You can't beat a GIO at that price point. People think you have to get a kid a Squier strat for their first guitar but, people don't do enough research to know there are more than just stratocasters that are good for kids. If I ever have any kids and they gain (pun NOT intended) any interest in guitars, I'll get them a GIO instead of a stratocaster
You are so right about that! I have the impression that they are simply ignored by many. I still love to play mine - imo the neck is perfectly balanced between thin and meaty. Common, there is even a 3/4 sized GIO - how cool is that??
Squire strats areint bad they just don't last long unfortunately i loved my squire strat as my first guitar but after 3 years alot got fucked up and it can't hold a tune and my gio was cheaper slightly and it sounds way better like I hate to say it because I love my strat but it was not worth what it was. The gio is amazing 200 dollar 7 string and it sounds professional
I honestly liked the cheap one better. I've got a GIO and I Iove it. I'm looking for upgrades to do right now so I keep loving it for a long time. I took a hiatus for a few years and it was the first guitar I bought when I started playing again. Even with the stock pickups (hot garbage) I still love it. The neck is amazing on mine. It took less setup than guitars I paid 2-3x as much for. They're solid, and I often recommend them as starters for people trying to get into electric guitar because they're some of the best quality instruments for the money.
My first guitar is a gio grg121ex I bought used about 10 years ago for $90 and still have it. It’s actually a great guitar. I prefer it to Epiphones and Fenders I’ve had (or have) just needs a pickup and tuner upgrade. Plays really nice, no fret buzz etc. will be keeping it for sure.
I just bought a GIO and though I don’t yet have it in my hands, I know that it’s a good guitar based on all I’ve heard. I was inspired to buy it thanks to 2Sich’s channel here on UA-cam. It just screams "Djent" when you look at it. It looks quite menacing. I had them string it up wit 12-62’s and they custom filed the nut, did the intonation, and neck adjustments for free, with free shipping. They already thoroughly examined it for flaws and checked the fret edges. I think it will be a steal for $249.99 At the most, I’ll look into replacing the pickups with some that are more suited for low tuning articulation. The model is GRG131DX. Can’t wait to have it in my hands! Thanks, and have a good day.
Own two gio's and really like them a lot. For the price you simply can't beat them. A custom expensive guitar would be nice to have but when properly set up and tuned - few could tell the sound difference between the gio and one that costs 15 times more
I m from the Dominican Republic and I thank you for this video...I dont make much money and I cant afford to buy expensive guitar...that Ibanez GRX20 sounds pretty good to me...thanks again!
I have the GIO and I love it and it’s at a price point that makes it hard to complain. I abuse the piss out of her, but she’s a real trooper holding up just fine over the years. If you are trying to decide what one , I highly recommend the GIO
Video lost me the moment it was stated the electronics had been changed in one of the guitars. That's not really comparing Ibanez to Ibanez, is it? It's comparing a *modified* Ibanez to Ibanez. At that point, comparison becomes moot. For the record, I do like Ibanez guitars. Great guitar. But the comparison parameters here aren't legit. Once you change the electronics, it becomes a different guitar. You might be able to still compare the playability and feel... but any sound comparison would be void unless someone has in mind making exactly the same equipment change.
I see your point Wishbringer, and I´m sorry to hear that. The neck pickup on the Gio is actually still the original one. I have replaced all the pots and wires with original values, so that didn´t change anything about the sound. The only thing that is really different is the bridge pickup (Jackson). Btw: If you buy the Gio nowadays it will actually have different pickups than mine from 1998. The point of this video was actually more to prove that you don´t have to spend a lot of money to get a nice sound & that you can play an entry level guitar for years and even in a professional environment, as I used the gio for example as one of the rhytm guitars on the background track. The solos were recorded with the RG7 :)
To that degree then you succeeded. If the neck pickup is identical, then the question does become one of playability. While pots differ greatly from one brand to another (even of the same value), it's still a matter of "Is it a good guitar?" Seems you've established it is, which as you state proves one doesn't have to spend thousands to get a good guitar. I agree with that sentiment completely. One of the best guitars I've ever played was a $300 Washburn 12-string. Another was a $200 Alvarez acoustic. My current guitar is a heavily modified Strat Bullet that I'd put up against any $1,200 Strat in sound comparison and feel... and that mod cost me less than $100. So thumbs up on making that point. Sometimes high-priced guitars are worth the extra money... sometimes not.
Thank you Wishbringer, you got my point. There is so many people that start to play and buy expensive stuff that is totally unnecessary altough nice. You wouldn´t take your first driving lesson with a Ferrari right? And sometimes there are even like, I don´t want to use it to often so it wont get scratched. That doesn´t make any sense to me. Guitars are made to be played. I actually prefer to buy 3-4 midrange guitars than 1 very expensive guitar. For example: I have an Epiphone Es339, a Vintage VS100 Gold Top and a mexican Fender for the price of one nice Gibson. This way I have more variety. And as you already mentioned: they can be improved very easily if necessary without too many costs.
