Best Guitar For Fat Fingers (2024 Update)

I bought this guitar because I wanted a new toy and because of the price – I figured I didn't have much to lose. I have three other guitars, two of them Jackson, that I play frequently, and I always wanted a guitar of this style. The natural finish is attractive and unusual. I like that. The pickups are ok, but the electronics leave a lot to be desired. The fingerboard craftsmanship is lacking attention, at least on the one I received. There are unfinished areas and one of the inlays is missing a small section. I don't know what strings they send over to China to put on this thing, but they are complete garbage. Putting some new strings on improved things a lot. This also suffers from some fret buzz. The guitar comes setup pretty well. The intonation seems to be spot on and the truss rod is adjusted properly. Action is set surprisingly well, considering the price of the guitar. However, as I mentioned above, this results in some fret buzz. I'll work with that a bit later. The neck has the same feel and playability as my higher-end Jacksons, so that's a plus. Overall, I don't think you could go wrong with this in the low price range. I'd recommend inspecting the guitar closely upon receipt to double check quality control. I wouldn't recommend this as a first guitar, unless an experienced guitarist is available to inspect. It's also not a guitar that's easy to sit and play, which is something to consider. If you get a good one and it's setup properly, this is an excellent guitar for ripping out some metal riffs or just having fun. Just don't take it too seriously.Matt

I received my guitar about three days ago, and overall I am very happy with my purchase. The guitar looks awesome – I love the wood finish with gold hardware, and have received many compliments on the instrument's overall appearance. It is incredibly light, weighing in at just about 7 pounds, making it the lightest guitar I have ever owned. I love the feel of Jackson necks, and this guitar is no exception. It has a fast action that makes speedy riffs a breeze to play. Access to the higher portion of the fret board is incredible, thanks to the V body shape. This is my first Flying V guitar, and I will definitely need to get used to handling the unique body shape as I play. Now for a couple cons that made me drop my rating from 5 to 4 stars: this guitar is top heavy. I have never owned a top-heavy guitar before, and it is super inconvenient to play standing up. You have to put in a constant effort to keep the guitar level as you play. I personally like to play with my guitar at a 45-degree upwards angle, which is much more difficult to do on this guitar then on any of my other well-balanced instruments. While the natural wood body looks awesome, it feels as if it would be easy to damage. But as long as you're careful you shouldn't run into any issues. I ordered this guitar online, and was not happy with the experience Guitar Center delivered. It said that the instrument was in stock and ready to ship, but after three days I still hadn't received a shipping confirmation in my email. I reached out to customer support and found out that the guitar was actually not in stock and I would have to wait three additional weeks before my guitar would ship. That was a bummer. All in all I would recommend this guitar, and am happy I added it to my collection!Darin

My fiance purchased this guitar for me as a early Christmas gift around october 2019. After the usual string change adjustments and tuning it sounded great and played great. Only real issue is neck dive but with this body shape you expect it and can be corrected by moving the strap button placement to the back plate or near by depending on your choice i left it and rest the top horn inside my leg like you see dimebag with his ml and many others with the v shape and non traditional shapes like the warriors king Vs and so on. I personally love the Rhoads shape and the natural finish. Other than some minor changes and upgrades knobs Tusq Nut Locking tuners and a Seymour Duncan bridge pickup upgrade and a good setup this guitar is my daily player out of the 6 i own its become my favorite im looking to buy another honestlychuck thomas

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

For the price £399 this guitar is excellent value. It plays pretty much as you would want straight out of the box. Just a quick wipe over with a damp cloth & cleaned the strings with fast fret, The playing action was pretty much where I want it & the intonation just needed very minor adjustments on 2 strings. Everything else was just fine.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

Brilliant guitar, catered more for those wanting to play rock music and play fast licks /solos etc, fast fast fretboard, dive bomb all day too with the Floyd Rose.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I bought this guitar because I wanted a new toy and because of the price – I figured I didn't have much to lose. I have three other guitars, two of them Jackson, that I play frequently, and I always wanted a guitar of this style. The natural finish is attractive and unusual. I like that. The pickups are ok, but the electronics leave a lot to be desired. The fingerboard craftsmanship is lacking attention, at least on the one I received. There are unfinished areas and one of the inlays is missing a small section. I don't know what strings they send over to China to put on this thing, but they are complete garbage. Putting some new strings on improved things a lot. This also suffers from some fret buzz. The guitar comes setup pretty well. The intonation seems to be spot on and the truss rod is adjusted properly. Action is set surprisingly well, considering the price of the guitar. However, as I mentioned above, this results in some fret buzz. I'll work with that a bit later. The neck has the same feel and playability as my higher-end Jacksons, so that's a plus. Overall, I don't think you could go wrong with this in the low price range. I'd recommend inspecting the guitar closely upon receipt to double check quality control. I wouldn't recommend this as a first guitar, unless an experienced guitarist is available to inspect. It's also not a guitar that's easy to sit and play, which is something to consider. If you get a good one and it's setup properly, this is an excellent guitar for ripping out some metal riffs or just having fun. Just don't take it too seriously.Matt

