8 Best Ibanez Guitars of 2024

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Ibanez has carved out a name for themselves as a distinctive brand whose instruments are beautifully designed and impressively playable. If you're wondering what to buy as your next guitar or even your first guitar, then there are a lot of valid reasons to consider going with an Ibanez.

With such an extensive array of products out there, taking the first step toward choosing a new guitar is often difficult. Fortunately, we've saved you some time by ranking the seven best Ibanez guitars and telling you which kinds of players they'll appeal to most.

Our number one choice, the Ibanez Genesis Collection RG550, exemplifies the company's unique stylings. It's well-crafted for top-notch performance.

Complete with a buyers guide and FAQ section, this article will teach you everything you need to know about Ibanez, so you can find out if they have a guitar that will satisfy all your needs as a musician.

There's a lot to love about these guitars, so let's dig in! Make sure to your research and check out other intermediate electric guitars.

Best Ibanez Guitars

1. Overall Best Value – Ibanez Genesis Collection RG550

SPECS

• Price: $999
• Pickups: Humbucker and single-coil

The Ibanez Genesis Collection RG550 is an absolute beast of a guitar. It captures just about everything there is to love about Ibanez guitars—and really just guitars in general. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned veteran on the guitar, you'll find something to love about this instrument.

We all want a guitar that looks good, sounds good, and feels good to play. The Genesis RG550 checks all those boxes and even has a level of versatility that most other guitars lack.

Let's start with the build. As a modern reissue of a line of guitars from the 80s, the Genesis Collection combines both classic and modern aesthetic sensibilities.

Shredders and rockers of all kinds have long gravitated to the sleek design of Ibanez guitars. They're clean and simple, yet just edgy enough to make anything you play look cool.

But how do they sound? When it comes to the Ibanez Genesis RG550, there's more than one answer to that question. In terms of tone control, this is one of the most versatile guitars out there.

It's all thanks to the combination of two humbucker pickups with one single-coil pickup in the middle—something you don't see often! (This is known as an HSH pickup configuration.)

This guitar has the same style of five-way selector switch that we're used to seeing on other guitars like the world-famous Fender Stratocaster. But the Ibanez has three different types of pickups to choose from (V7 Humbucker, S1 Single-coil, and V8 Humbucker), making it even more versatile than the Strat and other models like it.

With an ultra-fast Super Wizard neck, you'll be able to bust out all your favorite riffs with ease, no matter your playing style.

This may be the overall best Ibanez guitar, but there are many other great options out there. Let's explore more.

2. Best for First-Time Buyers – Ibanez RG Standard RG450DX Electric Guitar

SPECS

• Price: $449
• Pickups: Humbucker and single-coil

There are different schools of thought when it comes to buying a guitar for the first time. How much to spend, whether to buy new or used, electric or acoustic—all these are valid considerations.

We think the Ibanez RG Standard RG450DX is the perfect entry-level electric guitar. You won't have to compromise anything in the name of budget because this guitar can compete with other top-of-the-line guitars, at a relatively more affordable price point.

It's beginner-friendly because of its slim maple neck, jumbo frets, and simple yet robust tone controls. But at the same time, it's suitable for expert players as well, so you won't need to replace it and upgrade to something better once you start playing trickier riffs.

We generally think buying an ultra-budget guitar for a beginner is a bad idea since the reduced playability punishes the new player for their inexperience. Instead, go with a quality instrument like the RG450DX. The playing experience will be less frustrating from the start, and it won't need to be replaced later on.

If you take great care of the RG450DX, there's a high chance it could be the only electric guitar you'll ever need. It particularly appeals to metalheads and rock fans because of its fast action and eye-catching design.

If you have dreams of being a rock star, this guitar will definitely allow you to bring them to life. The lightweight build will make power stances and stunts a breeze to pull off on stage.

The double-locking tremolo bridge maintains intonation well, which is something that is very important for players of all experience levels.

There aren't many guitars out there that have this level of performance and versatility at this price point. We highly recommend giving the Ibanez RG Standard RG450DX a try!

3. Best 7-String Guitar – Ibanez QX527PB 7-string Electric Guitar

SPECS

• Price: $1,199
• Pickups: Humbuckers

7-string guitars are tailor-made for highly technical genres like metal, djent, or jazz fusion. They've also been gaining popularity in the guitar community in recent years, thanks to the increasing prevalence of groups like Animals as Leaders and Polyphia.

