Ibanez RG3EXFM1 Guitar Review

Ibanez, for the most part, is known for making some of the best quality hard rock and metal guitars in the mid and beginner price ranges on the market today. By having a foreign manufacturing plant and taking advantage of in house electronics, they are able to cut expenditures and keep the prices low for the consumer. One example of a highly regarded mid level Ibanez is the RG3EXFM1 model. Let's take a closer look to see if quality was kept with all of the price lowering measures.

Features: The body of the RG3EXFM1, like most Ibanez mid-range guitars, is made of basswood. With it, there are two "transparent glossed" finishes available. These include Black Cherry and Grey Burst. Usually, Ibanez isn't known for the quality of the finishes on its guitars. But the RG3EXFM1 is a definite exception. The Black Cherry finish is reminiscent of a Gibson, with multicolored rich grains, and the Grey burst has a very sleek, metal look. Both are impressive, especially by Ibanez's standards. The neck of the RG3EXFM is bolted on, and made of maple. The fretboard, meanwhile, is rosewood, has twenty four jumbo frets, and has special shark tooth pearloid inlays. The hardware, including the tuning heads, bridge, and control knobs, is all chrome. Electronically, the Ibanez RG3EXFM1 has an IBZ V7 humbucker pickup in the neck position, and an IBZ V8 humbucker is in the bridge position. Also, there are volume and tone control knobs and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The neck of the Ibanez RG3EXFM1, as one could probably guess by the brand name, is made to be extremely thin. It takes some getting used to, but in a short amount of time you will come to greatly appreciate its feel. Also, the body is extremely thin and lightweight, which allows for comfortable playing for a very long period of time.

Sound: The sound of the Ibanez RG3EXFM1 in the style of hard rock and metal classics. The neck pickup is nice and bright, and can punch out a very clean distorted crunch. The bridge pickup, meanwhile, screams out very bright solos and is perfect for pinch harmonics.

Overall: If you're looking for a reasonably priced guitar with a beautiful finish and intense sound, the Ibanez RG3EXFM1 is an excellent choice. It plays, looks, and sounds like an all around great value. You can find the Ibanez RG3EXFM1 in music stores for about $350.