I received my guitar about three days ago, and overall I am very happy with my purchase. The guitar looks awesome – I love the wood finish with gold hardware, and have received many compliments on the instrument's overall appearance. It is incredibly light, weighing in at just about 7 pounds, making it the lightest guitar I have ever owned. I love the feel of Jackson necks, and this guitar is no exception. It has a fast action that makes speedy riffs a breeze to play. Access to the higher portion of the fret board is incredible, thanks to the V body shape. This is my first Flying V guitar, and I will definitely need to get used to handling the unique body shape as I play. Now for a couple cons that made me drop my rating from 5 to 4 stars: this guitar is top heavy. I have never owned a top-heavy guitar before, and it is super inconvenient to play standing up. You have to put in a constant effort to keep the guitar level as you play. I personally like to play with my guitar at a 45-degree upwards angle, which is much more difficult to do on this guitar then on any of my other well-balanced instruments. While the natural wood body looks awesome, it feels as if it would be easy to damage. But as long as you're careful you shouldn't run into any issues. I ordered this guitar online, and was not happy with the experience Guitar Center delivered. It said that the instrument was in stock and ready to ship, but after three days I still hadn't received a shipping confirmation in my email. I reached out to customer support and found out that the guitar was actually not in stock and I would have to wait three additional weeks before my guitar would ship. That was a bummer. All in all I would recommend this guitar, and am happy I added it to my collection!Darin

My fiance purchased this guitar for me as a early Christmas gift around october 2019. After the usual string change adjustments and tuning it sounded great and played great. Only real issue is neck dive but with this body shape you expect it and can be corrected by moving the strap button placement to the back plate or near by depending on your choice i left it and rest the top horn inside my leg like you see dimebag with his ml and many others with the v shape and non traditional shapes like the warriors king Vs and so on. I personally love the Rhoads shape and the natural finish. Other than some minor changes and upgrades knobs Tusq Nut Locking tuners and a Seymour Duncan bridge pickup upgrade and a good setup this guitar is my daily player out of the 6 i own its become my favorite im looking to buy another honestlychuck thomas

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

It's an Ibanez. I am a long time Ibanez fan. Even when they started the Artcore series. I own for PRS CU24's; American Fender Strat Deluxe and Tele; Les Paul elegant and Explorer. Except when I'm playing with our group I'm usually on one of my Ibanez. If they are lower end units like this I expect to change the electronics, nut and tuners. I did the tuners and had planned on installing Seth Lovers. Mean while I put some A4 magnets in the pickups and… NO SETH LOVERS! I love the tone, the responsiveness/sensitivity. See can be smooth as silk with the volume back or nice and crunchy @ 10. Pinch harmonics reach out and grab you in a nice way. Other than the tuning pegs, nut and strap locks she'll stay this way for at least a while. I got her for the color (I'm not into green guitars or fade finishes but she caught my eye for some reason) and what a friend "the Pickle" has become.Mondron

This is an extremely nice guitar, especially for the price. Great action, set-up, and play-ability straight out the box. Humbucker pickups are nice and warm, giving a nice "dark" tone to the guitar (strong bass and mid-tones) to my ears. Good variation of range of tone from the bridge and neck pickups and so is quite versatile. Lovely overtones/ harmonics going through a Blues Driver into an Orange Micro Terror — you can rock with this! — and the guitar combined well with a Roland Jazz Chorus 22 cancelling out some of the brightness of this amp. Quality of components and finish is very good. It's also a light guitar in terms of weight, so it's a practical instrument to play on stage, especially if you have a long gig — and are starting to get on a bit, like me. Of course, it's green, which might put people off, I guess… Then again, it's very eye catching and people won't miss it on stage! In summary, a great guitar at a great price that provides a different blues or jazz tone in addition to your other instruments.Damian F.

I bought it for the neck thru construction and the finish which is quite stunning and very well done. The "Duncan Design" pick-ups are crappy, muddy and middy. Replaced them with "REAL" Seymour Duncan "Pearly Gates" and it sounds great now. The Floyd sits too low in the pocket (unlike my Charvel's do) poor engineering on Jackson's behalf. You can't get to the allen heads when you change strings because they sit so low in the pocket. You actually have to change one string at a time or insert the whammy bar and physically push it down to raise the rear of the Floyd so you can access the allen heads that hold the strings to the bridge. I have 17 guitars and this one is hands down the hardest guitar to change strings on I have ever owned. If Jackson would put better pick-ups in this model, and re-engineer how the Floyd Rose is mounted, it would be a lot more popular, but like most Jackson guitars priced under $1,500 they opt for the cheap electronics which in my opinion has been the case with every Jackson I have owned, you need to change the pick-ups and pots. The guitar itself is quite nicely made, balanced well and sounds awesome with real pick-ups in it.dtvamigo

