Price paid: $ 520
Purchased from: eBay
Features: Up for review is an Ibanez RG921QMF. This is one of their Premium line of guitars. I haven't been able to decode the serial number. The serial number starts with a D, and I wasn't able to find a whole on anything in that format. Here's the specs:
- Neck Material: 5pc Maple/ Walnut
- Neck Type: Wizard Premium
- Body: American Basswood body/ Quilted maple top
- Frets: Jumbo frets
- Fingerboard: Bound Rosewood
- Inlay: Off-set dot inlay
- Bridge: Tight End R bridge
- NeckPU: DiMarzio IBZ-N
- BridgePU: DiMarzio IBZ-B
- HW Color: CK
I got mine in the color called "Black Ice". Its a very nice color. I really wanted an Ibanez with just 2 humbuckers. I never use the middle single coil most Ibanez's come with, and it just always gets in the way. Plus I've moved on past floating bridges. This has a fixed bridge, which is also you something you don't see on every Ibanez. Although it only has 2 pickups, its got a 5 way selector switch. Ibanez brand tuners. It came with an Ibanez gigbag. Nothing special. // 10
Sound: I use different guitars for different genres and styles. I bought this as backup metal style guitar for live. The pickups are a little weak. They are DiMarzio branded, Ibanez special pickups. The neck pickup sounds great. Very smooth. No complaints there. The bridge pickup is a little weak compared to what I'm used to. It's got a smooth sound to it as well, but I like more of edge to the sound personally. They're fine for right now, but I'm going to replace the bridge pickup soon. I'm running this through a Peavey 6505+ head and cabinet. It's not noisy at all right now actually. Due to the lower output pickups and the noise gate I'm using. Its all good! // 8
Action, Fit & Finish: The finish is gorgeous. They have a few options color wise available for this guitar, and this was the one I wanted. I waited until I could find this color. The pickups came adjusted extremely high from the previous owner. Higher than I ever keep pickups, but as I mentioned earlier, this was probably done in order to compensate for the lower output of the pickups. I didn't have to make any other adjustments on this guitar. It came perfect. I will definitely say its the one of THE smoothest playing guitars I've ever played. Definitely top 3. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Its an Ibanez guitar. I've owned a couple lower end models over the years, and even they stood up to anything I was able to throw at it. I have no doubts this will do the same. I switched out the strap buttons for DiMarzio clip locks. that's my strap of choice these days. I buy them for all my guitars. I wouldn't ever gig without a backup, but I could play a whole set easily on this thing. // 10
Impression: For what I bought it for, it'll handle the music perfectly. I've been playing for about 10 years, and have always loved Ibanez guitars. This is the 4th RG I've owned. I currently own a RG1570 Prestige, an LTD MH-1000NT, PRS SE 245, Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro, and a Fender American Strat. I'm only using a few pedals. A pitchblack, Maxon OD808, MXR carbon copy, and an ISP Decimator. I've always been a fan of Ibanez's cool sharktooth inlays, it would be awesome of this guitar had those, but that's just a cosmetic preference. I love this guitar. Once I get the pickups adjusted, it'll be a really great guitar. I'm excited to get to work on it! These seems to go for pretty affordable prices on eBay - if you have the extra cash and are looking for an Ibanez guitar, but don't want a floating bridge - check this out for sure! // 10
