Destroyer. maybe under the GIO line. maybe blacked out with purple heart fretboard like that GRGR131EX-BKF
I HAVE a USA custom Ibanez made in Hollywood for cal.with Edge, Floyd & cam with USA 1 pickups, Tiger inlay in maple neck with figi wood body 30-year-old gutait ! What do I have?
You have forgot the "Workshop" series, which are upper-standard to premium level. Usually Ibanez is using them to test innovations for some limited runs.
ive got american fenders gibson les pauls, ect. I bsically only play by /99 les paul. I just got a low end ibanez rg421pb and its the only thing I wanna play and I cant even put it down, its like its attached to my hip. gonna maybe change the bridge pickup but thats it. I also rolled the fretboard edges. this is my favorite guitar and its the cheapest one ive ever bought.
Good video overall, of course you will take some heat from the Ibanez community. My only beef is that the S seriies came from the 540 family. This includes the Sabre, Power and Radius lines. Satrisni played the Radius, not the Sabre. Frank Gambale playred the Sabre. Also you left out the 540 P that was changed for a few years by Alex Skolnik. These are among the rarest and highly desired. Quite an oversight. But keep up the good work.
I bought my first Ibanez back in '87. It was a PL (ProLine) and it was made in Japan. I currently have an RG 350 and a GIO bass. You really can't go wrong with Ibanez.
Just have a pro line that I'm currently restoring :)
I'm thinking of getting my first Ibanez but I'm worried that it might have a thin neck which makes strings to be too close to each other, could you confirm?
@@yisus2056 The widths of their necks are normal, it's the thickness of their necks that's thin. I hope that makes sense.
6:00 was so beautiful, u got me floating off into outer space during an infomercial
The nomenclature of Ibanez guitars is head spinning. I came into guitar late in life and stumbled into an RG 652 Prestige as my 1st guitar. Best guitar $$ I’ve spent. Really great value for the buck.
About to learn on a friends Ibanez, just looking at them is inspiring haha. Your comment was inspiring so that’s why I responded, have a good one mate. Cheers!
Ive been playing 20 years.. just got a RG652 LWFX Anvil grey black.. the playability is outstanding
Is that Ed sheeran
yes
Yeah that is ed Sheehan after he put on his covid pounds
Isn’t that Shed Eeran
No. That's your momma.
Yes.
5:34 absolutely loved this
do you know the name of the song?
@@gn3ur I think he improvised it.
@@GovindCovers this dude is a legendary shredder
Please tell me it's a song I need it to be a song
I am an Ibanez addict! I own two electrics and am in the process of figuring out my third. I am definitely going 7 string. I like the RG, RGA, and the Universe. Both of mine are within the $700 USD range. A big shout out to Sweetwater on my second Ibanez and I will be getting my third from them.
Hi there mind sharing which two you have. That’s my budget too. Plus, do they useable tremolos.
Sweetwater is so dope! Their customer service is really 2nd to none!!
I have the rg7421, it's a really nice guitar! 👌
@@Callekarl I looked at them but I am seriously looking at the RGA that's a 26.5 scale neck. It's close to $900 which is still affordable in my opinion. I like the new XL 7 string but it only comes in black from what I have seen.
@@TheMeJustMe75 I don't know about that one, I recently got my 7421, it's my first 7string. I'm surprised how good it sounds and how well built it is for the low price. And it's my first ibanez, but not my last👌
10:14 definitely a fan of the hollowbody 🤎 loved how smooth he played
do you know the name of the song by any chance?
Great overview! Been overwhelmed by all their offerings, that helped a lot!
I just bought an Ibanez GIO as my first ever guitar, been looking at Ibanez videos all day just to confirm that I made a good purchase 😆
i wish i had enough money to buy that.
How is the guitar going 4 months on?
@@LukeReynoldsMusic_13 really enjoying it, it holds up really well!
which one did you get?
how's the guitar going 15 months in?
I've owned about 8 Ibanez since around 1983, and played too many to count. I have preferred some over others, but I've never seen a bad one. Not even the GIOs. Never, not one lemon.
