# Ibanez AX7221 - is it shite?



## Jan (Feb 6, 2007)

Ibanez AX7221 is actually a mahogany-bodied guitar and it's really cheap. I thought I might buy it as a backup to my RG 7421XL and then possibly equipp it with a SD JB Sh4... But isn't the very guitar crappy? I mean for the price...
Thanks


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## sakeido (Feb 6, 2007)

People really love the sound of those things. I kind of like how they look, too. I remember a thread on here awhile ago where people were saying how great of a deal they are.


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## THE VILE (Feb 6, 2007)

If memory serves me the AX7221/7521 was the first 7 string I ever put my hands on. I don't know the spec's off the top of my head but I do remember the width of the neck being rather wide compared to other Ibanez 7's. At that time the width was the only gripe I had about it.


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## mefrommiddleearth (Feb 6, 2007)

there pickups have a bad reputation they are reputedly neck heavy there made in china whether or not that makes you think it's likley to be bad quality is a matter of opinion some people think there ugly and the neck on them is reputedly not as good as the AX7521 please take note that I'm mearly repeating what I've seen writen and you really need to get a hold of one yourself and talk to some people that have owned them


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## Rick (Feb 6, 2007)

It's actually not bad. It was the first 7 I bought and I sold it to get the 7421 I used to have. Then I actually won another one in a contest and sold it because I had already purchased my 7420. I thought it would be a good idea to keep it as a backup but I like the Wizard neck too much to keep it.


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## ohmanthisiscool (Feb 7, 2007)

The AX7221 was the first 7 I ever bought. I loved it and then hated it for some reason that escapes me. I do remeber it being neck heavy but I like the toggle switch Tom Morello action it had. I sold it and now regret it because I want a hardtail 7, only thing is that its a 24.5 scale and I want a hardtail so I can mess with some lower 7 string tunings. oh well


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## Shawn (Feb 7, 2007)

I never cared for the shape of the AXs and I remember playing one that was neck heavy way back when they first came out. I later tried out a friend of mine's AX 7 and I started to like it a little more. They're not all that bad.


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## JPMDan (Feb 7, 2007)

if I were to buy one it would definitely be a AX7521, its made in Japan and looks a bit more better IMO.


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## Christopher (Feb 7, 2007)

I just bought one here off Rev2010 for a backup and it's actually pretty cool. I could only guess how bad the set up was new but besides it needing a little neck shimming, it's fairly solid. I can't comment on the stock pickups, mine had a JB7 in it, which rocks.


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## noodles (Feb 7, 2007)

I had one for about a month.

--The neck was a baseball bat.
--Upper fret access was non-existent.
--It neck dove like a bitch.
--The pickups sucked.
--The tuners were crap.
--The 24.75" scale made it sound too muddy.


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## Aaron (Feb 7, 2007)

noodles said:


> I had one for about a month.
> 
> --The neck was a baseball bat.
> --Upper fret access was non-existent.
> ...



all the ingridiants for poop; 24.5" scale wtf?


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## Jason (Feb 7, 2007)

mefrommiddleearth said:


> there pickups have a bad reputation they are reputedly neck heavy *there made in china *whether or not that makes you think it's likley to be bad quality is a matter of opinion some people think there ugly and the neck on them is reputedly not as good as the AX7521 please take note that I'm mearly repeating what I've seen writen and you really need to get a hold of one yourself and talk to some people that have owned them



Are you sure?  I didn't think Ibanez had any chinese guitars..


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## mefrommiddleearth (Feb 7, 2007)

.jason. said:


> Are you sure?  I didn't think Ibanez had any chinese guitars..



pretty sure though for the life of me I can't remember where I read I dunno maybe I've just lost it but I'm sure I saw it somewhere in a thread on this site.


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## Jason (Feb 7, 2007)

http://www.jemsite.com/ibanez/spec_ib7.htm

this says china..


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## ibzrg1570 (Feb 7, 2007)

more likely indonesia, but i know they make some of their acoustics in china.


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## NiMH (Feb 8, 2007)

noodles said:


> I had one for about a month.
> 
> --The neck was a baseball bat.
> --Upper fret access was non-existent.
> ...



+ the guitar is uglier than most cardinal sins.


