|
Ibanez RG770DX
|
For the guitarist who demands the finest craftsmanship and appearance,therg700 series features American-made pickups,Cosmo black hardware, matching headstocks, and ultra-fast Wizard necks with binding and sharktooth inlays.
|
Searched Ibanez RG770DX in Reviews
Classic Ibanez 
| Sound |
Sounds sweet, and tends to be on the brighter side of the spectrum because of the maple board and basswood body. I run D'Addario .10-.46 in D standard tuning. The pups have been swapped out for liquifire/crunch lab just so it can handle the drop tuning better with out becoming flabby. Keeps the note distinction. I run it through a Marshall JMP-1 pre amp --> Lexicon MPX500 Digi FXs --> Peavy Classic 50/50 --> Marshall 1960TV 4x12. I play primarily in an 80's hair metal cover band. This is thing is prefect for that Motley Crue, Slaughter sound. For the record the stock pups in the RG770 are literally a Tone Zone and PAF Pro only thing different is it has that colored sleave that says Ibz/USA on them. So for all you nay sayers the stock pups in these RG770s are legit. Don't waste your money on new pick ups unless you are looking for something different from a tone zone/paf pro setup. That's straight from horses mouth.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
I didn't buy this new even though it wants me to only answer if I bought it new. Well I just picked this up it was a '91 and in great shape. It had been played regularly and has held the test of time. This is a great testament to Ibanez and there Japanese factory to build quality that last for years.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
Like I said this is a new guitar to me. It is how ever a '91 this is almost 20 years old and except for a couple chips on the back looks like the day I would have bought it from the store.
|
| Customer Support |
I have my one local guitar tech that worked for Ibanez for 15 years so I just work with him.
|
| Liked about it |
-Wizard Neck. Love these.
-Maple Board, this is the only maple fret board guitar I have, I typically don't like them. But this one seems to just be right.
-Colored Shark tooth inlay to match head stock and guitar. Very Cool.
|
| Didn't like |
I wish there was more clarity in the description. ie: don't waste your money on other picks ups because it already has a Tone Zone and Paf Pro in it. Would also like to see when they have the neck plate with a US address stamped on it clearly written that this guitar was only assembled in the US so people that have done less research would not claim them as USA guitars. Don't misunderstand this I LOVE THIS AXE.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
4.5 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
Great RG, but not worth the extra money
| Sound |
My main rig is an Egnater Mod 50 head with the Bassman and SL2 modules through either a Mesa or Marshall 4x12 cab. I play from metal to jazz to prog. Well, when I purchased this guitar, I intended on keeping the pickups the same because they match the body and fit the color scheme. Compared to the air Norton and Tone Zone combo, the stock pickups are a little week. I never really like stock pickups on Ibanez guitars, but I did like these a little more than other stock Ibanez pickups. They are definitely usable, but I would much prefer the higher end Dimarzios. Aside from my pickup preferences, the guitar is pretty versatile. Like most RG's, they can do a bunch of tones pretty well, even a Stratty tone with the middle singlecoil. Of course, you would be using the humbuckers for most of the time, or you would be better off just going with a Strat. I don't mean to knock the tone so much cause it does sound good, but in my opinion it wouldn't sound great without a pickup change.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
Well, I had been eyeing this guitar for years, and I finally found one here on Jemsite, so I pulled the trigger. After all of that buildup, it just didn't live up to my expectations. Now, I own a 550DX, and a 570 so I figured this one would play as well as those. Unfortunately, it just didn't. Now, maybe I am just really particular or something, but the way it felt just didn't gel with me at all. Actually, I had a USA Custom that had the exact same issue. It had to do with the feel of the G string. For some reason, I couldn't get it to feel good underneath my fingers. It just felt like it was was really tight. I setup all of my guitars, and even with all of my attempts, I could not ever get it to feel good to me. Aside from that the guitar, like my other Japanese Ibbys, is made really well. No weird flaws or issues. I want to make it clear that I just didn't gel with it, and other people may like it. But for the money, I would rather get a 550 and upgrade the pickups.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
I didn't have the guitar for that long, but like my other Ibby's, it should be very durable/ reliable.
|
| Customer Support |
Never had to deal with them.
|
| Liked about it |
Sharp Looks
Japanese Ibby quality
Awesome inlays
|
| Didn't like |
Feel and action didn't gel with me
Expensive
Weak pickups
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
4.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
You do yourself a disservice if you don't have a 770DX--original OR reissue.
