Best Ibanez Under $400 RGAR42MFMT
This guitar got me thinking about an article I could write. It brings me back to all the of the people that talk about how you need to have a certain amount invested in gear. It’s always been a crazy concept to me because guitars of all things are one thing I generally don’t spend a lot of money on. Sure I have a couple of costly ones, but mostly those hold some sort of value to me that isn’t attached to the higher end parts they include. Think my Jason Becker Kiesel JB24 for example. I am a huge fan of Jason and the look of that guitar. When Jeff Kiesel put that tribute out I knew I had to have it. But not because of “Tone Woods” or some sort of next generation ergonomics. Just cuz it was bad ass.
The First Day With The RGAR42MFMT
When I got the Ibanez RGAR42MFMT I purchased it as a scratch and dent from MusiciansFriend.com with the plan being to strip it down and send it to a buddy who’s uncle has done some iconic 80’s guitar airbrush work. It was cheap and had a maple fret-board which was right up my alley. But upon opening it I was shocked at how great this finish was on a very budget friendly Indonesian built guitar. The Wizard III neck was blazing, the matte blue finish was gorgeous. I knew as soon as it came out of the box this couldn’t be a donor body for my airbrush experiment. My only immediate grip was the pickups.
The body is loaded in an HH configuration and wired up with Ibanez Quantum pickups. I’ve been spanked a couple times for saying I don’t like the quantums but to each their own. So out they went and in went a Seymour Duncan SH-1N 59 in the Neck and a Duncan SH-5 custom in the bridge. I had my buddy I affectionately refer to as Captain Inzaneo wire them up for me and also included some white speed knobs. All was right with the world. I have done a bunch of stuff with this guitar including this cover of Motley Crue’s Home Sweet Home.
Home Sweet Home Cover
And really all IS right with the world with that guitar. I have a no shortage of original 80’s RG550’s, some Charvels, BC Rich’s, S-Series Ibanez’s and this lil $400 special will pull it’s weight. As a matter of fact I honestly prefer it to a lot of my other guitars. One thing I am dying to do however is white out the rest of the hardware. Which has been an impossible venture so far. I have looked high and low for a vendor that would either sell me replacement parts in white or refinish what I have. That being said if I was to go that direction I would likely swap out the Ibanez Standard DL Trem with a legit Floyd Rose or whatever I could put in there as an upgrade. But I be all over this thing with white hardware.
I did a follow up video on this guitar because it has been one of my most viewed videos and the one that has brought me the most questions. I also really enjoy flying the flag in the face of those that push the cork sniffer attitude about gear. This guitar is proof that you don’t need to spend 2k and up on guitars to get something that isn’t just workable but great. But it’s also proof that it is possible but not the rule. There is still garbage at this price point but also garbage and 2x 3x the price. So your mileage may vary. But this one is a keeper. So much so I may even grab me a purple one.
The RGAR42MFMT Follow Up
