Ibanez Black Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I wish I had purchased this a long time ago. It was a champ right out of the box. This is one of the very few times in 50 years of buying guitars that I actually purchased an instrument and not a project. I’m amazed at how well it was set up to rock from the get-go. AMS must take great care of their stock because this was perfection in a box when i got it. Crisp and clean, aesthetically astounding. The sound encompasses everything I look for but i got it in this one guitar. Rough and rugged tones for grinding out ripping leads, sweet mellow tones for ambient music, unmatchable warm and hot tones for clean country and soothing jazz. You just cannot beat this guitar in quality and sound in this price range! You gotta get one of these!DC Collins

I’ve read almost every single review on this model and the overall take was hit or miss. Well I musta lucked out because this thing plays great! I had no paint blemishes, was smooth around the monkey grip, frets level, neck relatively straight and after a home set up, twice oiling the fretboard, with a fresh set of Super Slinky’s dropped down half a step she was solid. Tremolo unit not as bad as I had read or expected. The bar will get loose after use but I’ve got it holding tune very well. You can’t pull the bar up like the big brother Jems without an almost immediate fret out and the obvious answer is raise the bridge but then the action is too high to enjoy playing. Pickups are really decent. They clean up well. Was probably the main factor over the White or Black. The White Jr just looked and felt plain in comparison. After owning a JEM7v and playing a thousand gigs on it this is a nice little reminder of what fun that was!Ryan

Purchased in Westminster, CA Sam Ash store. Had a hard time locating these in SoCal stores. Their online store said it was in their inventory, but it was not on display. Bryan, my sales rep, located the guitar and setup and tuned as quickly as possible. He located an amp to suit my style and plugged me in. He was very attentative, well spoken and enthusiastic – asking questions that were very helpful. Big shout out to Bryan for all his heolp and personability. This Jem Jr in Pink acheived all the tones I was looking for in one guitar from clean to shred. Pretty sturdy and stayed in tune quite well even after thrashing the trem bar to see if I could get a string to break. No fret edges, though the fretboard was dry (oiled then neck at home). No scratchy pots or finish issues. The weight was pleasant and easy to carry around. Got a great deal from Sam Ash and their service was good and meaningful and I left with a sense of a solid purchase. Will visit this store again and I recommend the Jem Jr if you can't afford the upper end Jem guitars.BaconFire

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

This guitar is the epitome of world class craftsmanship. Every single detail is attended to with pristine precision. The playability is unmatched and quality unsurpassed. I own many quality guitars ESP Japan made, Gibson USA made. But there is just something special that makes me only want to play this guitar. Well done Ibanez this will be a lifelong keeper. Better then I could imagined or expected and I expected a LOT at this price point. Did not disappoint. I purchased the stallion white and it is breath taking in person. It has a pearlesque look which I love. If you are on the fence don't hesitate you will not be disappointed. This is top notch quality in every way and don't know how it could get better. A+++++Joe

I dreamed of having a guitar like this after seeing a cased Ibanez Jem about twenty years ago. Words cannot describe the disappointment I experienced after finally having them money to get something like this only to have received a dud. I bought this because the Pia looked so much more dignified than the Jem. I was excited to play this after reading so much about how Ibanez uses the highest levels of craftsmanship and standards for their top of the line guitars. Unfortunately, I'm afraid they've lost credibility with me. Here's why: – The frets were so sharp that I worried if cut myself. – The whammy bars (it came with two) were not tightly fit into its tremolo. They would make a clicking sound as they loosely rocked back and forth using some vibrato. – One area of the guitar was not finished being painted (or so it appeared). – The body was not smoothly sanded down as I could visibly see imperfections in the wood as light shined on the paint. I ended up finding another person on YouTube doing a review who experienced the same problem with the whammy bars along with some other issues. I wish so badly this guitar would have been the last I would have ever purchased.David

