You may not know what to look for when it comes to deciding on the best Ibanez guitars that are right for you. This guide will help you pick a great Ibanez guitar no matter what playing level you’re currently at.
Quick Look: Best Ibanez Electric Guitars
★ #1 Best Ibanez Electric Guitars Overall: Ibanez Joe Satriani Signature ★
- Best Cheap Ibanez Electric Guitars: Ibanez Mikro
- Best Ibanez Electric Guitars Under $1,000: Ibanez Axion
- Best Ibanez Electric Guitars Under $500: Ibanez RG Standard
- Best Ibanez Gio Electric Guitar: Ibanex Gio GRX 70QA
- Best Signature Ibanez Electric Guitar: Nita Strauss JIVA 10
- Best AZ Ibanez Electric Guitar: Ibanez AZ Prestige
- Best RG Ibanez Electric Guitar: Ibanez RG Seven String
I’ve played guitar for many years and over that time tried many different guitars, including Ibanez. These are excellent guitars for rock and metal as well as other guitar styles. If you like Ibanez, this guide is for you.
About Ibanez Electric Guitars
Ibanez is a Japanese guitar manufacturer. They’ve been in business since 1957 and are a well-known brand of guitars. Their electric guitars are popular with rock players because of their easy playability and excellent sound.
Ibanez carries a wide range of guitars, so you’re sure to find something that works for you. The company also carries acoustic guitars, but their electrics are more popular.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Ibanez Electric Guitars
Here are some things to keep in mind before you purchase your Ibanez guitar. You’ll find a wide range of different instruments, and you should have a general idea of what you want before you purchase.
Size
Ibanez guitars are full size except for the Mikro Series, which are smaller-body guitars designed for children to learn electric guitar on.
The Overall Tone & Sound
Ibanez guitars have a rock-oriented tone. While they’re fine for other styles, the guitars excel at rock thanks to the pickup configurations and super-fast playing necks, which you need for faster guitar playing.
Price
There’s a wide range of prices when it comes to an Ibanez guitar. You can spend as little or as much as you want on your instrument. Here are some basic price ranges.
- Beginner: $350-$800
- Intermediate: $800-$1,300
- Advanced: $1,300+
Types of Ibanez Electric Guitars
There are several different models and styles when it comes to Ibanez guitars. I’ve picked out the most popular models for this list. There are quite a few options to choose from.
Signature Ibanez Guitars
Ibanez carries a wide range of signature models that are designed to meet the specifications of today’s popular artists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Andy Timmons, and Paul Stanley. These are excellent choices if you want a superior guitar.
AZ Ibanez Guitars
The AZ lineup features top-quality electric guitars built for today’s players. They have great pickups, fast necks, and a vintage feel.
RG Ibanez Electric Guitars
The RG lineup from Ibanez features guitars with deep double cutaways for easy access to all of the frets. They have high output pickups, and some models feature locking tremolo systems. This is a guitar built for rock and metal players.
S Series Ibanez Electric Guitars
These are modern guitars with great pickups, quality electronics, fast-playing necks, and a superior tone. They have everything you need in an Ibanez guitar and are built for today’s demanding player.
Artcore Ibanez Guitars
These acoustic/electric guitars have great sounding pickups, nice playing necks, and a loud sound for rock, blues, or jazz players that need a solid and easy-to-play guitar.
See more: Best Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitars Buyer’s Guide
10 Best Ibanez Electric Guitars
Here are the 10 best Ibanez electric guitars. I’ve picked instruments for all playing levels and abilities with this list. You should find a guitar here that appeals to you.
Ibanez GIO GRX70QA Electric Guitar
- Type: GIO GRX
- Pickups: 1 x single-coil, 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, basswood, rosewood, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners looking for their first guitar
The Ibanez GIO GRX70QA is an excellent entry-level guitar with one single-coil pickup, two humbucking pickups, and a standard tremolo system. It’s a great introduction to Ibanez for the beginning player.
✅ Good pickups
✅ Low cost
✅ Tremolo arm
✅ Easy to play
❌ No case
❌ May need some setup
Why I Recommend It
I like this Ibanez guitar because you get a lot of guitar for very little money. I love the HSH pickup configuration on this model, which gives the beginner a ton of tones to work with. The guitar has an easy-to-play neck.
This guitar comes with a standard tremolo system and two deep cutaways, so the player can access all of the frets with ease. Beginner players will have fun playing this guitar as they learn.