This is a sweet guitar. The sustain is excellent, quite a difference from any bolt on neck guitar. I have a 1991 Ibanez 540SLTD, it is an excellent guitar. Been playing that for nearly 3 decades and its still my main guitar. This Jackson SL3X Soloist is just as playable. The neck is very comfortable from top to bottom. The Duncan designed pickups are very good too. Make no mistake, this is a shred guitar through and through. Can it do evreything else in between, like classic rock, jazz, country? Absolutely. You can dial in just about any sound needed. The pickups seem to have good output, but not insane, which i like. I also own a late model Ibanez RG350DX, with the infinity pickups. Those pickups, especially the bridge, are really loud, and overly distorted. I find that i have to roll the volume back to keep clarity. These pickups in the Jackson have good clarity. The neck and middle hot rails pickups are sweet. Artificial harmonics sing everywhere. The Floyd Rose special seems to stay in tune good as well. The fine tuners are a little gritty feeling, not anything wrong with em, but not silky smooth. They probably will get smoother as time and use allows them to break in. The hardware seems good. Solid tuning heads. Nice adjustment of knobs and pickup selector switch. The finish, neon orange, is flawless. Binding on neck and headstock is nicely done as well. The only issue i had with mine was fretbuzz on the first fret, 5th and 4th strings. Quick turn of the truss rod nut to add a little relief and reset the bridge height took care of that. This is a very fast neck to riff and shred with. Of course its great for slow playing, open chords etc… but, if Klingons are around, Warp Factor Five! Neck through Jackson Soloist, its a spaceship in disguise as an electric guitar. My Ibanez 540SLTD has an amazingly fast and thin neck, this Jackson is without a doubt on par with that, plus 2 more frets/ Jackson has better sustain and there is no sub 4 a thruneck.Freddy F

what a great bass! It's beautiful, light, and sonically versatile. the different pickup modes have 3 radically different tones which makes this bass right for lots of situations. I've seen some reviews that mentioned so issues with some fret roughness but mine showed up in perfect condition. I couldn't be happier with the bass. I also want to mention the customer service. I used the chat feature to confirm whether this bass came with a bag or case. the agent let me know that it does not but pointed me to the bundle that includes the bag and they set me up with a price I could not pass up. once I completed the purchase the item was shipped within 90 minutes. Other music stores I've done business with are not nearly as responsive. CME killed itShaun M.

This is a great short scale bass. It is a quality instrument. The finish is excellent. Playability straight out of the box was very good. Nicely set up.I love the pick-ups and the ability to blend the two with their individual volume controls. Great range of tones available. It looks good too ! Highly recommended. The only gripe is that at this price it should come in a hard case and not a bag !Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Really good guitar for nirvana type music. Only issue is that you need to set it up for it to be playable but once it's set up it's a great instrument. Pickups are pretty articulate but not to bright either just perfectly balanced. If you get one I recommend to lock the bridge down to improve its tuning stability and sustain. Note it DOES NOT sound like a kc style mustang, it has its own sort of sound to it. Fretboard is pretty nice same with the low radius which I prefer. Overall it's one of my favorite guitars I've ever bought and I cannot recommend it enough if you play grunge and nirvana music.Preston

I bought one of these several months ago. Ok I'm not good guitarist so take that into into consideration but I have player series strat and have always played strat style guitars and I'm not saying i love this guitar more than the Fender I love them both but as far as the guitar is concerned she got so much potential tonally. I have no complaints about the ascetic she beautiful sexy gorgeous took a little getting used to the weight and contours compared to the strat there is adjustment period but she just rocks. I never played a Gibson but if this guitar had Gibson I guess it be a little better but also 2grand more. If I have any complaint is she is finger print magnet always wiping down get some dunlop 65 and microfiber cloth. The Glossy neck won't appeal to all but I can deal with it. Fret work perfect. I'm not a gigging musician but i have no doubt she gig worthy. Oh also, get the pro coverage cause I found out ALL Les Paul are extremely fragile at the neck,It has to do with the angle of the neck, Google it, do your research on owning a led Paul little different than strat anyway the guitar is 600-GREAT VALUE then with 2 years pro coverage plus tax it was under 900 or somewhere around there. And if you get a bad quality then ask for another cause it is coming from Asia so there is variability in workmanship but mine is PERFECT. If I ever get rich maybe ill buy a Gibson but for now this satisfy my Les Paul needs. I wanted an alternative to my strat to emulate Slash sound lol I need to work on my technique but this definitely rocks a Les Paul sound. I did see a review or 2 that liked the sound of the 1950 better but I played them both and liked the 60s better but check them both out the inspired by Gibson line is definitely worth the money if you want a Les Paul without breaking the bank. Just take your time do your homework if you can go to a GC and play it then do that In rarely write reviews especially this long but I love this guitarMichael L