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## siggy14 (Feb 9, 2007)

And he got the guitar from me, basicaly I loved the tone, hated the baseball bat. Neck dive was never a big thing for me, i thought it was balanced ok, could have been a little bit better.



noodles said:


> I had one for about a month.
> 
> --The neck was a baseball bat.
> --Upper fret access was non-existent.
> ...


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## budda (Feb 9, 2007)

i dont see why it'd be bad. it'd be like every other non-handmade guitar out there, as its made in the same place by the same machines. I'd get one, if the body style is your thing.


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## Metahedron (Feb 13, 2007)

I purchased one aproximately a month ago as a "back-up" guitar. Admittedly, the pickups are miserable, but the balance problem is remarkably simple to resolve...
All you have to do is remove the strap button from the upper wing and screw it directly into the center of the four neck bolts(a failure to do so is just lazy or uninformed, I estimate it is a 2-15 minute procedure, and it will cure neck dives outright). A point should be made of the fact that it has 22 frets, and enables an arguably better tone if you invest some into new pickups. If you are to feel the neck too wide and the electronics to any degree difficult for you to exchange, it will never produce satisfactory results, but otherwise I feel it is a perfectly sound decision.
Appearances are always a matter of taste, but I enjoy its aesthetic, it comparable to a Gibson Ripper Bass if you are familiar, but most compare it to an SG for its contours or a double cut Les Paul for its silhouette. The metallic grey you most frequently see it in isn't particularly flattering in photography, but it is no bother to me(though I will be custom painting mine and giving it a Les Paul pickguard).


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## Drew (Feb 13, 2007)

Aaron said:


> all the ingridiants for poop; 24.5" scale wtf?



It's what Gibson uses, which is what this is targeted at. 

Is it crap? sure, but it's also dirt cheap, and if you're just looking for a cheap backup axe for rhythm guitar then one of these with a JB in the bridge probably isn't half bad - it's certianly up there with anything else ou'll find for the price.


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## skinhead (Feb 13, 2007)

sakeido said:


> People really love the sound of those things. I kind of like how they look, too. I remember a thread on here awhile ago where people were saying how great of a deal they are.



I like the shape of the guitar, but for all the comments here, the guitar seems to be a shit.

One of these was here in Argentina on Deremate.com (like Ebay), and it was something like 550 dollars with an EMG707. All the people want it because was an accesible 7 string guitar and the guitar that Wes Borland "used".


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## jradhow (Aug 24, 2008)

i know this is an old thread, but i just joined these forums. 

this model is the first 7 string i bought back in 2001. its ben my main guitar sence. i love the neck scale because its a 24.5 inch scale. im not a big fan of larger scales. im also dead set against tremelos i never use them. i can allways hear the springs vibrating in the body. this is another factor on why i bought this guitar. i will have to say for the $500 i paid, it was well worth it. there are some things i always wanted to change but just never got to it. for some reason it only came in one color, and i wish it had black harware. im currently thinking of putting some EMG 707's in it and haveing a new body made like my double cutaway Epiphone les pual. if i ever had a custum 7 string made it would be based off this model, but of course i would fine tune some things.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Aug 24, 2008)

I think the AX7221 and the 7321 are tied for the worst feeling guitars I've EVER played.


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## gunshow86de (Aug 24, 2008)

Yeah, that guitar was god awful. The pickups were not well matched, it had bad tuners and a gigantic body. The thick neck wasn't so bothersome for me since I am a very large gentleman with big hands. Luckily, for the short time I owned it, all I did was play chugga chugga rhythms. Any lead playing on this was slow, if not impossible.


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## Gone_in_the_Wires (Aug 24, 2008)

The 7521 is a japanese mahogany guitar with the V7/8 pickups. The 7221 is an indonesian entry model. Different beasts. The 7521 I have is a fast player too, and various other guitarists I have encountered who have tried it liked it. The 7221 doesn't share that fate. I wired an EMG 707 to 18V and have it in the bridge, really nasty sound and its clear.

What seems to have happened is the RG and S dominated the sales for the higher end models and the AX became a line for the economy models. Sad, because the 7521 still has a loyal fan base!


