Ibanez RGA427Z

Ibanez is kicking off the year with some awesome RGA models, and this is one of them. They've been neglecting us seven string players for quite awhile, and it's nice to see them step up their game and release a Prestige RGA model. The guitar features a mahogany body with a flame maple top, a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, 24 extra jumbo frets, dot inlays, an Edge Zero tremolo, two humbuckers, one volume, one tone and a three way switch.

UTILIZATION

The fretwork on this guitar was great. The frets were nice and level, and the ends were beveled nicely. This is a testament to the high quality Prestige fretwork that Ibanez utilizes. The flame top on this was pretty solid, but you couldn't really see it with the finish that they used, so it was kind of a disappointment. I'd like to see the figured wood some more, but this is merely a cosmetic thing. The bridge on this is very solid, and while there are a few things I dislike about it (locking studs aren't as good as the older ones, and the ZPS needs to be disabled for me to really enjoy playing it), it's a very solid tremolo that shows improvements over the older Edge Pro.

SOUNDS

The guitar features some active pickups in it with the EMG style housings. For those who don't know, there are two different routings for the 7 string pickups. You have your normal style passive routing and your active routing. If you have an active routing, you can't really fit the passive pickups in there without it looking a bit ridiculous. That means you're going to be limited in your pickup selection. Really, you can only use EMGs or Blackouts in this thing. Either would work great, but I recommend swapping the pickups as the stock ones are a bit bland and fairly thin sounding.

OVERALL OPINION

It's nice to see them offer a solid 7 string RGA model after all of these years. We've been waiting for ages to receive one, and Ibanez did a fairly good job. A lot of the seven string guys are complaining about the routes, but I don't think it's a huge deal unless you just have to have passive pickups. I'm one of the few that can use both without too much of an issue, albeit I tend to prefer passives for most genres.

I copy-paste the stat bugs ...
Active Humbucker LZ4-7N IBZ (neck) + LZ4-7B (bridge)
Function with active EQ boost / cut
Chrome black hardware
Mahogany body
Table curved flamed maple
Channel Wizard Prestige maple / walnut
Rosewood 24 frets jumbo
Abalone inlays
Edge-Zero tremolo-7 system with ZPS3

For me it is very good, although I prefer the feel of the keys of ebony, but it gets the luxury ^ ^
The pickups send good sound, even if you feel the least differences between the three positions on my other Iby prestige.
Very well set at the factory and flight class!

For it is against rather heavy.
The color is very nice as well, in light gray with purple highlights but when it's artificial lighting!

UTILIZATION

This is what ibanez ... While we feel that the guitar has not been thought in the mind of shred, but more modern metal so djent example, there are ways to go very fast WITHOUT above problems.
And it sounds ^ ^ in all directions, all positions, there's nothing to say except that it may be useful to go back a little to the side "acute" microphones because the basic output level of the notes played on the strings of mid / treble is not so great ...

ZPS3 system is also very effective, there is almost never need to retune, even while doing good dive bomb violent ... By floyd is against the "harder" than some other models., Must make if not used.
Some effects of floyd are not feasible with this system, however, such as atrial flutter (when you give a blow to the rod and it oscillates for half a second ..; "Brlrlrrlrl" if you know what I mean!) .

SOUNDS

For the metal: perfectly.
For other genres, I am more doubtful. This is not the most versatile Ibanez, far from it. Thus, it clearly is not wonderful for my taste, the sound is quite dark, even with the tone knob to maximum.

However, when one is in high-gain ... This is the foot ensured. The power chords shake the shack and resonate ... resound! The bass is super set! It's really the sound that is suitable when you want to stack the floors of distortion.

OVERALL OPINION

I have since August 2011 so I had time to make a first opinion ...
Maybe he will have evolved by a decade!
Anyway I had taken to add another string to my group ... Ben at this level I was not disappointed! The rhythms come out great and are really well defined, the palm-mute opens cracks in my wall ...

So if it is brutal to the metal, we must go for it!
For rock / hard rock / blues ... Bof.