Sound: The stock pickups sound great especially with high gain. Nice crunch and break up. Features: For me the reason that I bought this model is that it is the least expensive way to get a real Edge tremolo. I can do subtle things with the Edge that I can’t do on an Original Floyd Rose. The bar is easier to position and it stays where ever you put it. As long as the torsion bushings on the bar aren’t worn out, the pop in bar is neither too tight or too sloppy. Value: This guitar is worth every penny. Manufacturer Support: I did not use Ibanez customer service and I did order half a dozen sets of torsion bushings, but had to order them from different places. The Wow Factor: I love the color of this one, Desert Sun Yellow. Overall: In the last 2 months I’ve bought 5 different Ibanez guitars, both lower and higher price. I must say that this guitar is the most bang for the buck out of any of my 21 guitars that I own.Got more than 200 bucks off on mine as it was sold as a slight blemish. When the guitar arrived, I noticed it did have a hairline crack in the paint on the bass side at the neck pocket. That was the only flaw I could find and it probably would have happened anyway if I would have got a “new” one.This is the shreddiest guitar that I have. The only thing that I had to address is that the 6th fret was a little proud. Other than that the fret job was good. All the frets were shiny and smooth and no fret sprout.This is the guitar that is at the price point where if you spend more money, you aren’t going to get much better. And the fit and finish were top notch.Scott

Overall: This guitar was a total impulse buy and I’m so glad I bought it! It’s easily worth twice the price of it. Can’t get too many mid tier guitars that are neck thru with decent pickups and a 5-way switch that has a fast and slim neck at this price. I mostly play baritone 6 strings and 7 strings but I needed a 25.5” scale for drop C and this is perfect for it with 10-54 strings. I did upgrade the nut with a Graphtech tusq nut and Hipshot locking tuners with knurled tuner buttons and looks even more badass while staying in perfect tune! I have an Ibanez rgib6 Iron Label 28” baritone and this is up there with that as far as quality and playability. The stock pickups aren’t bad at all and definitely surprised me cuz that’s usually the first thing I’ll change in an inexpensive guitar. As you can see by the other reviews people say it’s a great guitar and they’re not lying so if you’re on the fence about getting it then go for it! You won’t be disappointed at all and if for some reason you are then zZounds has a return policy within like 30-45 days so you won’t be stuck with a guitar you don’t love.Josh

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

There is plenty to like about this guitar, and I got it for the features I was looking for: locking tremelo, 24 frets, fast neck, 5 way pickup selector, and nice looks. My first impressions of the guitar was slight disappointment with how sloppy Ibanez was. The tops and bottoms of the frets needed to be beveled as they were pretty sharp, there was a noticeable nick on the fretboard, and there was a black smudge on the back of the neck. None of those was a huge deal. The main two issues I have with the guitar are that the middle pickup, the single coil, has such low output that the middle three positions are much quieter than the neck or bridge pickups alone. I do like the tone of the single coil in conjunction with the humbuckers, but those positions are somewhat useless considering how quiet they are, and I have ordered a humbucker to replace it. The single coil alone (middle position) has too much noise AND is too quiet. Not a big deal to replace a pickup, but why they are selling it this way, I'm not sure. The second issue is the volume control. Instead of a gradual swell, there is a sharp dropoff in volume at one point in the rotation of the dial, making it pretty much useless other than having it full on or all the way off. I am not sure if that is fixable, but if it is, I'll need to have that done as well. All that said, if the guitar had not arrived in such sloppy condition and the two problems were resolved, I'd give this guitar 5 stars.hickory spork

The Ibanez RG 450 or any of the RG's are with the exception of the factory p/u and electronic. capable of becoming one of the best performance guitars to own. The base Ibanez Floyd Rose system is fiddley but, after learning how to adjust/tune quickly becomes appreciated for holding tune no matter the severity of attacks you use with the tremolo. The Wizard(ll or lll ?) You would need to go to custom built to exceed the easy play and comfortable frets you will find on and RG. This recent RG450 I upgraded to equal the higher priced models by adding the De Marzio Tone Zone (B), Air Norton (N). And instead of going with the True Velvet. Added the Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack for the middle position and added better electrics to even out the upgrades.. End result; This guitar plays and sound equal to guitars costing over $1,000.00!! Good bones! Yes this can be played well and many will find happiness with this as stock., and, will perform well against the competition dollar for dollar!ikeus

I used to own an '89 Ibanez VBK JEM that I regrettably sold to buy a gaming pc. I wanted to get a newer entry level RG so I could have a floyd,HSH superstrat in E standard. I've had this RG for long enough to know it's a keeper. This thing has the same feel and vibe of my old JEM! Minus the monkey grip and other features obviously. The neck feels fantastic and I only had to do very minor setup adjustments to my liking. I would have liked a rosewood or ebony fingerboard but of course this is the lower end model. The Jatoba feels good under the fingers, similar to rosewood but with a slightly lighter shade to it. Like most guitars you buy online mine came desperately needing some good oil and cleaning. The Jatoba fingerboard seems to require a bit more lubrication than rosewood. The neck binding is done well, not perfect but to a good standard. I do wish the trem was an Edge lo-pro… But again, this is the lower priced model. There is nothing wrong with the Edge tremolo, it stays in tune well with whammy bar abuse but it is one of the bulkier Original Floyd Rose style bridges. The stock Quantum pickups are among the best stock Ibanez pickups I've tried. They are hot but versatile. However I did swap them out with the classic Dimarzio Air Norton/Steves Special combo and a True Velvet middle. I do believe a higher end Ibanez will obviously sound better than this but for the price it really is hard to beat! Well done Ibanez and AMS!Nevin