It is a great privilege to leave the 1st review for this guitar at Guitar Center. It is my 1st personal review at guitar center as well. First, it is a little surprising to see this review will be the 1st since this guitar has been released for half a year. But whoever reads this, right now is 2020, the pandemic year, and we do not know how soon this is going to end, maybe next spring, maybe even longer. Probably that is the reason. Please let us remember this difficult time that many people lost their lives, many people got laid off, we might get another recession… I am a Steve Vai fan, I made this impulse buy at this difficult time, but not regretting it. The PIA is fantastic, absolutely the best guitar I have ever played so far, although I handed on a few more expensive ones. I compare it with Farreri. It is just smooth on every cover of the guitar. Fingerboard and neck are just gorgeous. Frets are stunning. If I use one word to describe PIA, it is going to be "Harmony". Handsome but beautiful, energetic but soft, Yin and Yang. It is very light, but still holds a decent amount of weight (not as light as the Herman Li's guitar, that one is a little too light from my point of view). The newly designed Dimarzio Utopia pickups, together with the pickups covers are sweet and beautiful. It is interesting they named it Utopia, as the ideal society, but also like U to Pia, maybe it is part of the reason for the name of this guitar.Zens Tone

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

so I ordered this, then the order cancelled on ams side, never seen that before. so I called them and ordered it on the phone. asked the guy on the phone if they inspect it before they send it out cause I have read about fret buzz being an issue with most ibanez for less than say 600. he said they would inspect it. i get it at my door and the FRET BUZZ was so BAD it couldn't even play on the neck at all, lol. I called and was like "I asked about this and you sent one with that problem" lol. they refunded 25 bucks, cool. took it to guitar center, tech "fixed it" get it home, strings are so high it was like a 60s classical guitar! I had to bring it back, pull an ibanez off the wall and be like "like this". 2nd time was a charm. it is beautiful and now with action adjusted it is great. sounds really good for stock pickups. clean actually sounds really good. forgot how much I love 5 way pickups for clean and overdrive sounds. worth it, but expect some headaches LOLJared J

Absolutely loved it the first time I played it. The locking teen stays in tune pretty well and the neck feels great. I like the look of the fretboard and the frets feel great to play on. I'm happy with the pickups that came in this, not muddy or anything. By far, the finish is the most amazing one I've seen on a cheaper rg. Love the Jupiter film. Try it and you'll see how good it really is.Eddieh

Excellent RG. Love the matte finish. Great feeling neck with low action. It stays in tune with deep dive bombs. Played excellent from the get go. Go try one out, you'll love it. By far one of the best Indonesian Ibanez's I have played.Droogs90

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

My 10 year old daughter has asked to learn guitar so I've started teaching her. In 38 years of playing this is the first time I've taught anyone and I've always been against the idea of short length guitars. I started with a couple of my electrics and they were all too heavy and she couldn't comfortably stretch down to the end of the neck to fret notes. I reneged and bought her the 3/4 length Ibanez GRGM21M and I'm amazed. As a below £200 guitar I'm astonished at the quality. Its exactly what I'd expect from Ibanez. Not 100% perfect set up straight out of the box but way more than enough for a beginner. She loves it. I think back to my first guitar and this is light years away from that. Superb beginners guitar, she's already really coming on after changing to something more comfortable, well worth it.Graham M.

I always liked the Ibanez instruments and products. This guitar for the money has a great sound, is light and small, very practical for people with small hands, or for children. Playability is nice, the pickups are good, hardware is good. It's versatile also for all types of genre's. Ideal for rock and metal, shreds real nice. If you're looking for a good but inexpensive guitar, this one is a good purchase. It's not only for beginners, it's for all level players.John

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

I always liked the Ibanez instruments and products. This guitar for the money has a great sound, is light and small, very practical for people with small hands, or for children. Playability is nice, the pickups are good, hardware is good. It's versatile also for all types of genre's. Ideal for rock and metal, shreds real nice. If you're looking for a good but inexpensive guitar, this one is a good purchase. It's not only for beginners, it's for all level players.John