| Sound |
This is a rockin' sounding guitar--not over-the-top distortion and not weak--bridge and neck pickups are similar to the Dimarzio PAF PRO. The single coil is a great stand-alone and combines in positions 2 and 4 to give great acoustic-type sounds. My '91 RG770DXLB was my main stage guitar for years and is still among my best-playing and sounding guitars. Lo-pro Edge tremolo is rock-solid.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
I set up my LB personally and my '92 VM was set up when I bought it off the 'net and I haven't changed it. The one major difference between my '91 LB and every other 770DX I've ever encountered is that my LB has a sanded, unfinished neck, where my '92 DXVM and every other 770DX I've played has a finished neck. I don't know if this was a one-off, but I bought this guitar brand new from a major retailer in 1991 right when it came out. These guitars, with the original Wizard neck, are a true joy to play.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
Have had my DXLB since I bought it new in '91. Because it has an unfinished neck I oil it every time I play it but it is rock-solid for an 18-year-old guitar and is in almost new condition (the only blemish is where I accidentally closed the case on it--miniscule paint chip). When I bought '92 VM in 2007, the plastic was still on the truss rod cover. These axes are built to last. Neither of my 770's have neck pocket cracks or any finish problems.
|
| Customer Support |
Never had any problem with any of my Ibanez guitars.
|
| Liked about it |
Beautiful guitars--color-matched headstocks, pickups, and shark-tooth inlays.
Great sounds--tons of tonal possibilities.
Rock-solid Lo-Pro Edge Tremolo.
|
| Didn't like |
Clear pickguard is a bit weird--could have been left off.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
RG770DX Reissue - A great reissue of a fantastic RG variation.
| Sound |
I remember seeing the 770DX in the Ibanez 91 or 92 catalog and wanting the blue one quite badly based on appearance alone. The Reissue is certainly accurate in reproducing its flashy good looks, other than that I can't really compare the original to the reissue, as I never managed to find one when they were in production.
The guitar sounds bright, clear and resonant while unplugged. Once plugged in, you get a chance to hear the custom Dimarzio made pickups, which are a fairly large selling point in my opinion. I didn't expect much in the "cleans" department out of these pickups, and was not surprised that, given their output, they have a fair bit of hair on on them even clean. The tapped coil positions on the switch, and the middle pickup can produce some nice cleans sounds though, as is to be expected.
Crunch and lead sounds are obviously where this is going to shine, and it does. The bridge pickup run through a distortion channel sounds great. It is very PAF Pro, with some extra low end, and drive. Very open and airy sounding to my ears. At first I didn't like it, as I've gotten used to hotter pickups, but after a few weeks I came to like it more, and realized that it sounds like this, because this was a popular sound at the time of the guitar's original production. I wasn't thinking of it that way. It is definitely a more classic shredder sounding pickup, not modern at all to me, and this is a good thing.
The neck pickup is very complimentary to the bridge, again very PAF Pro-ish, with what I perceived to be a little more output. Very articulate on when used in humbucking mode and distorted. Again a good pickup, reflective of typical sounds from the early 90's shred.
The middle pickup, works for giving you a passable single coil tone if you want to play clean stuff, or for mildly overdriven bluesy type material. Full on distortion isn't that great for me, but I didn't really expect it to be.
Overall, the guitar sounds perfect for a replica of a 90's shred machine. It is clear, bright with some really nice custom pickups. I have no complaints about the sound of this guitar.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
So, the current reissued model certainly looks identical to the original series. All the key ingredients for a smoking Ibanez RG are there, Edge trem, maple on maple neck, Gotoh tuners, custom USA Dimarzio pickups and a basswood body. Setup to super low, fast, buttery smooth action packed with love in Japan into a nice Prestige (TJ-Craft case). This guitar was built to shred, no question.
One thing for people to keep in mind is, being a reissue, the frets are done as they were in the late 80's and early 90's. They are quite different from the current fretwork that Ibanez does. I've heard people complain about the fretwork on the reissue models, but you have to realize this is how it was on the originals, and it is not the same as current "Prestige" fret dressing. It is not worse, or better, just different and something to be aware of.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
I have no question about this guitars reliability. The only thing anyone might have an issue with is the floating trem. You do need to have a bit of knowledge to properly use, setup and maintain a fully floating bridge like the Edge. Otherwise the guitar is solid as rock.
|
| Liked about it |
I love the look, that flashy for for the sake of flashy vibe of the early 90's. The red sharktooth inlays on the maple fretboard are gaudy and awesome all at the same time. The custom dimarzio pickups are surprisingly nice.
