Ibanez RG3EXQM1 Review

There is an emphatically wide variety of options available for the modern guitar player. Brands compete, often displaying new styles and looks, especially for the hard rock and metal genres. As players look to find their voice and sound, their own particular style changes as well. One example of unique style is the Ibanez RG3EXQM1. Let's take a closer look to see if the substance matches the style with this guitar.

Features: The body of the RG3EXQM1 is made of basswood, a common wood used for thinner guitars like this one. Its body style is best described as a Stratocaster with deeper cutaways, a more angled look, and a thinner overall body. There are several very modern finishes available with it, and all have a quilted looking top, with matching headstock. The neck is bolted onto the body, made of maple wood, and has Ibanez's signature Wizard II profile. The fretboard is made of rosewood and has twenty four jumbo frets complete with custom shark tooth style inlays. The bridge is fixed, which means there is no tremolo system to take advantage of. But it is a string thru body system, which helps to keep the guitar in tune very well. Electronically, the Ibanez RG3EXQM1 has two EMG designed humbucker pickups, tone and volume control knobs, and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The RG3EXQM1 was clearly designed with maximum playability in mind. The body is nice and thin, which means it is very comfortable and lightweight. The neck, with its Wizard II profile, tapers off from the body to the headstock to make shredding and complicated chord shapes as easy to pull off as possible. And finally, the deep cutaways on both the top and bottom of the body make high fret access absolutely simple. The only thing I don't really like about it is the lack of a tremolo system, which many metal players look for in a guitar.

Sound: As you could probably guess from the features and playability factors, the Ibanez RG3EXQM1 is definitely designed to play hard rock and metal. The EMG designed humbucker in the neck position is great for smooth sounding solos with distortion, and the bridge position pickup gives some powerful (and crunchy) lows and power chords.

Overall: If you're looking for a guitar that has its own unique style, excellent playability, and a great hard sound, the Ibanez RG3EXQM1 is the perfect guitar. It has many of the newest Ibanez finishing touches that make it an excellent hard rock and metal instrument.