Ibanez RG470

1992? something like that I bought it new with zero percent financing...a musicians dream! 24 fret, 1 tone, 1 volume. The pickups are stock for now, but I'm going to replace them with some Duncans. Deep red finish with black hardware and looks nice. Very nice thin neck with good low action. It is pretty versitile sounding but the pickups are a little noisey on a tube amp, ok with solid state.

It suits my style ok. I bought a PRS Swamp ash special so this is my backup now. I leave it drop tuned when not giging and it plays metal well, I still think the pickups are noisey, definately not good for the studio, but fine to crank and shread! I play a crate gx-40c for practice amp adn gig with a mesa heartbreaker. MESA ROCKS!

Good action and easy to play thin neck. I really noticed how nice the neck was after going to the SAS because that guitar has the fattest neck I've ever pleayed.

In the early days of it's existance it giged w/o a backup. Probably not a good idea cause if you bust a string it takes a while to get your axe in tune again. Lucky for me it never happened that way.

N/A

I've been playing since the late 80's. I wish I would have bought an american made axe but this one was cheaper. It really is a good beginner guitar, and they will probably laugh when I bring it to the open jam this week cause my PRS is in the shop getting siome TLC!

Japanese-made, 1998 model in Cherry Fudge finish (dark reddish-purple metal-flake color, looks nice!) Neck looks like a multi-piece maple, with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. Basswood body is very light and very resonant. One volume, one tone, 5-way selector. H/S/H Ibanez pickups: neck is a V8, middle is a single coil S1, bridge is a V7. Rose-licensed Lo-TRS double-locking trem system. Gotoh tuners. Thin, fast Wizard II neck. Bought it used and very cheap, so I didn't mind not getting the tools with it.

Sounds pretty good clean, which is how I usually play it. This is a rockin' guitar, which I have pressed into service as a praise and worship band instrument. It fits the bill surprisingly well. The neck pup is a little higher output than the others, and works great for fingerstyle playing; the sound is full and noiseless. The single coil is a little hummy, but sounds good for strumming. The bridge pup really quacks, and reminds me of a Tele playing with both singles on. My favorite setting combines the single with one coil from the neck. Very clean and quiet. I don't play it much with drive or distortion, but it sounded fine the times I did.

The axe was setup at the shop where I bought it used. I need to have it adjusted for some buzz when I strum hard. It came with 9 gauge Elixirs, and I would recommend those strings, as they sound great and last forever. Action is fast and low, maybe a little too low given the buzzing. The Wizard II neck is great! I love a thin neck, and this is the thinnest I've ever played. The jumbo frets are probably better for fast rock solos, but work okay for my church music. Have to be really light-fingered when playing open chords near the nut with these frets, though, as it has a tendency to go sharp really easily on the G and B strings down low. Factory fit and finish looks really clean. Haven't seen any flaws in the finish, or any loose hardware, or anything. Seems solid structurally. Stays in tune forever with the Lo-TRS trem system.

I play it live all the time, and don't use a backup. But, then, my style of play doesn't lend itself to breaking strings, or smashing guitars, so I probably don't need a backup. If you ever do break a string, you're done until you can get it replaced and re-adjust the Floyd, so if you're a shredder, you better have another axe at the gig with you. All the hardware seems really solid so far. I haven't had any trouble with the strap buttons.

My only concern is the durability of the finish. It had several chips along the edges when I got it, and I've put a couple of more in it since I've had it. I'm not hard on guitars, and it has not had any really hard knocks while in my possession, so I think maybe the finish just isn't as tough as it could be. I was surprised to read other reviews here about guys who drop their 470's and have things fall on them, with no scars or chips. That would not likely be the case with mine, based on my experience so far. Still, I'd rather have the finish chip and the hardware last, than vice versa.

Downgrades this category, though, because of the chips.

Haven't dealt with Ibanez. Pretty cool website, though

I've been playing off and on for over thirty years. This is my only electric. I own a couple of steel string acoustics, and a cheap, mile-high-action classical. If the RG went astray, I would look for something that didn't have a Floyd Rose, because I just don't need it, and it makes changing strings a real pain.

I really like the sounds it makes, though. And the basswood body is really light, so it doesn't drag me down during a long set. The color is really cool, but I wish it didn't chip so easy. I do wish it had a little more tone control. Two tone knobs would really be nice.