Totally agree. Now, in some instances a higher price is worth it. I had a beautiful Ibanez that had purple flame maple front, mother of pearl edging, gold-tone bridge and tuners and played / sounded like a dream. $700... totally worth every penny. Would not have been worth it if it didn't play as good as it looked. But as you say it's not essential to spend a lot on a guitar. Some cheap guitars, watch out. One needs to know what to shop for. I've seen some guitars that were designed so badly the action could not be set fine enough to play properly. But as you say, a "knockabout" guitar is a good idea (although I'm just as careful with my pretty little Strat Bullet as I would be a full Strat). But it's true that one does feel less upset with getting a ding in a $100 guitar than a $500 one. ;D On my Strat Bullet I put a FlatCat pickup on the neck, a dual-rail mid and a hot humbucker on the bridge. Changed the pick guard to pearloid and set the action to pristine. The sound that comes out of that guitar is awesome. Now... would it have better sound if the body were ash instead of basswood? Sound is subjective (depending on the ear listening), so can't say. But the sound it produces now is fantastic, in my ears "better" than any Strat I've ever played. So I'm pretty pleased with that mod. Since I got the Bullet on sale for $99 and the mods cost me about the same, I have a $200 guitar with fantastic action and fantastic sound. So yup, price is not an issue unless one is looking for something specific. To use your illustration, someone who wants a Ferrari is not going to settle for anything less than a Ferrari. But a reliable, comfortable car that runs well and is pleasant to drive can be purchased for a lot less coin... and the insurance premiums are cheaper by far. ;D
Hmm I'm going to have to admit I think the Custom sounded noticeably better. Plus when you factor in playability, hardware quality, bodyweight, quality of craftmanship, and many other minor features which all come together to make the guitar more perfect (think about tapping response), I'd say the price point is pretty much worth it
Very good point Danny. Both are amazing for their price and the price is of course justified on the custom, because it really does have a much better quality and playability
Just adding my own experiences here. I have a lot of guitars but i'll speak only about two. In Mid 2016 I bought an Ibanez Iron Label IR20FE (basswood body, EMG pickups) on sale. Not a cheap instrument but not a very expensive one either. A very comfortable guitar with a mighty sound and it was ideal for playing in Drop D, Drop C, C# etc. Then a couple of years later I got a Jackson Pro Series Rhoads (EMG's, Alder Body, Original German Floyd Rose). A striking looking guitar with an association of thrash metal and also a great sound. Not to mention more expensive. One day I did an epic shootout with both guitars. The results were shocking in that the Ibanez was a much better guitar to play with (it was so comfortable that I didn't even want to put it down) and a very powerful but bright sound. You could play thrash and death metal on it but also shred guitar. The Jackson despite the high end specifications and striking appearance wasn't as impressive tonally. It still sounded good, don't get me wrong but there was something missing in it's tone and due to it's unusual shape, it was hard to play sitting down so I had to stand with it. I generally feel that there is truth that the more expensive guitars play better generally but what I did that day seemed to have bucked the trend there. I prefer to work with the Ibanez but the Jackson is just pretty much only good for performing. You are welcome to delete this comment if you deem it to be irrelevant.
I have the same GIO on the past I'm changing the gauge strings from 9-42 to 12-54 and was a trouble , because the nut get floppy and i change the gauge strings for a 10-46 and comback to 9-46.
I have played several Ibanez RGs, i still have an 350 and a gio [both have worn out frets] the gio is a bit odd in that it has one of the Flatest/thinnest necks I've ever played... especially between the 10th fret and the body. It reminds me of a John Petrucci signature I played in a guitar store in February2017. All of the hardware on the gio is black and apart from me wearing out the frets everything still works[ i am not a big user of the whammy and blocked it so that it's not floating, and you can go down but not up] Anyway for the price it is an excellent guitar, and when I bought it I didn't realise at the time how extremely flat the neck was!?! I now play Vigier, but would appreciate any comments on the Gio Cheers from England ;~)
misterjohn john that's sounds great john! I would actually love to see your guitar. Did you change the hardware to black? Or was it sold like this? I'm not so familiar with Vigier for now - are you satisfied with your guitar? True story, the neck of my gio is a bit like on a standard strat - which made it surprisingly comfortable to switch. Besides the 3 single coils against 2 humbucker space situation 😉 greetings from germany 😃🎸🤘
4K shots! I bought it second hand. I didn't know much about electric guitars so I only bought it cos it played well for me, and for the price = £180. [I'm a player not a gear head !] I didn't change anything on it It has 5 pick ups! ● after wearing the frets out on it in about 18 months I bought another Ibanez RG with a floating-trem second-hand for £186, unfortunately blue, but with all black hardware again. It has 5 pick ups, a slightly fatter neck than the previous one, and a scratchplate this time. And the Floyd rose is adjustable without taking off the back plate. Whilst I was wearing out the frets on this one I seriously go into researching what I wanted in an electric guitar. I nearly had one made in my country with True Temperament frets and an Evertune bridge . I eventually went for Patrice Vigier in France who doesn't make many guitars per year, and he is obsessed by quality and they are all hand finished. They don't uses truss rods, but reinforce their necks with a lot of carbon fibre... so the neck will not move regardless of what strings you put on and the ambient temperature and humidity. I chose the Shawn Lane model as it has a flat fret board[ I was classically trained], which means you can have an insanely low action everywhere on the fretboard. It has 5 pickups and a trem-system, and stunning locking tuners. Cost at start of 2017 when I first started thinking seriously about getting one was £2119. [after chatting online to players that had one] By the time I decided to get one and put myself on waiting list and eventually receiving one the final cost at the end of October 2017 was £2195. I don't know how he can make them this price? It seems cheap to me !!! A serious contender was John Petrucci signature guitar [6 string version] which was way over £3000. Anyway, no regrets.. It plays like a dream, it's hard to put down... I might need some areas refretted before 2019. There aree loads of clips of Shawn Lane playing Vigier online from 1996 to his death in 2003, my favourite is poor quality, but his improvising is astonishing. It's on a youtube channel called something like MyShawnLaneVideos It lasts just over 10 minutes and was filmed at NAMM 1996 {the Vigier then was new and originally had 2 EMG pick ups.. but the rest is the same as my Vigier..see my youtube channel] He can also play piano and sing He was born with lots of medical conditions and was in constant pain, and developed Cushins Syndrome which caused huge liquid retention and massive weight gain. He was playing right up to the end [if you are familiar with his playing, you can see it's quality slightly suffering] he died at aged 40. Cheers, John in England POSTSCRIPT↓ I shall dig out my black Ibanez , and film it so you can see the neck, and the blue also I suppose. ;~)
He was indeed a brilliant guitarist. Thank you for introducing me to his music. What an incredibly sad story, it is really heartbreaking. I was looking for your video of the Vigier and actually couldn´t find it, maybe you can show me where it is? And shure, please show me your Ibanez collection! I´m a huge Ibanez fanboy so I´m also interested in them! Thank you John! I´m really looking forward to it! Have a great day! :)
I always wanted a RG7620, but can't afford it (almost $1500 at that time). instead I purchased a second hand RG7420 for $150 which is pretty the same guitar with a different bridge. Now, 15 years later I upgraded with an Original Floyd rose, locking tuners and a Fishman Fluence modern set and it is even better than the modern $2k-$3k prestiges.
the more expensive one definitely has a more crisp and less distorted sound no doubt about it, but for 10 times more money I don't think it's even debatable that the less expensive one is easily the far better deal without question. Ibanez fukin rocks though either way for sure !! Great video man, subbed !!