At the base price, I was wondering how well made this would be but I wanted the white/ivory color so I bought it and I am glad I did. I had a guitar that cost a lot more and since I generally only keep one guitar (I am not a hoarder) I wanted to see which I liked better. Of the two, this one was easier for me to play. I like the big hollow-body feel and sound as well. The pickups would be the cheapest part but they are more than passable (though sound is personal and pickups can be changed). The guitar has a lot of heft (weight) to it in, what I consider, a good way. The neck is thicker than what I expected from Ibanez, although it is a hollow-body and not one of their metal guitars. Personally, I will change out the strings for Elixirs, the tuners for locking tuners, and put a Duesenberg tremolo (vibrato) on it (and maybe a roller bridge)(All personal preferences). But even now it is a great guitar to play. I did buy the Ibanez AS100C case for it here on MF (see comment there on the case). This is a great guitar and if anything happened to it I would buy another. It may sound expected in a commentary like this but I would say this is the best guitar I ever owned and I have owned all the brand names. That said, to each their own.BrazilBill

I'm a beginner so I can't say for sure what a super high quality guitar feels like, but I have definitely felt some cheap ones and this does not feel like those. Everything seems to be put together nicely. The action seems pretty good out of the box, and it doesn't seem to have any problems staying in tune after breaking in your strings. Personally, I'm not sure if I would get this rose gold color again. It looks nice, and matches the hardware very well, but to me something about the satin finish makes it feel cheaper than it is. Maybe if the neck was exposed wood instead of painted over I would feel differently, but I'm not sure. It is still a very nice looking guitar and anyone would be happy to own it.Nicolas

I play rhythm guitar in a small combo. Fit and finish on this guitar is excellent. The pick-ups sound very nice for my application. No neck dive. I recommend this guitar to anyone seeking a nice semi-hollow body guitar.Wayne

I'm not employed by Fender, have many terrific guitars from Gibson, Fender, Martin – most US, some Fender made in Mexico which are nice playing, quality instruments. They all need their tweaks here and there to get to your personal level of playability and satisfaction. As for Telecasters, currently have 3 including this new one in Miami Blue (we'll get to that in a moment) and this is hands down, the absolute best Telecaster I've ever played or owned. It is SO comfortable – out of the case (which is a new style and impressive on its own merit) was flawless. Put a strap on, tuned and felt something odd – nice lightweight alder, it felt different, smaller, more comfortable . . . it's the same size of course but the edges of the body are more rounded than the typical hard flat Tele body I've been familiar with for so long. The neck heel is contoured, the fretboard edges are rolled and fret wire are like butter! Pickups and push button which activates both pickups in series make the tone range so wide. Very impressed to say the least. Now, the Miami blue shown in stock photos here and elsewhere looks much lighter and brighter than in person. The actual color is darker with a greenish tint to it. Either way, the guitar is not going anywhere but would like you to be aware and search for pics on Google until you see or have a grasp of what the range of photos capture. It's not a traditional Fender color but looks fantastic – I know you will not be disappointed.PJ

In my previous review I stated that four saddles kill tone… but I meant six saddles. Four have way better sustain, brightness, and punch… but less adjustable for intonation. Six saddles on the American professional II killed the tone. For that reason the performer sounds way better, plus the push push option just sounds muddy… not worth the added cost except sounds decent for gain on the middle position. The neck on both the professional II and performer are both great it just comes down to personal taste on thickness. I have the performer, a Classic Vibe, and just bought the professional II. Returning the professional II and keeping my others that I think sound quite a bit better for clean playing. But the professional II is very well but and sounds good… just not as good… again probably because of the six saddles…or wimpy sounding pickups… I'm not sure why. But still a very well made guitar… just try them all before buying…Thad