I had an Ibanez ARZ6UCS (a $2,300 USD guitar) that I had to send back due to sloppy fret installation. This really sucked, because that model was hard to get my hands on to begin with, and then was discontinued, and so I was not able to obtain a replacement. Ibanez is not above the occasional lemon. My Ibanez RG652KFX is a work of art, though.
i had an S521 with a neck pocket gap significant enough to cause the neck to actually shift when bending. this was a 2021 model and they cost something like $400 dollars new, the quality of those generally isnt worth it for the price they ask. dime size pots, cheap muddy sounding ceramic pickups, poor quality control and for $400 you can do alot better. this all being said i still love ibanez, my most expensive guitar is an ibanez, its just best not to look at any company through rose tinted glasses.
I had an RGA42FM (the newer model with the F106 bridge, not the earlier model that was better for less with the Gibraltar II. I seem to find things late). I bought it brand new and it had gouges in the fretboard from machining and the nut was completely cut wrong, it was literally unplayable. BUT having said that - I have had many good quality guitars from Ibanez and most major companies but I have also had complete paperweights from those same companies.
@@DunderHead.5000 yea i REALLY hate the F106 bridge. im exclusively a hardtail player but the F106 is literally bottom of the barrel crap. $100 made in china pieces of crap ship with the same hardware so honestly, on the gios or whatever fine. but they put the F106 on pretty much all their hardtails less than $600. thats dumb imo. even stuff like the SEW761FM has the f106
There's the occasional lemon but even their $200 guitars are usually very playable and decent quality.
Last year I bought an RG550DX and I love it killer tone great playability its quickly become my favorite guitar
That's a phenomenal guitar to own man.
“Killer tone” placebo, in a side by side comparison one guitar will not sound different to another…
I have a 1983 Roadstar II RS1000 that I bought used. The neck has been completely stable for the many decades I've had it. The previous owner had installed coil-splitter switches and I replaced the clunky trem with a Kahler flyer. The yellow in the cherry sunbust finish was turning green so I gently chipped away the front finish millimeter by millimeter to reveal a beautiful birdseye maple which I sanded smooth and it looks beautiful oiled. It looks and sounds great. Except for the original trem, everything about this was excellent.
Awesome topic. I bought the MM1 AZ and it's my favorite guitar. Before that I owned RGD and some RG. Awesome brand for playability built and versatility 🍺
Ibanez are all about the neck. If you like slim necks then check out the prestige Super Wizard HP necks. They are very thin along their entire length. If you play a lot of lead guitar they are definitely worth a try. You may never go back.
Great review! I have stuck with Prestige models for 20 years and of late the J Custom is the ultimate piece, not to mention several Signature models. Top brand, speaks for itself!
I am an RG man, myself. Got me a tremendously red 550 earlier this year. Road flare red, they call it. The damn thing can make a fire engine cry with envy. HSH with a floating tremolo and a really fast, slim wizard neck that feels great in the hand. It is the most versatile electric guitar I have ever owned. The clean tones lend themselves very nicely to jazz, blues and some 90s alternative stuff I really like. Add a small bit of gain, and you’ve got classic 70s rock tones. Turn the gain all the way up and this guitar absolutely roars and screams like an 80s shredder monster.
Love rgs, the only one I’ve had was this deep blue that I just didn’t fall in love with, then bought one with a metallic red color and fell in love. Ibanez really is one of the top brands in guitar
I own a RG440 made in Japan. This model was made for one year 86-87 gave birth to the RG 550. Made a short video. Type Ibanez RG440 RoadStar ll made in Japan.
I got an original RG550 back in the 90s (somewhere around 1992). Great guitar, you need good gear to appreciate it though, I never found a good amp for it until recently (I never wanted to spend enough money on the Amp, that's what the problem was mainly).
Great overview, I love Ibanez guitars. I agree their quality is tops.
ok
My first real guitar was a brand new 1985 Roadstar II (RS-440) in dark red. Pickups were weak but that tremolo it had was a beast. Then I got a white RG-550. Also owned a black SR-400 bass. I currently have two more basses (one being a Mikro) and a yellow Jem Jr. with an upgraded Gotoh tremolo. My next Ibanez will be from the S series.