Hi Yago! You can try clean the screws with a metal polish like "nevr dull" for example - or simply replace them. I bought mine at Rockinger.de, a great shop if you ask me. Here is the link: www.rockinger.com/index.php/en/Wood-Screws-Screws%2C-Springs/l-WG161 Let me know if you got more questions :)
If you change parts and want to prevent rust in the future, try looking for brass (if you like the look) or stainless steel ones. These types of screws will outlast the wood they screw into.
Definitely helps. Always been a Gibson/Fender kinda person. Need something for some new genres and need to buy something rather than defile what I have. To me there's a huge difference even if I'm not recording. The Gio has a kind of irritating twang to me that might sound great playing Dwight Yoakam, but that's what the Tele is for. RG sounds awsome and the new RGs have an 11 layer neck that has to add even more sustain not to mention the great looks.
For my birthday I had to choose between an Ibanez RG470 and an Ibanez Gio (I forgot its name). Both of them were second-hand guitars, the RG was a bit cheaper (like 10 or so bucks), but it is a bit broken on the headstock. It doesn't affect the playability and the way it stays in tune, everything's fine. After I got some advice from two of my more experimented friends, I chose the RG. Both of them told me that Gio is the worst series that Ibanez has ever made. I don't regret buying the RG, but from what I've seen (not only in this video but in others as well), I think an Ibanez Gio is gonna be the next guitar I'll buy. Talking about the comparison, in my opinion, the Gio sounded better than the Custom. The Custom was a bit too muddy. Always when you played the Gio, I was surprised by how well it sounds. By the way, nice riff, it got stuck in my head.
Might have some luck here.. I have an Ibanez Gio from 2004, I’m turning her into a new project (paint, pickups, bridge etc..) but I’m having trouble with finding out if I can swap out the bold on necks, does anyone here know I’d that is possible?
I have two Ibanez. One is a Team JCraft 1570 and the other an RG350dxl. The 350 has warmer sounding pickups and sounds better at the Bridge while the Prestige sounds slightly better at the neck but plays smoother on the neck. One made in Japan the other in Indonesia but both are very much excellent guitars. I also have a USA Strat and a '93 MIK Strat with a prewired n loaded pickguard by Dragonfire. The US model Strat is better but not by much. I have a Gibson LP cherry stain and an Epi LP Pro. The Epi is slightly better but only because you can switch the HB pickups to single coil mode. But I sound the same on ALL my guitars no matter what I play through. So price is subjective, and nowadays you can buy a good quality guitar for peanuts ;-)
Finally !!! Your subscription button worked today→Friday 07th April currently chilling out and improvising along with a live Shawn Lane DVD called "Aga of the Ladies" Fabulous and fascinating ;~) John in Hampshire, England
That´s awesome John! Finally :) Welcome subscriber Nº 145 ! I tried and somehow wrote UA-cam about that (it´s harder since i´m not a youtube partner anymore), but I don´t think that was the solution here. Hope you enjoy my site, the next videos are in the making :) Have fun with the Shawn Lane DVD!! Greetings, Michael :)
4K shots! ;~) I have also looked at my youtube channel from "outside", and it looks so messy and disorganised[which some say is an attribute of being a genius?] There also appear to be several channels with a very similar name to mine{which is a silly nickname for me that evolved 25 years ago→ long story!} i think I shall add another word to my channels' name, perhaps one of my other nicknames; Dylan Simmo The Professor Rubberman Sticky [short for stick insect] !?! There's more, all with accompanying stories... ... Dylan and Simmo were the most common at school So maybe "misterjohn Simmo Dylan" Too complicated? "misterjohn Hampshire/England" Maybe later.. Have a good weekend Cheers. ;~)
Thank you :) I´ve changed the bridge pickup already ten years ago, but the neck pickup is still the original Ibanez Powersound. Today´s GRX 20 uses the Ibanez Infinity´s.
I know the RG sounds often muddy when distorted. Two friends of me had sg styled ones - a gio and a 7string, really cool guitars and a bit too rare if you ask me
I have those two guitars. To be honest the custom is a great guitar but i aways ask myself why do i alaays go for the gio during live gigs. The gio has this touch with live gigs that it sounded real. And the custom sounded like it was breaking apart. Though at its best condition its a farcry to the gio when it comes to live. When i do recordings the custom was a monster. Though gio can handle recordings it wasnt that good enough for records. So i was alqays stuck with gio wheni go out. And the custom being keft alone in my house. It's just weird.
The higher priced guitar sounds muddy. I'm sure the Gio only sounds the way it does(in my opinion better than the custom) because of the upgraded pickup. Question is: after all the hardware you replaced and the pickup, what would you say the total cost was? Assuming of course that you upgraded the hardware with new parts. Possibly a minimal saving, buying a cheap guitar and custom upgrading it to exactly what you want out of a guitar.
Hi Super Nova! Total costs for new pots, wiring, caps and saddles was 50 € max. I´ve got the pickup and a graphite pencil for free from my former boss and did all the upgrades myself. And yeah I agree in this setting the Dimarzios do sound a bit muddy, that´s why I like to kick em with a big muff sometimes. Thanks for commenting :) Happy Easter, Michael
The metal song is called "Bad Hombres" and the electro song is called "The Pulse" - here´s my soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/dr-elastic Thanks for watching :)
That´s correct Mike and the price is really unbelievable!! It´s a great piece of gear that I would totally miss. Merry christmas and a happy new year :)
no one has even considered the fact that he has compared a 24 fret custom guitar to a 22 fret factory guitar with upgrade...Yes the Gio has an upgrade but, no matter what you put in it the fret span will always make the difference in sound quality...the long the bridge and nut distance the deeper the sound so yes the distortion in the custom guitar may sound better, compare it to the same guitar with the same fret count neck...Now thats a NO BRAINER :)
That's a nonsense conclusion. There are tonal differences between 22 and 24 fret guitars due to the fact that on a 22 fret guitar, the neck pickup will be farther away from the bridge. This is a tone that many people prefer - fuller, sweeter and more round. That has nothing to do with sound "quality", but characteristics. Some people prefer a sweeter and fatter neck pickup tone, while others might prefer a brighter, slimmer sound, which you would get on a 24 fret guitar.
