No I didn’t buy this guitar used. I had a 15% coupon so that’s why it was $1440 and not $1600.
This guitar seemed perfect for me and the style I was going for. When I got this guitar, I was already kind of disappointed seeing that not only does it not come with a Prestige case, but the case I got was practically broken at the hinges. I kind of blew it off because I didn’t see that as being the most important part of my purchase. When I opened the case, I was blown away. This guitar was so beautiful. I did notice, however, that on the forearm bevel there was a ding in it. So already 2 points of where this guitar was obviously not very cared for.
Supposedly, this guitar is supposed to come with some kind of screws that go into the bridge of the guitar that locks it into place. This guitar did not come with them, and I believe that they were not installed as well. This ultimately led to the return of this guitar, but I’ll elaborate more on that in the “Action, Fit, and Finish” section. I also came to dislike the bridge strongly as I had never encountered a double-locking bridge before and felt no care to become accustomed to using one.
7 for good features, but poor quality the guitar came in and my dislike for the bridge. // 7
Sound: This guitar actually had a pretty good tone in my opinion. I always hear people dissing on Ibanez pickups, but these pickups had pretty tight bass with defined highs and a great midrange (it wasn’t too middy, yet not too scooped). The Baritone scale probably added to the tone of the notes as well. If this guitar had come with a fixed bridge, this would’ve definitely been a keeper in my opinion purely for the tone of it. Distortion had great twang because of the scale length, and chords on clean sounded huge with the bottom end the scale provides. Definitely recommend this guitar if you’re a fan of double locking bridges and a huge, twangy, Baritone sound. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: Here’s where I get pissed haha. Okay, so first off, this guitar comes tuned down a whole step from standard stock. Cool idea, but why in the world would you put 10-56s stock on that? Not nearly enough tension for the bass strings. Not only that, but the action was high already. I had originally planned to just play it in Drop A so I tuned it up and the action was high as hell. It was impossible to play anything past the 3rd-4th fret so I could barely do anything on this guitar except stupid chugs. Intonation was about the only thing spot-on with this guitar.
Here’s where those missing screws come into play. I go on Ibanez’s website and watch their tutorial with the socially-awkward dude trying to explain to you how this stupid bridge works. Supposedly, there’s screws inside the two main bridge posts that you use your Prestige Tool that comes with the guitar to unlock with a smaller allen wrench and then adjust the action with a larger allen wrench; practically a TonePros system for a double-locking bridge. Did exactly what the video told me to do, and there was no screw in the bridge stud. I’d assume since those are supposed to lock the bridge in place then the bridge would be free to adjust it then. But no, still couldn’t adjust the action with the larger allen wrench, ultimately leaving me in despair with super high action on an unbelievably nice 7 string.
The Edge Zero definitely wasn’t a favorite of mine either. Didn’t realize how much of a bitch it is to tune those things. Call me ignorant or green or whatever. All I can tell you is that I absolutely hated that thing by hour one. Spent the very same day I got the guitar blocking the bridge. I ended up using a stack of pennies knowing that they wouldn’t compress like this crappy ply-wood I had tried to use before. In the end, this guitar just straight up pissed me off and I decided to return it.
The neck was sweet though. The body was smooth, but the neck was like butter; must’ve been some kind of oil finish because it was ridiculously smooth. If I could’ve taken another Ibanez 7 string body and just stuck the neck on it then I would’ve been perfectly content.
Sorry guys, but I’m gonna have to give this section a 4. // 4
Reliability & Durability: Well, if this guitar had worked out in the end, I would’ve trusted it with my life. It never went out of tune when the nut was locked down and the guitar itself was pretty solid, but still super light. I love the neck joint of Ibanezes because of how sturdy they are. Nothing gives me more security than knowing my bolt-on neck has 4 massive screws in it. // 9
Impression: I’m not gonna completely down talk Ibanez on this one because I’ve played other Ibanez guitars before and have been very impressed. It just so happened that I got a lemon, which happens from time to time. Of course, this did leave an everlasting impression on me to NEVER get another guitar with a floating bridge and to stick completely with fixed or non-recessed bridges (Parker being the only exception because their bridges are freakin awesome).
