RGX-A2 Review

The all new RGX-A2 electric guitar is a marvel of modern technology. The proprietary A.I.R. (Alternative Internal Resonance) construction body, LED lit cylindrical diecast knobs, lightweight barrel tuners, and Yamaha Alnico soapbar pickups make this a high tech masterpiece that is not only stunningly beautiful, but tonally revolutionary.

Features:	9.5
Sound:	10
Action:	8.5
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.6
Users rating:	8.2
Comments:	54

overall: 9.8

Featured review by: CryoCarnage, on august 25, 2006

Price paid: $ 434.5

Purchased from: Strings attached

Features: This is a Brand New off the factory line model by Yamaha. It is made in Taiwan and sold worldwide. It has 22 close-grained thin frets, which are brown rosewood. It is a solid top guitar. The body is of a Fender Strat esque shape but much smoother then the now classic Strat. The maple neck is slim and very controllable when playing, as well is very fast so speed playing can be ocmpleted easily just like on a common Ibanez. there is a gloss lacquer that makes the guitar have a smooth feel under the hand. The body however has somethign that no other guitar has; Alternative Internal Resonance body. This is made by putting a light weight wood between two denser woods. It also has holes called air tubes which pass vibrations evenly throughout the guitar. The bridge is new too. It is as thin as maybe 5 thick picks stacked. the strings go over a groove in the front end and dive through the body through a slot. Each single string has two adjustable screws accessed through holes in the top. There is also an adjustment screw in the rear that slides the whole bridge backwards and forwards for adjustment. Also the grey bridge makes the guitars whole look amazing. THere are active and passive electronics (well technically ecause the lights are active). You get 1 tone and 1 volume selector with 2 circle knobs. When you change the tone, you also change the colour of leds inside the guitar. There are two Alnico humbuckers that sit in white soapbar housings. Also for the tuners, Instead of flat knobs, these tuners have cylinders that you twist. THey are of yamahas owns factory and are non locking (for people like me, I can't stand lockign ones) Ther is nothignincluided from Yamaha but when you buy at stores, hwo knows what they will give you. when I purchased mine, I walked in for 2 seconds told the guy I'm buyibng that guitar and pointed at it. He said no one bought a guitar so fast so he threw in for me a hard case:D. Only minus is no whammy bar, but I have a pedal anyway. // 9

Sound: I play everything and this guitar can too. Running on clean It has amazing, and I mean amazing bassy response. This also dominated the sound when both pickups were engaged together. The bridge pickup alone has such a clean tone that if it was a woman, could make love to it all day long. On Overdrive, the bridge pickup gives great gritty top-end, made for any kind of hard rock. The neck pickup transferred it's mellowness to Darkness. Heavy brooding metal rhythms came surprisingly easy from this unassuming little guitar. The sustain is noticeably impressive with a gorgeous hint of underlying harmonic feedback appearing in the middle of the note's decay. On a 76 set of Marshall stacks, this thing rips soo amazingly. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: There is great finish throughout. Actions is not too huigh, but Who cares, if you want a flashy overpriced guitar get a Gibson. Pickups were adjusted sooo awesomely as well. No flaws whatsoever and the bridge is soo well routed that it makes you feel like you have gods hands while playing. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I think it will sustand anything actusally. My old Yamaha pacifica was in similar shape and lasted everything. Strap buttons are solid and the hardware with its finish will last for sure. I would say this is reliable, just liek a toyota. no need for backups as this owns. // 10

Impression: The RGX A2 is a quirky little guitar with many unique features. Visually there is '80s styloing present and it is overall a head Turner. Oh and if you say the leds are "homo" then just take the battery out, the selector is easy to use without it. Most of all I liked the sound and features of the Alternative Internal Resonance (or AIR for short, yes that was quite a corny thign by Yamaha). Hopefully this is the start of a new trend in light-in-weight high-in-sustain guitars. // 10

overall: 9.4

Reviewed by: Blash, on july 20, 2006

Price paid: $ 450

Purchased from: GuitarCenter

Features: This awesome axe was made in Japan in 2006 by Yamaha. It has 22-frets on a rosewood fretboard, and a bolt-on maple neck. The white/aircraft-grey Strat-styled body is made of, hah, A.I.R. (Alternative Internal Resonance). It comes with 2 Yamaha Alcino soapbar humbuckers, with LED lit cylindrical die-cast knobs (left one is the volume and right is a 3-way selector knob). The volume knobs lit when you change the position on the selector knob (green=neck, blue=bridge, and green+blue=both). It also has lightweight barrel tuners that provide low-geared Precision tuning. // 10