Before I bought it, I played Strats and Teles and LP's and clones of those. For the money (under two hundred bucks US), it was too good a deal to pass up.

Japanese-made, 1998 model in Cherry Fudge finish (dark reddish-purple metal-flake color, looks nice!) Neck looks like a multi-piece maple, with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. Basswood body is very light and very resonant. One volume, one tone, 5-way selector. H/S/H Ibanez pickups: neck is a V8, middle is a single coil S1, bridge is a V7. Rose-licensed Lo-TRS double-locking trem system. Gotoh tuners. Thin, fast Wizard II neck. Bought it used and very cheap, so I didn't mind not getting the tools with it.

Sounds pretty good clean, which is how I usually play it. This is a rockin' guitar, which I have pressed into service as a praise and worship band instrument. It fits the bill surprisingly well. The neck pup is a little higher output than the others, and works great for fingerstyle playing; the sound is full and noiseless. The single coil is a little hummy, but sounds good for strumming. The bridge pup really quacks, and reminds me of a Tele playing with both singles on. My favorite setting combines the single with one coil from the neck. Very clean and quiet. I don't play it much with drive or distortion, but it sounded fine the times I did.

The axe was setup at the shop where I bought it used. I need to have it adjusted for some buzz when I strum hard. It came with 9 gauge Elixirs, and I would recommend those strings, as they sound great and last forever. Action is fast and low, maybe a little too low given the buzzing. The Wizard II neck is great! I love a thin neck, and this is the thinnest I've ever played. The jumbo frets are probably better for fast rock solos, but work okay for my church music. Have to be really light-fingered when playing open chords near the nut with these frets, though, as it has a tendency to go sharp really easily on the G and B strings down low. Factory fit and finish looks really clean. Haven't seen any flaws in the finish, or any loose hardware, or anything. Seems solid structurally. Stays in tune forever with the Lo-TRS trem system.

I play it live all the time, and don't use a backup. But, then, my style of play doesn't lend itself to breaking strings, or smashing guitars, so I probably don't need a backup. If you ever do break a string, you're done until you can get it replaced and re-adjust the Floyd, so if you're a shredder, you better have another axe at the gig with you. All the hardware seems really solid so far. I haven't had any trouble with the strap buttons.

My only concern is the durability of the finish. It had several chips along the edges when I got it, and I've put a couple of more in it since I've had it. I'm not hard on guitars, and it has not had any really hard knocks while in my possession, so I think maybe the finish just isn't as tough as it could be. I was surprised to read other reviews here about guys who drop their 470's and have things fall on them, with no scars or chips. That would not likely be the case with mine, based on my experience so far. Still, I'd rather have the finish chip and the hardware last, than vice versa.

Downgrades this category, though, because of the chips.

Haven't dealt with Ibanez. Pretty cool website, though

2000 RG470, made in Japan I believe. 24 frets, 1 vol knob, 1 tone knob, 5-way selector. V7 S1 V8 pickups. Basswood body, kickass body shape (very aggressive, fits my personality perfectly). The colour is amazing, the NewPenny matches the black hardware like a dream, this is a beautiful guitar!

Since my music style has not yet been defined (because I love all sorts of music, and I have only been playing for a couple of years) this guitar is great. I find it to be very versatile. I only have a very crappy Fender Frontman 15G and I use no effects, but this guitar still sounds a hell of alot better than my old crappy Squier. I did, however, bring it to my guitar teacher's studio and used it on some re-built 1970's Fender amp and I almost killed myself. It was amazing, I was using a Danelectro Fab Tone and I couldn't believe the quality of sound and the low amounts of feedback (I am used to the feedback beeing as loud as the music with my Squier and Frontman).

Great...but only one problem, my 15th fret was set in to low so when I went to hit it the string touched the 16th fret making it impossible to hit that note...but this will easily be fixed for no charge sometime soon when I take it back where I bought it.

Since I have never played live and I have only owned the guitar for a week I can't judge very well. But everything seems great and looks like it will last.

Never dealt with them yet.

Used it for a week and I can't get enough of it...the New Penny colour is the coolest thing I have ever seen. If it were stolen I would be screwed because I can barely afford this guitar in the first place...but I would hunt him down and beat him, and take it back.

