Ibanez Rg8 Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

All the things I will say here are just my opinions, because everybody's hands and ears are different. But, having said that, I do feel qualified to give an insightful review having worked full time in a guitar repair shop through much of the 90's. I was originally just going to buy a backup guitar for my Ibanez 7-string that I use onstage. But then I thought, why not have a little fun and push myself out of my comfort zone? I can stiil play all the same songs I play on my 7-string. So why not? I could tell right away I liked the design of RG8 (from the strighter-string pull headstock to the flat-mount bridge) better than the Schecter8 in the same price point. The RG8 came with D'Addario .09-.64 strings on it, and it felt very similar to playing a .10-.46 set of strings on a standard scale length guitar, bends and slides were no problem (as well as slapping and popping the lower strings). But plan on putting a heavier strings on this axe if you want to go any lower than F#, a .10-.74 set works well for chords and rhythm riffing. the RG8 sounds and plays almost more like a short-scale bass in this configuration, and rings out better as well. Ibanez seems to know where to give you the biggest bang -for the-buck, and thankfully, it seems to be in the construction of the neck. I have never seen a guitar in this price range with a five piece neck, that's for sure. The neck seems very stable and is either unfinished or has a very light sealer on it, it feels nice and satin-y, but I'm unsure how well this neck would do in extreme temperature changes. But, having said that, mine hasn't moved at all, even after a string change with a different brand and gauge. Of course, that means they need to skimp a little in other areas on the guitar, and the most obvious of course, are the pickups and electrontics. The stock pickups have a fairly clear tone and are little lower output than I was expecting (when compared to my 7-string with a Dimarzio Evolution in the bridge position). Luckily, these are easily replaceble, and not difficult to find at all. Seymour Duncan and EMG make perfect retro-fits for this guitar. I did disconnected the tone control from the volume knob, and it does actually make a small diffence in clarity in the tone. The tuning keys are of the no-name variety, and seem to work well, but the heavier strings I installed just barely fit through the hole in the key, and I thought I detected a small amount binding in their rotation afterwards. The 27" scale works well for keeping those lower notes clear and is really not that noticable for me except maybe in the lower regions of the neck (This is another reason I like the Ibanez design…Schecter has a 26.5" and LTD has a 25.5").I'm sure I will upgrade the pickups and electronics in the future, but overall, I'm excited about playing this guitar and the additional creativity it will bring.Locknutmonster

This guitar made me not only hate extended range, but music as a whole for a while. Ibanez as a brand is absolutely phenomenal, and I have been a fanboy of them since the moment I picked up guitar. This guitar delivers virtually nothing I expect from Ibanez – even the gio line. The rg8 series is plagued with shoddy craftsmanship, atrocious fretwork, horrendous out-of-box playability, and they just FEEL disgusting in the hand. An unfinished neck =/= an utterly raw neck. Such has been the case with each of the 6 individual rg8s I have played – when porous, grimy feeling, roughly sanded, horribly profiled necks that seem to fight your fretting hand with a samurai's zeal meet mile-high action that can only be nominally corrected due to atrociously leveled frets, the experience of playing an Ibanez RG8 can be likened moreso to the experience of trying to play a fretted shamisen. If ungodly fit and finish, horrible feel, and the flat plate bridge haven't turned you completely off, the disgustingly poor pickup choice should seal the deal. There are many things that these pickups aren't – but I can confirm that they are without character, flat, unimpressive, and unbalanced. Their response to gain is practically null. I have never enjoyed a tone that has come out of an rg8. tl;dr? run for the hills. or buy the entry level Jackson 8.mamasrockstar

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.

