Which ibanez to buy

This articles, from its comparison table to the in-detail reviews of each product to its buying guide is equipped to help equip you with the knowledge you need to pick the best Ibanez guitar for you. More features: ebony fretboard, hard case included, wood and adjustable metal bridge included.

The Ibanez LGB30 is our top pick for the market. As the George Benson Signature model with vintage yellow sunburst design, not only does this guitar look great—it sounds great, too. It is designed with a flamed maple body, topped with spruce, which gives its rich sound and fantastic look. You can also rely on the smooth-playing ebony fretboard to complete a great wood combination—along with its binding and fret-edge treatment.

The Ibanez LGB30 takes out that 60Hz hum that normally comes from vintage models and gives you a rich and full sound, filled with clarity as you play. This model is the perfect electric guitar for blues and any type of musical sound.

The Prestige RGB is another model from Ibanez with several fantastic features that warrant its placement on the list. One of the best characteristics that we noticed is the Fishman Fluence modern pickups. These are responsible for the high-output voices and wide range of the guitar. They also allow users to play without inductance or noise issues and even offer up two distinct voices per pickup.

One example is the Super Wizard HP neck. Notably, this neck is thin for better handling with stainless steel frets included. The rest of the construction mainly consists of lightweight basswood, allowing longer playability without fatigue. Its bridge is a Lo-Pro Edge tremolo variation which is a low profile option with various benefits. For instance, we noticed that due to the low profile design, players are unlikely to get hung up on the bridge during a performance.

Lastly, it comes with locking studs which give players added tuning stability. Designed with a full-body electric guitar look, it has a long design and a wide and tall body. With solid mahogany and a flamed maple top, the Ibanez RGHPAH also has stylish white binding for the perfect amount of structural help and a touch of finished class. Fully-loaded with 24 frets, you can also see the variety extended out to the three-piece maple and Bubinga neck. What is more, the price is also attractive as you can get this electric guitar under dollars.

The Ibanez SRE 6-string electric bass guitar offers one of the best necks for playability at this price point. Accessing the upper frets is easy due to the steep cutaways and the balance of the instrument is ideal for long practice sessions. This bass is equipped with Bartolini pickups and a very musical 3-band EQ to tailor the tone. Ibanez have been offering bass guitar players a sleeker option to a standard base design for over 50 years. The neck width is thinner than most 5-string bass guitars and this further improves the comfort levels when playing.

The Ibanez SRE has a great looking bass guitar and it sounds fantastic. The Bartolini BH2 humbuck pickups are perfectly matched to the 3-band EQ and dialing in the ideal tone is simple. It is possible to bypass the EQ switch if you prefer to use the passive tone with an external unit on your pedalboard. It comes with a poplar body which is also a variation of hardwood.

Other construction components include a GRX maple neck, a staple in most higher-end alternatives, and a purpleheart fretboard. The neck is essential to the quality of the guitar as it enhances playability and has an amazing feel once you get it in your hands.

If you buy it, you have the two pickups at the neck and bridge to thank for the high output. However, there is also a third single-coil pickup between the first two. As a beginner model, it is meant to help users find their identity. More features: maple neck, jatoba fretboard, jumbo frets, fixed bridge, tone and volume control 5-way selector.

You can get a bunch of accessories and the electric guitar itself for under dollars only, which is an absolute bargain. This guitar is designed with a well-balanced mahogany body that is covered with a maple finished top. For the fast, 3-piece neck, the manufacturers decided to go with maple again, which allows you set your own speed limit, perfect for learners.

The Ibanez RGA42FM comes with the possibility of 2 Quantum humbucking pickups and 5-way switching, which is perfect for playing a wide tonal range for reaching all those high and low notes. You can also take advantage of the fixed bridge which grants you top-notch tuning stability.

Designed for rock, this guitar can also be suitable for jazz and the blues, as well. However, the effortless playability of its neck helps the guitar not only meet expectations but raise the bar. Its design is covered with black night finish, which is fit for any style and designed to fit the bill for any kind of rocker. For all levels of players from beginners to masters, this model is one of the most popular start-up guitars of all time.