Yeah, I’d get another Ibanez, but only if it has a fixed bridge. It’s unfortunate that so many prestiges are only fitted with the floating bridges, or I’d buy more Ibanez guitars than anything. The day an RGD Prestige comes with a fixed bridge, I’ll sell everything I’ve got to get the first one. But hey, if you shred like crazy and want a sick guitar, definitely check these out. // 7
RGD2127Z
Reviewed by:
blackbird51, on november 30, 2011 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 1422
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Features: Introduced in 2010. Made in Japan.
- Basswood body
- 5-piece maple/wenge Wizard Prestige neck
- 26-1/2" scale
- Full-step down factory tuning: A-D-G-C-F-A-D (7th to 1st strings)
- Jumbo frets
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Pearl dot inlays
- Edge Zero 7 Tremolo with ZPS3 (Zero-Point System 3)
- V77 Custom neck pickup by Ibanez (passive)
- V87 Custom bridge pickup by Ibanez (passive)
- Gotoh Tuners non-locking
- Full Matte Black Finish (Invisible Shadow)
- KTS Tone Resonant Dual Titanium Rods inside neck
Included Ibanez Prestige Hardcase that contained an Ibanez Prestige multi-tool kit, instruction manual, tremolo bar, and extra springs. // 10
Sound: My style of music is Djent/Progressive/Metalcore/Thrash. Think Periphery, The Human Abstract, Animals As Leaders, Meshuggah, Protest The Hero, Between The Buried And Me. If you came here thinking I play just classic rock and blues you might want to stop reading. This is a guitar for serious metal musicians.
I run the guitar through a Peavey 3120 all tube head into a Marshall 1960A 4x12 cab. Using an EQ in the FX loop and an Ibanez Tubescreamer to Drive the tubes harder.
In a band setting, the guitar is pretty much perfect; the tone out of the Ibanez pickups are great. Mind you I have guitars that come equipped with DiMarzios/Bareknuckles/Duncans/GFS etc etc and the tone out of these STOCK Ibanez pickups are phenomenal. I have yet to find a need to replace these pickups with something else. A Lundgren M7 in the bridge is the only option I am thinking about for the future with this axe. The V87 and V77 custom pickups have nice rich sounds, comparable to a Tone Zone/Air Norton combination. The bridge pickup is Alnico and the Neck is Ceramic. A Djenty tone is no problem with this axe. No noise, the sound is what you expect out of a Basswood body guitar, no surprises here.
The Edge Zero tremolo on this axe is outstanding. It came with the Zero-Point System which basically makes the tremolo more rigid and helps keep it more stable so double-stop bends are a little more in tune and you have more sustain. You can however remove the system easily from the back and put the bridge into full-floating mode, which I have done recently to get the radical flutters you expect from an OFR or Edge Pro. I compared the bridge to an OFR and there's very little difference. The OFR is a little more easy to mess with but that's probably because I compared it to a 6-string OFR and this is a 7-string so there's more tension. Overall flutters are a breeze and sound sick. Never had ANY tuning issues with the guitar while abusing the tremolo bar.
Extra scale length on the guitar isn't for most people. The neck is longer; this means when you are going from a 25.5" guitar to this guitar it's going to feel DIFFERENT. It takes getting used to, and I am very used to playing this guitar, I go from this guitar to my smaller scale 6-strings and after a while you just get used to it. Shredding is actually a lot easier on this guitar due to the scale length being longer. The upper frets are huge compared to my regular RG (which has extra jumbo frets) Extra cut-away makes playing on the higher frets EFFORTLESS! // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: Set-up PERFECTLY. Everything on the guitar was pristine and perfect, action, truss rod everything... I cannot put in words to describe the first time playing this guitar. It felt right in your hands and the feel of the HP prestige neck is just amazing. Beveled body helps with comfort as well. Amazing access to higher frets. Pickups are fine.