Overall: I bought this brand new from zZ! It came quite swiftly. It was packaged good and no damage was observed! The guitar was not ready to play right out of the box. I had to adjust the bridge and the truss rod. Once I changed the strings, and got the guitar set up…I was really surprised how good it actually plays! The neck is one of the best feeling necks that I have ever played on! It is slim and fast. The finish on this guitar is really nice! I got the red sunburst. It's a poly finish and very pretty! The craftsmanship is really good for a mid priced guitar. The hardware is really nice and quite durable! I like the fixed bridge. The tuners are really good and it stays in tune well! The electronics are good. Decent Pots and knobs! I was surprised how good the pickups sound! I use a Blackstar HT40 Club amp, and this guitar sounds great through it. The guitar has a five way switch that allows for humbucking and coil tap sounds! The tonal options are very versatile. You should be able to use this guitar for Any genre you want to play! I really am pleased with this guitar! It looks great, plays awesome, and is very versatile. I wouldn't hesitate to take it on the road as my main guitar…it's that sweet. You get a lot of guitar for a very good price!Michael

Right out of the box this guitar was setup and ready to shred. I love the Wizard III neck and the Pearl Black Fade Metallic looks so good. I've been an Ibanez player since 1999 and played many models. The RG421 is up there with the best of them. The Quantum pickups are excellent, so no need of changing them. I own many RGs and this one has become my go to guitar for any style of music. I can't put it down. Well worth the price. Thanks Ibanez for another good sounding quality guitar, and AMS for the quick ship!Louie

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

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

. 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

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

This is a VERY solid 7 string. I've tried quite a few brands searching for the perfect intermediate 7 string, both active and passive electronics. So far, the best ones, by far, have been LTD and Schecter, with this one taking the cake (even over an $850 Ltd ec-407). First off, the guitar is beautiful, and the neck feels great. I usually don't like the super-strat body style, but this one has the top curves in all the right places. There is a bit of fret buzz when strummed hard on the low B, but that's to be expected and it's much more manageable than some of the others I tried. If it's a problem, I'd recommend a thicker gauge string set, I like ghs boomers in a heavy gauge (they eliminated fret buzz on a previously owned, less expensive LTD 7 string I owned) The pickups sound incredible, honestly. There are models of this same guitar with Duncan Designed pickups, and that model is slightly more expensive, but I assure you that you're not missing out if you get this one with Schecter Diamond active pickups instead. In fact… I think these sounded better in some applications! Fantastic gain, clarity, and definition, and perfect for metal, they will make your riffs sound brutal… they sound good clean too though! Overall the best bang for your buck 7 string I've tried yet. I've personally owned 5 different ones, but this and the now-discontinued Jackson slathx-m 3-7, which come stock with Seymour Duncan Sentient and Nazgul passive pickups, take the cake for the best I've played.Brian F

I was honestly quite skeptical about the idea of an eight string. A few of my buddies and I decided that, based on the type of music that we wanted to play, an eight string was the right answer. Not wanting to spend a ton on an eight string if I didn't like it, I found this model at a decent price. Needless to say, I was blown away by this guitar. Everything about it is above what I would expect for a guitar of this price point. The neck is very fast with a smooth finish, the action was set up just right, the intonation is spot on, and the correct gauge strings for the tuning we are in were already installed. I was also worried about the neck being much thicker than I would have liked, but Schecter did a phenomenal job with his neck. Another concern that I had was the electronics. In my experience, a guitar that has stock branded pickups has never really been that great. These pickups more than do the job. Eventually I can see switching them out for Fishman Fluence, but they will certainly do for now.Derek

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

Overall: I am now in my 2nd day of ownership and I decided to set this extremely light and sexy purple (blemished) have not found one …down long enuff to read reviews.and ya if I could find something about it I dont like… well havent!. What's there not to love at the reasonable price and the abilities this ax possesses. 5way and quantum is a nice pxkge.what. would one expect? At fraction of the price on those high dollar "others".. I feel pretty smart these days not emptying my wallet and can say. The wizard neck is so sweet jatoba fretboard is not only beautiful sustain harmonics….for days….VERY NICE..zZOUNDS AND IBANEZ….THANK YOU FOR. A GREAT DEAL ON A KEEPER….OH YEA AND WHY UPGRADE ANYTHING SEEMS TOVDEFEATCYHE PURPOSE AND UNNECESSARY IN MY OPINION. BUT IM A TIGHTWAD.been a member of the ibz family for awhile and they never stop making great products with reasonable pricing.Kenneth