I actually use this Ibanez guitar, this is a made in Japan guitar as all the good Ibanez guitars, basswood body with a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets and V7 S1 and V8 pickups. This is a standard black finish guitar with a Lo-TRS floyd rose and Gotoh tuners. The hardware finish is kinda chrome with a light touch of nickel making it very special.

It suits my style so good cause I play Joe Satriani and Steve Vai stuff, generally. I play it with the next effects following the signal prossecing: Digitech XP300 Space Station, Boss CS-2, Digitech XP100 Whammy Wah, Boss PH-2, Boss MT-2, Boss DD-3 and a Marshall JCM 900.
This guitar is not noisy enough but I found a little bit of ground sound in the bridge (V8) pickup, a little bit of more noise than the neck pickup you know, almost like a single coil pickup, but I think that is a polarization problem in the place that I practice cause in gigs there's no problem, but I'll change the pickups one of those days anyway, cause I need better pickups to get the sound that I like, V7 and V8 are good but I found 'em good for rhythm playing and I generally use The V7 and S1 for clean sounds as well as the S1 and V8 but I'm looking for a cool Dimarzio pickups like the Evo's, cause this stock pickups doesn't help me to get the pinch harmonics so good.
Stock pickups aren't so good.

I'm using that kind of guitars since three years ago and I'm very, very fucking careful in the floyd rose adjustment principally( it need to be parallel with the body and with an apropiate height for a comfortable and fast playing).I already knew that this guitar was made with high quality materials for example the wood, but I didn't pay to much atention in that and I'm so special in the adjustment I don't use to play with disajusted guitars (when I bought this guitar I thought: Hmmmmmm well, it's so fucking pretty but it needs a lot of adjustments man) I just get home and took my screwdriver and work. Actually this guitar works the best you know, i'm in love with her.

Just play it, clean it and take it away in this way you won't have problems. Ohhhhhh I forgot, adjust is very important to a great service.
OHHHH shit!!!!! remember: Don't borrow it, IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOUR INSTRUMENT, WHO IN THE HELL IS GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

I had some problems with them in my last buying.

I have been playing since 7 years ago and I just always identificate me with this kind of guitar and I own an RG270 too. Those body and headstock shapes looks versatile, professional and agressive. YOUR GUITAR MEANS YOUR PERSONALITY, love it like your girlfriend, it won't give you love but if you play it with love and feeling it will belong to you all your life.

Black, made in 1999, its got everything i look for in a guitar- 24 frets, 5- way selection, gourgeous look (sharp curves), you can reach any fret on the fretboard easily, the floyd rose lo- trs is great (changing strings is a nightmare though), great thin wizard II neck, easy to play. ive been playing for about 3 years and this guitar has all the greatest features (especially for such a decent price) i was looking for. keep in mind that my review is only a comparison to other guitars in the same price range. you cant really compare it to the JEM series or PRS guitars.

i play mostly blues, metal, and classical, and this guitar fits them all beautifully. i use a peavy bandit 112 with it and its got a decent sound. id change the pickups though, im not crazy about them, a little too bright and not so clear as id like. the guitar makes a wide variety of sounds, the floyd rose is great. i recommend it to anyone- ive played on a million guitars and for the price, this is the one id buy.

The guitar is set up beautifully, the pickups are adjusted great a single coil in the middle, two humbuckers on either side of it. i havent seen one flaw in the guitar yet. ive dropped it a few times when i was really tired, and the guitar plays just the same as the day i bought it. the bridge again is great, ive only had one string break on me and ive played on it for at least a few hours a day for over a year. changing strings, again, is a bitch, i did it once and totally messed up the bridge and had to bring it to the shop to get strings put on again. if you dont know how to change the stings, dont attempt to make it up as you're going along cause itll suck in the long run.

this guitar couldnt be more reliable. ive put this guitar through so much and the hardware remains perfect. i play the crap out of the thing- it will definitely withstand live playing. the strap buttons never gave me any problem (the strap never came loose, and i have a really cheap strap), and you dont need a backup at all for it, its totally dependable. the tone and volume knobs are still the same as the day i bought the guitar too, never came loose or off.

The warranty was for a year i think, but ive never had to use it and ive never dealt with the company (since ive never had a problem with the guitar) so i wouldnt know how good the customer support is.