@@4KshotsMichaelLewicki it has a pretty cool tone , pick ups get fuzzy with heavy distortion so it's better to play it at a lower volume to eliminate that , but that's my guitar in my pic under blue light 😂👍
tbh I started with 13 and played in a couple of bands. Later I had a 7 year long break (work) where I just played with my nephews from time to time. Since last year I try to play at least once a week. How about you? :)
4K shots! I started when i was 15 years old i played many genre from delta,piedmont blues and ragtime early 10s to thrash metal im into ragtime and blues acoustic now i want to know much better about this type of music i play almost 6h to 8h every day
Wow - that´s great! :) I wish I could play that much guitar every day - but I´m on the road a lot. I´m currently recording some blues/folk for a project and I really like to explore new genres as well. Unfortunately I am not familiar with piedmont for now, but I will check it out later. Thanks :) I almost forgot that I played in a trash metal band once. That was awesome - I played my SR505 on a Hartke 4x10" with a 5" sub. Flying trousers alarm :)
in terms of quality both are about equal do you mainly like strat type guitars ? get the Ibanez ( assuming it's a RG ) do you like SG type guitars like Angus young ( and others play ) ? then get the SG or try them both out if possible and with different amps too so you can get a good idea of tone etc
If you can play descent , u can look at a guitar as an effect , cheap get sounds u can't get with a pedal , but it's no twice as good even , listen to ur recording again
Lol ok so cutting off the low string isn't gonna level the playing field. The guitar has probably an 1/8th more wood and weight to it still. Including the neck, most importantly, is still much wider and thicker than the 6 string. Kinda unfair. Like a heavyweight vs a middle weight boxer.
Still waiting for measuring calipers to make quick vid about Ibanez and Vigier necks! Your sub button still won't engage? but today I subbed to a couple if very small guitar channels without problems? I Will keep on trying! ;~) POSTSCRIPT...... i tried some of the subscription buttons of the channels in this comments section, and theirs don't work either. ????!!!!???? I do most of my music listening, researching, learning from a tablet I am currently typing on, it's also my musical links library. Next time I'm on the PC at home, or my girlfriend's very powerful laptop I shall try and remember to see if I can sub to you that way! It's become a "bugbear" now!
Let me know when it´s done and send me the link please :) That´s really bizarre with the subscription button :/ Have a great weekend John! Greetings, Michael
that E string shouted before you killed it --- NNNNOOOOO !!!! WHY !!!?!?!?!? YOU CAN ALWAYS IGNORE ME !!! DON'T HIT ME !!! JUST FOCUS ON THE REST OF THE 6 STRINGS !!! JUST DON'T KILL ME !!!! --------- and then dead ... you cut his life away .. :p :p serious though. for me, it's about being worthy of your instrument, i'm not underestimating the Gio models since they are very very capable, but if you're still starting out, you deserve the very basic of ibanez' line, the Gio, if you're into the RG range, then, the RG, then the RG premium and finally if your ability to play the guitar is worthy enough ........ then you deserve to buy yourself a JEM. if you're on the S series, start with the SA, work yourself up to the S series, S premiums and finally -------- the JS models :p that's just me though :p
You can't beat a GIO at that price point. People think you have to get a kid a Squier strat for their first guitar but, people don't do enough research to know there are more than just stratocasters that are good for kids. If I ever have any kids and they gain (pun NOT intended) any interest in guitars, I'll get them a GIO instead of a stratocaster
You are so right about that! I have the impression that they are simply ignored by many. I still love to play mine - imo the neck is perfectly balanced between thin and meaty. Common, there is even a 3/4 sized GIO - how cool is that??
i actually hate the look of stratocasters. i like the look of these so much more - always have.
I’m 12 my dad mad that mistake 😢 I’m gonna get hip for x mass tho
My first guitar was early ibanez gio Thailand made which changed my life. Absolutely high class guitar for its price.
Squire strats areint bad they just don't last long unfortunately i loved my squire strat as my first guitar but after 3 years alot got fucked up and it can't hold a tune and my gio was cheaper slightly and it sounds way better like I hate to say it because I love my strat but it was not worth what it was. The gio is amazing 200 dollar 7 string and it sounds professional
I honestly liked the cheap one better. I've got a GIO and I Iove it. I'm looking for upgrades to do right now so I keep loving it for a long time. I took a hiatus for a few years and it was the first guitar I bought when I started playing again. Even with the stock pickups (hot garbage) I still love it. The neck is amazing on mine. It took less setup than guitars I paid 2-3x as much for. They're solid, and I often recommend them as starters for people trying to get into electric guitar because they're some of the best quality instruments for the money.
My first guitar is a gio grg121ex I bought used about 10 years ago for $90 and still have it. It’s actually a great guitar. I prefer it to Epiphones and Fenders I’ve had (or have) just needs a pickup and tuner upgrade. Plays really nice, no fret buzz etc. will be keeping it for sure.
The Gio has a grungier more garage rock type of tone I actually like
I just bought a GIO and though I don’t yet have it in my hands, I know that it’s a good guitar based on all I’ve heard. I was inspired to buy it thanks to 2Sich’s channel here on UA-cam.
It just screams "Djent" when you look at it. It looks quite menacing. I had them string it up wit 12-62’s and they custom filed the nut, did the intonation, and neck adjustments for free, with free shipping. They already thoroughly examined it for flaws and checked the fret edges. I think it will be a steal for $249.99
At the most, I’ll look into replacing the pickups with some that are more suited for low tuning articulation. The model is GRG131DX.
Can’t wait to have it in my hands! Thanks, and have a good day.
Own two gio's and really like them a lot. For the price you simply can't beat them. A custom expensive guitar would be nice to have but when properly set up and tuned - few could tell the sound difference between the gio and one that costs 15 times more
I’ve rewatched this a few times such a cool video
Thank you - nice to hear that 😎 Have a great day Florencia 🌞
@@4KshotsMichaelLewicki you’re so welcome thank you I hope you have an awesome week! ❤️🔥🤘
@@4KshotsMichaelLewicki p.s your Instagram link does not work the link is broken I tried to follow u on IG
I m from the Dominican Republic and I thank you for this video...I dont make much money and I cant afford to buy expensive guitar...that Ibanez GRX20 sounds pretty good to me...thanks again!