Can't beat that edge bridge.
You know, music is deep. There is so much beauty for so many.
I want to learn how to play guitar. With an Azes. I love the tones. I love the features. It can make an instrument so much more.
I like to rock.
Thank you great video. Very good information. I’m new to Ibanez, and I started with a GRX70QA to see how I felt about them first. I love the one I have so I’m deciding on what I want to upgrade to.
I have a RG170 black from when I was 17. I sold it to my father, got it back, and it plays and sounds awesome! I thought it was gonna be warped and play like shit! It's back in my guitar rack with my more expensive guitars, I play it all the time. The powersound pickups sound great, very responsive. Not even considering swapping pickups.
I have 4 RGs now, an RG220B, RG6003FM, an RG1XXV (25th Anniversary) and a Frankenstein RG I built from parts, I love them all!
I bought cheap Chinese Ibanez GIO with the idea to experiment with it. I plugged it at home and it sounded clean and crisp on the bridge pickup. It's like planning single coil but humbucker. That's the sound I need. Maybe there is less copper wire in the pickups. Maybe it's aluminum. Whatever it is it sounds the way I want it to sound. So I keep playing this guitar like it's the best thing ever.
I know it’s been a while but which GIO model was it?
Pickups arent equalisers they dont change tone
@Doowopsid I have to check. I know it's an old one but I am not at home to try to figure out the model. I will try to remember to check🙂
@sirspongadoodle You can use equalizers to shape the tone but claiming pickups don't change the tone goes against the reason why people switch pick ups all the time. If you go with that argument you may claim microphones don't change the tone too. But we all know they do. Of course you can EQ everything. I am not sure what point are you trying to make.
@@aspirativemusicproduction2135 people use to smoke for health benefits, they also still think refined carbohydrates are healthy. Just because people do something doesnt mean it has a reason, also comparing microphones to pickups?? You have no idea how a microphone actually works and this proves it…
5:35 eargasm.. mood music
beautiful guitar craftsmanship and awesome playing. is this an impromptu composition?
Great video. I'd love to see a similar video on their acoustic line.
Oh man that autumn was gorgeous!!!
Ibanez is my absolute favorite guitar brand. The RG series is my fav series. The shape is perfection and almost every model is acceptable (excluding gio) and the higher end models are exceptional. My burl top Iron Label RGIX6DLB is one of the best guitars I have ever owned or played and I am 46 years old with 38 years of playing under my belt. The playability was exceptional, the tone amazing. The stock pickups are the best pickups I have ever heard hands down. I may have gotten lucky and it may have been a fluke but I am grateful. It is better than the prestige I had.
thanks Edd, I can now die in peace understanding the Ibanez world. greetings from Córdoba Argentina.
Great job putting this together and the demos sound great!
@3:35 the blue 7 string on the right is a great guitar, ive owned it for about a year now, just change the pickups and it has sustain for days.
The AR series is seriously underrated. I own a 7 string RGD axion label and AR420. The AR came almost perfect and the RGD that was almost twice the price, full of issues and it had the Ibanez QC stamp on the tag as well. I wish Ibanez would do more with the AR series, like Premium and Prestige models, maybe some more aggressive metal versions and thicker bodies and necks.
I saw a blue sparkle AR420 on Thomman and fell in love with it..
I think if I get it, I might swap out the pickups for more metal sound
@@danielx5039 you only need to swap the bridge pickup really, the neck pickup is so good for the clean and crunchy tones. That said I can get nice heavy tones from the bridge pickup too, I mostly play some riffs from Mastodon, Gojira and Black Sabbath. But I get what you mean, a hotter bridge pickup would be nicer for the pinch harmonics. At the moment I have it very close to the strings to compensate for the lower output but I'm thinking about putting a higher output ceramic pickup in there.
@@freakalishess exactly! Just to make the pinch harmonics scream, and add the crazy bends.... Eargasm!