The only flaw with the guitar and the only reason why this guitar did not get a 10 is the pickup selector switch. It's not too noticeable on a distorted setting, but when I play clean (and I play clean a lot) the middle position was cutting into the humbuckers and not splitting correctly. Thankfully I had manufacturer's warranty to replace the switch, so make sure you have a warranty because it's most likely a cheap switch they used. Other than that, zero flaws with me. // 9
Reliability & Durability: Played a lot of gigs with this axe, dropped it twice unfortunately. So there are a couple dings already, but the guitar works, sounds great, that's all I care about. Just be careful with this axe, it will dent very easily and the paint will chip easily as well. Hardware CAN be an issue due to the pickup selector switch, which is why this gets a 9 instead of a 10.
Strap buttons are extra large, meaning you don't need a strap lock AT ALL for it, I have yet to have the strap button fail on me. Wouldn't need a backup with this guitar. Especially with the ZPS-3 system if you break a string you will remain in tune no problem.
The finish won't wear off over time but there will be smudges. I already notice some smudges near the strings where my hand always is..but this is normal with all guitars that don't have pick-guards so it doesn't bother me. // 9
Impression: Perfect match for my style of Djent/Progressive/Metalcore/Thrash. Been playing for 5 years, own tons of gear, not going to waste time listing my entire inventory though. If you are curious then check my profile. If it were stolen/lost I would save for another, plain and simple. I have yet to try a better 7-string when it comes to feel, playability, sound and appearance.
Love everything about it and hate nothing. Favorite feature is the prestige HP neck and the way it feels. I compared this axe to an EBMM JPXI 7-string. the only contender worthy for this axe (IN MY OPINION) This guitar is miles ahead of the JPXI, and a lot cheaper. The Prestige HP Wizard neck is second to none. Nothing more I would want out of this guitar. Doesn't need a tone knobs, this axe is pure tone.
If you are looking to buy this guitar I highly recommend buying it new, and when I say this I do not mean go to your local music store and pick one up that has already been messed with. BUY IT NEW! you won't have any problems. I ordered mine straight from the Ibanez factory through Guitar Center. // 10
Minor issues shouldn't be there on a guitar of $1600,- imo. That means I go back to the store for a serious talking to. Not that much a fan of Ibanez to get more of them though, usually too skinny tone.
Don't review nice guitars and make them out to be crap because you got a lemon. Deal with them personally and write a legitimate review, instead of telling us how annoying lemons are... Trust me we all know.
If you had a 15% coupon, why did you only get 10% off? 10% of 1600 = 160. 1600 - 160 = 1440. 15% of 1600 = 240. 1600 - 240 = 1360. You either got ripped off, or you don't know very basic math. If it is a $1600 guitar, less 15% equals $1360!
If you had a 15% coupon, why did you only get 10% off? 10% of 1600 = 160. 1600 - 160 = 1440. 15% of 1600 = 240. 1600 - 240 = 1360. You either got ripped off, or you don't know very basic math. If it is a $1600 guitar, less 15% equals $1360!
i dont think you shouldve given the action a 4 just because you didnt like the floyd. If youd done your homework before buying you wouldve known Floating bridges are a bich to tune. Everyone who buys floyd guitars deal with the tuning, and everyone thinks its a pain. So, just because you didnt like the floating bridge doesnt mean its bad.
its like saying "This vintage tele pups because i play heavy ass grindcore and these pups are too noisy!"
i dont think you shouldve given the action a 4 just because you didnt like the floyd. If youd done your homework before buying you wouldve known Floating bridges are a bich to tune. Everyone who buys floyd guitars deal with the tuning, and everyone thinks its a pain. So, just because you didnt like the floating bridge doesnt mean its bad.
its like saying "This vintage tele pups suck because i play heavy ass grindcore and these pups are too noisy!"
If you don't like floyds, get a fixed bridge guitar. You shouldn't mark down if it works fine but you personally don't like double locking trems (Does it work fine?).
I have this guitar and it came in perfect it had the prestige team J craft case with it no dings no nothing it was perfect. It was just your luck it came in like that every now and then you will get luck like that ordering over the internet.