Although we wouldn't recommend 7-string guitars for newer players, they can be a great way to expand your range for more experienced players. They also open up more doors for chord inversions and expressions.

The Ibanez QX527PB 7-string Electric Guitar is an exceptional instrument in a number of ways, and for those with the budget for it, we can't recommend it highly enough.

Ibanez's necks have a uniquely slim design, which is partly why so many 7-string players love them. With a wider neck to accommodate the extra string, it helps to have Ibanez's shallow neck width so that you can fit your whole hand around the neck for barre chords and large intervals.

The QX527PB has a beautiful maple neck with slanted frets, further increasing players' dexterity when it comes to tricky riffs and chord shapes. The headless design with custom-made locking tuners below the bridge not only looks attention-grabbing, it also keeps intonation very well.

It boasts two humbucking pickups that deliver truly impressive definition and articulation. Ibanez's dyna-MIX10 switching system yields 10 different possible pickup combinations. This level of clarity and versatility is exactly what you want from a guitar designed for technical genres.

Give the Ibanez QX527PB 7-string Electric Guitar a try if you want to wow everybody with its tone, playability, and impeccable craftsmanship.

4. Best Ibanez Acoustic Guitar – Ibanez AW54 - Open Pore Natural

SPECS

• Price: $229
• Body: Okoume body

Ibanez is not particularly known for their acoustic guitars, at least not to the same extent as their electric guitars. What they are known for is making quality midrange budget instruments.

That's exactly what you'll get with the Ibanez AW54 - Open Pore Natural acoustic guitar. This is a durable, well-made acoustic guitar that won't break the bank. We think that taking everything into account, it is the best value of all their acoustics.

With a solid okoume top, back, and sides, this artwood guitar packs a punch with its natural sound projection. You'll love the clarity of the notes, as well as the impressive volume you'll be able to achieve without any amplification.

We also love the rosewood fingerboard that makes it a breeze to play with dynamics and sustain.

The open finish gives it a nice rustic appearance, with a body shape that looks right at home next to other iconic acoustic guitars like Taylors and Martins.

There's not much more to say about the AW54; it looks and sounds beautiful and comes with a much lower price tag than most comparable competitors. Thanks to its solid construction, it is also durable enough to take on the road or use in the studio.

If you have a chance to sit down and try it out, you'll most likely be impressed that you can get such a beautiful tone from such an affordable guitar. In addition, take a look at another acoustic guitar from Ibanez in our Ibanez GA35TCE review.

5. Best Semi-Hollow Guitar – Ibanez Artcore Expressionist AS93FM Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

SPECS

• Price: $699
• Pickups: Humbucker

Semi-hollow guitars have been considered premium products ever since they were first invented by Gibson back in the 1950s. They provide a rich, full tone with more natural sustain than solid-body electric guitars.

Since semi-hollow bodies also come with considerations that solid bodies don't have, it's important to find a semi-hollow that is exceptionally well-made. Fortunately, the Ibanez Artcore Expressionist AS93FM Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar is definitely a top contender in this category.

The Artcore Expressionist continues Ibanez's tradition of making exceptionally well-performing instruments that are priced lower than their competitors. While many semi-hollow guitars will cost multiple thousands of dollars, the Artcore Expressionist can go head-to-head with them for a fraction of the price.

The Super 58 humbucking pickups pair well with the meticulously crafted maple body to create a warm tone that semi-hollow guitarists will love. The vibrations in the body really beef up the tone, giving it a rich quality that is hard to achieve with a standard guitar.

The center wood block inside the body also cuts down on the unwanted feedback that can sometimes occur with conventional hollow-body guitars. This is a nice touch since Ibanez guitars are known for pairing well with high-gain tones.

This guitar is a fantastic choice for intermediate to advanced-level players looking to specialize in classic rock, jazz, or anything that calls for an exceptionally thick tone. Its natural sustain makes it a great choice for soloing and riffing as well.

6. Best for Heavy Genres – Ibanez Prestige RG5121

SPECS

• Price: $1,799
• Pickups: Fishman Fluence humbucking pickups

If you're a heavy music fan who's looking into Ibanez guitars, then you're in good company. Fans of metal, rock, and hardcore have turned to Ibanez for decades because they design their guitars to be especially playable, even for extremely fast or technical riffs.

So in reality, all these guitars are suitable for heavy genres. But if you want the absolute king of the mountaintop for heavy music, then let us introduce you to the Ibanez Prestige RG5121.

