Originally Posted by: zreynoldspWhat guitar is it?
Are you going to do a review?
Well, I hadn't planned on it. Just wanted to show off my new baby. But I guess I can give you a short review:
It's an Ibanez RGT42DX black model (retails approx $900 CAD). I had to special order it into the music store, as RGT models are more rare and expensive, so they're less frequently stocked at retailers. I had the chance to play my friend's model (who swears by the Ibanez brand and is a brilliant guitarist) and decided that I really enjoyed the feel of it. In particular, I was in the market for a new guitar that had 'neck thru' design & locking trem...and I wanted a change, since all I've ever owned are Strats.
Pros:
-24 fret model -that's two more frets than my other guitars -- which is a big deal if you solo a lot
-neck thru design - the [U]neck & body are one piece of wood[/U], unlike the majority of guitars that have bolt-on necks. After playing a neck thru design, I would never go back. It's the most amazing thing, as not only does it provide a very rich sustain that can't be achieved on a regular guitar, but it also allows you to access the upper fretboard with complete ease as there is nothing impeding your hands near the upper neck (unlike bolt-on guitar necks). If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you really have to try a neck thru design.
-locking trem system - Whammy the hell out of it, dive bomb, do whatever...you'll always come back in tune (unlike a Strat floating bridge, ughh)
-Amazingly low action - Granted, it won't come from the factory set up that way, but once you have it professionally configured (or if you know how to do it yourself), you'll find fast alternate picking or legato much easier with super low action
That pretty much sums up the PROs. I mean, it's sleek, sexy, black, double shark tooth fretboard inlays, metallic volume/tone knobs...the thing is a beauty!
Cons:
The only things I could say that are CONs about this guitar are: it doesn't come scalloped from the factory (unlike JEMs), and while the pickups aren't horrible, they aren't top of the line either. But that's something people might want to experiment with. You might want Seymour Duncans or DiMarzios or something.
If you're in the market for something new and don't already own a neck thru guitar or something with locking trem or just want another addition to the family, this guitar is a great candidate. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing separating this mid range model from a high end model is the cheaper stock pickups.