This is the first negative review of an Ibanez I've ever read on UG. I'm no expert, but for the kind of cash you were willing to lay out you have to ask lots of questions, know what to look for on your own, etc etc. Then play the crap out of it before you buy. Try to make the instrument screw up. IMHO
I find it weird that a UG review can be done by someone with no experience with floating bridges. You would expect the guitar-reviewing folks at one of the biggest guitar websites around to have some expertise.
Yeah I'd have to question whether you knew how to tune a floating bridge or not. My guess is the action was high because you didn't adjust the tension on the back of the bridge. It can be a pain when changing timings or string gauges sometimes.
Supposedly, this guitar is supposed to come with some kind of screws that go into the bridge of the guitar that locks it into place. This guitar did not come with them, and I believe that they were not installed as well.
Shouldn't you know what they are before you decide they aren't there? Are you talking about the set screws inside the bridge posts? They're barely visible.
On another note, Floyds are easy to adjust and work on.
I find it weird that a UG review can be done by someone with no experience with floating bridges. You would expect the guitar-reviewing folks at one of the biggest guitar websites around to have some expertise.
I find it weird that a UG review can be done by someone with no experience with floating bridges. You would expect the guitar-reviewing folks at one of the biggest guitar websites around to have some expertise.
I find it weird that a UG review can be done by someone with no experience with floating bridges. You would expect the guitar-reviewing folks at one of the biggest guitar websites around to have some expertise.
Anyone can send in a review, beginner or pro.
True, this becomes painfully obvious at times, but this review is actually a featured review from the UG Team, hence the high expectations.
Floating bridges if you where to sum them up: When they work they are and amazing thing a marvel onto themselves. ...When they don't they are the greatest evil known to guitarists.
Okay I'm just gonna clear some stuff up because there's way to many people to respond to.
1. I'm still in high school so I barely get payed enough to go out and try every single guitar before I review them.
2. I live in West Virginia, which happens to have no major music stores (Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc. The closest one is 4 hours away and half the time a shop doesn't even have the guitar I want to buy) so I have to take shots in the dark with practically every guitar or amp or whatever else I get.
3. I had read up on the RGD at least 6 months before I bought it. I probably watched about every single video that has to do with double locking tremolos in general so I did my research the best I could.
4. I have liked fixed bridges WAY better than double locking bridges long before I bought this guitar, and still do. I'm more simplistic when it comes to a guitar.
5. I'll be honest. I saw the guy from Emmure playing this and I thought, "well if he didn't have trouble with it then hopefully I won't." Unfortunately, it seems almost every Internet purchase I do, I always get the worst of the batch. Which makes since because why would stores want to put a shitty guitar on display?
6. I'm a gear spec junky so I know how double locking bridges work. It just felt weird blocking a bridge that wasn't supposed to be fixed in the first place. And the fact that there was missing parts and the closest Ibanez dealer is 4 hours away, I just didn't really care for it.
7. And when I blocked it, I made sure the bridge was parallel with the body. I spent about 2 hours trying to get that right so yeah, it was level with the body.
Unfortunately I just got a lemon, and I thought it'd be best to write a review because you have to consider a company as well as the guitar. It's life people. It happens.
Let me just add that this guitar is/was the choice of none other than Christian Muenzner (he switched back to a Universe because he didn't like the 26.5" scale). In this case, argument from authority is NOT a fallacy.
You clearly either a) have no idea what you're doing, or b) ordered from a hack outfit and they screwed you.
Considering you bought a long-scale guitar to play in drop-A, bitched about "light" string guages (10-56 is perfectly fine for ADGCFAD especially on a longer scale), then tuned 6 of the strings up to standard WITHOUT DOING A SETUP, then bitched about high action, it's probably option A.
lern 2 guitar before you do another review.
I have heard NOTHING but good reviews from the guys at sevenstring.org.
The pickups in my first 7-string (RG1527) died on day one, dunno what happened- dodgy wiring I expect. Thankfully the store sent a new one down the following day and took the old back, but this one then had a loose tone knob. For 700, a guitar should be close to perfectly set up! Shame that quality control seems to be slipping with the big names lately
Let me just add that this guitar is/was the choice of none other than Christian Muenzner (he switched back to a Universe because he didn't like the 26.5" scale). In this case, argument from authority is NOT a fallacy.