Sound: I think this guitars perfect for blues/metal/rock guitarists. I'm a blues gutiarist, and I think the sounds 100% perfect for me. The tones so clean, it's not even funny. Theres not a spec of noise, and its gotta rich tone to it. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Well, when I purchsed this, the whole thing was screwed up and for some reason I didn't notice it at the store. The action needed to be lowered, alot. There was so much buzzing you couldn't hear a thing (the first fret was the worst). It needed to be filed and sanded too. But now it's perfect, the actions great, so a 7s good. // 7

Reliability & Durability: I think thiss perfect for gigs and stuff. The hardware'll last, I'm sure of it. Of course I'd still have backup just incase, but I have alot of trust in this. The strap buttons are perfect my strap stayed on it for months without falling off or anything at all, they're perfect. // 10

Impression: As I said earlier, I play mostly blues. The sound's perfect for that kinda stuff, it's gotta really sharp tone. I fell in love with it the first time I've played it. The only thing I'm upset about is how it doesn't have any markets, but no big deal at all. I'd love to see a whammy bar on this thing but oh well, you know? Really though, thiss' most likely the best guitar I've ever seen in my life, I recommend it to everyone. Trust me, you won't regret it if you ever got it. // 10

Comments

[hippieking24]

i've never played a yamaha guitar before because i didn't think they would compare to jackson and fender guitars. but i've played this and its fairly decent

[RadioMuse]

I was impressed by this yes. Though I don't like how light it is. I realize that the lack of weight should be a positive but I feel like I'm going to break it in half...

Maybe the fact that my Tele and immitation-strat both weigh about 10 pounds has something to do with it.

[gggf]

to me it looks like an xbox 360 but hey thats just me

[chriskent4687]

i dont really understand the lines that come from the side and bottom of the guitar. can anyone tell me wot there for? -chris-

[CryoCarnage]

the lines are remeniscent of 80's guitars. they look cool and do nothing.i dont think every vidual feature has to do something, do you? i just bought this and im impressed as hell. only minus is no whammy bar, but thats what a pedal is for...

[schwedengitarre]

Its a cool and cheap guitar and looks like an iPod

[Weybl Himself]

Pay over a certain amount for a Yamaha (about 800 aussie dollars I've found) and you will get a damn fine axe.

[bmw8719]

I own this guitar and there a couple minor problems I have with it.

1. The access point to the truss rod is extremely short and you either need to take the entire neck off or have a special allen wrench that is small enough to fit in there.

2. I'm not very fond of the knob for the pickup selector. It is kind of hard to change pickups quickly like you could with a switch.

3. There is no tone knob.

Other than those things which are minor nuisances, I have been fairly happy with this guitar.

[RobHalfordfan1]

I have that guitar.

[danzig-_-]

i was going to buy this, but i bought a les paul haha
LP=15 pounds
this guitar=5 pounds
this thing is a marvel of technology!

[Anarion614]

omg its really really pretty...i sound like a girl but idc its pretty...

[Kirk L. Hammett]

Its a good looking guitar. I havent played one myself yet

[KaiserX]

i want one :o

[srvman]

it was my first guitar about a year ago, i was one of the first to get one so im quite proud lol.

anyway a year on ive got a bigger collection and to be honest it still in my opinion just feels and sounds just as good as my les paul custom epi. and its better than my dads prs tremonti thing i love the guitar, although tuning is a pain in the arse and was the only reason i got a new guitar which i now regret in honesty, i wish i boughta good amp instead

[CryoCarnage]

tuningporblesm can be solved by using soem graphite.

[axejam123]

i want one too kaiserX. theyre nice. i usually go 4 guitars like prs and gibson but this one is sucha departure from the norm that its really cool.

[g-unitie]

i own this guitar and it is pretty amazing....i play a lot of metallica surprisingly on this guitar and it sounds beautiful. since it is so light i can throw it around my back. try it u might like it

[HC-Deathroll]

sounds pretty sweet. looks are very easy on the eyes. i like it, and if i see it and have the money i'll get one.

