Ibanez Blue Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

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 received my guitar today. Blue Metal Chameleon. I love it. It sounds great. No flaws, great packaging. Just a great guitar at a great price.John

Overall: I read some of these negative reviews and can't understand what they're talking about. This guitar is probably the best guitar for $200 I ever played , right out of the box it was setup perfectly. All I did was tune it , I've even got the same strings it came with. Which I normally change whenever I get a new guitar. The tuners are unbelievably tight , this guitar barely goes out of tune even if it has been sitting for weeks. Also I never attached the whammy bar , so I can't speak on that throwing it out of tune. Since I have over a dozen guitars I don't usually play it daily , but when I do it always makes me glad I purchased it. This is a very versatile guitar , I play mostly metal and this thing shreds. But I also play blues and it sounds just as good as my custom strat. I bought an Epiphone SG special in the same price range and let's just say the setup is night and day , the tuners absolutely sucked , "already replaced them" and the intonation was off. It was a mess , I've already put it on Craig's list and bought a G400 Pro instead , 10x better quality and setup , but I digress. I've got many high priced guitars but always go back to the GRX , the playability and neck feels so comfortable to play. The only thing I'm going to do eventually is throw in a Seymour Duncan humbucker and I'm definitely keeping this guitar. I don't know how Ibanez can sell this for $200 and keep the quality , but I'm certainly not going to complain. Whether you're a beginner or experienced this guitar delivers. Definitely will be purchasing another Ibanez down the road.Mike

Sound: Does not have the cleanest sound due to the picks. Putting the right pedals and effects in line and cranking up the distortion makes it an awesome beginner / intermediate metal guitar. Features: For the price the materials feel great. Ease of Use: It sounds great on my Fender Champion 20 or Positive Grid Spark amp. Not the cleanest tone but a great metal sound and extremely easy to play. Quality: It feels made well, especially in the $200 range. I feel like this is one I'll have for years and once I get better definitely see this is a good platform for future mods. Value: This guitar is excellent value and at this price an amazing guitar. Manufacturer Support: I have not dealt with Ibanez. The Wow Factor: I must admit the aesthetic. It's extremely hard to find good looking purple color-based guitars. If I could dream up what I want a guitar to look like this is it. It helps that its quality is awesome. Overall: I love this guitar. Purple is my favorite color and a hard one to find good guitars in. It looks great. It feels great and I have yet to find any significant issues with it. No problems with the frets or fret buzz. Action is easy and low. It sounds great with my Positive Grid Spark amp. The pickups sound great. The HSH setup is very versatile. Not the greatest with clean tones like my Stratocaster, but amazing with the right effects.Josh

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

The guitar sounds incredible; but the bridge is really wonky unblocked. You tune string 6, 5, lock the neck,and proceed; but on coming back you'll find every string is flat by a steep degree (some strings drop a note or more). It is unbelievably unstable compared to same priced Strat bridge, though maybe I just got a bad batch. Block the bridge and a bit of a setup, and it plays smooth as butter. Notable features: 1) Finish is very high quality. Comparable to $1000 guitars (I compared with an SE Mark Holcomb for example). 2) Pickups for the price are pretty good; some reviewers put them down but honestly, at the price, these are great. 3) Strap knobs are great, and give plenty of space for strap and rubber lock if you choose to use. I dropped a star for two reasons – the bridge (I've noted about) and the cable port. The cable port is extremely tight, and it's probably better to get a right-angle cable instead of a straight. In my case I stuck a very short cable in and dropped a barrel connector on the other side. Less headache overall if not super ideal.Don

Ive been watching these guitars and read countless reviews. I can say that I dont regret buying it at all. It came already set up and surprisingly enough, it was basically in tune after a little tweaking and has stayed in tune. Ive really been putting it through the gambit and I cant find anything to complain about. Its well balanced, the neck doesnt drop to the ground when Ive got a strap on, and the weight is near to nothing at all in comparison to most guitars. The frets are close enough that its comfortable because I have small hands and the use of the Tremolo doesnt seem to have any effect on the guitar at all. If youre looking for an excellent guitar that offers you the flexibility to play the blues and then jump into some heavy metal, this is the guitar for you! I would even go as far to say that it feels like an extension of my own…..Awesome guitar and I would put it up against any of the other guitars on the market!outlawbikerbrian

