Guitar question: Ibanez RGA121 vs. LTD MH1000

[J.DavisNJ]

I need a new metal axe. I play a LP, but would like a 24 fret metal guitar. I have been looking at these two potential buys but am still not sure on which one I like.

Ibanez RGA 121:

Pros: Great natural wood finish, very comfortable neck, mahogany body with maple top, feels real solid overall, Ibanez gibralter hard tail bridge, Prestige neck and the guitar is a J.Custom made in Japan.

Cons: Bolt on (which isn't necessarily a "bad" thing, but neck throughs generally sustain more in my experience, but I have never had a QUALITY bolt on guitar. Stock pickups ain't the greatest. This doesn't matter though as I will swap them for EMGs.

LTD MH1000:

Pros: EMG 81 and 85, Earvana compensated nut, tone pros locking bridge, neck thru, Sperzel locking tuners, cheaper than the Ibanez.

Cons: There aren't any around my area to check out before buying. Also, the fact that an $800 dollar guitar being equipped with all these bells and whistles that higher end real ESPs don't even come with make me feel like they are trying to compensate for something, also it's cheaper than the Ibanez which has wayyyyy less bells and whistles.

Overall, I'm leaning towards the Ibanez for the build quality. I'm gonna go back to GC tomorrow to try her out plugged in. The craftsmanship was great when I checked it out for a few minutes. I'm not saying the LTD is crap, but I've owned another LTD before and the craftsmanship was less than great.

SOOOOOO, have any of you played or had experience with one or both of these guitars?? I'd love to hear your views. If not, based on specs which would you go for?? Any comments/opinions/experiences appreciated!!!

-Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

More pics of the Ibanez:

 

[JeffTD]

Personally, I'd go for the Ibanez for the Prestige Neck and good wood you know you're getting. That, and I'm not a fan of the tone out of most neck-thru axes (I prefer set or bolton).

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

I'd say Ibanez. No risk and it looks like a cool guitar. I like Ibanez cause they don' put out any really crappy crap. I think ESP does. Not that that one is... just a little more risk.

 

[kaomao]

Remember that just ibanez prestige/signatures guitars are really good, the rest I've tried sound like shit.
LTD (from 400 series to higher series) are much better compared to the cheap line of "bananez". Same price, good sound on LTD, sound like shit on ibanez.

Maurizio

 

[Kazrog]

LTD MH 1000 by far. It is a better guitar in every way, having owned a recent Prestige RG and the LTD MH 400 NT.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

LTD MH 1000 by far. It is a better guitar in every way, having owned a recent Prestige RG and the LTD MH 400 NT.

Do you have an MH1000?? How do you like it?? See I had an MH300 that I bought when they first started coming out, and I had to get a fret leveling, the licensed floyd never stayed in tuned, etc. Granted I'm not getting a Floyd this time around, but I'm wondering if their quality control has gone up.

-Joe

 

[Carrier Flux]

looks like you're stuck making a tough decision. I think they're both gorgeous guitars; you have good taste

if you have access to the Ibanez, you could pick it up knowing 100% sure that you'll like it. That's the one real selling point I can see with that guitar over the LTD. Also the ibanez appears to have a 3 piece neck? that's a good thing if you're going to play the axe for the next 20 years

If the LTD is $800 I don't think you have to worry too much about it having cheap parts, probably.

Personally I'd go for the LTD since I don't like RG's (although I love my Ibanez S540). But that's purely my taste, nothing about the manufacturing quality or playability of that axe.

have fun making your decision...I know I'd be gnawing my innards out trying to decide..heheh and I think either would be a good guitar to own.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

looks like you're stuck making a tough decision. I think they're both gorgeous guitars; you have good taste

if you have access to the Ibanez, you could pick it up knowing 100% sure that you'll like it. That's the one real selling point I can see with that guitar over the LTD. Also the ibanez appears to have a 3 piece neck? that's a good thing if you're going to play the axe for the next 20 years

If the LTD is $800 I don't think you have to worry too much about it having cheap parts, probably.

Personally I'd go for the LTD since I don't like RG's (although I love my Ibanez S540). But that's purely my taste, nothing about the manufacturing quality or playability of that axe.

have fun making your decision...I know I'd be gnawing my innards out trying to decide..heheh and I think either would be a good guitar to own.