Classic Ibanez body shape, neck, tuners and lightweight, like a scaled down Soundgear (SGR) series only sans the unnecessary active bass junk. Knobs are solid metal, not cheap plastic ones found on other low end Ibanez basses. Only thing bass needed out of box was intonation set. No neck adjustments needed and no significant buzz. Strings are round wound (my pref). Would not recommend this bass if you think you need (tone killing) flat wound. I'm not aware of anyone making flatwound strings for a 28.6" scale bass. Note: scale length of this bass (28.6") is shorter than typical short scale (30"). The strings on it are proprietary (Ibanez). You might be able to make some cut down long scale strings work (pain, wouldn't recommend) but the proprietary Ibanez strings are the way to go. MF doesn't sell them for some reason. You can find them online for a very reasonable price online. Buy a couple of extra sets. Pickups are jazz bass style and config (two volumes + one tone) which is my pref. I had zero issues with tone or volume controls. Pickups are all passive. Yah! And tone sounds great, classic jazz bass tones available including a nice Jaco-ish tone with 100% bridge pickup and tone rolled way down. Be wary of review comments from guitar players that don't play bass and buy this bass and suddenly have a lot of opinions about what this bass should and shouldn't be. This bass does not need the bridge, pickups, tuners or electronics replaced to make it a "pro" instrument. All this bass needs to be a "pro" instrument, is a "pro" player playing it. Tone is in your fingers. I highly recommend for beginners and I think experienced players will dig it as well, especially those that appreciate shorter scale instruments.mark5211

AMH90 is a small hollow body electric guitar. It does not have a solid block running through the centre of the body like Gibson ES 335. There is some support at the bridge and both pickups, which can be seen through the F holes. Acoustically it has more natural echo/reverb than a semi hollow body. It has two Super 58 humbuckers and the neck pick up has additional 3 position switch. I mostly play through software simulator and I get a lot of different sounds with different pickup selections, and with playing with a pick or fingers in different positions. The guitar has a good range from nice clean tones to strong distorted sounds. The guitar has a tail piece, but the bridge is fixed on the body. I usually remove pickguards, but I am going to keep it on this guitar. My guitar is in glossy black finish. It has a minimal design with golden hardware, black volume and tone controls, minimal bindings, and dot fret markers. The guitar came with new strings with a decent setup, but without a bag or a case. I am happy with the guitar and also with PMT customer service.Mitja K.

This is my first Ibanez artcore guitar. I'd been looking for a semi-hollow and saw this (I got the red one) and liked the looks, although I'm not a fan of gold hardware. I'd always heard that the Artcore series had thin necks (per Ibanez's shredder pedigree), and that's not really my thing, but I decided to give it a go (didn't buy it from MF). This guitar is a pleasant surprise in many ways. First – the neck is fantastic – I would call it a fairly deep C, not skinny at all, and it's a blast to play – a nice, chunky profile that is super comfortable (YMMV). I'm normally a single coil guy (my favorite guitar is a USA G&L Legacy; teles, Jazzmasters, P90s, etc) but I really like the sound of these humbuckers. They're more mid-rangey than dark, and have plenty of presence to them. The tri-tone switch is interesting – you can coil split or run the neck pup in series or parallel – all of the tones are useful, but I like full humbucker mode the best (I play clean to semi-dirty, mostly). Fit & finish is very good. Neck & body binding and overall cosmetics are excellent. The fret work is very good, but the fret ends are a little rough. Not awful, just a little rough. Just on that detail alone you won't mistake this for a more expensive guitar. However, having said that, the frets themselves are fine – no high or low frets, no buzzes – it plays great all the way up the neck. The satin finish looks great and it makes the back of the neck nice and smooth. I love it. Overall this is a fun guitar to play that sounds really great, and I absolutely love the neck.AF of the North

Getting used to the extra 2 strings, which is a little awkward. And the fanned frets is something new too. It's kind of like learning the basics of swimming, then decide to try the diving board. LOL. I'm cool with that, as it saves me from buying a bunch of guitars along the way to be comfortable with this concept. I really dig the guitar, has all the features I was shooting for at a really accessible price point. Well made, a keeper.Will R.