This is one of the best metal guitars ever made. Period. Let's start with the build. The shape of the body and headstock look sleek and aggressive, making it perfect for rock music. We also love the lightweight build that gives you more flexibility on stage.

With a 24-fret fingerboard, slim neck, and incredibly low and precise action, this guitar is about as good as it gets when it comes to technical playing. Sweep picking, hammer-ons, lightning-fast riffs—they're all possible thanks to Ibanez's impressive design that prioritizes playability above all else.

But what really puts the Prestige RG5121 a cut above its competition is its pickups. Fishman Fluence humbucking pickups are the holy grail for high-gain tones, the kind you hear all over metalcore, progressive rock, and hardcore punk albums.

These Fishman pickups are renowned for their ability to do what humbuckers do best: buck the hum. You can crank up the distortion, overdrive, or crunch as much as you want without causing any unwanted feedback or noise in your signal.

This makes the Prestige RG5121 ideal for recording crystal-clear guitar parts or playing them live alongside your drummer and bassist. You'll hear exactly what you want to hear, and nothing you don't want to hear.

There's also a switch to toggle between two distinctly different tone profiles for each pickup. This combined with the three-way blade pickup switch makes for a plethora of different tone possibilities. And all of them will maintain their articulation even with high-gain settings.

If you're looking to spend around two grand on your next guitar, just buy this one instead and use the extra $200 to buy drinks for all the groupies you're sure to attract with it.

7. Best Budget-Friendly Guitar – Ibanez Gio GRX70QA Electric Guitar

SPECS

• Price: $199
• Pickups: 2 humbuckers, 1 single-coil

The Gio GRX70QA Ibanez Electric Guitar Proves cheap guitars can still make the cut.

Ibanez must be using cheat codes to be able to offer a guitar this good for a price this low. The Gio GRX70QA isn't just the best budget-friendly Ibanez guitar; it's one of the best budget electric guitars on the market!

For one thing, it doesn't even look the part of a cheap guitar. The Gio has a well-constructed poplar body and comes with several different gorgeous paint jobs to choose from (we particularly like the "transparent blue burst" variant).

With Infinity Ceramic Pickups (2 humbuckers and 1 single coil), this guitar comes packed with a lot of tone control capabilities. It can handle clean tones or distorted tones with ease, making it suitable for just about any genre of music.

Ibanez encourages players to use the five-way pickup selector switch and tone knob to explore around and find the tone settings they like best. This goes for first-time buyers and seasoned pros alike.

Since it's only a $200 investment, this guitar is perfect for gigging and touring on the road. Its lightweight build also adds to its portability.

Normally we wouldn't recommend spending only $200 on an electric guitar, but the Ibanez Gio GRX70QA is a shining exception. As a brand already known for its affordability, Ibanez really outdid themselves this time.

8. Best Ibanez Bass Guitar – Ibanez Premium SR2600 Bass Guitar

SPECS

• Price: $1,699
• Pickups: Active single-coil
• Features: 3-band EQ

While not as budget-friendly as some of Ibanez's other bass guitars, the SR2600 is simply such an incredible instrument that we had to give it the spot for best bass guitar.

For 99% of bass players, this bass guitar will have everything you want and more. With active and passive capabilities, it can deliver any bass guitar sound that your session calls for.

You can make use of its 3-band EQ for tone shaping, or switch it to the passive setting and let your amp take care of it. The pickup blend knob allows for even more precise tone control than a pickup selector switch.

The mahogany body has a beautiful gloss finish that is in line with Ibanez's tradition of eye-catching instruments. The gold tuning pegs are a nice touch as well.

Overall, Premium SR2600 Bass Guitars look and sound amazing, with enough tone control to reliably see you through any situation.

Best Ibanez Guitars Buyer's Guide

Any time you look into purchasing musical instruments, there are certain considerations to keep in mind.

One of them is brand reputation, and fortunately, if you go with an Ibanez guitar, that box will already be checked for you. Let's look at some of the other most important things to keep in mind in your search for your next guitar.

No matter what guitar you buy, these are good things to keep in mind.

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Looking for guitars for a smaller guitar player? Check out these short scale guitars.

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Budget

Budget is something to consider for any purchase. Guitars are available at vastly different budgets, so it's best to determine your ideal price range upfront so that you can find a guitar that meets your needs within your budget.

Ibanez is a great choice if your budget is less than $1,000 or so. Their instruments tend to be a great value for the money, especially if you like sleek, lightweight instruments with high playability.

