Ibanez RGA121

Very basic design from Ibanez, natural finish, Gibraltar hard tail bridge, 1 Volume and 1 Tone control. It has a Mahogany body with a Maple top, with a Maple neck in Wizard Prestige Profile for very fast play. Very rarely does Ibanez put out a hard tail that looks like something you'd like to own, but they hit a home run here!

UTILIZATION

Ibanez didn't change anything about the control layout, but it feels very easy to reach the volume and tone. Being an avid hard tail user, I always find that the whammy bar or just huge tremolos that Ibanez puts out get in the way of the pots, it's very easy to do swells or switch to neck pickup for leads on the fly.

The neck, just like any other Ibanez, is thin and very fast. Ibanez finishes their necks with a satin polyurethane, but there is no sticking or resistance when moving fast, its very relieving and I don't feel a need to sand down the neck.

SOUNDS

Let me be completely honest when I say that the stock pickups are not great by any means. They lack clarity, sound muddy and lack bite both in the bridge and neck. I would STRONGLY recommend replacing these first thing. You could easily get a bad impression from this guitar when it has so much more to offer.

I use EMGs 85 Bridge and 60a Neck. I have quested for the perfect EMG in this 81, 85, 89, 60, 60a, JH Set, you name it, I've tried every combo. This guitar is a tone MACHINE. This huge chunk of mahogany has tons of warmth with incredibly sustain. The maple cap brings out the bite and ensures you won't have a muddy mess!

OVERALL OPINION

Overall I believe this is one of the best Prestige line guitars that Ibanez offers, I'm very surprised they are not highly sought after. This guitar almost makes me think of an Ibanez version of a Les Paul, mahogany body with maple cap and maple neck. I have had tons of Ibanezes come and go over the years and this one has remained.

The RGA-121 was a short lived hardtail arched top version of the RG. It features a HUGE piece of maple on top of a mahogany body, a very nice Gibraltar Plus hardtail bridge, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, 24 frets, two humbuckers, a 5 way switch, volume knob and tone knob.

UTILIZATION

Given that it's a Prestige Ibanez model, the fretwork on these models is generally pretty good. Ibanez did an awesome job at the arched top, and resting your hand on the body feels great. The Gibraltar Plus bridge is an awesome bridge that I wish Ibanez would bring back, too. The All Access Neck Joint and sculpted lower horn allows you to get to the higher frets with total ease, and the switching setup allows for some great versatility.

SOUNDS

With the stock pickups, it's kinda flat sounding. However, once you put in some real pickups, this guitar really sings. The combination of the maple top, mahogany body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard make this guitar sound awesome for heavier styles such as hard rock or metal. Clean tones and midgain tones can be a bit hit or miss depending on if you like the mahogany/maple combo. Some people don't, but I've never had an issue with it before. The 5 way switching allows you to really get the most out of the pickups, so great clean and midgain tones shouldn't be too hard to get when the pickups are in split or parallel mode.

OVERALL OPINION

If you're looking for a hardtail RG, this is really the guitar you should be looking for. It's also a mahogany bodied guitar with a maple top, so I find it's even more appealing for the hardtail crowd. I just wish they wouldn't have discontinued these guitars. Also, the difference between the RGA 121 and RGA 321 is the figured top/colors. Aside from that (and price range), they're pretty much the same guitar.

The RGA-121 was a short lived hardtail arched top version of the RG. It features a HUGE piece of maple on top of a mahogany body, a very nice Gibraltar Plus hardtail bridge, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, 24 frets, two humbuckers, a 5 way switch, volume knob and tone knob.

UTILIZATION

Given that it's a Prestige Ibanez model, the fretwork on these models is generally pretty good. Ibanez did an awesome job at the arched top, and resting your hand on the body feels great. The Gibraltar Plus bridge is an awesome bridge that I wish Ibanez would bring back, too. The All Access Neck Joint and sculpted lower horn allows you to get to the higher frets with total ease, and the switching setup allows for some great versatility.

SOUNDS

With the stock pickups, it's kinda flat sounding. However, once you put in some real pickups, this guitar really sings. The combination of the maple top, mahogany body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard make this guitar sound awesome for heavier styles such as hard rock or metal. Clean tones and midgain tones can be a bit hit or miss depending on if you like the mahogany/maple combo. Some people don't, but I've never had an issue with it before. The 5 way switching allows you to really get the most out of the pickups, so great clean and midgain tones shouldn't be too hard to get when the pickups are in split or parallel mode.

OVERALL OPINION

If you're looking for a hardtail RG, this is really the guitar you should be looking for. It's also a mahogany bodied guitar with a maple top, so I find it's even more appealing for the hardtail crowd. I just wish they wouldn't have discontinued these guitars. Also, the difference between the RGA 121 and RGA 321 is the figured top/colors. Aside from that (and price range), they're pretty much the same guitar.

RGA 121 VLF book with fly ibanez prestige
corp in saddle and Mahogany (Mahogany & Maple)
bridge Gilbraltar more
two humbuncker V8 V7 in neck and bridge,
Wizard Prestige neck 24 frets, jumbo frets, ibanez pearl logo on the head,
1 volume, 1 tone and positions slecteur 5.

Note: since 2004, made in japan ibanez prestige are!

UTILIZATION

I like the Ibanez!

But I tried everything:
jackson (SERIES MG), Sp (M II), fender (Double Fat Start), Gibson (Les Paul), Lag (and the beast master metal) Vigier (excalibur custom), Music Man (luke) .. . in short, all good guitars but the report qualitprix, the ibanez is well located!

First of all I like their looks, their sleeves end, comfortable and accessible.
violin making neat and well finished, their sound and versatility.

SOUNDS

The microphones are not bases exceptionel, but do a great job, personally I change the pickups for DiMarzio (Tone Zone, Evolution, Paf Pro) or Emg (81 and 85) for rponse, a gain and a the most appropriate my game and my musical style (mtal).

OVERALL OPINION

I looked for a guitar without a floyd my rhythm (for accuracy and enregisrement detunage easier) and one day I told my pot michel "it'd be kind of Ibanez RG SERIES floyd free" .. . and here it is done!
So for 950, it was an Ibanez Prestige (Japan) with sumptuous luxury fly!