The guitar came poorly setup. Every string rattled against the neck. It took some adjustment of both the truss rod and the bridge to get it to ring true with good action. The tone and volume potentiometers are of poor quality and will be the next project I tackle. The finish on this instrument is gorgeous. The Edge-Zero II tremolo bridge lets me dive bomb all day and stay in tune. The pickups sound okay and provide a good varity and clarity of tone, though I will probably put something a little hotter at the bridge. The Wizard Three neck, once setup properly, is pure joy to play. In spite of the issues I initially had with this guitar, I absolutely adore it.Bama Bill

I've been playing this guitar the RG470AHM for about 6 months now. I'm very impressed by the blue moon burst it looks like a prestige level guitar. the ash body gives it very decent sustain. I see people complain that the rg370ahm got the edge zero 2 and we got the standard DL tremelo But I can't complain because if set up correctly it holds tune great and does it job well. The block on the tremelo appears to be steel which is nice from I hear. I haven't deemed fit to change anything yet due to it being set up perfect for my needs and working well. The quantom pickups do very well and give both decent cleans and take well to distortion. I had to dial them in to my preference due to the sounding a little foggy. That being said this guitar can be easily upgraded. By upgrading the pickups for Seymour or Duncan's. Also you can upgrade the tremolo itself or jus replace the whole thing with a tremelo that fits the guitars route. Also by upgrading the block to brass and the tremolo claw for a locking tremolo claw. May also put inlays in the neck to give it the more prestige look. In my opinion this guitar gives you premium product for a great price . Nice wood work on mine great finish and easily upgradeableyugi-JD

Absolutely gorgeous guitar with a great sound! Pictures don't do it justice. Metallic look is far more beautiful than the photo shows. Sound is full and not the least bit "tinny" as some guitars of this value can sometimes be. Affordable, beautiful and great to play. Couldn't ask for more. The payment plan is soooo helpful when you're living hand to mouth. Thank you AMS and Ibanez for a fantastic product and a very happy gifting experience.Amelia

Overall: Took me 2-1/2 years but I finally ordered this through zZounds on a blemished deal. Don't know if it matters or not but I waited 24 hours before opening. Well packaged. All accessories, tools, owners manual. Maple fretboard perfect. Small Crack in clear coat on body at neck joint. No worries. Paint missing where neck bolts to body. As I said blemished I understand. Time to tune. Ouch!!! Play 10 minutes retune, play 10 yeah you get the idea. Pick ups and bridge are not any where close to specs. Finally get days off from work. Now I'm no guitar smith but when I have time I can figure it out. New strings 9-42 NY/XL. Bridge alignment, tonation, adjust pickup height, slight neck adjustment, adjust tremolo springs. Totally amazing!!! Night to day. My old RG450 has the INF pickups and these quantums sound so much fuller. Sounds amazing through a Orange crush 20 and a Boss Mk100. Country, rock, metal, hair metal this thing is amazing!!!Donnie

Overall: First impression:Out of the box, this thing is downright beautiful. The Candy Apple Red just shines in the light without a flaw on it. In my personal opinion, it's the only one that the Tortoise Shell pickguard really works on and that's why I picked the color. Not disappointed. The Pao Ferro fretboard is gorgeous.I had the same Elite pickups in an old GAX 70 that got destroyed and the great sound out of them didn't catch me off guard, but the quality of the tuners did. They're smooth, just tight enough, and not catchy or jumpy at all. I actually get to keep a stock set for a while. I learned how to tie a "locking knot", so no need to replace them.The switches and knobs feel good, too. Nice and clicky switch, and smooth turns from the pots. The balance and feel are extremely nice, and the neck profile is just butter.I can't really say a bad thing about this guitar as it sits right out of the box, and then when I remember that it was only $199 it just blows my mind. This will go up on stage with me if I ever get up there again, no doubt.P.S. – We love you, zZounds!Robert

I love this GUITAR, because it is the same color as my favorite car, I've ever owned. More importantly, is the sound that came along with this beauty. The feel of the Guitar action is stupendous. I say this, because my fingering of the notes, or chords changes are effortlessly completed. The tone of the Ibanez JEM77P is shocking even in the most less expensive amplifier. To be specific, quality sound in a cheap practice amp. Prior to getting my HEADRUSH Pedal Board and Cabinet, I was playing through a $25 10 Watts Practice Amplifier. The sound, I must say again gave me more faith in buying this and more of the JEM7 Guitars, mainly because of the quality sound from playing through a practice amp. Crisp, distinct sound. When playing through my new HEADRUSH Pedal Board and Cabinet from AMS I was floored by the superb sound. I have played JEM77P through my buddies amplifier that is 150 Watts. The sound was breath taking, compared to his guitars non-favorable sound with same settings. WOW!Lovin It

