# Hardtail Ibanez, what are the options?



## Zalbu (May 28, 2014)

I have an Ibanez RG1570Z that's starting to fall apart and I've been looking for a new guitar, so I might as well stick to what I know. I don't use the trem often enough to justify the hassle that comes with it, so I'm going to stick to a hardtail this time. 

I don't know a lot about the different hardtails that Ibanez offers on their guitar, but what can you realistically snag for $1000? Is it possible to get a Prestige on that bugdet? I'll probably have to stick to the used market if I do. The RGA121 looks interesting but it looks like it's very difficult to come across. I would prefer a HSH config too but HH isn't a deal breaker.

I'm open to other brands, the Schecter Banshee looks interesting, but I'm not sure if the build quality holds up to a Prestige and I really vibe with the Ibanez necks.


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## Bloody_Inferno (May 28, 2014)

Try to find an RG1451. It's pretty much exactly what you're looking for.


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## valuablemember (May 28, 2014)

The RG652fx seems pretty close to what you're looking for, except it's HH instead of HSH.


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## Whammy (May 28, 2014)

HSH Prestige Ibanez with a Hardtail.

Ibanez RG1451
RG1451 - Ibanez Wiki

Don't know what they go for second hand or how often they come up but it seems to tick all the right boxes for you.







EDIT:
 by Bloody Inferno


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## DarthV (May 28, 2014)

What the hell did you do to your 1570 to have it fall apart? I have a 20+ year old MiJ saber that's still rock solid.

And in before the used rga121 crowd  If you're looking for new, check out the new rg652 prestige. Under $1k new. If you need HSH, rg1451?


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## Zalbu (May 28, 2014)

DarthV said:


> What the hell did you do to your 1570 to have it fall apart? I have a 20+ year old MiJ saber that's still rock solid.
> 
> And in before the used rga121 crowd  If you're looking for new, check out the new rg652 prestige. Under $1k new. If you need HSH, rg1451?


Well, it's not really falling apart but one of the action adjustment screws is worn down and some frets are completely wasted. It's in pretty junky condition overall, but I'm going to get it fixed. Might as well use this as an excuse to fund my GAS because I do need a hardtail 6.

And the RG1451 looks sweet but it'd probably be hard to find


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## MikeH (May 28, 2014)

Well, I found a 1421F on eBay for a sick price.
Ibanez RG 1421 F Prestige 10th Year Anniversary Guitar | eBay

And here's a couple other hard tail Prestige models.
Ibanez FR1620 Prestige Team J Craft | eBay
Ibanez Prestige RGA321F BX Made in Japan Flamed Maple Top RGA 121 420 | eBay
Ibanez RG652FX GK RG Prestige Electric Guitar Case Galaxy Black | eBay

If you aren't opposed to getting one with a trem and having it blocked, that opens up a lot of options for you.


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## 77zark77 (May 28, 2014)

JEM7 EAFX ?


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## kevdes93 (May 28, 2014)

Rga121s pop up pretty often actually. The trick is to wait for a fair priced one. flippers will try and get 1000$ for one but i got mine for 450 practically new and it was one of my favorite guitars ever


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## Zalbu (May 28, 2014)

MikeH said:


> Well, I found a 1421F on eBay for a sick price.
> Ibanez RG 1421 F Prestige 10th Year Anniversary Guitar | eBay
> 
> And here's a couple other hard tail Prestige models.
> ...


I might consider that but my guitar have an Edge Zero and those can't be blocked with a Tremol-no as far as I know. What Ibanez trems can be blocked?


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## aciek_l (May 28, 2014)

I can highly recommend Ibanez RGA 121H. I ordered mine from Japan, and it was deffinitely worth to give it a chance! It's a bit higher model than "regular" RGA. And total cost (guitar, transport, customs...) was about $700.


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## MikeH (May 28, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> I might consider that but my guitar have an Edge Zero and those can't be blocked with a Tremol-no as far as I know. What Ibanez trems can be blocked?



Edge, Edge-II, Edge-III, Edge Pro, and Edge Lo-Pro all can.


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## Jonathan20022 (May 28, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> I might consider that but my guitar have an Edge Zero and those can't be blocked with a Tremol-no as far as I know. What Ibanez trems can be blocked?