This (and the blue with rosewood/hardtail) are my first Ibanezes. I mostly play strats and Les Pauls. As I understand it, these have been referred to as Super Strats, because of the double cutaway and the HH. The blue has a matching headstock and a five tone switch. The neck is the most comfortable I've played, the strings are evenly spaced and there's plenty of room for your fingers, even at the top. The satin finished body has the same feel as the neck and it weighs around 6 pounds. After I found the dragon eye (reverse matching headstock, maple fretboard and whammy) at the same price, I couldn't let go of the blue, so now I have two. I'm playing them through my Boss Katana, and it's a good match. Gotta say, it's a totally new guitar playing experience, and the only question is which one to pick up first. If you're thinking about an Ibanez, this would be the one (or two).Rich at the Beach

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

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

Its not super flashy and wont really capture any attention on stage but it does its job. Its a solid guitar, way better built than other guitars in its price range. Solid construction, great overall build quality, amazing tone and awesome pickups for the price range. Great 7 string to get your foot in the door if you are usually a 6 string player and if it doesnt work out for you you are not out alot of money and has decent resale value. I am going to get more comfortable with this guitar before buying a more expensive 7 string and use this as my backup 7 string while gigging. No regrets here or complaints. As always AMS shipped this thing instantly and it came well packaged and no damage! Thank you AMS!Mike Yakouba

Overall: Man, I can’t believe this guitar was less than 400 bucks. This is my First 7 string. I got it as an experiment just to see if a 7 string had any appeal. Well it did. It does.I did have to do a little work on the nut. The neck had a hard D profile that was irritating, so I shaved the shoulders and reshaped the neck. Fits like a glove now. I don’t know what people expect in this price range, but this guitar was bang for the buck rich.I found the stock humbuckers to be adequate. Tone and volume controls worked. No static in the five way switch. The pickups sound tight enough on the bottom.You won’t get any more 7 string bang for the buck until you spend twice as much.Scott

Sound: The sound quality is pretty good believe it or not with the stock pickups, definitely have enough distortion to get pinch harmonics anywhere that I can on my Seymour Duncan JB equipped Schecter C-1. Although, the 7th string (B) or in my case G# can be a little muddy but this is why I also picked up a Dimarzio Crunch Lab and Liquifire to replace the stock pickups. But for now, it does fit my musical style pretty well which is mostly groove/progressive metal (or the cliche Djent term). It sounds great with other low gain music as well too, the 5 way selector which offers single coil mode is pretty useful. Clean sounds are pretty good . Keep in mind I'm only running through a Line 6 Spider II. Tips for making it sound better, would be include some dimarzios, or duncans as stock pickups which I know would increase the price but most of us are going to replace them anyways. Features: The most useful feature I would say is the 5 way switch, giving a variety of sounds. This is a pretty basic set up, so I wouldn't say there is anything useless at all. It has 7 inline tuners which I feel are more stable than the grovers on my schecter, they are nice and tight. It has a 25.5" bolt on (vs. my set through Schecter) maple neck with rosewood fingerboard with a more D shape to the neck, but also pretty thin compared to my schecter (a beefier U/C shape neck). The transition is actually quite comfortable coming from my 6 string. A flattop basswood body with 2 humbuckers, a 5 way switch, and volume (which I find gets in the way when trying to sweep pick, but I'll just have to adjust my playing style) and tone knobs. It also has a gotoh hardtail bridge. Ease of Use: It's very easy to get clean sounds out of this guitar, the distortion is pretty good as well, again a little bit of mud on the 7th string when tuned lower. It's easy to use with my amp, it's plug and play. Learning curve, is actually little to none it was an easy transition. It's very playable, the neck is fast and the bridge is comfortable. The body also has a nice belly cut and relief for your forearm. Quality: This product is assembled in Indonesia, my Schecter was in Korea. With that being said, I do think the Schecter's fit and finish is better but not too far ahead of the Ibanez. But, you get what you pay for with a $400.00 guitar. I bought this knowing it was not going to be a premium or prestige model. I haven't had it long, so I can't relaly comment on it's reliability. But from what I have seen so far, it feels very ruggedly made and everything feels nice and solid. Value: I think this product is 100% worth it's asking price. It's a solid guitar, the stock tone is great under clean/slightly overdrive tones, and acceptable under high gain. Again, to have it come stock with better pickups would increase the cost further. So for this price, it is very much worth it. Playability is great, loving the Ibanez Wizard neck. Manufacturer Support: I have not dealt with Ibanez before, but I have dealt with zZounds before. They are easy to get ahold of and very friendly. I have not yet had any problems with zZounds and very much enjoy the play as you pay plan. The Wow Factor: I find this guitar very appealing, especially with the white finish. What makes it even more appealing is the price and the stock features it comes with. I could have bought a baritone 6, but I've wanted a 7 for awhile. It just offers more tonal and range opportunities. Overall: In short, great guitar for the $. Stock pickups leave a little to be desired when down tuning. Playability is excellent. Quality is definitely acceptable, but not above and beyond.Kory