It has a scale length of a comfortable Some other important features also include single volume control, single tone control, and a 3-way selector, which helps take the most control of your sound. Which disadvantages must you keep in mind? Balanced by the internal X bracing, its notes have a balanced sound, making it perfect for either strumming or picking—whatever the song may call for.

You can also rely on the Fishman under-saddle pickup and the preamp that simplifies plug and play and can give you a kick-butt sound. The Ibanez Artwood AW54CE also has a dreadnought body that offers natural projection to its fullest and ample sustain.

It even has the nut and saddle that gives off maximum string vibration for extended sustain with each note. In terms of hardware, Ibanez RG electric guitars often come installed with Edge double-locking tremolo systems. Letting you perform crazy divebomb effects and flutters without knocking their strings out of tune, tremolo-equipped RG guitars also have recessed designs that enable players to raise their pitch too. You can also find Ibanez RGs with more straightforward hardtail bridges, if simplicity is preferred.

Some high-end RGs are fitted with modern Gibraltar bridges, which have a high-mass design that can yield more sustain and fullness. Mahogany is known for its deep and harmonically-rich sound, compensating for the loss of low-end that occurs with less body mass.

At the time of its release, the Ibanez S series was groundbreaking for its heavily contoured body; considered the thinnest production guitar on the market. Today, it still remains one of the lightest and most comfortable instruments available.

The more affordable SA series guitars have flatter backs, meaning that their bodies are slightly thicker and more conventional. Some of the more high-end models, though, boast multi-piece necks that are comprised of Maple and exotic woods like Walnut, Panga Panga and Purpleheart.

This layered effect adds strength to a neck, making it less susceptible to warping in varying climates. Standard S Series guitars come installed with 24 frets, however the more traditionally-styled SA models feature 22 instead.

And whereas Maple fingerboards can be found on RG models, S Series guitars almost exclusively use warmer-sounding woods like Rosewood and Ebony; another means of enhancing low-end. This is a tweaked version of the classic Edge tremolo, known for its low-profile design that is less obstructive for the picking hand.

With a far more understated look than many would perhaps expect from Ibanez guitars, this instrument is designed to offer unrivalled versatility and lush playability. Although the Ibanez AZ was perhaps crafted with traditionalists in mind, it has actually found popularity with many modern virtuosos. All of these incredible players have their own Ibanez signature models based on the AZ shape. Alder is arguably the most common body tonewood used by electric guitar manufacturers, but for good reason; it sounds balanced and has a moderate weight.

The more affordable Premium AZ models come with Basswood bodies instead, meaning that they feel lighter without sacrificing much in terms of sound and resonance. The most appealing feature of an Ibanez AZ Series guitar is its neck. This guarantees better tuning stability as the wood becomes more stable and rigid, making the necks less likely to warp or develop any curvature from exposure to differing temperatures. These necks also typically have satin finishes to provide a fast and slippery feel.

Jumbo stainless steel frets add to the exceptional feel of Ibanez AZ guitars too. With medium outputs, these pickups are sensitive to your playing dynamics and thus allow for open and expressive tones. As Ibanez AZ models are made to look slightly more conventional than their RG and S Series counterparts, their hardware appointments are catered for those with more traditional tastes too.

This means that Edge double-locking tremolos are out of the question! AZ guitars are equipped with high-quality Gotoh T or T tremolo bridges instead. Paired with Gotoh locking machine heads, you can expect excellent tuning stability despite the non-locking design of the aforementioned tremolos.

Perfectly-designed for virtuosos, this innovative and modern take on the traditional T-type design promises sublime playability and performance without losing that unmistakable "twang". While the former comes equipped with a Gotoh tremolo and an Alder body, the latter has a more old-school bridge sporting "In-Tune" saddles that guarantee pitch-perfect intonation across the fingerboard and consistent string spacing.

The AZSH also boasts a tasteful control plate with an elegantly-shaped pickguard, as well as an Ash body that harks back to '50s and '60s "golden era" electric guitars.

Developed from the ground up, these cutting-edge instruments feature "headless" necks, ergonomically-shaped bodies and versatile electronics. This makes them hugely appealing to modern and progressive players — those who seek compact and comfortable guitars that can keep up with the increasingly technical and flamboyant styles spreading across modern rock and metal music.