[Shib]

It dosn't look like it is that specil.. maby it is to techno for me or something.. I am happy with my Epiphone Les Pual.

[Kutanmoogle]

It'd be perfect if you could also dock an iPod on it.

Yamaha makes some pretty cool looking basses, and now they're coming out with unique guitars too.

Kudos to them.

[UGROQFAN]

that look's BAD ASS I got to get

[Tedward]

lol it does look like a Xbox 360
does the lack of tone knob make a difference? and what is wrong with the tuners?

[Rojam]

g-unitie wrote:

i own this guitar and it is pretty amazing....i play a lot of metallica surprisingly on this guitar and it sounds beautiful. since it is so light i can throw it
around my back. try it u might like it

Yeah, i wouldnt want to try that because it looks like it could break easily, and if ur starp come off...well lets just say u lost a amazing guitar

(and btw, does anyone know how much that would cost in the U.S.)

[srvman]

yeh well i dropped it about 2 feet yesterday and no damage except went slightly out of tune but tuned it and still playing like a dream.

the problem with the tuners is the pegs are quite annoying , well crap they look good but thts about it

[Blash]

Rojam wrote:

g-unitie wrote:

i own this guitar and it is pretty amazing....i play a lot of metallica surprisingly on this guitar and it sounds beautiful. since it is so light i can throw it
around my back. try it u might like it

Yeah, i wouldnt want to try that because it looks like it could break easily, and if ur starp come off...well lets just say u lost a amazing guitar

(and btw, does anyone know how much that would cost in the U.S.)

its $450 in the US.

meh i just swapped my rgx-a2 for a fender 50th anniversary strat, and ive gotta say, the stras WAY better :/. i finally found the perfect guitar.

[Starchild_ex4]

i have owned both a les paul and an rgx a2 for the past few months and at this point the les paul is virtually unplayable. this is illustrated well by 2 comparisons. the rgx is way more erganomically satisfying and fun to play, while the les paul is similar to playing a canned ham. playing the les paul is like making out with a fat girl. it is more difficult to wrap your hands around and is ultimately less satisfying than than making out with a hot chick (RGX) who can take everything you can throw at her and come back for more.

[treiso]

dam thats a good analogy!!

[Dkpine]

that is a good analogy!

i thinking about buying the bass version of this (RBX A2) when its released sometime this month. and from what i've just read, i will definatly be buying it hopes it plays as well as the guitar!

[CryoCarnage]

For all of those complaining about no tone knob, i hope you really know what the tone knob does anyway... with that said, it basically has a tone knob.

[guitar-boy-21]

Can anyone help me? Im getting this guitar and can spend at the maximum £100 on a amp and i dont know which one to get. I play mostly rock and pop and i dont really play metal can anyone advise an amp please?

[Blash]

guitar boy: Sent you a message.

[guitar-boy-21]

This guitar is ACE!

i have one

then tuning things at the top are ace cos there circular when you put them in a bag it doesnt catch and untune like a normal guitar

[chrisc5553]

this is a amazing guitar, but it gets damaged easily

[Blash]

chrisc5553 wrote:

this is a amazing guitar, but it gets damaged easily

[JC58]

I'm playing alot different kinds of music.
Would you (who own a RGX A2) recommend me to buy it?
Someone told me that it was primarily for Metal, and I'm not playing Metal at all.
Would it be stupid of me to buy this guitar?

[Pro5]

I've just got one of these. Mine was made in indonesia and I noticed a couple of bad fit n finsish items (the headstock plastic is glued on but there's a gap, the transparent plastic around the nobs is glued on and you can see the glue, the holes are also not that round and it also a few little specks on the paint (brand new) - other than that it's beautiful and compares well to my telecaster on the neck but maybe not quite so smooth up and down thanks to the painted back of the neck on the yamaha. The sound and feel however are great, the lightness is cool but I wouldn't care if it was heavier but good for the studio when you have lots to do as it saves fatigue. Lovely colour though the rear of mine is bordering on 'green' rather than gray? ANyone else got this? I'm thinking that maybe these latest indonesia ones are suffering in quality and that the colour may also be different but without seeing another one (jap made) I can't say for sure. Anyone thing it's worth returning this and seeking out a jap made one?