Well thankfully you don't have to spend the money on a tremolno 






Just get some pieces of wood and cut/sand them to the right size of each side. Far cheaper and more versatile than a Tremolno and you can simply slide it out if you want to use a floating bridge again!


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## InCasinoOut (May 28, 2014)

kevdes93 said:


> Rga121s pop up pretty often actually. The trick is to wait for a fair priced one. flippers will try and get 1000$ for one but i got mine for 450 practically new and it was one of my favorite guitars ever



Yes, this. I got both of mine for less than $700 in very good condition. Absolutely love these guitars. I've convinced myself that NO, it won't be ridiculous to pick up a third if it pops up.


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## Skrapmetal (May 28, 2014)

I highly recommend the rg652fx and the rga121. I have both (well, rg752fx), and they are amazing. The rg652/752fx's will be highly regarded like the rga121 once they stop producing them... As Ibanez is known to do.


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## gunch (May 28, 2014)

RG652FX if you want new

RG1451/1421 if you want used speaking in strictly Roadstar terms


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## alvaro89 (May 28, 2014)

Jonathan20022 said:


> Well thankfully you don't have to spend the money on a tremolno
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I've got the same in my Jem and I think it's a really good idea, sometimes I'm too lazy to set up the bridge and I put a piece of wood and leave it like a fixed bridge for some time, when I miss it, I just have to remove it and shred again 

That's why I always recommend to buy a "floyd" guitar intend of fixed ones, you can use this trick and have both at the same time..


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## tjh (May 28, 2014)

My RG652 is fantastic. fixed bridge Prestige for 999.00 NEW.


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## toiletstand (May 28, 2014)

1421 was a sweeet ....ing guitar.


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## yellowv (May 28, 2014)

RGA121. There need be no other hardtail Ibby.


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## Zalbu (May 29, 2014)

Jonathan20022 said:


> Well thankfully you don't have to spend the money on a tremolno
> 
> 
> Just get some pieces of wood and cut/sand them to the right size of each side. Far cheaper and more versatile than a Tremolno and you can simply slide it out if you want to use a floating bridge again!


Well, I'm inept when it comes to woodworking and it's hard to find a place where you can saw when you live in a tiny apartment. I think I'll go for a RG652FX since I prefer buying new but I'll be on the lookout for any good deal on the RGA121 or the RG1451. It's neat that the RG652FX have locking tuners, it's just a shame about the pickups though since I use the in between positions for clean tones like 80% of the time.

Does anybody know how thick strings/how much tension it can handle? I use 10-52 now but I've been thinking about trying 12-56 in E standard (which I can't use on my current guitar because it's too much tension for the trem and you can't balance it properly). Can you just slap them on, tweak the truss rod a little and bang away?


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## gunch (May 29, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> Well, I'm inept when it comes to woodworking and it's hard to find a place where you can saw when you live in a tiny apartment. I think I'll go for a RG652FX since I prefer buying new but I'll be on the lookout for any good deal on the RGA121 or the RG1451. It's neat that the RG652FX have locking tuners, it's just a shame about the pickups though since I use the in between positions for clean tones like 80% of the time.



I don't know what Swedish hardware stores are like but couldn't you just get a couple small blocks of wood and a pad of cheap sandpaper? It'd take longer but you could sand the blocks to size.


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## tjh (May 29, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> Does anybody know how thick strings/how much tension it can handle? I use 10-52 now but I've been thinking about trying 12-56 in E standard (which I can't use on my current guitar because it's too much tension for the trem and you can't balance it properly). Can you just slap them on, tweak the truss rod a little and bang away?



I currently run 10-52 in drop C on mine but I have no doubts the 12s would work just fine. I had to make zero adjustments going from the stock 10s, maybe a slight truss adjustment going to 12s. This is the great thing about hardtails, for the most part everything will just work. 

Here's a pic of my 652 with EMG 66/57. I freakin love it.


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## GBH14 (May 30, 2014)

yellowv said:


> RGA121. There need be no other hardtail Ibby.



Except the FR series....