I have the GIO and I love it and it’s at a price point that makes it hard to complain. I abuse the piss out of her, but she’s a real trooper holding up just fine over the years. If you are trying to decide what one , I highly recommend the GIO
save money with gio and have money left for upgrades
i dought an used Gio today. What kind of upgrades i can buy in AMAZON?
@@eliasreyes5903 pickups and maybe a new bridge
Absolutely I put DiMarzio neon green pickups in mine looks awesome
Video lost me the moment it was stated the electronics had been changed in one of the guitars. That's not really comparing Ibanez to Ibanez, is it? It's comparing a *modified* Ibanez to Ibanez. At that point, comparison becomes moot. For the record, I do like Ibanez guitars. Great guitar. But the comparison parameters here aren't legit. Once you change the electronics, it becomes a different guitar. You might be able to still compare the playability and feel... but any sound comparison would be void unless someone has in mind making exactly the same equipment change.
I see your point Wishbringer, and I´m sorry to hear that. The neck pickup on the Gio is actually still the original one. I have replaced all the pots and wires with original values, so that didn´t change anything about the sound. The only thing that is really different is the bridge pickup (Jackson). Btw: If you buy the Gio nowadays it will actually have different pickups than mine from 1998. The point of this video was actually more to prove that you don´t have to spend a lot of money to get a nice sound & that you can play an entry level guitar for years and even in a professional environment, as I used the gio for example as one of the rhytm guitars on the background track. The solos were recorded with the RG7 :)
To that degree then you succeeded. If the neck pickup is identical, then the question does become one of playability. While pots differ greatly from one brand to another (even of the same value), it's still a matter of "Is it a good guitar?" Seems you've established it is, which as you state proves one doesn't have to spend thousands to get a good guitar. I agree with that sentiment completely. One of the best guitars I've ever played was a $300 Washburn 12-string. Another was a $200 Alvarez acoustic. My current guitar is a heavily modified Strat Bullet that I'd put up against any $1,200 Strat in sound comparison and feel... and that mod cost me less than $100. So thumbs up on making that point. Sometimes high-priced guitars are worth the extra money... sometimes not.
Thank you Wishbringer, you got my point. There is so many people that start to play and buy expensive stuff that is totally unnecessary altough nice. You wouldn´t take your first driving lesson with a Ferrari right?
And sometimes there are even like, I don´t want to use it to often so it wont get scratched. That doesn´t make any sense to me. Guitars are made to be played.
I actually prefer to buy 3-4 midrange guitars than 1 very expensive guitar. For example: I have an Epiphone Es339, a Vintage VS100 Gold Top and a mexican Fender for the price of one nice Gibson. This way I have more variety. And as you already mentioned: they can be improved very easily if necessary without too many costs.
Totally agree. Now, in some instances a higher price is worth it. I had a beautiful Ibanez that had purple flame maple front, mother of pearl edging, gold-tone bridge and tuners and played / sounded like a dream. $700... totally worth every penny. Would not have been worth it if it didn't play as good as it looked.
But as you say it's not essential to spend a lot on a guitar. Some cheap guitars, watch out. One needs to know what to shop for. I've seen some guitars that were designed so badly the action could not be set fine enough to play properly. But as you say, a "knockabout" guitar is a good idea (although I'm just as careful with my pretty little Strat Bullet as I would be a full Strat). But it's true that one does feel less upset with getting a ding in a $100 guitar than a $500 one. ;D
On my Strat Bullet I put a FlatCat pickup on the neck, a dual-rail mid and a hot humbucker on the bridge. Changed the pick guard to pearloid and set the action to pristine. The sound that comes out of that guitar is awesome. Now... would it have better sound if the body were ash instead of basswood? Sound is subjective (depending on the ear listening), so can't say. But the sound it produces now is fantastic, in my ears "better" than any Strat I've ever played. So I'm pretty pleased with that mod. Since I got the Bullet on sale for $99 and the mods cost me about the same, I have a $200 guitar with fantastic action and fantastic sound.
So yup, price is not an issue unless one is looking for something specific. To use your illustration, someone who wants a Ferrari is not going to settle for anything less than a Ferrari. But a reliable, comfortable car that runs well and is pleasant to drive can be purchased for a lot less coin... and the insurance premiums are cheaper by far. ;D
Hmm I'm going to have to admit I think the Custom sounded noticeably better. Plus when you factor in playability, hardware quality, bodyweight, quality of craftmanship, and many other minor features which all come together to make the guitar more perfect (think about tapping response), I'd say the price point is pretty much worth it
Very good point Danny. Both are amazing for their price and the price is of course justified on the custom, because it really does have a much better quality and playability
Nice demo and playing. Are the Ibanez PSND1 and Jackson CVR2 pickups ceramic or alnico? Thanks
I have a red g10 that I own for about 20 plus years. great guitar.
Just adding my own experiences here. I have a lot of guitars but i'll speak only about two. In Mid 2016 I bought an Ibanez Iron Label IR20FE (basswood body, EMG pickups) on sale. Not a cheap instrument but not a very expensive one either. A very comfortable guitar with a mighty sound and it was ideal for playing in Drop D, Drop C, C# etc. Then a couple of years later I got a Jackson Pro Series Rhoads (EMG's, Alder Body, Original German Floyd Rose). A striking looking guitar with an association of thrash metal and also a great sound.
Not to mention more expensive.
One day I did an epic shootout with both guitars. The results were shocking in that the Ibanez was a much better guitar to play with (it was so comfortable that I didn't even want to put it down) and a very powerful but bright sound. You could play thrash and death metal on it but also shred guitar. The Jackson despite the high end specifications and striking appearance wasn't as impressive tonally. It still sounded good, don't get me wrong but there was something missing in it's tone and due to it's unusual shape, it was hard to play sitting down so I had to stand with it.
I generally feel that there is truth that the more expensive guitars play better generally but what I did that day seemed to have bucked the trend there. I prefer to work with the Ibanez but the Jackson is just pretty much only good for performing.
You are welcome to delete this comment if you deem it to be irrelevant.