|
| Didn't like |
Not a lot of versatility with stock pickups.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
4.0 |
By blackspy Dec 14, 2009
Last updated: December 28, 2009
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
Classic Ibanez
| Sound |
The guitar is quite classic Ibanez. My RG770DX has the stock Ibanez/Dimarzio pickups which are quite weak. The neck pickup is acceptable in terms of tone, but the bridge pickup is just plain weak and muddy. I use a Mesa Boogie Mark IV which provides me with a large palette of tones as anyone who knows about the Mark IV will know. Even then, the pickups let the amp down. I had my RG770DX set up by a professional luthier with 11-52s (my preference in strings) and it feels great. I play metalcore and technical death metal and with the right pickups, this guitar would definitely deliver.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
The guitar looks beautiful.
As I said in my sound section, I had it set up by a professional luthier and it feels great.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
This guitar feels great. I bought this guitar from ebay and it was pretty old. It is pretty worn out already and I would definitely bring a backup. If the guitar were in better condition, I would not bring a backup.
|
| Customer Support |
-
|
| Liked about it |
1) Original Wizard Neck
2) Original Edge Bridge
3) Price
|
| Didn't like |
1) Neck may be too thin for some
2) Ibanez dont make them anymore :(
3)
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
4.5 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
Excellent guitar
| Sound |
This guitar has a great tone. The DiMarzio/IBZ pickups have a wide variety of different tones available. I play everything from Blues to metal and this guitar can handle it all. I play through a Fender 68 Twin Reverb and many different effects. I currently have her strung with D'Addario 09's.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
The finish is flawless as was the neck/body joint. The action was a bit high for my liking, but was easilly fixed with a small adjustment.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
This guitar is solidly built and the hardware is very solid. The tremolo stays in tune well.
|
| Customer Support |
N/A
|
| Liked about it |
I like everything about this guitar, the neck is nice and thin. The blue pickups are a nice touch to augment the body color and inlay color.
|
| Didn't like |
Ibanez discontinued this guitar. It was a limited run. If you want one you're going to have to look around for a used one.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
The top of the RG lineup!
| Sound |
These share many of the same specs as the other RG series from the 550s on up. The DiMarzio/IBZ pickups are an improvement over the V7/V8s on the 500 series. The maple fretboard sounds brighter than it's rosewood counterparts.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
As with all other RGs from the 550 on up, these are built to last! The Wizard neck is the best mass-produced neck ever made. The 770s were more limited in finish options than the 550s, 560s, 570s, etc.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
Built to last! These guitars hold their own as the main guitar in any rig. the only need for a backup would be for alternate tunings.
|
| Customer Support |
N/A
|
| Liked about it |
I have the Violet Metallic finish, and love it! The neck is the best thing about thee guitars, as with all of the other Wizard equipped RGs. The DiMarzio/IBZ pickups are an improvement over the other stock pickups on RGs.
|
| Didn't like |
Limited finish options.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
I like it... LOVE it.
| Sound |
I basically run through a Peavey Classic 50/50 tube power amp, Rocktron VooDu Valve, PRS 2 x 12 cab. I really like this guitar. I have the Ruby Red version of the re-issue. I'm not a huge fan of the p'ups. They're good, but not a real powerful DiMarzio. I prefer the Tone Zone or Evo sound, I'll even take a PAF Pro sound. These are just a bit weak for my liking, but still get the job done. It's all a matter of personal preference. I use it for my "softer" side.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
Fit and Finish was PERFECT! I did have it setup by my local guy, but right from Ibanez it was good. It did come with two volume knobs, which I didn't notice until I got her home. I thought that was somewhat strange and I wonder if somewhere out there is someone has two tone knobs. :) (to be clear it has a volume and tone knob, they are just both labeled as volume) Other than that I seriously love the look and feel of this guitar. The neck fits in my hand perfectly. I can't say enough about this guitar, I simply love it.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
I have gigged it a couple times and I never gig a locking trem guitar without a backup. I'm taking nothing away from this guitar, I just won't do it. The finish seems good. I don't have any nicks or dings in it yet and I hope I don't. This guitar is just super cool.
|
| Customer Support |
N/A
|
| Liked about it |
1. Love the Maple board.
2. Love the colored inlays.
3. Love the Ruby Red.
|
| Didn't like |
Absolutely NOTHING. Maybe the p'ups, but they're livable. It is a re-issue.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
Great construction, Excellent neck! A true shred machine.