Looks are stunning. Sound is great. Pups have high output despite "medium" description. Rocks with all genres of music (Jazz to metal). Love that I can use my clean channel for both sparkle and overdrive just by turning up the vol. The 3 position switches for coil tapping aren't really necessary, but you can "kind-of" sound like a single coil Pup. Dont buy this if you want to sound like a strat style coil. This guitar can give a Les Paul studio are run for its money.Gerry

This is an absolutely stunning instrument! A real workhorse guitar with a versatile set of tones thanks to the pickup switching and coil tap options. As a baritone scale length guitar, it is designed for lower tunings whilst maintaining string tension and it does this very well. The Fusion Edge pickups combined with the Ash body give it a brighter sound than you might expect, but excellent clarity even when driven. Having played the early Iron Label guitars, this model is several steps ahead in terms of quality and playability. LOVE it!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Cheap guitar that's all that should be said. But very nice looking and sounds much better than I expected. Great purchase for the money. Regarding the price I would recommend this one comparing to other, more expensive Ibanez GIO ones.ivaboyarki-0

Gio, being ibanez china cousin brand, but still carries the ibanez name. This being "black knight" version, strat type 2 humbucker design. This has an overall good feel to me, nice shape, comfortable neck…easy player. The body routing is actually hsh design, there's an empty single coil pocket between the humbuckers. Simple master volume master tone and 3 way slide selector switch. Pots are dime size, wiring is ok but basic, pickups are ok but mine had plastic base plates which was not happy with. Fat 6 tremelo is ok, zinc small block, larger top plate than fender style, decent cast saddles, but screw pattern is gio specific and can't be easily changed/upgraded. Plastic string nut just basic as well. I changed to a bone nut, changed pickups to a decent alnico 5 pair, put roller saddes and locking tuners on this guitar, at that point it became a great player! But keeping in mind the price, if you are looking for a quality guitar "out of box" you come up short…you have a nice looking, balanced, decent neck and body but the parts are sub quality for anyone past beginner. I have noticed that gio features 2 different types of tuning machines also, 1 being the 10mm sealed (better) and the other the smaller hole dia. Schaller strat style with the inserts… Neither are very good quality but the 10mm makes for an easy relatively cheap upgrade direct replacement.kbak2353

Bought this guitar for my son for Christmas. He loves it. The color is awesome! I am by no means a guitar expert, but this guitar is very nice. It plays and sounds great. It is affordable and is a genuine Ibanez. It was packaged well and shipped quickly. Would definitely recommend.shadywright10

This guitar rises above the 'super Strat' identifier. The playability of this instrument is incredible, especially if you are used to the neck profile of these guitars. All the standard pre-requesite Strat tones are here, instantly available for you via the 5 way switch. However, flip the dyna-MIX9 switch, and you have Tele style neck/bridge combo, the option of a neck humbucker (neck & middle PUs in series), 2 humbuckers, and bridge single coil (which I have used more than any guitar I have owned other than a Tele). The playability of this guitar is off the charts! Roasted maple neck & locking tuners keep it in tune for gigs beyond what I have seen in guitars before. This is a 'Swiss Army knife' guitar for all seeking Strat tones with harder rock edge or country flavors.Jeff