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

I have owned may high end guitars and many high end ibanez's. Prestige's, Js's and even a Jem. This guitar holds its own. It has quality wood and electronics. I just got it today but it is my new go to, my Ibanez genisis 550, will now be my back up. Don't judge it by the pictures, it looks way better in person. The DiMarzio's sound like magic.Scott

A little flaw in the finish on the back, a tiny dink in the back of the neck and a grubby headstock tip which I didn't expect from a brand new guitar. I still like it and I'm keeping it but they are definitely skipping out on some quality control at Ibanez and/or Andertons. Otherwise guitar looks and play brilliantly.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

So the first one that arrived did not look at all like the picture. the colours didn't pop, I really was not happy with it…plus there where a few marks on the back of the neck where it joins the body. So I got in touch with Andertons and they replaced the guitar with a new one that looks amazing! plays very well, love the pickups and the neck is outta this world!!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

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.

Sound: Sounds great. It does get a little muddy sounding on the lower strings but for the price I'm okay with that. Ease of Use: I play this through an orange tiny terror running an ibanez tube screamer and compressor pedal (I think it's an mxr, nothing fancy). The neck was pretty easy to get use to it granted i do have bigger hands. Quality: Only had it a short time but it seems pretty well built. Arrived in perfect condition and was packaged securely. Value: Well worth the price Manufacturer Support: Have yet had to interact with them The Wow Factor: Pretty much got this on a whim due to the ibanez r8 constantly being backordered. Sold me from my typical go to brand of esp. Overall: Bought this guitar recently being a faithful ESP player my whole guitar playing life. Was nervous about the bolt on neck but let me tell you this guitar is perfect. The neck is like butter and the longer scale is perfect. I read about the pickups not being the best but for the price you can't go wrong. Highly reccomend to anyone.Garrett

This guitar is awesome. I got the walnut satin version and it is very nice. It's way less red than the pictures show; I'd recommend googling the guitar to see real pics of it. There were no problems with it upon arrival. The setup was almost perfect too. The neck is very thin and easy to play on. However, being my first 8 string (and first Schecter), the width of the neck and the closeness of the strings has taken some getting used to, even after a month or so. Very hard to reach the last couple of fret, but going all the way up there isn't entirely necessary for everyone. The inlays are cooler than expected. They probably aren't pearl, but look like it. Hardware wise, the controls work just fine. The tuners are better than I expected based on other stock tuners I've worked with from other brands. The pickups are fine i think, but I don't have any other 8 string pickups to compare them too either. Overall great deal. The walnut satin finish on an 8 string really made the deal for me, but I was impressed with the overall quality for an entry-level-priced 8 string. I had read many forums looking for the best low cost 8 string and almost everywhere there were a few people mentioning the omen 8. Based on my experience thus far, I would definitely agree with them.Joe

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.