[Pro5]

I've just got one of these. Mine was made in indonesia and I noticed a couple of bad fit n finsish items (the headstock plastic is glued on but there's a gap, the transparent plastic around the nobs is glued on and you can see the glue, the holes are also not that round and it also a few little specks on the paint (brand new) - other than that it's beautiful and compares well to my telecaster on the neck but maybe not quite so smooth up and down thanks to the painted back of the neck on the yamaha. The sound and feel however are great, the lightness is cool but I wouldn't care if it was heavier but good for the studio when you have lots to do as it saves fatigue. Lovely colour though the rear of mine is bordering on 'green' rather than gray? ANyone else got this? I'm thinking that maybe these latest indonesia ones are suffering in quality and that the colour may also be different but without seeing another one (jap made) I can't say for sure. Anyone thing it's worth returning this and seeking out a jap made one?

[Dakkstar]

Sweet, got one coming in the mail.

[keiron_d]

i played this guitar at a friend's house last year, and i really liked it. before i was a bit skeptical about yamaha guitars because i'd always associated yamaha with pianos and keyboards, but i loved it.
nice guitar. played a bit of blues on it and it sounded nice through my mate's stack.

[**Nero**]

umm i like it , i'm gonna cheack my local Yamaha store , if i like the price iwill buy it if not get a pecifica 112j or 412.

[Anno[fzk]]

Great, Very light

But alittle expensive for what it is.

[DS094]

it has a cool design and its very lightweight. i saw one in the store and im thinking of buying it. any thing i should know about it before i buy it? (things like defects, lousy tone and sound, easily damaged, harships in owning this guitar?) if you own this guitar, plz tell me about anyhting i should know befre buying this. btw, plz reply to my e-mail ([e-mail])cos i dont come to this site often. tnx n peace out dudes!

[Slash.vs.Bucket]

Hey I have a huge problem, the pick-up selctor has became still and will hardly move when i turn it.
I dont know what to do as i'm not a guitar whizz like most of you guys.
Thanks for the help if you dio.
(Just message me)

[sparky93]

i've played this guitar and i've gotta say its pretty damn good!! One thing i noticed is that it's great for playing mellowy bassy stuff like lynard skynard

[mindup]

Just got a brand new one in black, $269 US on musicians friend, have no idea why their on clearance but my lp was the same way and i love it.

[dazfli]

I got mine in black on a about 6 months ago and it is pretty good. i generally play metal and you can get a pretty crunchy sound out of it.

[Don Rickles]

Just picked up the white one for 260 bucks. Beat that.

[R_T_Kelly]

I cant wait to get this guitar. its £414.88 on http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_rbx4a2m_wh.htm

[sixstring sicko]

i am getting it and installing emg 81 and 85's lol

[Chase_Jarvis23]

^ I dont think EMG's will fit in replacing soapbars.

[SupersonicJSX]

I think they make soap bar style EMG 81s and 85s

[panic!!!]

this things a gift from GOD!

[panic!!!]

ive been looking for a sweet affordable but reliable awesome sounding backup guitar and its been giving me hell trying to narrow my choices. i have an epiphone les paul ultra which i love to death and a jackson dkmg. i really needed a backup that was light, flashy, great sounding for stuff like blues jazz and open chords but still can rip a solo fast and versatile! i wanted an axe that could play metal to beatles, but thats ****ing nonsense right? so i was gonna buy a strat blusey and perfect addition to my two others axes, but damn i tried this thing and was blown away! yeah sure its not a strat and sure its really light but man it sounds great! and i found it for $300 at my local music store so hey you really cant go wrong! one person called it kinda like a telecaster and les paul hybrid! the 2 greatest guitars as a hybring? haha yeah this things pretty damn good! i gotta haul my les paul to and from jazz band but now with this axe transporting and playing for hours is a breeze because its so light! it looks great and stage ive even played shows with it, and sounds great at church. ive done it all ith this things its ****ing awesome! if you play it right get the right pedals and amps then this things a monster you should be set for life! yamaha, good on ya great guitar!

[H0B81T]

Wow, enough comments? =P I bought one recently and was incredibly pleased with it, at the minute it's in a workshop getting a Z vex Fuzz Factory being put into it =D