RGT220H vs RGT220A

_vaister_ · #1 12-14-2005, 02:14 PM

These two guitars have the same specs, but the RGT220H is Mahogany body and the RGT220A is Ash body.... wich one do you guys prefer? soundwise, lookwise...etc.

King Knall · #2 12-14-2005, 02:19 PM

I'd pick the 220A. It's the only Ash bodied Ibanez currently available, whilst Mahogany is common.

eviltwin · #3 12-14-2005, 02:43 PM

Too be honest neither, I played a T3020F last week which is a 2003 RGT in mahogany, with a flame maple top. I had previously tried a T2020A (ash). The tone was good, but playability not on par with a Jem. Chubby neck with a sticky finish.

Ash is a nice temperate replacement wood for mahogany, many even prefer it, probably because it is less one-dimensional than mahogany. Ash comes in so many types, regular ash can compete with mahogany, whereas swamp ash is more like basswood, in weight and tone.

Most mahogany guitars benefit greatly from a maple cap (standard on LP's for over 50years, has to be some reason for this...) but that doens't mean you can't make a mahogany guitar be versatile, just have a look at the Ibanez S-series, or the old Reb Beach model.

As for looks, I prefer the old look on the RGT3020F (pre 2004?) offset dots, full maple top (not just a cap on the wings) but all are very nice guitars.

Overall I would rate them:
3020F
320Q
2020A
2020H
220A
220H

but since last week I seriously doubt, I will ever get one, perhaps if they change the neck.

_vaister_ · #4 12-14-2005, 03:12 PM

Don´t you think that ash is too bright or "metallic" soundwise...
what do you mean: "one dimensional" mahogany?

Rich · #5 12-14-2005, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwin

Too be honest neither, I played a T3020F last week which is a 2003 RGT in mahogany, with a flame maple top. I had previously tried a T2020A (ash). The tone was good, but playability not on par with a Jem. Chubby neck with a sticky finish.

Ash is a nice temperate replacement wood for mahogany, many even prefer it, probably because it is less one-dimensional than mahogany. Ash comes in so many types, regular ash can compete with mahogany, whereas swamp ash is more like basswood, in weight and tone.

Most mahogany guitars benefit greatly from a maple cap (standard on LP's for over 50years, has to be some reason for this...) but that doens't mean you can't make a mahogany guitar be versatile, just have a look at the Ibanez S-series, or the old Reb Beach model.

As for looks, I prefer the old look on the RGT3020F (pre 2004?) offset dots, full maple top (not just a cap on the wings) but all are very nice guitars.

Overall I would rate them:
3020F
320Q
2020A
2020H
220A
220H

but since last week I seriously doubt, I will ever get one, perhaps if they change the neck.

They did change the necks, the Ultra is gone and they're 18-20mm now.

leppermessiah · #6 12-15-2005, 04:28 AM

I have played both and opted for the 220h which is sitting next to me as i type. I prefer the look of the 220A but aside from that you are essentially splitting hairs with the differences. To my mind they are both awesome guitars and both play and sound great. i LOVE the neck, even when i played it in Ishibashi for the first time with a terrible from the factory set up. I don't see that the 220A is worth 25,000 yen more (here in Japan) than the 220H. If money had been no object then it would have been the 220A, but i am also saving towards other stuff.
As for playability not being on a par with a jem, i bought this baby over a Jem 90th which happened to be in the shop at the time and was the guitar i initially intended to buy ( i also played a couple of J-customs). It cost more than the Jem but played alot better, and the quality is as good as anything else i have played by ibanez. That said i still prefer my 7VWH to the 220H.

eviltwin · #7 12-15-2005, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

They did change the necks, the Ultra is gone and they're 18-20mm now.

Interesting, that, unfortunately, doesn't bring back the off-set dots or the full maple cap, but I will consider one now, thnx for the heads up Rich.

Quote:

Originally Posted by _vaister

Don´t you think that ash is too bright or "metallic" soundwise...
what do you mean: "one dimensional" mahogany?

Exactly as I said it, read the entire sentence.

_vaister_ · #8 12-15-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leppermessiah

I have played both and opted for the 220h which is sitting next to me as i type. I prefer the look of the 220A but aside from that you are essentially splitting hairs with the differences. To my mind they are both awesome guitars and both play and sound great. i LOVE the neck, even when i played it in Ishibashi for the first time with a terrible from the factory set up. I don't see that the 220A is worth 25,000 yen more (here in Japan) than the 220H. If money had been no object then it would have been the 220A, but i am also saving towards other stuff.
As for playability not being on a par with a jem, i bought this baby over a Jem 90th which happened to be in the shop at the time and was the guitar i initially intended to buy ( i also played a couple of J-customs). It cost more than the Jem but played alot better, and the quality is as good as anything else i have played by ibanez. That said i still prefer my 7VWH to the 220H.

please mr. leppermessiah post some pictures of your rgt220h!

leppermessiah · #9 12-16-2005, 04:51 AM

Love to, but my digi camera is dead as a doornail. Ill take a pic with my mobile phone and upload it as soon as i get to the office on monday. It's a bit messy coz i've been playing it hard all week (broke my thumb a few weeks ago and have only this week been able to pick a guitar) and not cleaned it.
i'll try and do it justice.

_vaister_ · #10 12-16-2005, 02:05 PM

is the RGT220A swamp ash or regular ash?

Big Red · #11 06-11-2006, 07:10 PM

There is nothing like coming home to a nice piece of ash.

But seriously, am I to conclude that ash sounds brighter than mahogany? What about basswood?
I am starting to get fed-up with my RG320FM's tremelo system, and I am thinking about the 220A. Also, I would prefer to move away from basswood, just to be a little different.

Cheers

Robotechnology · #12 06-13-2006, 01:20 AM

I found the ash bodies to not sound as good as the mahogany bodied ones.

Big Red · #13 06-30-2006, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robotechnology

I found the ash bodies to not sound as good as the mahogany bodied ones.

In what way? Is ash brighter sounding? How is it Eq'ed compared to mahogany?

JTM45 · #14 06-30-2006, 10:24 PM

Prefer the 220H.
It looks much nicer and i love a bit of mahogany in the body area!

If they did the RGT220H in a 7 string version i would buy one for sure.

merman_93 · #15 07-10-2006, 05:51 PM

The new RG 2006 "Special" appears to be an RGT 220H with a "Burnt RG" finish. It is most definetely a Prestige with Neck Through. (Forgot,..no links to retailers,...check either MF or AMS for Ibanez RG 2006)
I like this type of finish for guitars that I'll actually play, (as opposed to the very few guitars I have that are truly investments). It appears to be an RGT 220H,...any other opinions?