I had one of the first series AZ back in 2019, a Premium model, which was very good although there were some things I didn't like that much or were not my cup of tea. The veneer was not to my liking, the pickups although good was a bit hot to my taste and liking, and no idea if it's the basswood body or the constructions difference, but when playing unplugged it didn't resonate as much, although plugged in was totally fine (but I tend to play unplugged as well so I look for guitars I enjoy playing unplugged too) Then I decided to go to a traditional strat and later on I went for a Suhr Guitar. Suhr is fantastic in every way. I sold my Suhrs because I was looking for a more vintage style strat but then decided wanted again a kind of superstrat HSS more modern sounding to replace a PRS I'm selling that it's great but a bit too much for me, and want a more player guitar. I was thinking on the Suhr, but then I saw the 2021 Ibanez AZ with rosewood and tortoise pickguard, covered humbucker, and less hotter pickups and wow, this guitar was perfect for what I was looking. Looks very classy, I got the blue one, single-coils sound great, very good clarity (not vintage style like my other strat, but I like that because they complement very well and serve 2 different purposes), the humbucker is great for rock, hard rock and like 80's rock (I'm not into extreme metal so not looking for that sound). And unplugged this Prestige resonates well, different than the premium I had, so unplugged sounds alive, and like these pickups much more than the Hyperion (but that's my personal preference) Neck is a bit thinner than the Suhr I had, but for a more modern approach is very nice and comfortable. I have no issues going from my 50's neck les paul back to the Ibanez AZ. And quality is there. Pros vs the Suhr, is that it has roasted maple that I really like, and the 9 switch sound options, that for me having the neck and middle parallel is like having a neck humbucker which is really awesome, what a versatile guitar. And of course the price! Pros on the Suhr is that those really are on the top of their game in quality and pickups I liked the Suhr ones a bit more. And the neck on the Suhr is fantastic. This doesn't mean the Ibanez is bad, on the contrary, I'm very very pleased and happy with the Ibanez, is more than enough for me, and even though the Suhr is amazing and overall I give them the edge over the Ibanez AZ, the AZ is top quality guitar too as well and I don't have the need to go for a Suhr with this AZ.Nico

This guitar is a great value for me, here's what I like; Looks great (and headstock is beautiful) 24 fret (dot inlays, didn't want shark) Upper fret access couldn't be better. Tremolo bar Really dark fretboard (not ebony of course, but super nice) Dot inlays and side inlays are BRIGHT white, easy for me to see. Fingers slide up and down the fretboard with ease, which is not true of some of my other guitars, fingers tend to hang up on some, I could not ask for better frets. Cons/what I don't like: Set up was INCREDIBLY HORRIBLE, really omg, I don't know who was responsible, vendor/ibanez, hard to say, but the neck was BOWED like 1/8th of an inch or so , I mean ackk!! I thought I would need to send it back. The allen key that came with was a sloppy fit, too loose which could have stripped out the tension rod, so I found a tighter one in my tool bin, cranked the neck to about flat, then , NO MORE problems. The pickups seem to be muddy, definition in chording seems weak, single note lead playing is perfect, it's just 'chording' , my other guitars seem to have better clarity for chording, I haven't swapped out the pups yet, I have a set of SD Sat Night Specials, ready to try. I say seems, because, since I haven't chgd' pups yet, I don't know for sure the source/why it feels muddy. This is the only neg thing I would say about the guitar. I have some name brand guitars, and have owned hundreds, this is my main guitar right now, I love it !! Great value.riverstrat

These guitars do not come from Ibanez very well setup,but after i did a proper setup on this guitar wow it sounds and plays great. The finish on this guitar is much better than i expected. It has a little smaller body than i am used to but it is a full 24 fret. I would say for the price i got a very good deal and i am very happy with my new guitar… Thank you American Music Supply.Gary Grey

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

I sat down with the Ibanez AF75 at Guitar Center for over 3hrs. I had traded in a guitar and wanted a jazz/blues machine. I had come in with the Ibanez in mind, but also I had my eye on the Epiphone Wildkat, and the Epiphone Dot. I liked the tone of each, but I kept coming back to the Ibanez. Overall, the build on the Wildkat was poor; it couldn't stay in tune even without using the tremolo. I have owned several Dots over the years and had the same problem with each, the necks broke when adjusted, not by myself, but by 3 different luthiers. The Ibanez just has this warmth to it. Unplugged it sounds like every other semi hollow, maybe a bit tinnier, but plugged in, it just sings. This is perfect for blues/jazz/rock/ or in my case, being in the worship band at church. Do yourself a favor, go to Guitar Center, tune one up, and sit with it for 15min on your favorite amp, just a little overdrive and some reverb, and you will see exactly what I mean. Fantastic instrument. Unbelievable price for this quality. Mine stays in tune like a champ. Minor adjustments every few days. Can't believe it.Davetheworshipguy