Needs lots of setup. All the tuners post nuts were loose and rattling and needed to be tightened, definitely a QC issue. Action was really no where near shredabilty. Also white dust under the pickguard which is a little unsightly due to the clear acrylic used. Probably not for a newby unless you “know a guy“ or want to pay to get a setup. All that said with proper set up and tweaks it’s a pretty good guitar that stays in tune, sounds good, looks great and plays really good. I’m gonna keep it.JoeyP

In the 90's, I owned the black floral Jem. Everything about it was amazing. The sound, the feel, the way my fingers would literally bounce from note to note. It was the best guitar I ever owned. Like most musicians, I had to sell it to pay bills at some point. I saw this guitar and thought it would be a reasonable replacement. It was not. The tension feels tight. The pickups sound very "stock." The jumbo frets don't feel very jumbo. I have an Ibanez that I bought for $199.99 back in February that plays way better. I feel like the cost of this thing is based purely on the finish, the grip, and the artist it represents.Grumpy Old Man

I use this primarily for jamming, but if I had it in my gigging days it would have been my go to guitar. Plays like a dream, worth the wait. Mine was back ordered for 3 months. The wizard HP neck is razor thin and comfortable to shred. A+ to Ibanez my new favorite manufacturerAmp E

I've been playing guitar for 14 years. This is the first guitar I've ever owned that felt this perfect. I've owned other ibanez guitars, a gibson studio, & high end Jackson's but this one is leaps ahead of the rest. Beautiful pickups, smooth neck & just easy on the eyes. It's extremely versatile within most types of music. Without a doubt it's worth every penny.J Dub

Overall: I got this guitar a hair over a month ago, and wanted to wait awhile before I wrote a review so I could get past the "honeymoon stage" and write a fair review. Well it turns out I might as well have fired this review off on the 1st day, because nothing has changed!!This beast arrived set up so well that even the stock strings sounded good for my initial riffage, but once I got my preferred strings on there, man, that Ibby lit up!! The chugs were thick and grindy, the chords chimed, the leads sang, and I was blown away!!The pickups in this guitar are maybe the tiniest hair lower-output than my personal preference, but nothing to ding points over, and the 5-way switching opens up the possibilities! Build quality, fit, and finish are outta this world for a guitar at this price point, and yes, this guitar does sport a slightly larger neck than the traditional Wizard 7 string profile, which for my giant hands, feels like home. In conclusion, if you are looking for a great new flavor of 7 to add to your collection, or need a first one that won't let you down, dive in!!Chris

Let me just start off by saying that I've been playing 6 string guitar since 1995, however this is my first 7 string guitar. This Ibanez gio has amazing craftsmanship and playability unparalleled at its price range. I have guitars that cost three times as much that aren't as well made. This was setup well no buzz on the frets. If you want to change it's tone later on just buy new pickups. Only downside is the fretboard is a little soft for heavy hands so don't go smacking the crap outta it. You can see me play it on Instagram for reference @blakesguitars.Blakesguitars

Overall: I read some of these negative reviews and can't understand what they're talking about. This guitar is probably the best guitar for $200 I ever played , right out of the box it was setup perfectly. All I did was tune it , I've even got the same strings it came with. Which I normally change whenever I get a new guitar. The tuners are unbelievably tight , this guitar barely goes out of tune even if it has been sitting for weeks. Also I never attached the whammy bar , so I can't speak on that throwing it out of tune. Since I have over a dozen guitars I don't usually play it daily , but when I do it always makes me glad I purchased it. This is a very versatile guitar , I play mostly metal and this thing shreds. But I also play blues and it sounds just as good as my custom strat. I bought an Epiphone SG special in the same price range and let's just say the setup is night and day , the tuners absolutely sucked , "already replaced them" and the intonation was off. It was a mess , I've already put it on Craig's list and bought a G400 Pro instead , 10x better quality and setup , but I digress. I've got many high priced guitars but always go back to the GRX , the playability and neck feels so comfortable to play. The only thing I'm going to do eventually is throw in a Seymour Duncan humbucker and I'm definitely keeping this guitar. I don't know how Ibanez can sell this for $200 and keep the quality , but I'm certainly not going to complain. Whether you're a beginner or experienced this guitar delivers. Definitely will be purchasing another Ibanez down the road.Mike