But the looks and the tri-pol switches for every pu make it a dream guitar for someone like me, intermediate lvl player... I can have all the fun and a great guitar to never let rest 😁
@@danielx5039 well I am selling my 7 string so that says a lot. I'm having too much fun on the AR. Can't recommend it enough!
@@freakalishess Is the neck sticky after hours of playing?
I think most Ibanez look like they are for metal, but I have one from the Talman range the TM303 & it's an amazing guitar for the money, just superb & I'll never sell it;
Even the ones that look like they are for metal or awesome for other stuff. I own an RG550 which is a quintessentially metal guitar. I tell you what though, it sounds great no matter what I play on it. Even Jazz, blues and country.
This is a fantastic video, thank you. I've been an Ibanez player since 1989 & they're awesome. (Even if they do cause lefties like me much heartache with how limited our selection is) I do have to pick you up on one thing though; Joe Satriani never played Sabers. He started out on the Ibanez Radius series (R440, I think) and then got Ibanez to make a signature JS series for him. He's been on those ever since. One player who did use the Saber series as a basis for his Ibanez signature model is the Australian sweep-meister Frank Gambale. Sadly, he no longer plays Ibanez, though.
Just the video I needed !! Thank you
I have a J Custom, with a full floating trem. I am a left handed guitar player and this is the best quality instrument I have ever touched. The ultimate tone generating machine with a sturdy feel that doesn't make you hurt after hours on stage.
i like that the j custom line offers things that are out of this world, i dont own one but just looking through alot of pictures people have taken and put on the internet makes me wonder why some companies like gibson are evenon the market, since ibanez offers so much for so many people, i ant imagine how well a J custom plays. also their floating trem isnt like anything else, theyre smooth and effortless to use, they stay in tune great (even the cheaper ones) and i have never ever had any trouble with them
Really good playing dude, enjoyed that 😊
Thank you, very informative video, also thank you Ibanez, thank Japan for your high quality art.
Ibanez, you make incredible guitars, but PLEASE work on the naming system
I have a 7 string gio, a rg450 and an s561 an my favorite is the s series it's the lightest guitar I've ever held an there's just something about the sound of a super thin guitar that I love the rg450 has the same pickups and body wood but doesn't sound the same at all. I will say the necks on all of them feel great an I have no issues playing them but as far as tone if you like a slightly brighter and anemic sound it's amazing
14:44 is one of the sickest runs I've ever heard tbh.
The first guitar I bought is my 1983 Ibanez acoustic 12 string. I bought it in 1984 from a music warehouse in Hong Kong. I still have and play it.
that intro jam is incredible wow
Just bought the Gio series for $80 at Goodwill with an amplifier included
I just ordered a Genesis Fluorescent orange Ibanez, it looks really nice.
Very informative and helpful! Thank you
5:35 that’s the most stunning guitar I’ve ever seen
I'm looking to upgrade from my 15year old rgr321exbk but can't decide, that thing has served me well :
Ibanez PIA3761 Steve Vai, amazing I gonna buy this one
I love the Gio Ibanez electric guitars I have two of them
9:30 Satriani has his own signature model, and before that played radius models. never seen him play a sabre. Nita Strauss has her signature sabre, JIVA10 and variants, but only since 2018. Herman Li of Dragonforce has played his signature sabre, EGEN1 and variants, since 2007. And Frank Gambale had a sabre signature model (FGM), starting already in 1991. I assume they're not mentioned since those artists left Ibanez a long time ago.
I'm looking for my first ever guitar at the moment, in the beginning of my search I was interested in a Squier but then I decided to go to my local Guitar Center and saw the GRG120QASP and it felt like love at first sight, if it weren't for the fact that I'm broke and only went there to do some window shopping I would have taken it home right then and there
I have one and it sounds great!!
really love it❤❤
This riff at 4:00 is fantastic. It should become a song.