Great comment mate
The gio almost sounds better
Nathaniel Gorman i think that the dimarzios sometimes sound a bit grumpy, so that the gio sounds a bit fresher
4K shots!
Although they both need refretting now,
I prefer the feel in my hands if my cheaper thin necked Gio to the RG 350
! ;~) !
the louder the music the brighter gio’s lights get in performance
I have the same GIO on the past I'm changing the gauge strings from 9-42 to 12-54 and was a trouble , because the nut get floppy and i change the gauge strings for a 10-46 and comback to 9-46.
Why does the non gio sound more distorted on the clean channel
I have played several Ibanez RGs, i still have an 350 and a gio [both have worn out frets] the gio is a bit odd in that it has one of the Flatest/thinnest necks I've ever played... especially between the 10th fret and the body. It reminds me of a John Petrucci signature I played in a guitar store in February2017. All of the hardware on the gio is black and apart from me wearing out the frets everything still works[ i am not a big user of the whammy and blocked it so that it's not floating, and you can go down but not up]
Anyway for the price it is an excellent guitar, and when I bought it I didn't realise at the time how extremely flat the neck was!?!
I now play Vigier, but would appreciate any comments on the Gio
Cheers from England
;~)
misterjohn john that's sounds great john! I would actually love to see your guitar. Did you change the hardware to black? Or was it sold like this? I'm not so familiar with Vigier for now - are you satisfied with your guitar?
True story, the neck of my gio is a bit like on a standard strat - which made it surprisingly comfortable to switch. Besides the 3 single coils against 2 humbucker space situation 😉 greetings from germany 😃🎸🤘
I have a 350exz bk, what's your opinion on it?
x18BritishBillx18 its a freakin cool lookin guitar Bill! 😎🤘
4K shots!
I bought it second hand. I didn't know much about electric guitars so I only bought it cos it played well for me, and for the price = £180. [I'm a player not a gear head !]
I didn't change anything on it
It has 5 pick ups!
● after wearing the frets out on it in about 18 months I bought another Ibanez RG with a floating-trem second-hand for £186, unfortunately blue, but with all black hardware again.
It has 5 pick ups, a slightly fatter neck than the previous one, and a scratchplate this time.
And the Floyd rose is adjustable without taking off the back plate.
Whilst I was wearing out the frets on this one I seriously go into researching what I wanted in an electric guitar.
I nearly had one made in my country with True Temperament frets and an Evertune bridge .
I eventually went for Patrice Vigier in France who doesn't make many guitars per year, and he is obsessed by quality and they are all hand finished.
They don't uses truss rods, but reinforce their necks with a lot of carbon fibre... so the neck will not move regardless of what strings you put on and the ambient temperature and humidity.
I chose the Shawn Lane model as it has a flat fret board[ I was classically trained], which means you can have an insanely low action everywhere on the fretboard.
It has 5 pickups and a trem-system, and stunning locking tuners.
Cost at start of 2017 when I first started thinking seriously about getting one was £2119.
[after chatting online to players that had one]
By the time I decided to get one and put myself on waiting list and eventually receiving one the final cost at the end of October 2017 was £2195. I don't know how he can make them this price? It seems cheap to me !!!
A serious contender was John Petrucci signature guitar [6 string version] which was way over £3000.
Anyway, no regrets.. It plays like a dream, it's hard to put down... I might need some areas refretted before 2019.
There aree loads of clips of Shawn Lane playing Vigier online from 1996 to his death in 2003, my favourite is poor quality, but his improvising is astonishing.
It's on a youtube channel called something like
MyShawnLaneVideos
It lasts just over 10 minutes and was filmed at NAMM 1996 {the Vigier then was new and originally had 2 EMG pick ups.. but the rest is the same as my Vigier..see my youtube channel]
He can also play piano and sing
He was born with lots of medical conditions and was in constant pain, and developed Cushins Syndrome which caused huge liquid retention and massive weight gain. He was playing right up to the end [if you are familiar with his playing, you can see it's quality slightly suffering] he died at aged 40.
Cheers, John in England
POSTSCRIPT↓
I shall dig out my black Ibanez , and film it so you can see the neck, and the blue also I suppose.
;~)
He was indeed a brilliant guitarist. Thank you for introducing me to his music. What an incredibly sad story, it is really heartbreaking.
I was looking for your video of the Vigier and actually couldn´t find it, maybe you can show me where it is?
And shure, please show me your Ibanez collection! I´m a huge Ibanez fanboy so I´m also interested in them!
Thank you John! I´m really looking forward to it! Have a great day! :)
I always wanted a RG7620, but can't afford it (almost $1500 at that time). instead I purchased a second hand RG7420 for $150 which is pretty the same guitar with a different bridge. Now, 15 years later I upgraded with an Original Floyd rose, locking tuners and a Fishman Fluence modern set and it is even better than the modern $2k-$3k prestiges.
the more expensive one definitely has a more crisp and less distorted sound no doubt about it, but for 10 times more money I don't think it's even debatable that the less expensive one is easily the far better deal without question. Ibanez fukin rocks though either way for sure !! Great video man, subbed !!
Why does everyone remove the backplate of the springs??
Sounds better 😎🤘
@@4KshotsMichaelLewicki How?
I own a ibanez gio and the screws are getting rusty, what can I do for mine to be like yours
Hi Yago!
You can try clean the screws with a metal polish like "nevr dull" for example - or simply replace them. I bought mine at Rockinger.de, a great shop if you ask me. Here is the link: www.rockinger.com/index.php/en/Wood-Screws-Screws%2C-Springs/l-WG161
Let me know if you got more questions :)
Don't let it get wet...
If you change parts and want to prevent rust in the future, try looking for brass (if you like the look) or stainless steel ones. These types of screws will outlast the wood they screw into.
Bring it inside bro. Electric guitars do not like being left outside....lol
love the Korn logo on the blue one
what riff is he playing?
I loved your Korn sticker
Definitely helps. Always been a Gibson/Fender kinda person. Need something for some new genres and need to buy something rather than defile what I have. To me there's a huge difference even if I'm not recording. The Gio has a kind of irritating twang to me that might sound great playing Dwight Yoakam, but that's what the Tele is for. RG sounds awsome and the new RGs have an 11 layer neck that has to add even more sustain not to mention the great looks.