Ive been playing for about 3 years now and this is my favorite guitar for the price range. ive had it for over a year (since april of '99) and ive never even considered buying a different guitar. if you want the big sound, all the greatest features, for a relatively low price, this is the guitar for you. if youve got the money though, id prefer one of the JEM guitars, but its hard to compare the 2 cause they are in different universes. and the tone cant match a les paul or anything, but its definitely more than decent. if it were stolen i wouldnt even think twice about buying a new one. maybe id save up to buy a more expensive model but i doubt id go with any other guitar than this one. I love pretty much everything about it, except again, id change the pickups if i could afford it. id maybe get a pair of EMG 81 pickups, but you'll definitely live fine with the V7, V8, and S1. Remember again, the 10 rating is against those guitars in the same price range, it cant be compared to the really expensive guitars.

The Ibanez RG470. 1999 version.
-24 frets on a wizard neck
-5 way selector for an HSH pickup configuration. V7, S1, V8, respectively
-basswood body, pointystrat style
-floyd rose bridge tremolo system, lo-trs.

The neck is nice and flat. Thin from top to bottom, making it very easy to play, given you have fairly big hands. Less muting and fumbling as a Fender Strat might give you. This is probably due to the rise of the 7-string, so Ibanez is investing in making flatter fretboards. I can dig it. Came with all the appropriate tools and them some. I payed separate for the case, but I'm not complaining.

Keep in mind a rating of 5 is AVERAGE for me. Your random-picked guitar shop axe. 10 is Parker kind of rating. Top o' the line. Thus, I'm giving it a 7 because It's my favorite pick-up array and I love the neck. It loses some points due to somewhat weak pickups.

This is where the Ibanez shines. I love the sound. I kick the neck humbucker all the time. It's good, high output, punchy sound. This is a very dark-sounding guitar. Not muddy, but nice and warm and dark. The bridge humbucker makes the popular quack sound. I hate it. But it loses no points because that's diversity. The single coil is a loose, bright, strumming-type pickup.

I'm using this guitar on a Fender Twin Reverb amp and a Zoom 505 pedal. The amp and guitar compliment each other very well. The combination uses its zany tag-team action to actually make the 505 sound GOOD. *gasp!*

I might add that the Floyd Rose is as much fun as a boy band caught with a kilo of cocaine. String changing is a pain in the ass, though. Oh well. Even Hendrix said we have to make sacrifices.

If I cared enough, I would change the bridge pickup to suit my style, but this is more due to personal preference. I play experimental, thick, groove, surfy sort of music. Eclectic. I like thick lows, clear highs, and scooped mids. This guitar can do that over-reverbed Dick Dale thing, but can lay out superheavy riffs like...Well, like something damn good! I give it another 7 because the sound is very good, but not perfect.

Action was perfect, haven't made any adjustments. The pickups dropped from their screwed in position. This dampened the sound, but I had a friendly guitarist pop them back into place. No problems in that area since. Thanks, Noah!

I give it an 9.

The only complaint here is the finish. I love the color, called Cherry Fudge, but it's thin as hell. Small bumps have chipped the paint. I nearly cried. But it adds character, and decreases the weight. Image is nothing.

The strap buttons come a little loose occasionly, but nothing a Phillips head won't fix with a quick twist. No demotion there. I don't think it's very wise to gig without a backup [you never ever ever know], but I could rely on this baby. Gets an 7 for the finish problem

Never talked to Ibanez, never had to. Is this a blessing or a curse? More at 11.

No opinion because there is no example to form one on.

This guitar is like a tough Chevy pickup truck. Effecient, useful, and gets the job done until you get that Cadillac convertible with fins. I've had it for about year now. It's nice, and I congratulate Ibanez for making such a kick-face guitar for as cheap as they did. You could really take this one on the road. For what it's built for, this guitar really gives in 100%.

The only thing I hate is changing strings. See above. Considering this is my main guitar, I would hire a PI to find it were it stolen. Otherwise, I'd be gigging with the Lotus L680. See that review. Overall, a happy 7. I'm very tempted to give it an 8, but considering the wonderful things that are done with guitars these days, a 7 is what it gets.

The Superstrat style RG470 appears to come preety well equipped to deal with a fairly advanced standard of playing,on my japanese manufacture standard model features include Floyd Rose locking Trem (LO-trs system),INF pick ups (s/s/h), sturdy looking tone,vol and 5way selector switch, 22frets on a reasonably thin/fluid rosewood neck and a fairly well balanced laminated top body.