Ibanez Artcore Semi-Hollow AS73
- Type: Artcore Semi-hollow
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, rosewood, lindenwood, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Those that want an easy to play electric/acoustic guitar
The Ibanez Artcore is the ideal guitar for the rock, blues, and jazz player. The humbucking pickups give you a solid tone, and the guitar has an easy-to-play neck. The double cutaway gives you easy access to the 22-fret neck.
✅ Great pickups
✅ Solid tone
✅ 22 frets
✅ Easy to change strings
❌ No case
❌ Not for all guitar styles
Why I Recommend It
I’ve played the Artcore before, and I love the sound of this lower-priced Ibanez guitar. The semi-hollow design gives you a big tone for chords or solos through the double humbucking pickup configuration.
This guitar is a good introduction to acoustic/electric guitars. It comes with two tone, two volume, and a pickup selector switch. This model has solid Ibanez tuners for added tuning stability.
Ibanez Nita Strauss JIVA 10
- Type: Nita Strauss Signature
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking,1 x single-coil
- Material & finish: Mahogany, nyatoh, quilted maple, ebony, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Those that want a great-playing signature guitar
For players that want a rock/metal guitar, the Ibanez Nita Strauss JIVA 10 is ideal. It has Dimarzio pickups for a solid rock tone, an Edge Zero II locking tremolo, and 24 frets for fast, smooth play up and down the fretboard.
✅ Dimarzio pickups
✅ Locking bridge
✅ 24 frets
✅ Fast neck
❌ Expensive
❌ The case could be better
Why I Recommend It
The Nita Strauss JIVA 10 is a solid rock and metal guitar. The Nitro Wizard neck is super fast for blazing solos across the 24-fret neck with an ebony fingerboard. This guitar will have you playing fast in no time.
I love the DiMarzio custom Pandemonium humbuckers along with the Dimarzio True Velvet single-coil. You’ll get solid hard rock and metal tones out of this guitar if you play fast shred music. Ibanez has a clear winner here.
Ibanez JEM JR Steve Vai
- Type: Signature Series
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking, 1 x single coil
- Material & finish: Meranti, jatoba, maple, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Beginner or intermediate players that want a solid guitar
The Ibanez JEM JR Steve Vai is a lower-cost signature guitar that has Quantum humbucking pickups for a solid rock and metal tone. The locking bridge makes it easy to perform dive bombs and whammy bar tricks. Combine all of this with a fast neck, and it’s a killer guitar.
✅ Good pickups
✅ Fast neck
✅ Locking tremolo
✅ 24 frets
❌ Hard to see fretboard position
❌ Tremolo is finicky
Why I Recommend It
This lower-cost version of the JEM Steve Vai guitar has a great set of pickups suitable for a wide range of different guitar styles. They have high output and sound great through any amp.
The 24 jumbo frets are comfortable to play across the fast neck of this guitar. You’ll play fast with ease. This is one of the best Ibanez electric guitars for beginners or intermediate players.
Ibanez RG Seven-String Guitar
- Type: RG seven-string
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Poplar, maple, basswood, walnut, satin polyurethane
- Best for: Those that want a lower cost seven-string guitar
For those that want a seven-string guitar, the Ibanez RG seven-string has a lot going for it. It features great Dimarzio pickups with a coil tap and a fast 24-fret Wizard neck. The mono-rail bridge optimizes your string vibrations.
✅ Deep double cutaway
✅ Good pickups
✅ Fast Wizard neck
✅ Coil tap
❌ Expensive
❌ Not for beginners
Why I Recommend It
The seven-string guitar is gaining in popularity, and the RG Series seven-string by Ibanez is a good choice. The double humbucking pickups have a coil tap, so you can access single-coil sounds as well, which expands the guitar’s range.
If you’ve never tried a seven-string guitar before, this is a great model to get you started. I really like the incredible deep cutaway on this guitar, which makes it very easy to access all of the frets on the instrument.
Ibanez AZ Prestige Tri Fade Burst
- Type: AZ Prestige
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Ash, roasted maple, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Intermediate or advanced players
The Ibanez AZ Prestige is a superior guitar with Seymour Duncan pickups, a double cutaway, and a fast-playing neck. It’s the ideal guitar for rock and metal players that want an easy-to-handle guitar.
✅ Great pickups
✅ Tremolo bridge
✅ Fast neck
✅ Mix switch
❌ Expensive
❌ Tremolo is non-locking
Why I Recommend It
The Ibanez Prestige features a mix switch for the Seymour Duncan pickups, so you get additional pickup configurations. You get 24 jumbo frets on a C-shaped roasted maple neck, which is comfortable to play.