There's no such thing as a perfect guitar and because of that I don't like to give 5 stars in any review but this Telecaster is exceptional. I own 20+ guitars including high end Strats, Les Paul customs, a Lucille and an outstanding USA made vintage Gretsch. I love all those instruments but this Telecaster is something special. It's the most versatile guitar I own. This Telecaster can play as sweet or as nasty twangy as you want. It can do any genre with style. This telecaster is the only instrument I've ever owned that didn't need any adjustment after purchase. It came out of the box in absolutely perfect intonation. There were No sharp fret ends like on cheaper models and the action was perfect. I couldn't find any imperfections anywhere. The neck is smooth as butter, slick and fast, very nice. The V-Mod pickups are outstanding, with all the punch you would ever need. I also like the angle molded heel cut where the neck meets the body. All I did was put on a new set of Fender Bullet 9-42s and she was ready to go. I can't recommend this guitar highly enough if you need or want an exceptional Telecaster. I've played virtually all the other models and brands of the Tele and while some of those were excellent guitars, some were cheaper, some more expensive but none were as good as this version of the Telecaster in my opinion. It's just an outstanding guitar. I'm thinking about buying another one for my son because he won't leave mine alone. You need to play it through a good tube amp to get the most out of it but it still sounds great out of lesser amps like say a Fender Champion 100. I use a tube screamer pedal and a vintage tube Fender Reverb and vintage Gibson tube Dual medalist amps mostly. This Tele still sounds very good even when using some of my digital practice amps. I can't find anything wrong with this guitar. I just wish that I had found it sooner.Dennie

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

Great guitar for beginners. Looks better in your hand than in the photo. Quite loud acoustically (without amp). Came tuned with strings provided no extra fee. Delivery as stated next working day. Very satisfied overall.Dean

Received new guitar – fret buzz all over, bridge saddles were touching each other and causing vibration buzz. Originally, I raised action (still buzz) and then adjusted truss rod – still buzzing. Almost returned guitar due to bad buzz. (Utter frustration at this point) Tried one last thing: Loosened strings and started on low E string string (thickest string) – moved bridge saddles so not touching for all strings one by one ( string order E, A, D, G, B, E). Fret buzz or general buzz gone. Lowered string height first — still no buzz and then adjusted truss rod back to original position ( I added more relief originally but not necessary since neck bow was not problem) . Fret buzz still gone and now action is much lower and fast. Great guitar super light in weight – Have Vintage natural finish, finish has no gloss or very low gloss but looks great. Watch bridge saddles that our touching too much, mine had almost no space and jammed next to each other causing buzz or vibration. Watch for this problem on string changes, only need a tiny space.SolarEclipse

I really like everything about this AG75. I was pleasantly surprised. The pickups are very sensitive and responsive, over the full aural range, and with utmost clarity. The slim D neck and finely finished fretboard affords comfort with low and fast action! The overall body integrity is impressive with attention to detail. I have been playing it exclusively for three weeks, and like a good book, it's hard to put down! Makes hours of otherwise monotonous practice FUN and enjoyable again! Just a slight problem with "honking," but it was very easy to adjust it away with the pickup height adjusters. I prefer this over my other two Ibanez Artcore AF types, and they are fine as well. My highest recommendation, especially if you can buy it for under $500.00, total! Sounds and plays like a $2-Grand Gibson when set up and intonated properly.rgwhitlock

This is a gorgeous guitar and plays amazingly well. The frets are rounded perfectly with no jagged edges. The frets are polished extremely well. The body is very comfortable, and the Duncan JB and '59 pickups are THE standard in rock pickups especially if you want those 80's rock tones ala VH, Ratt, Crue. BUT the ability to SPLIT the pickups makes this guitar extremely versatile for Blues, Country, and even Jazz if you roll the Tone off to warm it up. The Pro-Mod San Dimas is a sure to be a classic – Charvel guitars from the 80's are still highly sought after and retain their value very well. Not many people like to get rid of them though because they play so well and are made with quality craftsmanship. The Transparent Green Burst finish is gorgeous too. The spoke wheel makes for on the flow truss rod adjustments and it is DOUBLE reinforced – which makes it very resistant to warping. And finally, the Floyd Rose system is not the cheap version. The studs are quality metal which ensures smooth movement, the arm is also closer to the original FR bar which is also nice. TIP: wrap some plumbers tape along the outside of the collar to help close the space between it and the arm to tighten it so it doesn't swing so easily (old school trick 😉 FR bridges are incredibly stable and once you tine them and lock them down they stay in tune VERY well. Get a tremolo stabilizer or block it down to make string changes easier. Get this guitar – the combination of a basswood body, maple neck, jumbo frets, JB and '59 pickups, and a quality Floyd Rose bridge make this THE standard for rock and metal guitars. And they come in other great colors.mobiletechman

Sure, there are more expensive guitars that might have a bit more to offer…but for a grand? This is really superb quality and value rolled into one. The pickups are more than great. Seymour Duncans all around. JB in the bridge with no load tone. Cool thing is, if you feel its a tad too bright, just click down to 8 or 7 and it warms up nicely. I was afraid of the no load tone pot at first, but the little click helps tremendously. You know exactly where you are. The neck feels great. Like a thin C shaped Fender. Super fast! HSS config gives you plenty of options. It comes equipped with a Floyd 1000. Not their number one unit, but it is just fine and stays in tune very well. Even after a few dive bombs. I dont generally live in that realm, but nice to know it will hold its tune. Another thing, the guitar came set up just perfect for me. Zero adjustments needed. Quality on the build, paint job and finer points, is excellent. I bought this without even playing it beforehand and I was not disappointed. Good job Charvel/Fender!iluvnicki3

