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Buying my first Ibanez in a week! Help? :)

2827 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Grimwing, 
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Hello people!

I'm new around here. I'll buy my first (electric) guitar soon. This site seems to be a very good place to ask for advice as a beginner.
So, I want to buy a guitar that has a warm, beefy tone for the style of metalcore, industrial metal, sludge, djent, and generally heavier stuff like these genres.

I've been considering these models, just not sure yet:

- Ibanez GRGR121EX (This was my original plan for my budget)
- Cort Z42 (Another possible choice for the same price as 121's)

More expensive ones:

- Ibanez SZ520QM (Looks like a dream, but all the videos show a bit weak sound?)
- Ibanez RGA32 (Sounds good, but not sure if those active pickups are great)
- Ibanez RGR321EX (Seems to be a pretty popular piece)
- Ibanez ART120 (There are rather diverse opinions about its humbuckers, made in China :/)

My question is, which would be ideal for my purposes? Any opinions?

When I'll become experienced in playing the guitar, I'm planning to detune it with a new set of thicker strings (maybe even to B standard).
Later I'm also planning to install Seymour Duncan Blackouts in it.

Please give me some advice! Thanks! :)
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jimistephen said:
Instead of looking for a new cheap model, I would look for a used premium model. (and not the new Premium line they have). What I mean is I bought a RG321MH for 300USD a few months back and then a month later I saw a local guy selling 91 or 92 RG570 for 300USD. The 570 would have been a professional quality instrument compared to my 321.

That being said, I can give you advice. I would completely stay away from the GIO line. (any guitar that has a G in front of it. GRGR121EX) The RG3xx series are generally regarded as good, as long as you don't have the EDGE III tremolo on it. The new ones have an EDGE-ZERO which seems pretty good.

I don't know anything about the Cort, although they used to make guitars for Ibanez.

All those other guitars would be a great starting point. For a fat metal tone I would look for something with a Mahogany body, but it doesn't have to be.
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I will give this a big X2

Would you rather have a brand new Kia, or a used Corvette?
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