The tremolo arm on this guitar is quite good, although the lack of a locking nut may not appeal to every rock player. It features Gotoh locking machine heads to make string changes easy and to keep your guitar in tune for longer.
Ibanez PGM Paul Gilbert Signature
- Type: Signature Series
- Pickups: 3 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Okoume, ebony, maple, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Those that want a fast-playing guitar
The Ibanez PGM Paul Gilbert Signature is a modern Ibanez for today’s player. It’s got three high-output humbucking pickups, a Gibraltar Performer bridge, a five-position selector switch, and chrome hardware, along with a unique shape.
✅ 3 humbucking pickups
✅ Deep cutaway
✅ 22 frets
✅ Fast neck
❌ Odd shape
❌ No tremolo
Why I Recommend It
You’ll get an amazing tone with this guitar and the three mini Dimarzio humbuckers. It’s got one master tone and master volume along with a selector switch for the pickups. The neck is smooth and comfortable with 22 frets.
The okoume body gives this guitar great sustain and note clarity. The Gibraltar Performer bridge increases note sustain and makes the strings easy to change. This guitar is ready to go for fast rock players.
Ibanez Mikro
- Type: Mikro Series
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Mahogany, basswood, maple, gloss finish
- Best for: Younger beginners that want an electric guitar
The Ibanez Mikro is a 3/4 sized guitar designed for kids. It’s got the same great Ibanez look and sounds great with two humbucking pickups. This guitar will help motivate the younger player during lessons.
✅ Easy for kids to play
✅ Nice rock tone
✅ Smaller size
✅ Nice look
❌ May need setup
❌ Not ideal for older players
Why I Recommend It
The Ibanez Mikro is a good choice for younger players. It’s got a decent tone due to the humbucking pickups, and the 3/4 size is simple for kids to hold as they play their first chords. The control configuration is simple to use.
It’s also the ideal choice if you want a simple travel guitar or one to play around on. This guitar sounds pretty good after an initial setup to improve the action. The Mikro is a decent beginner guitar with the tone that you want.
Ibanez Axion
- Type: Axion Series
- Pickups: 2 x humbucking
- Material & finish: Nyatoh, ebony, walnut, panga, gloss polyurethane
- Best for: Intermediate players that need a solid guitar
The Ibanez Axion is a modern guitar with high output pickups, an easy-playing neck, and an amazing rock tone. You can keep your guitar strap in place with locking strap buttons, which are included.
✅ Great pickups
✅ Locking tuners
✅ Locking strap buttons
✅ Wizard neck
❌ No case
❌ No locking tremolo
Why I Recommend It
The Ibanez Axion is the ultimate intermediate guitar with a fast 24-fret Wizard neck and a double cutaway. It’s got two Fishman Fluence Modern humbucking pickups, which sound great no matter what guitar style you’re playing.
You get Gotoh locking tuners, making it easy to change your strings and keep them in tune for longer. It comes with luminescent side markers so you can see where you are on the neck with ease.
Ibanez Joe Satriani Signature
- Type: Signature Series
- Pickups: 1 x humbucking, 1 x single-coil
- Material & finish: Alder, bubinga, maple, gloss polyester
- Best for: Professionals that want the best of the best
The Ibanez Satriani Signature is an amazing guitar that comes with an Edge tremolo and two high-octane pickups, which sound great over many musical styles. Combine this with a super-fast 24 fret neck, and you have a modern guitar for rock and metal styles.
✅ 24 frets
✅ Fast neck
✅ Amazing pickups
✅ Push-pull filter
❌ Out of the average price range
❌ Only two pickups
Why I Recommend It
This guitar has a unique Sustainiac circuit that allows you to hold a note for as long as you like. You get a high pass filter that shapes your sound at any volume. These features combine with high-performance pickups.
The neck is thin and rigid, so you can play fast no matter the position you’re in. The 24 frets are treated, which enhances the guitar’s playability. The Edge tremolo makes dive bombs and whammy tricks easy to pull off.
Ibanez Electric Guitars Aesthetics & Build
Here are a few things to consider when you’re looking for the best Ibanez electric guitars. It’s important to get a guitar that matches your requirements and what you want out of it.
Material
There are several different kinds of wood used to make Ibanez guitars. Here’s a rundown of some of the common wood types.
- Basswood: Used to make lower-cost Ibanez guitars. This is a basic wood.
- Mahogany: A standard guitar wood with good resonance and tone
- Alder: This is another common wood used to make guitars.