Made in Japan in the plant by Team Fujita J. Craft. Mahogany body with flamed maple curved table. Cosmo Black colors giving it a color ranging from dark gray, dark purple and black with the light. Bridge Edge-Zero brand specific system with SPA-3 (for Zero Point System). Note that the tension of the vibrato can be adjusted by manually turning a knob. Channel 5-piece Maple / Wenge type "Wizard-7" unvarnished and screwed 24 cases. Ibanez humbuckers active LZ-7 neck and bridge powered by 2 x LR6 (AA) accessible through a hatch in the back of the guitar. Note that this is the first guitar that I see with this type of batteries! 2 adjustment knobs: 1 volume, 1 tone. 3 position pickup selector. The guitar comes in a box stamped Prestige Team J. Craft molded plastic wig inside. The case contains an Ibanez strap, user guide rod vibrato and a clear plastic package containing moult accessories: additional out again for the bridge, screws, jumpers and more importantly, a sort of Swiss Army knife with screwdriver and allen key sizes. Forgive me if I forget things. In this case, refer to the manufacturer's website. I put the maximum score because it was enough to open the case to see IBAN had not screwed up the world with this model. Apparent quality of construction and materials provided they are worth the money at first. She is very beautiful in real, view online or paper catalog does not do it justice.

UTILIZATION

At the grip, there are characteristics typical of the brand: a body and a handle and a fine low weight. The handle end is very nice. The back is very soft and like most Ibanez, the neck is a highway to shred. This greatly facilitates the handling and adaptation we must not forget that this is a 7 string. I'm not adept stick coating so it pleased me immediately. Access to the 24th fret is easier than on my GTA 2020 through wider notch than the conventional RG. Perfect for my hand wide and pudgy fingers. The handle end and hyper unvarnished not please everyone, but I do. The standard form gives it a super-strat ergonomics while sitting or standing. The right hand takes its place and is easily embarrassed by anything. The vibrato is very stable and can be adjusted quite easily. The strings, in terms of cutting small slices, also easily changed. I found my bearings rather quickly thanks to excellent ergonomics, where everything is designed for easy grip. I put a note up for everything I like in the use of this guitar. Get a good sound? I'm getting there ...

SOUNDS

I play metal. So I needed a dynamic and modern sound. When I say modern, I mean its not a stifled, law, and with a powerful explosion at each harmonic chord. Well it's pretty hard to explain but I wanted clarity, and gain a sound spectrum that is not restricted. I worried a lot of quality microphones LZ-7 because I could not try it before buying, as it was not then available in France, I had to order it in Germany. It was this crucial point that I would confirm the relevance of my choice and the overall quality of the guitar. Here is the big surprise! I first tried it in my home studio with AmpliTube Metal, then I converted the try with my amp, a head NameOfSound CA 100 with EL34 type lamps. The pickups are exactly as I wanted. They give a right, crystalline, powerful and rich. In the neck position, you have to play with the volume pot of soup to add tone, otherwise it is too steep. I did not really looked at the clear sound, it is after all not really what I ask, but what I've heard seems quite satisfactory. The pickups, although assets, generate no breath. I even prefer these microphones where the EMG 707 and 81-7 because they prefer the gain at the expense of the harmonics. The tone is well knob job with a race are rather gradual and act effectively. We regret the absence of labeling of the neutral point, which is not very accurate. This is not a really versatile guitar as it is clearly oriented towards music muscular, but his tonal richness allow him to venture elsewhere. Anyway, there are other brands and models of guitar for versatility. I like the sounds are all those generated by the guitar. The ones I like least? None. I put 9 because one can criticize his lack of versatility and (too much) of his righteousness.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it now for 1 year. I could try before the Universe, with which I was reluctant (not for nothing that this guitar is the benchmark 7-string), the K-7, nice but nothing more, the Xiphos 7, which is a horror of ergonomics and grip, RG 1527, pretty good but fitted with microphones and serving, the Schecter Damien Elite 7, very good value for money, the Schecter Omen 7 to the good grip but a little cheap and Vigier Supra 7, the handle and the sounds do not believe me clear for a very exaggerated. I like everything about this guitar. Apart from the UV-777, it ranks well above other models mentioned above at any point of view. I might be regretting that the handle is not stuck or passing through. So far all my guitars are like that, but the build quality is such that I feel no difference. To me, it is clearly the price and I do not regret the purchase! Ibanez was very hard with this model and reaffirms its leadership in the 7-string guitars (factory). Knowing that I strongly hesitated with the Universe, I do not know if I would do this choice.