Type of Pickups

Ibanez electric guitars can come with a variety of different pickups. The pickups play a huge role in determining the tone of your guitar, so they're worth learning a lot about if you're a guitar enthusiast.

Since many Ibanez models have a combination of humbuckers and single-coil pickups, they have all the bases covered in terms of tone control capabilities.

Still, if you have specific characteristics in mind when it comes to pickups, then it's a good idea to research which types of pickups are best suited for your target sound.

Finish & Aesthetics

This one is even simpler than it sounds. Do you like the way your guitar looks?

One of the selling points of Ibanez is that many of their guitars have amazing-looking finishes. Their body and headstock shapes also tend to be attention-grabbing, making them visually stand out from the pack.

In terms of aesthetics, we think the best Ibanez electric guitars are the ones that have a shimmering, wavy treatment on the finish. They look iconic and evoke really cool imagery like beaches and nature scenery.

If you aren't loving the way some of these Ibanez guitars look, check out some strat style guitars for your next purchase.

Neck Profile

One characteristic that just about all Ibanez guitars share is a thin neck profile and fast action (aka short distance between the strings and the frets). This is all in the name of making it easier to play complicated guitar parts.

If you have the opportunity, try out an Ibanez and compare it to other guitars like Fenders or Epiphones. See if you prefer the fast neck of the Ibanez, or if you would be better off with a more standard neck profile.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Ibanez a good guitar brand?

The answer to this is of course subjective, but most musicians consider Ibanez to be a great brand, especially for low to midrange budgets.

They implement more passion and quality craftsmanship into their guitars than just about any other overseas company (the only other one that comes close would be Yamaha).

Although it may not quite have the gravitas of Fender or Gibson (at least in America), Ibanez is still a beloved brand among guitar aficionados. Millions of players appreciate the fact that their instruments can compete with the likes of Fender, Gibson, and Jackson, but they tend to be much more affordable.

What are Ibanez guitars known for?

Guitar brands each have their own claims to fame. For Ibanez, they've become known for making affordable, playable, high-quality instruments, and they love to play to that strength.

In the 80s and 90s, Ibanez received endorsements from several high-profile players, including Dream Theater's John Petrucci and the iconic Steve Vai. This helped cement Ibanez as a household name, especially for more technically inclined guitarists.

Today, Ibanez continues to implement unique design choices into their instruments, like a thin maple neck, sharp/edgy aesthetics, and fast-action fretboards.

For rock guitarists not looking to spend thousands on American-made instruments, Ibanez is known to be a very solid option.

Who are some guitarists who have used Ibanez?

Ibanez is very popular among rock and metal guitarists in general. Because they prioritize playability in their designs, they tend to appeal to guitarists who love to play fast or technical riffs.

Joe Satriani is perhaps the most well-known guitarist who uses Ibanez guitars. He has also partnered with the company to create several signature guitars over the years. These signature models are sought after by technical players who have been inspired by Satriani's virtuosic style of playing.

Steve Vai is right alongside Satriani as a prolific guitarist who helped make Ibanez as well-known as they are today. Other avid Ibanez users include Herman Li of Dragonforce, "Munky" and "Head" of Korn, and more recently, Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders.

Is there anything to be wary of when considering buying an Ibanez guitar?

While Ibanez does make great guitars, they aren't for everyone. Perhaps most notable is their neck profiles. Ibanez's necks are distinctly thinner than necks from other brands, so if you're accustomed to other guitars, then you might not like how their necks feel.

Their guitars also tend to have a more all-round lightweight build than other guitars, which appeals to some players but dissuades others. There are those who much prefer the heavier, thicker build of brands like Les Paul.

Ibanez bridges and tremolo systems are built to accommodate whammy bars, making extreme pitch bends possible. While this is a benefit for players who can make use of them, it is a drawback for players who are not interested in pitch bends.

A floating tremolo bridge and whammy bar is certainly fun to use, but it can also lead to tuning instability without proper maintenance. This is something to keep in mind, especially for more inexperienced players.

In Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you in your search for the best Ibanez guitar, but if you're looking for more upgrades to your guitar collections, research high-end electric guitars here.

An iconic brand that has always done things their own way, Ibanez has made countless music lovers happy over the years. They continue to innovate with their unique design choices, coming out with some of the most exciting guitars on the market today.

For the best mix of value and performance, look no further than the Ibanez Genesis Collection RG550. Looking and sounding so great, it's sure to make all your friends jealous, or at least incredibly impressed.

So the next time you have the chance to try out one of their guitars, see why so many people swear by Ibanez!

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