I purchased the RG470 as I thought it could cope with a range of sounds/styles. The neck pickup provides fairly creamy possibilities opening up the Jazz side of things.Combo of middle and neck single coils give a brave effort on funk sounds but look preety limp and flacid next to the beef of a Stratocaster. The humbucker(bridge)pickup sans effects always makes me laugh in sick dismay. Trying to deliver an accurate tone that doesn't merge high tempo lead work into an Oasis type mess of a guitar sound is painfully frustrating. Saying that I must admit that I have got some satisfactory sounds out of the RG470's factory fit setup over the last 2yrs. In some situations it will provide. By the way I would never consider using this guitar without compression and EQ in varying amounts. It's direct sound is always on thin ice when it comes to quality. I have used this guitar through GallienKreuger, Marshall and Fender Amps. If you're a raw bluesman/woman don't consider plugging that freak of a humbucker straight into your amp. The imbalance of frequency deliverance will give you more than just the blues....

The guitar received a setup at the shop before I took it home. Action was a smooth compromise and the neck felt just fine. The two most appealing features. I didn't notice any great faults at the time of purchase , but maybe I should have been more scrutinous...(more to come)

Hah,the section I've been waiting for - Ibanez hang your head in shame you cowboys.
Reliability/durability, may I be so bold to presume?, are preeety important characteristics and if this is the crux of the guitar's rating, how dare you charge anything like #350 bucks for this thing.
Setup after setup was no panecea to my rapidly failing Ibanez. With this guitar should have come a stitched on care label saying something like,`if you're a player who likes to practice a lot, gig even a fair amount, have a reliable recording instrument, find new sounds in your guitar, hell - even if you just like playing your instrument, you must by no means use this guitar.(Oh yeah, and piXX off if you think you're getting ya money back, bastXrd)'.
After 2-3mths of use at a semi-professional level I started to notice niggling things like quickly oxidising hardware, strap buttons relaxing and unwinding, dodgy scratchy lines in the locking nuts, hairline fractures in the wood around the nut and in the laquer at the body/neck join and very cheap sounding pots. The greatest pain in the arsehole is the pseudo-biodegradable trem. system. What an unbelievable piece of shiX. No word of a lie after 3mths the System started to perish; it won't hold tune. If you dip the bar then it will return around a quarter of a tone low, raise it and it's a quarter higher. This makes recording/dubbing with this bastad a nightmare. I know this problem has afflicted other pursuers of Floyd Rose supremacy but there is no excuse, especially after 3mths for cripes sake!
If there are those who cry neglicence on my behalf let be known that I had regular setup's from tech's with the highest recommendations in London I could afford (even couldn't afford). Despite being very anal (slightly uncomfortable word)with my guitar care and listening to my guitar tech's saying, `Be right as rain in a jiffy guv'ner.Sixty-Quid' I couldn't polish over the rickety reality that is the Ibanez RG470.
No, you can't think of this guitar as dependable, heaven forbid a workhorse. Using a Floyd Rose based guitar at a gig w/out a backup is a big gamble, lose a string and your in a very slack sounding hell. Try to re-string it there w/out the proper experience/knowledge and you may never tune it before you have to pay the bar bill.
Now to use this guitar at gig has a sweet innocence stupity to it. Use this guitar at a gig w/out a backup and I expect you to be babbling something like `lifes a box of choclates...etc'

Customer support? don't make me laugh. It might just be my neck of the woods (London) but the support thing just weren't happenin'. Who?,What? and shine your shoes? are amongst the most common response given to those in search of Ibanez customer care. `Don't know nuffin' mate' is the most common.