There is a lot to say about this guitar. First of all, it's a great electric guitar for it's price range. I like the versatility it offers with 2 Humbuckers and 1 Lead pickup. So many tones are possible and with the whammy bar- even more. I'd watch using the tremolo system too much because the strings could go out of tune. I love to practice and create songs on mine. With the way the bridge is set up and the string-thru-body design, I am able to get the strings in tune in no time and the strings tend to stay in tune longer- even longer than my more expensive Jackson! The pickups give me a clear and great tone also. The only thing that I will change about the guitar is the strings…(I'd like to put on D'Addario's NYXL .09/.42) Looks like I'll be playing an Ibanez for a long time.Chaz

Sound: Does not have the cleanest sound due to the picks. Putting the right pedals and effects in line and cranking up the distortion makes it an awesome beginner / intermediate metal guitar. Features: For the price the materials feel great. Ease of Use: It sounds great on my Fender Champion 20 or Positive Grid Spark amp. Not the cleanest tone but a great metal sound and extremely easy to play. Quality: It feels made well, especially in the $200 range. I feel like this is one I'll have for years and once I get better definitely see this is a good platform for future mods. Value: This guitar is excellent value and at this price an amazing guitar. Manufacturer Support: I have not dealt with Ibanez. The Wow Factor: I must admit the aesthetic. It's extremely hard to find good looking purple color-based guitars. If I could dream up what I want a guitar to look like this is it. It helps that its quality is awesome. Overall: I love this guitar. Purple is my favorite color and a hard one to find good guitars in. It looks great. It feels great and I have yet to find any significant issues with it. No problems with the frets or fret buzz. Action is easy and low. It sounds great with my Positive Grid Spark amp. The pickups sound great. The HSH setup is very versatile. Not the greatest with clean tones like my Stratocaster, but amazing with the right effects.Josh

After really enjoying playing an RG standard at GC, I decided I wanted a Japanese Ibanez. This guitar is gorgeous. You open up the case and it's a plush red velvet contrasting perfectly with the sexy nebula green burst. It is incredibly easy to play! Has a perfect balance slung over your shoulder or resting on your thigh. They didn't cut any corners with this instrument. Pros: – Black chrome hardware looks slick – Neck very thin and flat. Not just for shredding! Strips of walnut add a touch of elegance. Satin finish makes this a fast neck. Jumbo frets feel great. The birdseye fretboard is gorgeous. Locking tuners are robust. Stays in tune like a boss! – Very clear difference in pickup output from neck to bridge. Bridge gets nice and dirty when the volume is up – Pickups are a bit hotter than I expected, especially the tone zone in the bridge, but dialing down volume cleans them up very nicely (when you want them to be clean). I'm guessing the hot pickups are for shredders, who are a target Ibanez consumer. The parallel mode is a sweet addition allowing pickup to sound like a single rather than a humbucker – Pickups have dimarzio embossed on them, but it's subtle and not visible from a distance- branding isn't as obnoxious as on seymour duncans – Volume and tone knobs are knurled making them easy to turn with just a touch and resistance is light and smooth. Great gradual effect (doesn't just jump from 100% to 10% when you turn the knob only a tiny bit) – Action can be set super low and bridge is very comfortable to rest your palm. No sharp saddles as on some tune-o-matics – Amazing custom-molded guitar case that looks sexy and has a hard plastic outer shell. Form-fitted for this guitar – Guitar comes with a multi-tool with everything on it, even a short metal scale Cons: – The fret markers are just dots, not inlays – Doesn't come equipped with straplocks – Pickup selector feels cheap compared with the rest of the hardware, but has authoritative action otherwiseMegatron

This guitar is beautiful and its sound is fantastic,neck is awesome and fretboard is great,pickups are good…but it is Very Heavy,I'd say around 10 pounds and also the body is too chunky and therefore not comfortable to play.Maybe this guitar will be good fit for a large player. I returned it today and got me another Ibanez. Guitar center were very helpful,they are alright!Andy