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## JJ Rodriguez (Aug 24, 2008)

To me it's not tuners or shitty pickups that make a guitar shitty. Pickups and tuners, and crap hardware, in general can be switched out easy enough. It just feels cheap. I don't know how to explain it, you pick it up, and it feels like a toy. I have an LTD F-250, and the hardware on that is worse than ANY Ibanez I have ever picked up, yet it's a keeper because overall the guitar feels decent.


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## Stitch (Aug 24, 2008)

I really fancy a 7521SOL, but finding one is proving challenging. There numbers seem much fewer.


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## TMM (Aug 24, 2008)

I just bought my 4th AX7521, and I've gotta say, all 4 were great guitars. (this one's SOL, btw  )


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## ZeroSignal (Aug 24, 2008)

TMM said:


> I just bought my 4th AX7521, and I've gotta say, all 4 were great guitars. (this one's SOL, btw  )



Pics?


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## st2012 (Aug 24, 2008)

My first 7 was a 7221 and it was pretty crap. Ok for rhythm but everything else was pretty horrible IMO.


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## bulletbass man (Aug 24, 2008)

THe ax7521 is much better. But still the neck isn't very good imo. Better off with a 7321 or 7421.


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## jradhow (Aug 24, 2008)

wow, i didnt think i would find so many people that hate this guitar. i will admit it is a lower end model. im not rich i cant go out and buy a very expensive guitar. ill modify low end models through time before spending a foutune. most guitars just need some minor work to play beutifull.

when i was about to purchace this guitar i did notice the set up was terible, buzzing frets, and high action. i had the music store have it get a fret file before i would buy it. its played beutifull for me sence. i guess im not as picky as most players. im also not a metal guitarist anymore so the look of it appealed to me more than the typical ibanez. 

happy bashing, and have a good day.


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## HotRodded7321 (Aug 24, 2008)

It was my first 7....I loved it. Swap the pickups and get it setup, makes a great backup or rhythm guitar. Yeah, it's cheap, but it's not as terrible as most would make it out to be.


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## twiztedchild (Aug 25, 2008)

jradhow said:


> wow, i didnt think i would find so many people that hate this guitar. i will admit it is a lower end model. im not rich i cant go out and buy a very expensive guitar. ill modify low end models through time before spending a foutune. most guitars just need some minor work to play beutifull.
> 
> when i was about to purchace this guitar i did notice the set up was terible, buzzing frets, and high action. i had the music store have it get a fret file before i would buy it. its played beutifull for me sence. i guess im not as picky as most players. im also not a metal guitarist anymore so the look of it appealed to me more than the typical ibanez.
> 
> happy bashing, and have a good day.



I liked it I owned 2 of them the first was in bad shape though I got the second one from a pawn shop for $150 and it was better then the first I had. It was my first 7 string also. I think they are good if you dont drop tune like it seems everyone on this site does


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## Stitch (Aug 25, 2008)

TMM said:


> I just bought my 4th AX7521, and I've gotta say, all 4 were great guitars. (this one's SOL, btw  )



Asshole! How much did it set you back?


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## ax7221 (Apr 4, 2009)

mefrommiddleearth said:


> there pickups have a bad reputation they are reputedly neck heavy there made in china whether or not that makes you think it's likley to be bad quality is a matter of opinion some people think there ugly and the neck on them is reputedly not as good as the AX7521 please take note that I'm mearly repeating what I've seen writen and you really need to get a hold of one yourself and talk to some people that have owned them


 

I own one of this beautifull and unique guitar and it's not made in china !They are Made in Indonesia!
I like this guitar!To bad ibanez disscontinued this guitar instead of improving it!I wish I could compare this guitar with an ax7521 !

stay 



Jason said:


> 7 String Specs - RG w/ Tremolo
> 
> this says china..


 
They are wrong!...probably cause they never owned one!

It is Made in Indonesia see headstock







other pictures here => http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/members/ax7221-albums-ibanez-ax7221-grey-pewter.html


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## Ckackley (Apr 4, 2009)

I've got a 7221 . Our Rhythm guitarist still uses it as her main. Not a bad guitar by any means. The biggest issue I had was the neck dive (easily fixed) and the short neck. I've got real long arms and tend to not enjoy playing 22 fret short scale guitars as it makes me feel like a T-rex. It fits her perfectly . 
The necks a bit bigger than than my 1527 or even my 7321 but for the price it kicks ass.