- Rosewood /ebony: Often used for fingerboards as it’s quite smooth
- Okoume: A tonewood similar to mahogany used on some modern guitars
Finish
Electric guitars have several types of common finishes. Here are the ones most used on Ibanez guitars.
- Lacquer: This is a common finish used on electric guitars, as it has a good shine. It’s durable and easy to apply.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: This is the most common type of lacquer used on electric guitars. It’s durable, has a good shine, and lasts a long time. Many Ibanez guitars use this finish.
- Poly finish: Quite a few modern guitars also use a poly finish, with gloss polyester or polyurethane being common. They’re simple to apply, have a good shine, and are long lasting.
Color
Ibanez guitars come in several different colors. Common colors are black, red, burst, white, blue, and so on. You should be able to find a color that you like when you buy an Ibanez guitar.
Pickups
Ibanez is a rock-oriented guitar. They usually come with humbucking pickups and combinations that include a single-coil pickup to give you more sound options. The choice is ultimately up to you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some questions that players ask about Ibanez electric guitars. It’s important to get a guitar that works for you, so these questions should answer some concerns.
How Much Do Ibanez Electric Guitars Cost?
Ibanez guitars vary in price ranges. You can spend as little or as much as you have for your budget. A standard beginner Ibanez is $300 or so. The more features you want, the more the guitar will cost.
- Beginner: $350-$800
- Intermediate: $800-$1,300
- Advanced: $1,300+
How Do I Make My Ibanez Sound Better?
Your guitar may sound poor if you use old strings. Change your strings as soon as you buy it, as the guitar probably sat in a box or a store for a long time. New strings will dramatically improve the tone of your guitar.
Ensure that your amp is a good one and that you use a good quality cable to improve the signal. Have your guitar set up by a professional if it still plays poorly. If you follow these tips, your Ibanez should soon sound great.
Do I Need a Locking Tremolo?
The Ibanez guitar either has a locking tremolo or a standard tremolo. The locking tremolo is a great one when you set it up, but it requires more fine-tuning and may not be ideal for beginners.
The locking tremolo is ideal if you play a lot of advanced rock or metal where you need to do dive bombs all the time. You may not need it for other guitar styles.
What Are the Best Ibanez Electric Guitars?
Here are three of the best Ibanez electric guitars, no matter what playing level you’re currently at. These instruments would all make great choices.
Ibanez GIO GRX70QA: Best for Beginners
The Ibanez GIO GRX70QA is a nice beginner guitar with a good pickup combination, a fast neck, and easy playability. The best part is the guitar won’t cost the beginner all that much, yet it plays great.
Ibanez Nita Strauss JIVA 10: Best for Intermediate Players
The Ibanez Nita Strauss JIVA 10 has everything the intermediate player needs. It’s got a fast Wizard neck, a great pickup configuration, and a locking nut tremolo system for dive bombs and whammy tricks.
Joe Satriani Signature: Best for Professional players
The Joe Satriani Signature is a top-tier guitar with an amazing tone. The pickups sound great, and it’s got extra switches to help you sculpt your sound. The neck is fast, and the guitar is capable of almost anything.
Where Are Ibanez Electric Guitars Made?
Ibanez guitars are made in several locations, such as Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and China. They’re one of the better-made guitars produced overseas.
What Is the Best Sounding Ibanez Electric Guitar?
The Ibanez Joe Satriani Signature guitar is one of the top models. It features an amazing neck, great pickups, extra switches, and a tone for advanced rock and heavy metal styles. It’s a premier, professional-sounding guitar by Ibanez.
Where to Buy Ibanez Electric Guitars
There are several locations where you might consider purchasing your Ibanez guitar. I like to shop online, but you can also go to your local guitar store to pick up your new guitar.
Amazon
I prefer shopping from Amazon because they have an excellent selection of musical products. It has great customer service, fast shipping, and you can read reviews about your guitar before you purchase one.
Online Music Retailers
Guitar Center and Sweetwater are two other locations where you can pick up an Ibanez guitar. They have a wonderful selection, excellent customer service, and they ship the items fast.
Your Local Music Store
You may also want to visit your local music store to see if they have any Ibanez guitars in stock. Keep in mind that they may not stock every model, so you might have to wait or have a look elsewhere.
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In Conclusion
This concludes my guide to the best Ibanez electric guitars. These are excellent instruments for rock, heavy metal, and other styles. There’s an Ibanez guitar out there for everyone, no matter what you’re playing.
Please like, comment, and share this article with others. I look forward to discussing Ibanez guitars with you at any time. Now, go string up your new Ibanez and start shredding.