Apart from their ergonomic allure, these forward-thinking models also boast a number of additional unique elements in order to maximise tone, performance and playability. This includes proprietary pickups, 'dyna-MIX' switching systems, highly-adjustable 'Mono Tone' bridges and custom string-locking mechanisms that accommodate almost any brand of strings or gauge — unlike some headless instruments made by alternative brands. While the Ibanez Q Series will satisfy any headless guitar enthusiast, these models make players of all disciplines question the full scope of their creative potential.

The standard Q Series guitars are the most accessible, with their straight-fret fingerboards offering a familiar feel for traditionalists. The QX sub-series allows more adventurous and technically-proficient guitarists to make full use of their skills — featuring flat-radius, 8-degree slanted-fret fingerboards that accommodate the natural inward tilt of your fingers.

Fitted with super-charged pickups and featuring a wickedly-thin neck, the FR delivers the goods sonically and feel-wise. Coming with either Mahogany or Nyatoh bodies, these materials are similar in terms of their density and grain; yielding deep and rich tones that accentuate low-end frequencies and boost mid-range punchiness.

Topped with either Ash or Quilted Maple, these woods not only look fantastic but they also introduce some crucial top-end brightness. Mostly made from Maple with strips of Bubinga or Purpleheart in the middle, this layered effect improves stability while offering a premium look. Ibanez FR guitars come armed with high-output humbuckers that emit the most intense, fire-breathing tones imaginable.

Made by the likes of EMG and Dimarzio, these pickups can handle copious amounts of gain should you wish, yet remain articulate and detailed with clean amp settings too. These deadly instruments also come equipped with aftermarket Gibraltar Standard II hardtail bridges.

With their high-mass design ensuring optimal string vibration transfer for piano-like sustain, their smoothly-machined saddles also provide great comfort for the picking hand.

While the RG series is clearly focused on rock and metal styles of music, the AZ aims for a broader range of styles.

The body has a smoother look compared to the RG. Even the headstock modifies the classic Ibanez style and rounds it out for a more mellow look. Over time, expect to see models in other sub-brands as the series branches out to more budget-conscious guitarists. The Ibanez FR series guitars were introduced in and are clearly different in style compared to the other series such as RG and S. I personally think of the FR as a modernized version of the Tele. Some modernized changes over the classic Tele include 24 frets, a super-thin Nitro Wizard neck, high-output humbuckers, and aftermarket hardtail bridges.

There have only been a handful of FR models over the years across most of the sub-brands. With the wide range of styles available in other series, the FR models are subtle.

Most models have been some type of grey, black, or white. Only a few brighter wood-grain finishes have been produced. To call this an original design does seem to be a stretch though. You can clearly see the basic shape is a Les Paul with a symmetrical double cutout.

The AR even uses a set-neck joint learn about different neck joints here. Most of the finishes over the years have used some sort of burst along with other finishes that are clearly inspired by Gibson. Because this series has been produced on and off for over 40 years, there are a lot of models out there.

Ibanez have a very popular range of hollowbody and semi-hollowbody guitars including signature models from George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Eric Krasno. There have been so many different Ibanez models over the years and sadly a lot of them are no longer in production. Some notable series you may find secondhand include the Iceman, X series, the Destroyer series, and AX series.

To say their model numbers are confusing is an understatement. What a horrible mess! While there are some guitars with simpler model numbers such as the original RG, newer model numbers pack in a lot of information. So to properly understand Ibanez model numbers, you need to know all the different codes for each part of the number.

While the above model number is ridiculously confusing, it does give you a lot of information about the guitar. From the model number alone, you can find out all the details about the guitar down to the finish used. Some guitars add in other codes such as the j. Fortunately, not all Ibanez models have confusing numbers. If you want to find the specific codes to decode any Ibanez model number, check out this handy guide on the Ibanez Fandom Wiki.

As you might expect, Ibanez serial numbers can be confusing. The serial numbers can tell you where the guitar was built, who built it, and when it was built. This guide on the Ibanez Fandom Wiki explains how to decode a serial number depending on how many digits it uses. So this serial number tells me that the guitar was built in Indonesia I in the Cort Guitars factory in January Guitars from different sub-brands, series, or years can have completely different numbering systems.

The serial number starts with a letter followed by numbers.