# Ibanez RG2228 vs Ibanez M80M



## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

Hello everyone!

I got the chance to buy both of these for the same price.

Ibanez Prestige RG2228 Galaxy Black with EMGs vs Ibanez Premium M80M with Lundgen M8P (Bridge Only)

What would you guys do? any recommendations? I can't try them because I live in central america (sad sad sad I know)

I'm gonna tune it to drop A the first 7 strings and the 8th is gonna be a low E

To play melodic death metal with some djentz, but mostly dj0ntz as our faster songs are on 6 string drop B

Help please!


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

If I got it right, you are to choose between the two? 
How much do they ask for to start with?


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

AxelKay said:


> If I got it right, you are to choose between the two?
> How much do they ask for to start with?



$1400 each!


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## Dead-Pan (Feb 20, 2015)

Not sure what you play currently but for me the M80M scale was an adjustment but in the end was worth it as it has more thunder.


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

EduMusic7 said:


> $1400 each!


Rg2228 no questions asked. 
The m80m is sold cheaper (and brand new)than that. At least in Europe that is.
Edit: you can't go wrong with any of the two. I assure you.


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

Dead-Pan said:


> Not sure what you play currently but for me the M80M scale was an adjustment but in the end was worth it as it has more thunder.


True that but he gets it more expensive than the rg. I mean the analogy is unequal. 

Are those prices for used instruments by the way?


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

AxelKay said:


> True that but he gets it more expensive than the rg. I mean the analogy is unequal.
> 
> Are those prices for used instruments by the way?



Brand new, both guitars!


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## DeathChord (Feb 20, 2015)

IMO the M80M is a better choice. I agree scale length is an adjustment but it's the scale length itself the lends to the correct tension to accommodate string gauge and tuning options.

The Lundgen M8P in conjunction with the ash body make this guitar a master of the deep, emitting thunder that will break your Phucking rib cage!


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## karjim (Feb 20, 2015)

If it will be your main ax..2228
If you need a sledge hammer for sometimes in studio or for Meshu style songs then tje M80M
For reccording the M80M is a tone monster...none guitare can beat this low F for this price.
Tight.. I mean tight as fvck
2228 is more comfy proggy shreddy with a huge range of tones.


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

Again. You can't go wrong with any of the two. But I'm sure you can get a better deal off of the M80M. 
Have you ever played any 28 or 30 scale guitars?


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

karjim said:


> If it will be your main ax..2228
> If you need a sledge hammer for sometimes in studio or for Meshu style songs then tje M80M
> For reccording the M80M is a tone monster...none guitare can beat this low F for this price.
> Tight.. I mean tight as fvck
> 2228 is more comfy proggy shreddy with a huge range of tones.


I was about to say the same stuff more or less regarding tones!
Totally agree.


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

AxelKay said:


> Again. You can't go wrong with any of the two. But I'm sure you can get a better deal off of the M80M.
> Have you ever played any 28 or 30 scale guitars?



Nope, that's the problem, I don't know if my hand would get used to it or even like it.

On a regular 25.5 I can stretch from the 1st fret to the 5th with my index and pinky if that makes any sense(?)


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

karjim said:


> If it will be your main ax..2228
> If you need a sledge hammer for sometimes in studio or for Meshu style songs then tje M80M
> For reccording the M80M is a tone monster...none guitare can beat this low F for this price.
> Tight.. I mean tight as fvck
> 2228 is more comfy proggy shreddy with a huge range of tones.



Problem is I can't afford a guitar for studio and another for live use hahahah so I kinda need the best of both worlds, I hate being poor :'(


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## ShiftKey (Feb 20, 2015)

^agree as well.


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

EduMusic7 said:


> Nope, that's the problem, I don't know if my hand would get used to it or even like it.
> 
> On a regular 25.5 I can stretch from the 1st fret to the 5th with my index and pinky if that makes any sense(?)



Two things. The first time you played a guitar, it felt like something unexplored. .. now that you DO play the guitar it'll feel a bit different and it'll take some time to adjust. Nothing to worry about. It WILL feel different. 
The other thing you may wanna take in consideration is... have you ever tried playing any 8 strings before? 
If low F's or low E's is just what you're after, you might wanna try any 28 or 30 scale six strings..


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 20, 2015)

AxelKay said:


> Two things. The first time you played a guitar, it felt like something unexplored. .. now that you DO play the guitar it'll feel a bit different and it'll take some time to adjust. Nothing to worry about. It WILL feel different.
> The other thing you may wanna take in consideration is... have you ever tried playing any 8 strings before?
> If low F's or low E's is just what you're after, you might wanna try any 28 or 30 scale six strings..