Not gonna lie, I'm disappointed that everyone skips over the AR series as just being geared to beginners. They're incredible guitars that play, look, and sound great. They're better than many guitars that cost double the price. The 3-way pickup modes let you get pretty much any sound aside from a piezo obviously. You get a lot of value with an AR.
Interestingly enough, it's built in China, not Indonesia, so probably on the countary to popular opinions on guitars from these two countries, at least for Ibanez, Chinese manufactured ones are mostly better than Indonesian ones
i swear the ARs cost like £500, thats far from what id call a beginner guitar personally. however the most expensive guitar i own is an ibanez axion s series, so for me £500 is very expensive
@@zamedoeswtever5267 Indonesian Ibanez are better in my opinion . They are all good but jus usually they have better hardware
Does the tuning keys stay put while playing so the strings do not go out of tune?
I just got an azes40 today, like $260
I have 6 other Ibanez guitars and it's close or on par with most of them once I set it up and the pickup selections are pretty awesome.
My 2 cents on the "geared towards beginners" thing is that they made an awesome budget guitar that any normal player would like but it won't look (price wise) scary to a beginner.
Imo the biggest problem with "beginner/budget" guitars is they play and feel like shit so a beginner thinks it's REALLY hard to learn when in reality, the frets just need some work, the action is too high, the neck needs a twist or whatever
This came to me from the other side of the country, I live in Nevada, so it's HOT today and the neck is straight, the frets feel smooth, no sharp edges.
Great video, mate. Just got me an SA260
beautiful playing
Thanks for clearing the air
My favorite is the Ibanez PS10 with V-2 pickups. Paul Stanley played those in 1978, 1992, and 1996 and they sound the best in my opinion.
Thank you for this, because I've never seen a more complicated line of instruments in ny life.
Leaving out the FR series was unfortunate. It's a modern take on a Telecaster and my FR2620 is one of my favorite guitars ever
I currently play an Ibanez grg121dx, and it’s pretty good for $240. Me and my dad are going to be building a guitar with a custom semi-hollow body that we’re building, and a warmoth neck. My tastes have changed a lot since I got the Ibanez, so I’m going for a more jazz focused guitar than chuggy chug chug. I still plan on having as high an output bridge pickup I can though.
I have a sparkle green RG421. It’s fantastic, especially for the price.
I loved the sound of that AG85
Love my S series. Also got a customised iceman with EMGs. Ibanez is the way.
very helpful video def enjoyed watching
cool vid!
That guy is a great guitarist!
I have the AS-93FM, very very affordable but man! With the right amp, you can get convincing Larry Carlton tones and much much more! Hope to have a JEM soon..
There hollow body series are beautiful!
Great video thanks
I love the feel and ergonomics of Ibanez guitars, but I can't find any with a flat finish that isn't pointy and doesn't break the bank (Under $1000).
Check out the AZ range.
Rgrt are through neck and flat finish
what's the song @5:35 ? did he improvise?
love ibanez for life
GAK
A fair, fun, informative video.
All Ibanez guitars save the custom shop price point you mention (and I know nothing about) are prone to unfinished fret issues which is crazy considering Hoshino USA here in the states will fix them on and sometimes off, warranty. But why let them get through Q/C in the first place? I own a Ibanez Prestige S6570Q which is 2000 USD. In addition to fret issues and despite a super ‘pro’ setup that wasn’t cheap, it sports:
. A strange, loud vibrato on all harmonics on the G string. It’s not subtle. Everyone can hear it when I play them, tone deaf or great musician. (Even when unplugged.)
. Riffs and solos above the 15th fret cause acoustic amplification - meaning notes resonate through the body, even when the guitar is unplugged. Below the 15th fret, no issues. Above and folks say, “where’s the amp?”
. The fine tuners are, on G and B strings, a tad sharp/flat. Game over.
I don’t deny they're a fine company with great guitars. My local retailer is huge with a coffee shop, books, lessons, and massive inventory. The “word on the street” according to them, is do not buy an Ibanez guitar you cannot first play. Some don’t have any issues. Mine did and was back-ordered so I had no way to play it first. I discovered them on receipt.