Perhaps I expected too much from the RG470. At it's price it can still wear the hat of the Budget Guitar but, masquerades as a semi-pro possibility. I have been playing for around 9yrs now and was gigging in London pubs when I was an underage nipper. I have been slogging out as many projects as I can find and I often practice in excess of 6hrs a day. After the 470 let me down I thought I'd give a second hand, very low mileage RG570 a whirl from a friend. I refuse to review that as I've had it up to the neck with the RG's. Both RG's now sit in a very lonley corner and only get touched in those moments of insanity when I think `they can't be that bad can they, I payed a fair bit of money for them?' I suppose the abusive relationship is sustained by memory of that sweet fluid neck and the belief that,`no,no it won't do it again, it told me it's changed forever'. My prefered instrument is essentially a second hand squire stratocaster chucked together from some unknown mix of parts. It is an absolute workhorse and has never let me down in anyway. It sounds great through my GallienKreuger backline and Fender stage 185 amps. The Marshall JCM900 is a tired sound for me now but is still great with this particular squire.
I have 2 bastardised Ibanez's, a Fender Stratocaster, a Squire Stratocaster, my first guitar/love an Ariapro Mad Axe and a clutch of acoustics.
Sometimes I wish that the Ibanez's had been stolen. I can just remember the look of anxiety on the faces of musicians I gigged with when I unsheathed the RG470. They knew that when I started wailing away I would be riding the edge between guitar god and utter shit. Sometimes a bad workman blames his tools but, that's not always fair. Bad equipment can have effects on your all too precious reputation as well.

2000 Model. Great guitar. Has a very versatile H-S-H configuration. Great Floyd Rose Tremelo. Locking tuners are top-of-the-line. And finally, a damn good output jack in an under $700 guitar. Got tools with it. Body's Basswood. 24 jumbo frets. volume and tone controls.

Extremely versatile pickup configuration. At the neck, the V7 give great lead and distorted tone, and a very clean clean tone. This pickup alone would be able to satisfy most guitarists. The middle pickup is the S1. It's a decent pickup that makes strat sounds.
Makes a variety of sounds when mixed with neck or bridge pickup. The bridge pickup, the V8, is a bright lead pickup. Good for solos or trebly chording. On clean, good for fast punk-ska and anything where you don't want clean or dirty. My only problem would be you can't mix v7 and v8 together,

everythingf in these categories was top-notch, except for a crumb-sized ding on the back of the guitar (i didn't notice it until 3 weeks after I bought it, maybe it was me). AND the strap pin nearest the neck ripped out of the body during an energetic band practise (I was jumping and swinging it around, but it should've taken it). I assume it was just a bad piece of the wood that happened to be in the worst spot. However, for 2 gigs, I used duct tape for my strap, and then I took it back to victoria where it was fixed with ebony. A small, pinky-nail sized black piece of wood, not noticable, but still takes a little away from the guitar.

Again, the strap button issue. It's fine now though. I play it live without a back up, and I'm in a punk band with a shit load of downstrokes involved. Strings might break after 4 weeks of play, but you can just unwind it twice and use it again, that's another good thing about Floyd Rose trem. Very solid live. Excellent output jack.

good, Ibanez reinversed Guitars Plus to fix it, but they couldn't get the paint here within 4 weeks, so I said screw it.

I like it, I love it. I stare at it and it says play me. so i do, and I love every minute of it. I've been playing for 2.5 years and I've had a Samick pawn shop junker, an Ibanez GAX70 and this. I had a 700 dollar budget and I was choosing between this and a Fender. Fender gives you half the value for your money. This is a kickass mid-range guitar. Always shop around, but keep in mind that this a great guitar.

1997 made in Korea. basswood body, dark green. Lo-trsII floyd rose style trem. Good all around trem system I think. Good enough for all but the most demanding wammy bar users. Wizzard II neck. Some people mentioned that you could only use #9 strings with this trem. Not the case. I have used 8's, 9's, and 10's. You just have to adjust the spring tension inside the trem cavity.

Well despite everyone downing the inf series pickups that come with the guitar, I think their ok. They're not amazing, but their not crap either. Lots of dynamics, maybe a little thin sounding. They have more output than the ones in my gibson sg. They don't sound as good, but they are higher output. You can get a good variety of sounds with the 5 way selector switch.
I'm planning to change the pickups to some sort of Dimarzio probably "the breed".

The guitar was setup well from the factory. I've changed the setup somewhat to suit my playing style. No real flaws to mention

Seems like a very reliable guitar. I've had mine for about 4 years. It's like new. I have to tighten the strap buttons now and then.

Don't know about customer support

I've been playing all my life I own an old fender, an SG, a Yari-Gaki, a Simon & Patrick. Lost or stolen I would replace it with something a little different. I wonder if you can get an RG with a mahogany body and a fixed bridge? That would be cool. I've played tons of guitars, if you are into heavy metal of any kind,you'll like this guitar. Oncew you get used to the wizzard neck it's hard to back to anything else.