| Sound |
The pickups are not much of an improvement from the standard V7-V8. Although they are Dimarzion/IBZ pickups, they still lack quite a bit. Pickups are thing of preference, so potential buyers typically swap them out anyway. I ran the 770 through a podx3 live, and also a couple tube amps. The stock pickups will work just fine, but plan on shaping the tone quite a bit with the amp.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
Action was great. Ibanez is notorious for fast, low action, shred machines! The original edge bridge and 87 wizard neck allow for the lowest action possible! You can usually plan on re-setting up a guitar from the factory. Ibanez does a great job at dialing in a middle of the road setup, but setups are completely subjective and contingent on the players style of music and preferences.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
Guitar is reliable and gets the job done, it also looks good too! The paint finish on these guitars is paper thin! its not just the 770; its all Ibanez guitars! Its very easy to ding and dent!
|
| Customer Support |
Never had to deal with Ibanez for any guitar related problems.
|
| Liked about it |
The Neck is by far the shinning feature of the guitar. The original 87 neck is the ideal neck for shred guitar. Thin, flat, and fast! The pickup configuration is a great feature as well. The Basswood body is a great tone wood without sacrificing weight. The guitar is fairly light compared to most others.
|
| Didn't like |
The think paint finish is a definite bummer, an extra couple of coats of paint couldn't hurt. The pickups could be a bit better. Those are really the only cons of the guitar. The 770 is practically an RG550 with inlays and binding. A definite must have for RG550 fans.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
rg770dx the rg to be all other rg guitars.
| Sound |
this guitar rocks hard. the maple fret board just screams and pops the notes right out.It can very easily mock a strat to a lespaul guitar.Absoultely screams in the neck position and bluesm chunks fall from heaven in the neck position.It is great for shredding and fast picking sounds.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
tune so well 440 everytime i check it.The finish of this guitar speaks in unisum of its playing it is absolutely gorgeous the matching inlays , pickups and maple neck are a recipe for beauty and the color is nice and suddle. it is a very classy guitar with a young modern twist the hardware is gorgeous and black cosmo.I fell in love with this guitar from the moment i saw it and knew i had to have it.
|
| Reliability & Durability |
durable is ibanez japans middle name they last forever as long as cared for buy cleaning the fret board and hardware after every use with a cloth.i have not had any issues with the neck cracking on this one but have some finish crack on the cody where the neck meets the body.other than that very perfect
|
| Customer Support |
i have never delt with ibanez but their websiter has great instructions foe setting up the floyroses and a pickup wiring diagram as well.
|
| Liked about it |
the looks are jaw dropping has to be one of the coolest guitars out there maple my friend maple.
the neck wizard original feels so thin and comfortable for fast playing and the natural tung oil finish is superb.
the thing never goes out of tune and is my most trustworthy guitar for gigs and such.
|
| Didn't like |
i think the pickups could be better but the factory is so pretty hard to change them.
i wish they would reissue the purple one too.
i wish they didnt reissue this guitar because mine is not so rare now but you can get one now thats not so bad.
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
As close to a "real" Ibanez as you can get right now
| Sound |
Versatile sound, plays so fluidly its unreal, thanks to that wizard neck on it. Love the flexibility and tone the pickups create. This could easily become your go-to guitar. Simply play one for about an hour and you'll understand why.
|
| Action, Fit, & Finish |
They really got these guitars perfect to me. Setup was great but I took it to my tech and it plays unfreakingbelievably now. All the craftsmanship is there like you'd expect out of a top of the line Ibanez, the finish is really nice and durable and I love how they match the pickups to the paint
|
| Reliability & Durability |
Reissue of one of the best guitars Ibanez ever made. They're durable and reliable. They stay in tune really well and you wouldn't need a backup guitar if all your songs were in the same tuning.
|
| Customer Support |
n/a
|
| Liked about it |
I like the look, the finish, the sound, it shreds! It handles beautiful clean tones flawlessly and when you want it to punch it delivers. I love the way high gain heads sound with this guitar. It's definitely my favorite guitar to jam with. They are priced really well too!
|
| Didn't like |
I wish they had more then 2 colors in the reissue, I think they could have done something more special with them, a more limited production would have been nice. The guitar is great i just hope it's introduction as a reissue doesn't hurt the originals value, i think you know what I'm saying if you're reading this review
|
|
| Overall satisfaction: |
|
5.0 |
Was this review helpful to you?
Report this review
|
internal use: spec98 spec484 spec553
|
|