Really nice guitar. It arrived pretty well set up. The ebony fretboard just needed a good oil and I replaced the strings. The guitar is very light, which I have now got used to. The neck is fast and the whole guitar just seems well made. There is some debate about the pickups but personally, I love them. The array of tones and sounds is good enough to suit most tastes and when full-on and overdriven they sound great.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

this is a great guitar for a great price. the quality is good the pickups are demarzio and the new wizard III roasted maple neck is perfect. my only complaints are the ugly knobs and the black hardware but that's an easy fix. this might be the best bang for the buck out there.Scott

All the things I will say here are just my opinions, because everybody's hands and ears are different. But, having said that, I do feel qualified to give an insightful review having worked full time in a guitar repair shop through much of the 90's. I was originally just going to buy a backup guitar for my Ibanez 7-string that I use onstage. But then I thought, why not have a little fun and push myself out of my comfort zone? I can stiil play all the same songs I play on my 7-string. So why not? I could tell right away I liked the design of RG8 (from the strighter-string pull headstock to the flat-mount bridge) better than the Schecter8 in the same price point. The RG8 came with D'Addario .09-.64 strings on it, and it felt very similar to playing a .10-.46 set of strings on a standard scale length guitar, bends and slides were no problem (as well as slapping and popping the lower strings). But plan on putting a heavier strings on this axe if you want to go any lower than F#, a .10-.74 set works well for chords and rhythm riffing. the RG8 sounds and plays almost more like a short-scale bass in this configuration, and rings out better as well. Ibanez seems to know where to give you the biggest bang -for the-buck, and thankfully, it seems to be in the construction of the neck. I have never seen a guitar in this price range with a five piece neck, that's for sure. The neck seems very stable and is either unfinished or has a very light sealer on it, it feels nice and satin-y, but I'm unsure how well this neck would do in extreme temperature changes. But, having said that, mine hasn't moved at all, even after a string change with a different brand and gauge. Of course, that means they need to skimp a little in other areas on the guitar, and the most obvious of course, are the pickups and electrontics. The stock pickups have a fairly clear tone and are little lower output than I was expecting (when compared to my 7-string with a Dimarzio Evolution in the bridge position). Luckily, these are easily replaceble, and not difficult to find at all. Seymour Duncan and EMG make perfect retro-fits for this guitar. I did disconnected the tone control from the volume knob, and it does actually make a small diffence in clarity in the tone. The tuning keys are of the no-name variety, and seem to work well, but the heavier strings I installed just barely fit through the hole in the key, and I thought I detected a small amount binding in their rotation afterwards. The 27" scale works well for keeping those lower notes clear and is really not that noticable for me except maybe in the lower regions of the neck (This is another reason I like the Ibanez design…Schecter has a 26.5" and LTD has a 25.5").I'm sure I will upgrade the pickups and electronics in the future, but overall, I'm excited about playing this guitar and the additional creativity it will bring.Locknutmonster

This guitar made me not only hate extended range, but music as a whole for a while. Ibanez as a brand is absolutely phenomenal, and I have been a fanboy of them since the moment I picked up guitar. This guitar delivers virtually nothing I expect from Ibanez – even the gio line. The rg8 series is plagued with shoddy craftsmanship, atrocious fretwork, horrendous out-of-box playability, and they just FEEL disgusting in the hand. An unfinished neck =/= an utterly raw neck. Such has been the case with each of the 6 individual rg8s I have played – when porous, grimy feeling, roughly sanded, horribly profiled necks that seem to fight your fretting hand with a samurai's zeal meet mile-high action that can only be nominally corrected due to atrociously leveled frets, the experience of playing an Ibanez RG8 can be likened moreso to the experience of trying to play a fretted shamisen. If ungodly fit and finish, horrible feel, and the flat plate bridge haven't turned you completely off, the disgustingly poor pickup choice should seal the deal. There are many things that these pickups aren't – but I can confirm that they are without character, flat, unimpressive, and unbalanced. Their response to gain is practically null. I have never enjoyed a tone that has come out of an rg8. tl;dr? run for the hills. or buy the entry level Jackson 8.mamasrockstar