Pros: Neck feels amazing Coil spit delivers great tones Floyd Rose stays in tune great Sounds amazing Get lots of compliments about it Cons: The one thing I wish I knew before buying this is the "Extra Jumbo" frets. They're too darn huge and I often wish I knew that before buying this. The block where the neck is bolted on is huge and playing passed the 17th fret is tough. The pickup switch has a "dead spot" when switching so it's possible to go silent when moving the switch. I wish I tried the DK 24 HH FR before buying this because I feel that I would've been way more satisfied. Overall it's a great guitar. I love mine to death, but yeah beware of the cons if looking at this.Dan H

It came from the swamp! (Swamp Ash Body) This swamp creature is a tonal monster that screams like a Yeti and growls like a Lion. This Typhon is the father of all monster guitars. It came flawless and perfectly set up and intonated which is rare but it can and did happen to me. It outshines my Fender Strat and Fender Acoustasonic. As I struck a chord ON it, IT struck a chord IN me, and the bond was instantaneous. Guitar is about having fun and enjoying music not about snobbery. I'm preparing to entertain with my mastery of the musical arts and I'm going into battle fighting against fears, insecurities, and self-doubts but I can now face these foes fearlessly because I'm equipped with my new weapon of choice – this purebred sexy swamp beast axe. I was standing in a swamp, with my head hung low, not enough tickets, for my sold out show. Hear the roar of the crowd? Can you picture the scene? Put you ear to the swamp, hear my guitar scream. Can you hear it now? Are you blown away? You'll see stars for a couple of days! This S570 AH SWK is beautiful and thanks to MF my dream became my reality. MF jumped through hoops and went all out in helping me get this guitar. Call them up and they will assist you in overcoming any hurdles standing in your way of purchasing this guitar. They excel over Sweetwater IMHO. My EVERY experience with these MF'ers has been a 2 thumbs up, 10 star rating. What are you waiting for? Get your own S570 AH SWK Today! You'll be glad you did! As for me, I'm as happy as a slime covered swamp creature in a black lagoon playing guitar. The black on this thing is gorgeous and the silver waves ring out like silver bells at Christmas. When you hear it Roar, you'll be imprisoned in it's melodiosity (I coined that phrase) Metal, Alternative, Rock, Country, Blues, Pop, Reggae, Jazz it does it all. Just do it my friend! Pull the trigger and blow the brains out of your savings account and you too can start playing "FOR REAL" today. Costs less than a Prestige or a Joe Satriani Signature JS2GD-Gold Boy but I must dispel the MYTH… it's just as good and no one in your audience will be able to hear any difference.James

Sound: The guitar came with Quantum pickups. I have Quantum pickups on another guitar, and they sound alright on my Jem Jr. However, they sound spectacular on this guitar. This may have something to do with the ash body on this guitar, vs. the Mahogany body on the Jem Jr.It is amazing that Ibanez can offer ash on a guitar in this price range, when Fender has stopped using ash on more expensive guitars. Features: The most useful feature on this guitar is the Edge Zero trem. As a matter of course, as I’ve done with my other trem equipped Ibanez guitars, I replaced the springs. The springs that come on these guitars are awful and won’t let the trem return to pitch. I replaced them with Floyd Rose extra strength, silent springs. Now the trem returns to pitch as good as my Floyd’s and original Edge trems.There is no string retainer on this guitar. If you put a few extra winds of strings around the post, it will increase the break angle from the back of the nut, where the strings exit. If you get the break angle right, you can lock down the nut without having to retune. Ease of Use: The guitar is quite playable out of the box, with the exception of the trem springs. There were a couple of high frets, but they weren’t high enough to cause buzzing with a normal action. I always do a level and crown as part of the set up anyway. Quality: The fit and finish on this guitar is excellent. I love the grey and black top on this. Definitely a looker. Also, the description of the guitar on the website, when I ordered it, said that the fretboard was Jatoba. Well, as it turned out, my guitar came with a rosewood board, which according to Ibanez’s website is what the guitar comes with for 2021.Also, the jack placement on the top, is really nice. The end to the cord doesn’t stick out. Just be careful plugging in. Value: This guitar is worth every penny I paid. I am quite pleased that the guitar is less than 600 dollars. Great bang for the buck. And zZounds makes it a no brainer with their payment plans. Manufacturer Support: I haven’t had to call Ibanez personally, but I have gone through the dealer before, and they have got fast service from Ibanez for me. The Wow Factor: This guitar not only looks good, but plays great as well. If you aren’t able to do work on a guitar yourself, spend the money for a pro set up. It’s so worth it. Overall: Well, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I took a chance and bought one that was listed as minor blemish on zZounds site.It took awhile to get to me, but that isn’t zZounds fault. The FedEx hub in my state doesn’t have enough truck drivers, and delays at the Troutdale hub are just a reality at this time.It arrived well packed and it turns out that the minor defect was just a small crack at the neck pocket. This would have probably happened anyway, and it is really small.I did have to call customer service, due to a saddle adjustment screw rounding out when I set the intonation. Sounds got me a new set of these screws through Ibanez, and it only took a few days. So good on zZounds and good on Ibanez.Scott