My band's going for 8 strings also for estetic purposes, we could play those songs on 7's but we tried some Schecters with that tuning (drop A 7 string with the E on the 8th) and we loved it, we use all the string as well, but it was a 26.5 scale guitar, didn't feel that different tho, low E was kinda loose


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## AxelKay (Feb 20, 2015)

EduMusic7 said:


> My band's going for 8 strings also for estetic purposes, we could play those songs on 7's but we tried some Schecters with that tuning (drop A 7 string with the E on the 8th) and we loved it, we use all the string as well, but it was a 26.5 scale guitar, didn't feel that different tho, low E was kinda loose


Then you're golden. An rg2228 or even an m80m won't feel that strange. 
As long as you didn't experience any intonation issues with that low E, then you can keep the schecters. 
As for the aesthetic reasons you mentioned,that's entirely up to you.


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## 7stg (Feb 21, 2015)

The m80m is my main guitar. The scale length may take a little getting used to but it gives some amazing tones.

if you want more versatility do this http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pi...ries-parallel-humbucker-plus-single-coil.html


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## Atomic Kemper (Feb 21, 2015)

Definitely the 2228, despite the m8 design/color appeal, it's more of a bass (30" scale length lol) than a guitar, at least the 2228 has a "nearly normal " guitar neck


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## neurosis (Feb 21, 2015)

Atomic Kemper said:


> Definitely the 2228, despite the m8 design/color appeal, it's more of a bass (30" scale length lol) than a guitar, at least the 2228 has a "nearly normal " guitar neck



I second this. The neck on the RG2228 is a comfortable transition from a seven string to an eight. The same way they got the measurements perfect when designing their first sevens the 2228 is a perfect compromise in my opinion. 

The Meshuggah is a great guitar but I think that if you want something versatile that you will mostly use as an all around live and studio guitar you have more ground covered with the RG2228. 

When i got it I strung it up from a 0.60 gauge in F# to an 0.82 because of the tension prejudice the OP described above. But now I am tuned the same to a comfortable d´Addario 10-74 set. Bends are easy and sound clear, low chords with a low action ring out nicely and riffs resonate with power. The 82 was easier to control but also limited my sustain (for my liking) and sounded too snappy/tinny, almost like a bass.

Get the RG2228 man!


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## AxelKay (Feb 21, 2015)

As the fellow players described above, the rg2228 is more versatile tone-wise. The m80m is thunderous. After all it is what it is: a (much more) affordable meshuggah's guitar (their actual guitar being the m8m). If that's what you're after then pick the m80m. If a great 8 string guitar to play your own songs and style is what you are looking for then get the 2228. Once again I believe that both are excellent instruments.


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## simonXsludge (Feb 22, 2015)

I have both.

If you want quality and playability, get the RG2228. If you want tone, get the M80M.


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## Rational Gaze (Feb 22, 2015)

I think the M80M just overall feels and sounds better out of the box. And talking about versatility, that tone knob is absolutely insane. The guitar has so many dimensions. The clarity and depth the Lundgren pickup provides alone is worth the price of admission. The guitar is also incredibly balanced, it feels awesome to play, is light, and has resonance for days. Something I never felt with the RG2228. The M80M is just a ton of fun, and is powerful as hell.


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## GunnarJames (Feb 22, 2015)

Not sure if it's the same in Panama, but the RG852 is $1,299 new.


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## sevenstringj (Feb 22, 2015)

GunnarJames said:


> Not sure if it's the same in Panama, but the RG852 is $1,299 new.



An added bonus of the RG2228 or M80M, thanks to the locking bridge, is that you don't have to worry about drilling out a tuner hole or unwinding some of the string.


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## s2k9k (Feb 23, 2015)

I would say the RG2228. That Japanese Prestige quality is amazing!


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 23, 2015)

sevenstringj said:


> An added bonus of the RG2228 or M80M, thanks to the locking bridge, is that you don't have to worry about drilling out a tuner hole or unwinding some of the string.



Do you think the RG852 would compare to the RG2228? is there any difference other than the bridge/no locking nut/the form of the head?

If so, then I'm totally buying an RG852!!!


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## EduMusic7 (Feb 23, 2015)

GunnarJames said:


> Not sure if it's the same in Panama, but the RG852 is $1,299 new.



Thanks for the advice m8!!! I'm totally checking it out thanks to you 

btw in Panama we have the same prices for any guitar in the US because we have to order it from the US hahah just add like $60 if the guitar has no case, and like $200 max if the guitar comes with a hardcase, plus shipping.

It SUCKS because minimun wage is like $3 an hour here so buying cool gear is pretty difficult, but we're working on leaving the country eventually


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## thrashmetal85 (Feb 24, 2015)

Played both for many months. The m80m is hands down the better guitar. No contest.


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## GunnarJames (Feb 25, 2015)

EduMusic7 said:


> Do you think the RG852 would compare to the RG2228? is there any difference other than the bridge/no locking nut/the form of the head?
> 
> If so, then I'm totally buying an RG852!!!



You don't get the locking bridge/nut combo, but they come with locking tuners so you'll still have stable tuning. The Gibralter bridge is super comfy, so I wouldn't see the change from the locking bridge as a "loss" really. 

As stated earlier, you may or may not have to drill out the lowest tuning machine depending on what gauge string you go with. I know some people don't like to or are uncomfortable doing it themselves, but I never really saw the fuss in it. 