You clearly either a) have no idea what you're doing, or b) ordered from a hack outfit and they screwed you.
Considering you bought a long-scale guitar to play in drop-A, bitched about "light" string guages (10-56 is perfectly fine for ADGCFAD especially on a longer scale), then tuned 6 of the strings up to standard WITHOUT DOING A SETUP, then bitched about high action, it's probably option A.
lern 2 guitar before you do another review.
I have heard NOTHING but good reviews from the guys at sevenstring.org.
Everything he said. I've played this guitar. Tis great.
Floating bridges have a learning curve, one that you obviously didn't bother to put any effort into before telling us all how awful the bridge was.
5. I'll be honest. I saw the guy from Emmure playing this and I thought, "well if he didn't have trouble with it then hopefully I won't."
>Emmure
Well there's your problem right there. You like Emmure or listened to them, therefore the universe saw fit to punish you.
Jokes aside, looks like a hell of a beast when you don't get a "lemon". It's a shame this review is based on a needle in a haystack, rather than a normal one. Either way, I'm not going to get bent out of shape about it.
Let me just add that this guitar is/was the choice of none other than Christian Muenzner (he switched back to a Universe because he didn't like the 26.5" scale). In this case, argument from authority is NOT a fallacy.
You clearly either a) have no idea what you're doing, or b) ordered from a hack outfit and they screwed you.
Considering you bought a long-scale guitar to play in drop-A, bitched about "light" string guages (10-56 is perfectly fine for ADGCFAD especially on a longer scale), then tuned 6 of the strings up to standard WITHOUT DOING A SETUP, then bitched about high action, it's probably option A.
lern 2 guitar before you do another review.
I have heard NOTHING but good reviews from the guys at sevenstring.org.
If you had a 15% coupon, why did you only get 10% off? 10% of 1600 = 160. 1600 - 160 = 1440. 15% of 1600 = 240. 1600 - 240 = 1360. You either got ripped off, or you don't know very basic math. If it is a $1600 guitar, less 15% equals $1360!
Let me just add that this guitar is/was the choice of none other than Christian Muenzner (he switched back to a Universe because he didn't like the 26.5" scale). In this case, argument from authority is NOT a fallacy.
You clearly either a) have no idea what you're doing, or b) ordered from a hack outfit and they screwed you.
Considering you bought a long-scale guitar to play in drop-A, bitched about "light" string guages (10-56 is perfectly fine for ADGCFAD especially on a longer scale), then tuned 6 of the strings up to standard WITHOUT DOING A SETUP, then bitched about high action, it's probably option A.
lern 2 guitar before you do another review.
I have heard NOTHING but good reviews from the guys at sevenstring.org.
Yo dude, chill the **** out. I said in the review that I had tried to fix the action on the guitar, but the supposed screws inside the bridge post weren't even there, nor did they come with the guitar. Trust me, I tried to set the action.
And like I said, it was just a lemon dude. I got a bad one. It happens so chill the **** out, damn.
Hey nimrod, why don't you just set up the guitar or take it to a professional?
Because the only music store near me is full of capitalistic *******s that'll charge me 150-200 bucks for a setup because "they're not an ibanez dealer." I shelled out every penny I had to set this guitar up and preferred to just get my money back than have to deal with all of that crap.
I find it weird that a UG review can be done by someone with no experience with floating bridges. You would expect the guitar-reviewing folks at one of the biggest guitar websites around to have some expertise.
Anyone can send in a review, beginner or pro.
True, this becomes painfully obvious at times, but this review is actually a featured review from the UG Team, hence the high expectations.
Clearly you don't read a lot of the reviews on the front page
I recommended the damn guitar because I've read plenty of positive reviews and know that there are pros that play them. I got the guitar I got and reviewed that guitar. Maybe if I actually had a salary then I'd have gotten it set up. I'm poor as hell though so what do you expect?
If you all want to know about the guitar so bad then go read another review or get out of your computer chair and go play one then if it's so much easier for you all.