Overall: I've got to say that for a guitar that cost over a grand, its definitely not what I expected from Ibanez out of the box. I was a little put off by the fact that it didnt come with a case to begin with, but a guitar of this price is worth buying a case for if it's a good guitar, which it should certainly be. It came with a tag from the Ibanez factory with 4 stamps from QC. It fails on two miserably and I can't imagine how it left the factory the way it is. The fret ends are sharp and in desperate need of filing, and not A FEW of them… ALL OF THEM, EVERY LAST ONE. I would need bandaids if I played a gig with this thing. Second, the setup, again, miserable fail. Intonation is not bad, but truss rod adjustment I doubt was ever made, which means intonation will still need to be done. So, IF I decide to keep this guitar, I'm in the hole for not only a FULL setup, but fret filing as well, which shoots that cost right on up. As far as fit and finish goes beyond the fret edges, the guitar is BEAUTIFUL, absolutely gorgeous. All the electronics work, and I love the Gotoh locking tuners, they are a beautiful touch that I would have paid to add later, so its sweet Ibanez is producing guitars at this cost level and including them (though locking tuners and Fishman pickups aside, these amenities still don't warrant the no case thing at $1000 Plus… c'mon Ibanez… a gig bag at the very least!)That brings me to the pickups. I'm a Seymour Duncan guy, a passive pickup guy. So, these Fishmans are VERY different, even from EMG's I've played in the past. It's gonna take some time finding the sounds I like if they are there to be had at all as far as my own ears go. Contrary to the stuff you see on youtube, they are FAR from sounding even close to passive in either mode. That being said, I don't expect them to sound passive. I have 2 other guitars for that. I purchased this in hopes to have a good versatile high gain axe. So, I'm gonna give it some time and if the tone is worth it, in the end, I'll get the frets fixed (possibly DIY them) but it's going in for a setup as soon as I get my Les Paul back in a few days because as of now this thing is horrid to play. I'll write another review after some time goes by and let people know what I think beyond the unboxing and initial jam. Was hoping to jam all day today so this is kind of a let down.Chris

This guitar is beautiful. The photos dont do it justice at all. Love the sleek lines of the body. Its a good weight as well. Greatly appreciate the luminescent side markers; my night vision sucks. Very much a fan of the jumbo frets. Great tone and sound resonance from the fishman pickups. I did change the strings but that's a personal preference as, the strings were in excellent condition. Overall, great guitar.Cole

I love this Casino. I knew I wanted a P-90, and I really wanted a fully hollow body. I wanted to see if I could replicate a I've been agonizing over the purchase for months, looking for every possible solution, and was almost ready to pull the trigger on the Epi USA version, and after MUCH research, finally decided to go with the regular Epiphone. The construction, from everything I read, is excellent, and I knew that if necessary, I could always switch out the pups. Well, I can't say enough about how good this guitar is! I am extremely fussy on setups (I do setups on my own guitars and for other people) and this thing was ready to play right out of the box! I literally didn't touch a thing except to tune it up. I won't even have to dress the frets. I may touch them up just a bit (again, I'm really fussy) but they feel better than most guitars that cost three times as much. It is really beautiful. I love the vintage sunburst. The finish is flawless. Now for the important part – it plays like a dream. The neck profile is extremely comfortable. I can move up and down the neck as fluidly as on any guitar I own. And the sound! I was amazed at how present it is, even before plugging it in. I see this little sweetheart spending a lot of evenings on the couch with me. Soft enough not to overly bother my wife, but again – very present. Plugged in – well lets just say I won't be replacing these pups. It is exactly the sound I was hoping for. I'm no Grant Green, but I can certainly understand why he loved this guitar. Would I recommend it? Heck yeah! Country? Check. Classic rock? Check. Rockabilly, surf, blues and even jazz? Check, check, check, and check.Jess

Had the money to buy any guitar in the shop. Liked the looks of the SG, worn ebony with rosewood fingerboard and the Gibson speed knobs. Having only played guitars with 9.5 radius, I found the 14 radius was better for bar chords. The craftsmanship is excellent, can find no flaws the body or neck. The truss rod was out of adjustment, considerable back-bow. I fixed that, and set the action low. The intonation was spot on. Frets were polished with no sharp edges. I plan to upgrade the cheap electronics with new pots. As for the pickups, they sound ok. Since I use a modeling amp, not a big issue for me. The nut is a GraphTech synthetic bone. Nice touch for an inexpensive guitar, since i do not like changing them out…too much risk of damage. I have fender Strat and Tele, but have not put this down since purchasing it. Once I upgrade the electronics, this will be a very solid guitar.Jeff