Otherwise, you're getting the same top notch Prestige quality! Ibanez says that the price difference doesn't reflect a difference in quality, that the reason they're less expensive has to do with the value of the currency in Japan. They're able to build them with the same quality parts, manufacturing techniques, and build quality at a lower cost, so they're passing the savings to their customers. You can find that information in the video from Namm when these came out for those of you who want a source.


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## NorCal_Val (Feb 25, 2015)

thrashmetal85 said:


> Played both for many months. The m80m is hands down the better guitar. No contest.



Now that I've had my M80M for about a month, I agree.


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## NorCal_Val (Feb 26, 2015)

NorCal_Val said:


> Now that I've had my M80M for about a month, I agree.



Addendum: the scale length of the M80M has gotten rid of the issues
I had with the playability/tone of the RGA8.


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## AxelKay (Feb 26, 2015)

NorCal_Val said:


> Addendum: the scale length of the M80M has gotten rid of the issues
> I had with the playability/tone of the RGA8.



Could you please describe those issues? Did you have any intonation problems with the default gauge? I'm thinking of buying an RG8 and I'm seriously interested. I've played both the rg2228 and m80m and apart from the scale difference which is unnoticeable to me and the obvious thunderous output of the m80m, I didn't notice anything "wrong".
Edit:... meaning that both the RG8 and rg2228 are of the same scale measure.


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## MethDetal (Feb 26, 2015)

isn't the M80M a premium model? whereas the 2228 is a prestige model so there will be some QC differences i believe.


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## AxelKay (Feb 26, 2015)

MethDetal said:


> isn't the M80M a premium model? whereas the 2228 is a prestige model so there will be some QC differences i believe.



Nope. The m80m is Indo and the m8m is mij. You are correct on the 2228 though., it is a prestige model.


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## 7stg (Feb 26, 2015)

AxelKay said:


> Could you please describe those issues? Did you have any intonation problems with the default gauge? I'm thinking of buying an RG8 and I'm seriously interested. I've played both the rg2228 and m80m and apart from the scale difference which is unnoticeable to me and the obvious thunderous output of the m80m, I didn't notice anything "wrong".
> Edit:... meaning that both the RG8 and rg2228 are of the same scale measure.



The 27 inch scale 8's don't really have intonation issues, they usually have enough adjustment in the bridge. Which is the adjustment correcting for the increase in pitch that occurs when a string is fretted due to the slight bending of the string that occurs when pushing the string to the fret. Longer scales do require less adjustment.

The benefit of the longer scale of the m80m is reduced inharmonicity, Which is where the overtone frequencies of the note played are out of tune with the fundamental. Higher inharmonicity results in bass notes that have a muddy, buzzy, sound whose pitch is more difficult to discern. Shorter scale lengths and strings that are stiffer and or thicker exhibit higher inharmonicity. 

The reduced inharmonicity of the longer scale gives increased clarity and note definition. For a low F#1, a 30 inch scale will have 32% greater harmonic content and 15% more tension than 28 inch scale guitar. 

Some find that the 27 inch scale doesn't give the clarity they are after. The answer is a longer scale like the m80m or the agile 830.


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## thrashmetal85 (Feb 26, 2015)

MethDetal said:


> isn't the M80M a premium model? whereas the 2228 is a prestige model so there will be some QC differences i believe.



Just because the 2228s are made in Japan, doesn't mean the QC is better or worse. The m80m I own is definitely better made than the rg2228 I was using.


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## Atomic Kemper (Feb 27, 2015)

Get a 7 string


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## octatoan (Feb 27, 2015)

Atomic Kemper said:


> Get a 7 string



obvious troll is obvious, ban plz


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## Tisca (Feb 28, 2015)

I went to test the m80m but after also trying the 700-800&#8364; more expensive 2228 I didn't want the m80m anymore. I think it was more about wood choice (ash vs basswood) than quality.

The 30" scale was surprisingly easy to play. Not a fan of my 27" baritone but the m80m with the bridge further back and subsequently also the nut, it made the 30" feel like less length.


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## simonXsludge (Feb 28, 2015)

thrashmetal85 said:


> Just because the 2228s are made in Japan, doesn't mean the QC is better or worse. The m80m I own is definitely better made than the rg2228 I was using.


It usually does. The people at the Fujigen factory are better trained, the standards are higher. That's a fact. 

And I have had an extremely opposite experience. My RG2228 is untouchable in terms of playability, quality and how well and easy it sets up. My M80M needed a lot of work on the frets and the bridge, it needed a neck shim and had some cosmetic issues on top of everything. None of the Prestiges I own and have owned ever had even one of these issues.

I love the M80M for its tone, but you must have been incredibly unlucky with your 2228, because the M80M doesn't come close to the many Prestiges I have, both in quality _and_ quality control.


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## octatoan (Feb 28, 2015)

And what of the RG852 vs. the RG2228?


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## Guitarjon (Mar 7, 2015)

thrashmetal85 said:


> Just because the 2228s are made in Japan, doesn't mean the QC is better or worse. The m80m I own is definitely better made than the rg2228 I was using.



Exactly the same experience for me....


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