Thanks for all replies so far. And yes, I definitely am gnawing my innards out over this. I'm gonna try some more ESP dealers around here to see if they have one to try out.

-Joe

 

[STINNETT]

I have played some of those LTD guitars (I play Jackson guitars myself) and I found them to be quite nice for the price. I don't think you'd be having too many craftsmanship issues with an 800 dollar guitar. I'd probably buy that over the Ibanez. Of note is that the body on the LTD is also Mahogany and the neck is also 3 piece maple. The wood probably isn't nearly as pretty since it is a painted guitar, but I would imagine it is not "tonally" inferior, and otherwise it doesn't matter. Looks are what usually demand price when it comes to wood. Another thing, I wouldn't worry too much about a guitar with "all the bells and whistles" compensating for something. Producing a guitar with great hardware instead of a guitar with mediocre hardware does not cost much more to the manufacturer, it's just an issue of penny pinching. It's perfectly feasible that a high quality guitar could also have great hardware for that price.

I'd still try to play one first if at all possible....

Or you could just forget them both and buy a Jackson!.....just kidding

 

[Kazrog]

Do you have an MH1000?? How do you like it?? See I had an MH300 that I bought when they first started coming out, and I had to get a fret leveling, the licensed floyd never stayed in tuned, etc. Granted I'm not getting a Floyd this time around, but I'm wondering if their quality control has gone up.

-Joe

No I have the MH 400 NT, which is technically a lower end model than the MH 1000, and it's incredible. I would have bought the MH 1000 but it was out of stock everywhere at the time (and I do mean everywhere in the world!) A friend of mine (who's endorsed) has the MH 1000 and I like it just as much.

You have to keep in mind that LTD stepped things up in 2004; the MH 300 is a 2003 model and isn't as good. I would even go as far as to say that any of the 400, 1000, and 2005 anniversary models rival anything that any other company offers, even stuff in the $1500 USD range. It's insane how great the upper-end LTDs are now!

I was an Ibanez guy for a long time and I haven't looked back. I've been so much happier since I switched to ESP/LTD.

 

[cameltoe]

I have the LTD EC-2005 and love it...feels great and sounds great....

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I don't like the hard top of this Ibanez, go for the LTD !!!

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Kazrog, how well does your LTD hold tuning?? Do you have the locking tuners or no?? i ask, because my old LTD with the licensed floyd can't hold tune for shit. That has nothing to do with this model obviously, just curious though.

-Joe

 

[Carrier Flux]

fuck fucking fucked fuckoff floyd rose fucko floating trems. god I hate them.

just had to get that out of my system.

thank you.

 

[Exsanguis]

The ESP looks better to me. From my experience, the bridge stays in tune fine, and the build quality is excellent.

 

[STINNETT]

fuck fucking fucked fuckoff floyd rose fucko floating trems. god I hate them.

just had to get that out of my system.

thank you.

Jeez.
Why all the hate? I love 'em!

 

[Carrier Flux]

Jeez.
Why all the hate? I love 'em!

I just hate adjusting the bridge height and intonation if I want to try a different gauge strings or tuning. it's an unreasonable pain in the ass..

otherwise they're fine. they stay in tune acceptably well...and they feel nice. I just hate spending so much time adjusting things...I want to spend more time playing..

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I just hate adjusting the bridge height and intonation if I want to try a different gauge strings or tuning. it's an unreasonable pain in the ass..

otherwise they're fine. they stay in tune acceptably well...and they feel nice. I just hate spending so much time adjusting things...I want to spend more time playing..

+1, I've gotten better at adjusting them though. I have an Ibanez RG550 (for sale by the way ) that I can adjust well, but it needs a setup.

I just personally have no use for a trem. I don't use them in my playing, so why bother?? I'd rather buy a nice hard tail guitar rather than buying a floyd and blocking it off...thus making the purchase pointless for me!!

-Joe

 

[STINNETT]

Well, I guess it helps that I settled on a string gauge a long time ago, and never change tunings. (I've got a hard tail guitar if I want to do that for some reason) so in that respect, I understand what you mean.
I, however could not live without the playing capabilities. But that is totally a personal taste thing. If you don't use it when you play, you surely wouldn't want the hassle of having one.