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## broj15 (May 30, 2014)

MikeH said:


> Well, I found a 1421F on eBay for a sick price.
> Ibanez RG 1421 F Prestige 10th Year Anniversary Guitar | eBay
> 
> 
> ...



man I'm eyeing that as well. need to feed that RG gas.


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## s4tch (May 30, 2014)

MikeH said:


> And here's a couple other hard tail Prestige models.
> Ibanez FR1620 Prestige Team J Craft | eBay
> Ibanez Prestige RGA321F BX Made in Japan Flamed Maple Top RGA 121 420 | eBay



Both are terrific value, especially this RGA. By no means the RG652 is a bad guitar, but if you can get an RGA321 for less (and in a pretty good shape, too), it's no contest for me.

I'd also throw in the S-Classic series. Mahogany body, 25,1" scale, fixed bridge, HH config, nice C-shaped neck, and MIJ: a basic, lightweight, quality guitar for chips (they sell around $200-500). The scale lenght might not be for everybody, and the frets are rather medium than jumbo, otherwise I preferred mine to my RGA121.


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## yuvioh (May 30, 2014)

I would also prefer the rga121 but since it's a discontinued model I would try the s5521q, just one of their 2014 models and can possibly be a good alternative than having to look for a used rga121.


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## GBH14 (May 30, 2014)

yuvioh said:


> I would also prefer the rga121 but since it's a discontinued model I would try the s5521q, just one of their 2014 models and can possibly be a good alternative than having to look for a used rga121.



Good shout - although I would definitely go for the other finish!


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## will_shred (May 30, 2014)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> Try to find an RG1451. It's pretty much exactly what you're looking for.


 

RG1421F >>>>>> 1451. 

In my opinion at least. The 1421 has a flame maple top, and comes in more interesting finsihes than just black. That's if OP can find one, I think there were less than 2000 made.


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## bifftannen (Jun 3, 2014)

MikeH said:


> Well, I found a 1421F on eBay for a sick price.
> Ibanez RG 1421 F Prestige 10th Year Anniversary Guitar | eBay
> 
> And here's a couple other hard tail Prestige models.
> ...


 
That 1421 is an obscene price. If I was the OP and in the U.S. I'd jump on that right now even though I bought an RGT3120 just yesterday.

OP - Look into the MIJ S-Classic series, you can find them super cheap on the bay and they're tremless. Also, there's the MIJ RG451. 

You don't have to buy a tremolno there are a few different super cheap (as in a couple of dollars) DIY methods of blocking a trem so I wouldn't rule out the trem equipped axes altogether....A nice RG3120, say, then block it.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jun 4, 2014)

will_shred said:


> RG1421F >>>>>> 1451.
> 
> In my opinion at least. The 1421 has a flame maple top, and comes in more interesting finsihes than just black. That's if OP can find one, I think there were less than 2000 made.


 
I chose the RG1451 over the 1421 as the OP prefered a HSH config. Cosmetics ain't everything.

Of course that's all moot as HH is still an option for the OP and everybody else has ended up recommending a HH RG/RGA anyway.


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## Zalbu (Jun 11, 2014)

I might as well bump this tread, but I've seen Paul Gilbert play a PGM301 but with a HSS config, has this guitar ever been released officially? It'd probably be way expensive and rare, but it has really caught my attention.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jun 11, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> I might as well bump this tread, but I've seen Paul Gilbert play a PGM301 but with a HSS config, has this guitar ever been released officially? It'd probably be way expensive and rare, but it has really caught my attention.


 
The HSS PGM wasn't a production model, just a custom for Paul. 

If you're gonna try to recreate that, you can either get an RG1451 and get a custom HSS pickguard, or get one of these and block the trem. 






Unfortunately, that's a Japan exclusive model, so once again, the RG1451 would be my personal recommendation.


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## broj15 (Jun 11, 2014)

will_shred said:


> RG1421F >>>>>> 1451.
> 
> In my opinion at least. The 1421 has a flame maple top, and comes in more interesting finsihes than just black. That's if OP can find one, I think there were less than 2000 made.



they made 120 of each color (trans black and trans blue).


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## perttime (Jun 14, 2014)

For something a bit different 

There's Ibanez AR series. Might be too different if you are used to RG, though.

Electric Guitars - AR Series | Ibanez guitars


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