Ibanez RGAT62 Review

Ibanez has been bringing back their popular RGA lineup, and fresh for 2017 they’re bringing us the RGAT62! With such a strong reputation, it’s about time we’ve seen this line come back in full force.

Let’s see what this affordable take on the RGA has to offer!

Features:

– Mahogany Wing Body
– Sapphire Blue Flat Finish
– 5-Piece Maple/Walnut Neck
– Wizard III Neck Profile
– Rosewood Fretboard
– 25.5’’ Scale Length
– 24 Jumbo Frets
– Fixed Bridge
– Dimarzio Tone Zone/Air Norton Pickups
– 1 Volume, 1 Tone, 5-Way Pickup Selector

Tone:

I was pretty shocked to find out that a guitar in this price bracket had aftermarket DiMarzio pickups in it, and while I always thought the Air Norton and Tone Zone were for 80’s shredders, I could not have been more wrong. We all know that famous Paul Gilbert sound – the articulation and aggression in every pick stroke – and these pickups deliver that sound really well.

But don’t let that make you think you’re stuck with that sound, as these pickups sound great with everything from thrash metal and death metal to djent and -core styles. The pickups have a very tight response and a very crispy articulate tone to boot. The neck pickup is brighter and clearer than most neck pickups and retains that same snap as the bridge.

Because these pickups are higher output, you are sacrificing the clean tone a little. However, Ibanez thought of this and planned ahead by adding a 5-way pickup selector adding two very pristine options for clean tone: neck humbucker in parallel, or both inner single coils. The end result is a pretty flexible tonal palette.

Build Quality:

The RGAT62 shares a similar build quality to slightly more expensive Ibanez models. It beats out the current mid-range lineup – the Iron Label Series – in that department. The top wood is surprisingly nice for a more cost-effective instrument, with no flaws that I could see in the top or finish. The guitar feels quite solid, partly due to the added weight of the mahogany over the feather-light basswood most Ibanez double-cut instruments employ.

The hardware gets the job done, with a solid bridge design and very nice tuners. I don’t see anyone needing to replace the tuners or bridge in the future, although the pots might be another story. Most inexpensive Ibanez guitars have decent pots that won’t start crackling or breaking, but this is one of those “just-in-case” upgrades I would recommend on any budget instrument, you might even see a tonal improvement as a result.

Our Beginner’s Guide to Soldering might be helpful if you want to upgrade your pots!

Playability is fantastic, which is no surprise coming from an Ibanez factory. The Wizard III neck profile and neck-through design allow for fantastic fret access and smooth playability. The downside to this guitar is a couple rough fret ends. Not shocking from a guitar in this price range, but still worth mentioning that you might have to round those off a touch.

Final Verdict:

The RGAT62 is a fantastic addition to the RGA lineup, and if you’re looking for a wallet-friendly version of the famous RGA121, this is probably your best bet. With a simple design, good construction, gorgeous finish, and aftermarket pickups, it’s a steal at this price.

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This article was written by Connor Gilkinson, our editor located in Canada.