You should of did what I did, order the guitar through Guitar Center who orders it straight from Japan..I got mine in pristine condition.. absolutely perfect. You basically got a used RGD and you don't realize it, or it was a display model and people stole shit off it..You really messed up this review man, I wish UG would take it down because this guitar is so much better than the ratings..You apparently didn't do enough research and should of got a fixed bridge model, but if you have the zero point system installed (which comes installed factory, if you didn't have it then whoever you bought it from should be shot) then it almost acts like a fixed bridge and is easier to tune up and bend notes etc..
If you're going to just play in Drop A, why would you get a 7 string designed specifically for playing lower than that? The RGD series is based on playing much lower than you would normally on a guitar of any amount of strings (hence, R G Droptune.) You could've probably spent less on something else you wouldn't have had so much trouble with.
man did even half you morons even read the review? the problems aside from the dislike of the double locking bridge alone would've pissed me off. buying a $1600 axe and it coming with dings, a broken case and high action, and the fact that it was clearly missing the bridge lock. I would've flipped shit just for those four reasons alone. Thats why I buy jacksons... the compound neck is way more shredable then the prestige or the wizards, and even the shitiest jacksons have great pups, hardware and are exteremely well built, hell even deans have better hardware, pups and build quality. for $1600 it had better be perfect, and give you a happy feeling deep inside... i have owned ibbys in the past and they were nice but the bridges were a draw-back and i know how to use a floyd... they just suck for tuning, wich is why the edge zero bridges are supposed to be able to be locked down for tuning.... i know plenty of shredders who have various ibanezs... and sometimes they just suck. if the reviewer got a lemon they deffinately should be telling people, how else would a perspective buyer be wary of such things.
Mate I have one of these and I havent had any issues what so ever. I got mine in a perfect prestige case, there were no marks/scratches etc., and it sounds beautiful. It sounds to me like you got the dodgy floor stock
I just read this thinking to myself] "Whoever wrote this isnt worthy of being in the same room as this guitar let alone owning one, hating it and sending it back due to near criminal negligence."
Shortly after i realized it was the UGTeam.
/Facepalm.
man did even half you morons even read the review? the problems aside from the dislike of the double locking bridge alone would've pissed me off. buying a $1600 axe and it coming with dings, a broken case and high action, and the fact that it was clearly missing the bridge lock. I would've flipped shit just for those four reasons alone. Thats why I buy jacksons... the compound neck is way more shredable then the prestige or the wizards, and even the shitiest jacksons have great pups, hardware and are exteremely well built, hell even deans have better hardware, pups and build quality. for $1600 it had better be perfect, and give you a happy feeling deep inside... i have owned ibbys in the past and they were nice but the bridges were a draw-back and i know how to use a floyd... they just suck for tuning, wich is why the edge zero bridges are supposed to be able to be locked down for tuning.... i know plenty of shredders who have various ibanezs... and sometimes they just suck. if the reviewer got a lemon they deffinately should be telling people, how else would a perspective buyer be wary of such things.
Do an infomercial for Jackson guitars. You might find more of a purpose there.
This guitar is awesome. My only complaint is the edge zero bridge. You can't add extra springs for more tension so I had to block it, though I'm going to try heavy duty replacements and see if it helps. Oh and also to get properly intonated on my 7th string I had to put the saddle all the way back. It works but there's no room for play and Im only tuned drop-G. Otherwise great guitar, neck is awesome, sounds great though I've got BKP in mine.
This guitar is awesome. My only complaint is the edge zero bridge. You can't add extra springs for more tension so I had to block it, though I'm going to try heavy duty replacements and see if it helps. Oh and also to get properly intonated on my 7th string I had to put the saddle all the way back. It works but there's no room for play and Im only tuned drop-G. Otherwise great guitar, neck is awesome, sounds great though I've got BKP in mine.
I know exactly what you mean, my saddle on my 7th string is waaay back, it might be an action issue..as for the springs, mine came with a power gauge that should be more than enough for tunings down to F standard..
the 6 string RGD's kick ass too. I prefer the RGA's over these though
The RGA prestige is nice, but why the ridiculous price tag?? I don't understand...it's like a grand more and the features aren't that different when you compare the 2.
.