Took this model and the Ibanez RG Prestige RG652AHMFX for test rides. I ended up keeping this one. The Prestige is a better instrument, but not nine bills better. They play very similarly. The DiMarzios in the Prestige sound better, sure-but you can add those to this one later if you'd like. Honestly, I'll probably just keep the Quantum pickups in it-they sound fine. Love the creative 5-way switching and the volume and tone work as they should. Tuning stability is spot on. Mine even came set up well. The wood is not the cosmetic grade that the more expensive models have, but I bought it to play in bars and small venues-not to look at it. The body is three pieces. That being said, it's more attractive than an affordable guitar has a right to be. The ash does make it brighter than your standard RG, but that's what I was looking for. I'd recommend it to anyone that's not a cork sniffer and needs a solid instrument they can use without fear of breathing on it.TG

Sound: The sounds of this guitar are fantastic with 9 different pickup settings and the toggle switch. I played it both clean and dirty. The 2 and 4 positions give you that Mark Knopfler clean solo tone.Also, the pickups sound very full and snarly through my Orange will the gain all the way up.The pickups have a really high octane sound. Don’t think that because they are ceramics that the resulting tone will be compromised.The most useful feature is the toggle switch. Depending on which position you are at on the 5-way, you can get Tele flavors, typical strat, and even some Brian May like tones.The body wood is quite resonant. And the maple neck with Jatoba fretboard are quite smooth and well finished. The hardware on this guitar are very good. The tuners are quite nice and function flawlessly. The split shafts make restringing a breeze. All components were snugly secure from the factory. The T106 trem bridge is very nice with its rounded comfort saddles. No grub screws sticking out, waiting to slice your hand when resting it on the bridge. The bridge is set up Decked. You can only dive on it, but the guitar stays in tune after a dive, and the string trees seem to be smooth, as well as the nut slots. Features: This guitar is so easy to use. The switches and pots function flawlessly. If there is a learning curve it is because there are so many tonal choices with the five way and toggle switches.This guitar was playable right out of the box. Even the action was low and the guitar was intonated right from the factory and the action was just a hair under 4/64ths at the 17th fret. Ease of Use: A well made instrument, the fit and finish is superb. No cosmetic or functional flaws. As far as for a beginner, this guitar should be a good one for the entire learning journey. It should last for many, many years to come with proper maintenance. The scale is a little shorter than a standard strat style guitar and a little longer than a typical Gibson.If I have any complaint, it’s that the frets might need to be polished a little. The frets seem to be level, but a little polishing will take them from smooth to smooth as glass. Quality: I have not had to deal with Ibanez directly, but if there is a problem, call up customer service and they can deal with an Ibanez rep quickly. I’ve done that before and had good results. Value: This guitar is the best looking of my three AZ’s. I want to get the other colors when they are available. At least the black one. I am going to use this guitar for bar jams and videos. I could use another guitar for this, as I have over 30, but these guitars are priced right to be what I need, and that’s a tool to make music with. And the AZES guitars are so versatile, and cost so little, why would I use anything else. Manufacturer Support: This guitar is the most bang, for so few bucks, in the Ibanez line. It is worth every penny. At $349.00 brand new, the AZES 40 kicks ass, and is a better value than a Squier Classic Vibe. Better frets and electronics, and in some cases better tuners and a better jack assembly. The Wow Factor: I have 9 Ibanez guitars, including the AZES 40 and two AZES 31’s ranging from $299.00 to 2K, and these are some of the best guitars I’ve ever played. Overall: This guitar was meant to attract beginner level guitarists, but this could be a great guitar for a pro as a main axe or backup. There are so many tones in this guitar.Out of the box this thing is ready to rock!Scott

Dabbled with guitars years ago but lost interest and sold all my stuff – decided to jump back in, bought this plus an ID:CORE 10 V3 and I'm absolutely loving it! For the price, I genuinely think this is the best beginners guitar out there right now (especially when paired with a versatile practice amp). It has both single coils and humbuckers so you can play most styles of music, it has a thin neck that's easy to navigate, the action isn't too high and the strings are 9's (i.e. very slim) so its easy to play, the fretboard finish is smooth, the volume/tone knobs are sturdy/don't crackle and it has a whammy. My one gripe is that it can take multiple attempts to tune (i.e. you start at the low E string, by the time you get to high E the low E needs fiddling with again), but once its tuned it'll stay that way with minimal movement; even if you thrash it. It sounds amazing and looks beautiful too – I can't stop picking it up. I've spent more money on significantly worse guitars in the past, couldn't recommend it more for the priceIain B.