Sadly, I’ll have to punt this guitar. I may buy a used one that excludes any show-stopping issues. This is not just my experience in the USA. If you phone say Guitar Center in the USA and ask about unfinished frets, they’ll certainly tell you it’s an on-going issue.
I really like how the jet king series looks and sounds, but I don’t know the difference between the (I think) 4 models. Can you make a video about that? Would love to hear a tone comparison. Thx!
Sweet playing 👌
My ibanez AZ242F(premium 4:50) is astonishingly good. From playability to QC and build quality its just as good as any strat iv played. With SS frets, roasted maple neck, gotoh bridge, and SD pickups with TEN very usable positions...the premium AZ's are the best value for $1000+ guitar...short of WARMOTH but im talking production line guitars...
Yikes as good as a strat isn’t exactly a singing endorsement considering they’ve had quality issues since the 1960’s
QVC for Ibanez. I love it.
I bought an RS440 back in the early 80's and still have it. I gigged with it as my main guitar for years. My only complaint about it is the locking nut and funky bridge tuner thing. All is well until you break a string on stage and have to break out a tool box to change it.
Every Ibanez I've played, cheap or intermediate or expensive, was definitely a guitar
I would be surprised if it wasn't
It seems so many people think of Ibanez as only shredder guitars, so if they aren’t into shredder guitars they disregard Ibanez
While shredder guitars are an important part of Ibanez, they areso much more
So thanks for this video
I have two guitars and a bass from Ibanez, not one is a shredder
Nothing against those guitars, but not my thing
I have an RG750. Still plays like a dream
Bought a used RGT42FM, kept it for about 3yrs and sold it, biggest mistake I ever made as it was by far the best axe I ever had but didn't realize it at the time. I've been looking for another Ibanez neck through ever since...
I would love a very budget friendly quality HT in either a Xiphos or Destroyer. maybe under the GIO line. maybe blacked out with purple heart fretboard like that GRGR131EX-BKF
I HAVE a USA custom Ibanez made in Hollywood for cal.with Edge, Floyd & cam with USA 1 pickups, Tiger inlay in maple neck with figi wood body 30-year-old gutait ! What do I have?
that guitar player is solid as a rock.
You have forgot the "Workshop" series, which are upper-standard to premium level. Usually Ibanez is using them to test innovations for some limited runs.
Hey :))) What is the best guitar to give me a Floyd sound,and also the best acoustic clean sound? Any price range?
ive got american fenders gibson les pauls, ect. I bsically only play by /99 les paul. I just got a low end ibanez rg421pb and its the only thing I wanna play and I cant even put it down, its like its attached to my hip. gonna maybe change the bridge pickup but thats it. I also rolled the fretboard edges. this is my favorite guitar and its the cheapest one ive ever bought.
Me too!
Joe Satriani's guitar is not a S-series but a Radius series which is different from Saber.
Correct
One small correction: the Joe Satriani model was based on a Radius not on a Sabre.
I was looking for this comment 🤘🏼
I have a ar 720 beautiful guitars never said alot about the ar series been going for years classics
sick riff at the start
Never had a bad Ibanez.
There’s no such thing
Buy a cheap Gio
@@sivapriyasarojam3062 I have one Lol. I have the grgr120ex. And for a cheap beginner guitar. It sounds great 👍
i'm here lookng for a metal guitar, but i need to know what you were playing at 10:14 cause that sounded lovely
Thanks for information.
Which guitar is the cheapest for a professional guitarist?
Thanks from Goa India
Great, informative video.
Btw just wondering, what was the signal chain?
Sounds really good.
I love Ibanez my rg550 genesis is top notch
Video about Kramer guitars! Thanks
Good video overall, of course you will take some heat from the Ibanez community.
My only beef is that the S seriies came from the 540 family. This includes the Sabre, Power and Radius lines.
Satrisni played the Radius, not the Sabre. Frank Gambale playred the Sabre.
Also you left out the 540 P that was changed for a few years by Alex Skolnik.
These are among the rarest and highly desired. Quite an oversight.
But keep up the good work.