Overall: I just got this 3/27/2018, after my Gretsch Streamliner was stolen by a FedEx driver a week earlier and marked it as it was delivered and it was not. but when I followed up a couple days later. I was told by a zZounds customer service rep, that the driver told them he had lost it? So I bought this Ibanez and it is indeed blemished at the neck pocket, just a hair line crack in the finish not the support foundation. the guitar has a very nice acoustic tone and the pickups sound good as well. I recommend prepping the neck nut and the intonation bridge or your strings will not slide smoothly and will hang up and you will be out of tune. the electronics meaning the volume/tone, Input jack and 3way toggle are very cheap but work with a little noise when turning the controls. being in the wholesale / retail business zZounds is paying less than half what it is being sold for in most cases. buy it blemished and save a few dollars…it is a good instrument, plays well and sounds good and I will take it to my next Jazz gig.Chuck

I bought a used (maybe five years old) model of this guitar. Changed the strings and that was that. Can a used Chinese made guitar become a favorite? Yes it can. Yes it has. The construction and finish details on this guitar are at a level of the best American Fenders I have played. Vastly superior to the recent Gibson's, which are, in my view, a disgrace. Set up properly this guitar is very comfortable with no issues such as bridge, nut or tailpiece problems. I am truly amazed. The pickups are not great but with proper amp EQ it will make some very warm music for you.jazznotes

This is an absolutely stunning instrument! A real workhorse guitar with a versatile set of tones thanks to the pickup switching and coil tap options. As a baritone scale length guitar, it is designed for lower tunings whilst maintaining string tension and it does this very well. The Fusion Edge pickups combined with the Ash body give it a brighter sound than you might expect, but excellent clarity even when driven. Having played the early Iron Label guitars, this model is several steps ahead in terms of quality and playability. LOVE it!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Just an all round excellent guitar. Great action, tone is fantastic and looks absolutely fantastic with the Matt sea green foam look.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I didn't buy mine through Musicians Friend but I recently bought mine and I'm madly in love with it. First off it looks nothing like the pictures here. The grain pattern is wildly different from this picture. It's gorgeous. Everyone I show it to falls in love with it. Also the roasted maple neck is way darker and looks so sexy. If you're expecting a traditional Ibanez playing experience this is not your guitar. The neck is super thick but crazy comfortable and easy to play on. I hear everyone comparing it to a Fender modern C neck but it feels way more like a Les Paul neck or to be exact it feels exactly like the PRS SE Holcomb whereas it has a wider 20' radius on it so the two feel almost identical. Yes you can absolutely play fast on it. It's smooth, it's fast, it's amazing. Ok now I'm not sure if you're familiar with Suhr but I think somebody at Ibanez bought one and suddenly took instant inspiration from it because the two Suhr are alike (see what I did there? Lol). I mean come on the knobs are even the same lol. Which those knobs are really fantastic. If you like to fiddle knobs and flip switches when you play these are definitely killer too use from the top grip and overall feel of them. When comparing this to a Suhr does it feel like a $5k Suhr? No, of course not but it really does come close. The thing I like more about the Ibanez though is the tremendous versatility if the ten different pickup combinations via the two switches. There's not a single tone that you can't get with this guitar and it does it amazingly well. It definitely does metal but at the same time I beats the majority of single coil tones I've gotten from Tex Mex loaded USA strats. This guitar does it all. Another thing that really surprised and impressed me was the amount of resonance and sustain.The Guitar and Gear Addict

This is a very versatile guitar and is able to cover all of most guitarist needs. The roasted maple neck is perfect for this guitar. The pickups are very balanced and play clean very well. The pickups have enough output to play high gain or distortion if you need it. You can get a single coil Strat like tone with this guitar. With the selector switch and the added series / paralel switch you get 10 different tones. Limitless possibilities for a guitarist.deepspacecowboy111