Overall: I have spent a lot of time just staring at this guitar and thinking of how it was constructed. From the different types of wood that were used to how they were put together and finished and all I can say is that this guitar is a beautiful piece of art that would satisfy anyone like myself who loves the look of wood and truly appreciates how it is brought together to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. I have and do own other guitars that use exotic wood for the top of the body but in most cases the guitar is made of one type of wood and the exotic is a very thin piece of veneer, the top of this guitar however is a little more than a half inch thick. That doesn't sound like much but is about 6 times thicker than most guitar tops that use an expensive exotic wood including my other Ibanez guitars and considering the thinness of the "S" series guitars, that's almost half of the overall thickness. The rest of the body is the African Mahogany and in my opinion is beautiful enough to be the front / top of the guitar. The neck of this guitar is just as impressive and beautiful with the 11 pieces of wood combined to look great and more importantly feel and play wonderfully. All of the hardware on this guitar is top notch. This is the first guitar I've owned that uses the Gotoh machined tuning heads and I didn't quite understand the hype until I received the guitar and seen what actually makes them different. The same for the Zero Point Bridge / Tremolo system. The combination of this bridge and tuning heads and of coarse the lock nut makes this guitar stay perfectly tuned even during the most aggressive playing and whammy bar usage (I've put it to the test). Ibanez cut no corners on this guitar and it all makes for probably the best guitar I've ever owned out of the 80 – 100 Ibanez guitars I've had and played over the last 30 years. I highly recommend to anyone who seeks a guitar with great Playability, Tone, Quality and Beauty to spend a little more (or less, whatever the case) for this guitar and you won't be disappointed. If you are, I will personally refund all your mon…. Okay not really, but I will gladly take it if you don't like it and want to ship it to me.Fred

Bought this as a beginner guitar for my daughter – much better than slightly cheaper beginner guitars out there. Creates a great sound and is comfortable for her to hold. Slimline neck is an advantage for those with smaller hands,.Carl D.

A great guitar at any price. The fretwork is excellent, set-up is excellent. It sounds good. I actually prefer this to the later model the AZES series. No need to spend £2000 on a signature prestige model such as the Lari Basillio unless it actually comes with Lari Basillio. Save your money, get this guitar and buy a better amp.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've had a few Ibanez guitars previously all second hand. Decided to buy this brand new. Great guitar for the money, really comfortable to play.Darren R.

What else needs to be said "It's an Ibanez RG" Plays great literally out of the box, I only has to tune the high E String.ja_880555

This is a sick-looking guitar. The turquoise sparkle finish is off the charts amazing. Craftmanship leaves something to be desired though. It's only when you inspect the guitar more closely, and nothing that affects playability. Some cavities aren't finished, some light fret edges, and the screws of the pickup selector switch aren't exactly perfectly done. You can't compare it to a Prestige Ibanez made in Japan, of course, but for the money it's pretty darn awesome. The Quantum pickups are high output, and I actually love them, as you can do high gain lead, as well as clean funky, stratty and tele sounds. Super versatile, and hum free! 24 frets on a maple fingerboard with fantastic access to the highest frets, so playability is terrific. The neck is more like a slim Fender neck rather than a Super Wizard Prestige neck, but it's quite comfy. No sating finishes on neck and fingerboard, just nicely sanded maple. Tuning stability is very good, and I am not sure I'll even replace the no-name tuners with locking tuners down the line. The bridge is alright too. I wanted it for the sparkle finish, the maple neck/fingerboard, 24 easy-access frets, and hum-free pickups, and to attach my Roland GK-3 pickup on it, which works great. Great deal for the money in my book.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: First impression:Out of the box, this thing is downright beautiful. The Candy Apple Red just shines in the light without a flaw on it. In my personal opinion, it's the only one that the Tortoise Shell pickguard really works on and that's why I picked the color. Not disappointed. The Pao Ferro fretboard is gorgeous.I had the same Elite pickups in an old GAX 70 that got destroyed and the great sound out of them didn't catch me off guard, but the quality of the tuners did. They're smooth, just tight enough, and not catchy or jumpy at all. I actually get to keep a stock set for a while. I learned how to tie a "locking knot", so no need to replace them.The switches and knobs feel good, too. Nice and clicky switch, and smooth turns from the pots. The balance and feel are extremely nice, and the neck profile is just butter.I can't really say a bad thing about this guitar as it sits right out of the box, and then when I remember that it was only $199 it just blows my mind. This will go up on stage with me if I ever get up there again, no doubt.P.S. – We love you, zZounds!Robert