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## ax7221 (Apr 4, 2009)

Ckackley said:


> I've got a 7221 . Our Rhythm guitarist still uses it as her main. Not a bad guitar by any means. The biggest issue I had was the neck dive (easily fixed) and the short neck. I've got real long arms and tend to not enjoy playing 22 fret short scale guitars as it makes me feel like a T-rex. It fits her perfectly .
> The necks a bit bigger than than my 1527 or even my 7321 but for the price it kicks ass.


 





ZeroSignal said:


> Pics?


 
here are some pics of mine 

Sevenstring.org - ax7221's Album: Ibanez AX7221 Grey Pewter

This guitar it's not as terrible as most would make it out to be.With a few tweaks and changes it has a personality!

PEACE


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## Ckackley (Apr 4, 2009)

One other thing I forgot to mention . The finish seems more durable than other Ibanez's . I've bumped, banged,dropped and done other horrible things to that guitar and the finish has never flaked. My 1527 however seems to lose paint every time I brush up against something.


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## ZeroSignal (Apr 4, 2009)

I have one and it's a great little player. Everyone said that the neck is horrible but it has more in common with the RG1527 than a Wizard-II. The only issues I have with it is that the hardware is a bit crap, no upper fret access and there seems to be a nearly dead fret on the 13th position high E string. Not really a big deal since I only paid $125USD for it. 

All in all, a good little player and I think I'll be hanging onto it.


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## DevinShidaker (Apr 6, 2009)

nice bump lol


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## Scali (Apr 6, 2009)

Ckackley said:


> One other thing I forgot to mention . The finish seems more durable than other Ibanez's . I've bumped, banged,dropped and done other horrible things to that guitar and the finish has never flaked. My 1527 however seems to lose paint every time I brush up against something.


 
I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that the RG1527 is basswood, which is a softer, more porous wood than the mahogany of the AX.


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## ZeroSignal (Apr 6, 2009)

Scali said:


> I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that the RG1527 is basswood, which is a softer, more porous wood than the mahogany of the AX.



No it doesn't. The RG1527's top sparkly blue coat of paint is stupidly thin. It's very easy to chip that off and reveal the white undercoat (maybe that's the basswood but it sure as hell doesn't look like it ).

EDIT: Actually, I know it's the undercoat because my old RG7621 had the same thing. Tougher paint though.


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## guitarplayerone (Apr 6, 2009)

jradhow said:


> i know this is an old thread, but i just joined these forums.
> 
> this model is the first 7 string i bought back in 2001. its ben my main guitar sence. i love the neck scale because its a 24.5 inch scale. im not a big fan of larger scales. im also dead set against tremelos i never use them. i can allways hear the springs vibrating in the body. this is another factor on why i bought this guitar. i will have to say for the $500 i paid, it was well worth it. there are some things i always wanted to change but just never got to it. for some reason it only came in one color, and i wish it had black harware. im currently thinking of putting some EMG 707's in it and haveing a new body made like my double cutaway Epiphone les pual. if i ever had a custum 7 string made it would be based off this model, but of course i would fine tune some things.



500 bucks is a bit steep for that guitar imo


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## univave (Apr 7, 2009)

I grabbed an AX7221 off craigslist for a whopping $80. Yeah, it had a bunch of cracks in the paint and a couple of divots too. Since I've never been a fan of "battleship gray" paint and since a little research had told me that the body was mahogany, I decided to refinish the body.

After stripping the incredibly thick paint and some sanding, I stained the body and hit it with a clear-coat. Now it looks great (check my sig pic for a b4 & after) and weighs a good pound less than it did before. Although this did make the neck heaviness even more pronounced, moving the strap peg fixed that.

New tuners, a good set-up and a new set of strings made a huge difference too. While it's true that the neck is about as wide as Main Street, I got used to it pretty quick. Now I like this guitar a lot and I wouldn't part with it! I'm thinking of adding an Ibanez "Drop-D tuner" that I have from an old GAX75 to the D string, so I can play 4-string power chords.

The AX7221 is the only 7 string I own, but I've played several other peoples' 7s and my 7221 stands up well against almost all of them. Well, there was that $2,500 beauty that liked a lot better... but for the money, I think that AX7221 is GREAT!


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