Nothing to add here, you are right. And the new RG´s are really super awesome - Thank you for your comment Kyle :)
For my birthday I had to choose between an Ibanez RG470 and an Ibanez Gio (I forgot its name). Both of them were second-hand guitars, the RG was a bit cheaper (like 10 or so bucks), but it is a bit broken on the headstock. It doesn't affect the playability and the way it stays in tune, everything's fine. After I got some advice from two of my more experimented friends, I chose the RG. Both of them told me that Gio is the worst series that Ibanez has ever made. I don't regret buying the RG, but from what I've seen (not only in this video but in others as well), I think an Ibanez Gio is gonna be the next guitar I'll buy.
Talking about the comparison, in my opinion, the Gio sounded better than the Custom. The Custom was a bit too muddy. Always when you played the Gio, I was surprised by how well it sounds.
By the way, nice riff, it got stuck in my head.
Might have some luck here.. I have an Ibanez Gio from 2004, I’m turning her into a new project (paint, pickups, bridge etc..) but I’m having trouble with finding out if I can swap out the bold on necks, does anyone here know I’d that is possible?
is it possible to replace normal nut with a locking one?
I have two Ibanez. One is a Team JCraft 1570 and the other an RG350dxl.
The 350 has warmer sounding pickups and sounds better at the Bridge while the Prestige sounds slightly better at the neck but plays smoother on the neck.
One made in Japan the other in Indonesia but both are very much excellent guitars.
I also have a USA Strat and a '93 MIK Strat with a prewired n loaded pickguard by Dragonfire. The US model Strat is better but not by much.
I have a Gibson LP cherry stain and an Epi LP Pro.
The Epi is slightly better but only because you can switch the HB pickups to single coil mode.
But I sound the same on ALL my guitars no matter what I play through.
So price is subjective, and nowadays you can buy a good quality guitar for peanuts
;-)
What song is this u are playing ?
Dlaczego w necie w ogóle nie ma testów gitar ibanez serii arz?
To jest naprawde dobre pytanie - spróbuję jedną zdobyć :)
The "korn "guitar thats the best has a great and clear sound the ither is better on indie rock
Finally !!!
Your subscription button worked today→Friday 07th April
currently chilling out and improvising along with a live Shawn Lane DVD called "Aga of the Ladies"
Fabulous and fascinating
;~) John in Hampshire, England
That´s awesome John! Finally :) Welcome subscriber Nº 145 ! I tried and somehow wrote UA-cam about that (it´s harder since i´m not a youtube partner anymore), but I don´t think that was the solution here. Hope you enjoy my site, the next videos are in the making :) Have fun with the Shawn Lane DVD!! Greetings, Michael :)
4K shots!
;~)
I have also looked at my youtube channel from "outside", and it looks so messy and disorganised[which some say is an attribute of being a genius?]
There also appear to be several channels with a very similar name to mine{which is a silly nickname for me that evolved 25 years ago→ long story!}
i think I shall add another word to my channels' name, perhaps one of my other nicknames;
Dylan
Simmo
The Professor
Rubberman
Sticky [short for stick insect]
!?! There's more, all with accompanying stories...
... Dylan and Simmo were the most common at school
So maybe "misterjohn Simmo Dylan"
Too complicated?
"misterjohn Hampshire/England"
Maybe later..
Have a good weekend
Cheers. ;~)
If this is comparison you would have to have the original electronics on the gio. This would make sense.
Thank you :) I´ve changed the bridge pickup already ten years ago, but the neck pickup is still the original Ibanez Powersound. Today´s GRX 20 uses the Ibanez Infinity´s.
Is there a gio with 24 frets?
Yes
How is it possible the gio sounds better..
Gio sounds best the other sounds too muddy with more gain and obviously has higher ouput pickups. I have two gios the sg style love them
I know the RG sounds often muddy when distorted. Two friends of me had sg styled ones - a gio and a 7string, really cool guitars and a bit too rare if you ask me
oh hi mark
I did not!
maaan i really need to put money into a new guitar. ive been played 200/300pound guitars for years.
Not much of difference at all to me. The more expensive has a slightly lower tone. I prefer the tone of the cheaper one.
Thanks for the video comparison but Please put a solid background behind your text next time. I nearly threw up from motion sickness.
i loveee KoRn!!!!!!!
Me too!! For me it´s 20 years now. Without them I wouldn´t be where I am - Which one is your favourite album Nick?
shyyyyyt! life is peachy
you should make videos playin koRn tunes
HAHA - awesome idea! That means 7 Strings all day long... Sounds like a plan Nick :)
Good choice!! Mine is Follow the Leader. The first time I saw them on tv was "Got the life" - well, it changed my life!!!
Why is there a Jackson pickup in the bridge lol
I have those two guitars. To be honest the custom is a great guitar but i aways ask myself why do i alaays go for the gio during live gigs. The gio has this touch with live gigs that it sounded real. And the custom sounded like it was breaking apart. Though at its best condition its a farcry to the gio when it comes to live. When i do recordings the custom was a monster. Though gio can handle recordings it wasnt that good enough for records. So i was alqays stuck with gio wheni go out. And the custom being keft alone in my house. It's just weird.
it hurts when you cut the string on your 7 string guitar
Fuckin blasphemy
The higher priced guitar sounds muddy. I'm sure the Gio only sounds the way it does(in my opinion better than the custom) because of the upgraded pickup. Question is: after all the hardware you replaced and the pickup, what would you say the total cost was? Assuming of course that you upgraded the hardware with new parts. Possibly a minimal saving, buying a cheap guitar and custom upgrading it to exactly what you want out of a guitar.
Hi Super Nova! Total costs for new pots, wiring, caps and saddles was 50 € max. I´ve got the pickup and a graphite pencil for free from my former boss and did all the upgrades myself. And yeah I agree in this setting the Dimarzios do sound a bit muddy, that´s why I like to kick em with a big muff sometimes. Thanks for commenting :) Happy Easter, Michael
Am I broken?! I prefer the guts on the GIO
Nate Jones it's just an amazing guitar a lot of people don't know about
4K shots! I had one for Christmas and thought It wouldn't cope with my schecter but it holds its own 👊 Its all about the settings brother!
Indeed, nice move Nate 🤘🤘 - which color did you get bro?
I think the custom sounds better but the gio is still decent
Song name?
The metal song is called "Bad Hombres" and the electro song is called "The Pulse" - here´s my soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/dr-elastic
Thanks for watching :)
Wow, you have the same exact voice as Michael Weikath. Uncanny!
Cool, I guess this is a good thing? I will check it out!
I like the original one with a little bit mid, another guitar sound is cut the middle
Alright Asmad, thanks for your comment :) The RG7 can really sound a bit grumpy sometimes
No, it isn't worth the extra price unless you're going to play in big gigs.
... or a recording studio :)
Well either way it sounds good, it really all depends on preference
I like the gio more for my style of playing
grx20 is a great guitar for the money, you can catch them on sale at guitar center for $129
That´s correct Mike and the price is really unbelievable!! It´s a great piece of gear that I would totally miss. Merry christmas and a happy new year :)
I have the same Goi guitar
I mean gio
no one has even considered the fact that he has compared a 24 fret custom guitar to a 22 fret factory guitar with upgrade...Yes the Gio has an upgrade but, no matter what you put in it the fret span will always make the difference in sound quality...the long the bridge and nut distance the deeper the sound so yes the distortion in the custom guitar may sound better, compare it to the same guitar with the same fret count neck...Now thats a NO BRAINER :)
That's a nonsense conclusion. There are tonal differences between 22 and 24 fret guitars due to the fact that on a 22 fret guitar, the neck pickup will be farther away from the bridge. This is a tone that many people prefer - fuller, sweeter and more round. That has nothing to do with sound "quality", but characteristics. Some people prefer a sweeter and fatter neck pickup tone, while others might prefer a brighter, slimmer sound, which you would get on a 24 fret guitar.
GIO 大隙です
Ibanez gio vs jackson js11 dinkey?
Jackson
I have an Ibanez GRX70 🤷♂️
Awesome 😎 how do you like it?
@@4KshotsMichaelLewicki it has a pretty cool tone , pick ups get fuzzy with heavy distortion so it's better to play it at a lower volume to eliminate that , but that's my guitar in my pic under blue light 😂👍
@@blazeconnolly9960 Nice 😎 I was eyeballing the green one once, who knows.. Good to know about the tone, thx 🤠 really nice finish choice btw 🤘
I think you spend all your life playing every day (just 5min every day)
tbh I started with 13 and played in a couple of bands. Later I had a 7 year long break (work) where I just played with my nephews from time to time. Since last year I try to play at least once a week. How about you? :)
4K shots! I started when i was 15 years old i played many genre from delta,piedmont blues and ragtime early 10s to thrash metal im into ragtime and blues acoustic now i want to know much better about this type of music i play almost 6h to 8h every day
Wow - that´s great! :) I wish I could play that much guitar every day - but I´m on the road a lot. I´m currently recording some blues/folk for a project and I really like to explore new genres as well. Unfortunately I am not familiar with piedmont for now, but I will check it out later. Thanks :) I almost forgot that I played in a trash metal band once. That was awesome - I played my SR505 on a Hartke 4x10" with a 5" sub. Flying trousers alarm :)
nice, bro do upload some recordings of yourself playing, its nice to see people jam online.
That was pretty rude
it is not a fair comparison... in fact there is no point on compare your guitars -.-
yeah, gear doesnt matter when u unskilled
Ibanez gio or epi sg 310
Simple solution get both.
in terms of quality both are about equal
do you mainly like strat type guitars ? get the Ibanez ( assuming it's a RG )
do you like SG type guitars like Angus young ( and others play ) ? then get the SG
or try them both out if possible and with different amps too so you can get a good idea of tone etc
If you can play descent , u can look at a guitar as an effect , cheap get sounds u can't get with a pedal , but it's no twice as good even , listen to ur recording again
Lol ok so cutting off the low string isn't gonna level the playing field. The guitar has probably an 1/8th more wood and weight to it still. Including the neck, most importantly, is still much wider and thicker than the 6 string. Kinda unfair. Like a heavyweight vs a middle weight boxer.
Still waiting for measuring calipers to make quick vid about Ibanez and Vigier necks!
Your sub button still won't engage? but today I subbed to a couple if very small guitar channels without problems?
I Will keep on trying!
;~)
POSTSCRIPT...... i tried some of the subscription buttons of the channels in this comments section, and theirs don't work either. ????!!!!????
I do most of my music listening, researching, learning from a tablet I am currently typing on, it's also my musical links library.
Next time I'm on the PC at home, or my girlfriend's very powerful laptop I shall try and remember to see if I can sub to you that way!
It's become a "bugbear" now!
Let me know when it´s done and send me the link please :) That´s really bizarre with the subscription button :/
Have a great weekend John!
Greetings, Michael
that E string shouted before you killed it --- NNNNOOOOO !!!! WHY !!!?!?!?!? YOU CAN ALWAYS IGNORE ME !!! DON'T HIT ME !!! JUST FOCUS ON THE REST OF THE 6 STRINGS !!! JUST DON'T KILL ME !!!! --------- and then dead ... you cut his life away .. :p :p serious though. for me, it's about being worthy of your instrument, i'm not underestimating the Gio models since they are very very capable, but if you're still starting out, you deserve the very basic of ibanez' line, the Gio, if you're into the RG range, then, the RG, then the RG premium and finally if your ability to play the guitar is worthy enough ........ then you deserve to buy yourself a JEM. if you're on the S series, start with the SA, work yourself up to the S series, S premiums and finally -------- the JS models :p that's just me though :p
good ass videos
Deutsch??
Gio sounds better in bite and tone. Sell the Ibanez Custom, buy new strings, more picks, etc. Don't look back.
i got a brand ass new gio at a flea market for 20$
works like it just came out the shop
pop korn
I came here for the accent
And did you find what you were looking for? :) Greetings from germany!
4K shots! Hellz yeah🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Glad to hear that! Have a great day 🤘🤘
Gio sounds thin.
😪
RGs with dot inlays, rosewood and a plain gloss color are so ugly
Lol. Thats common sense
Fuck me, play a different song please!
Will do, next time mate!
Don't waste your money on these and just get a Schecter Hellraiser.