Ibanez GRG131DXBKF Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez GRG131DXBKF is an entry-level solid-body electric guitar, perfect for beginners or budget-minded players. Part of Ibanez's iconic GRG series, this model offers great bang for your buck with its versatile sound, easy playability, and sleek cosmetics.

The GRG131DX sports Ibanez's classic superstrat body shape with a gorgeous glossy black finish. It has a 25.5" scale, rosewood fretboard, and dual Infinity R humbuckers, providing thickness and power well beyond its price. While not loaded with premium appointments, it contains fundamentals like die-cast tuners, two tone knobs, one volume, and a 5-way pickup selector.

Overall, the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF gives you a real guitar at an unbeatable value. It's designed for new players but maintains enough substance to transition with you as your skills progress. The rest of this review will break down the key specs and performance.

Body & Neck

The Ibanez GRG131DXBKF features a basswood body with a slick black gloss finish. Basswood is known for being a lightweight, resonant tonewood that provides good sustain and helps produce bright, clear tones.

The guitar has a maple neck and fretboard. Maple is a very common and versatile neck wood that offers stability, durability, and rich sustain. The maple neck provides a comfortable and fast playing feel. It has a thin, flat profile that allows for easy chording and fast soloing across the neck. The jumbo frets also enhance playability and speed.

Overall, the basswood body and maple neck offer a great combination of resonant, balanced tones and smooth, fast playability that is suited for a wide range of musical styles and techniques. The wood choices allow this guitar to be lightweight yet durable, making it comfortable for prolonged playing sessions.

The tonewoods and construction of the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF make it a versatile and playable electric guitar. Many players appreciate the combination of basswood and maple which provides a balanced tonal response. The thin neck allows for comfortable chording while the jumbo frets facilitate faster soloing.

For guitarists looking for an affordable, well-made instrument, the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF is an excellent choice. It delivers professional features like a double-cutaway body shape, 2 humbucking pickups, and a tremolo bridge. These attributes give players a wide range of tones and effects to experiment with.

While the Ibanez focuses on great playability and versatile tone, the Cordoba 05408 electric guitar takes a different approach. This instrument highlights nylon strings for a softer, warmer tone compared to steel strings.

The Cordoba has a solid cedar top which gives it a very resonant and rich voice. This is nicely balanced by the mahogany back and sides. Together, these tonewoods provide excellent note separation and articulation.

Despite the nylon strings, the Cordoba 05408 still has the ability to produce distorted tones thanks to its dual humbucking pickups. However, this guitar certainly excels at clean tones with pristine clarity and nuance.

The neck is also mahogany which complements the back and sides. Cordoba guitars are known for their fast necks and premium craftsmanship. The satin finish provides a very smooth and comfortable feel during extended playing sessions.

So while the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF provides versatile electric tones and great playability, the Cordoba 05408 offers an alternative voice with its nylon strings and all-mahogany body. Guitarists looking for rich acoustic-like tones in an electric format may want to check out the warm, resonant Cordoba 05408.

Pickups

The Ibanez GRG131DX features two Infinity R humbucker pickups that provide a powerful and balanced tone across the tonal spectrum.

The bridge humbucker produces crisp, articulate sounds with plenty of bite and presence. It excels at aggressive riffing and lead playing. The neck humbucker has a smooth, warm voice that is great for chords and clean passages.

Together, the two humbuckers offer versatile tonal options. There's enough output and midrange punch to generate thick overdrive when playing through a distorted amp. Cleans remain full and dynamic. The pickups also do a good job of avoiding muddiness and allowing individual notes to ring clearly even when using high levels of gain.

Overall, the Infinity R humbuckers provide excellent performance and tonal flexibility perfect for rock, metal, blues, and hard rock. The pickups complement the GRG131DX nicely, providing rich and responsive tone from this affordable guitar. The humbuckers allow for a wide range of tones, from searing leads to chunky rhythms. With a bit of tweaking, players can dial in aggressive metal tones or vintage-flavored blues rock sounds.

While the Ibanez GRG131DX pickups offer great bang for the buck, players looking for upgraded tone may want to consider the Pyle PGA820BR. This budget-friendly electric guitar comes equipped with dual Pyle Pro humbuckers that provide thick, rich tone perfect for hard rock and metal playing. The PGA820BR pickups have plenty of output to drive an amp into natural overdrive. They also exhibit nice clarity even at high gain levels. The guitar's mahogany body contributes to the warm, resonant voice. Overall, the Pyle PGA820BR presents another quality affordable option for players seeking versatile humbucker tone and performance.

Controls Offer Versatility

The Ibanez GRG131DX features simple but versatile control options. It has a master volume and tone control knobs, allowing you to easily shape and refine your sound.

The volume knob controls the overall output level of the guitar. Turn it up for louder sounds or dial it back for cleaner tones. This makes it easy to go from shimmering chords to screaming leads with just a twist of the wrist.

The tone knob determines the treble response. Roll it off for a darker, bassier sound or bring it up to make the tone brighter and more biting. Finding the sweet spot between the volume and tone knobs is key to dialing in your ideal sound.

Some reviewers note the knobs have a smooth, sturdy feel when turning. This inspires confidence in making adjustments on the fly. The controls are thoughtfully placed and easy to reach while playing too.

Overall, the simple control layout belies the tonal options available. Between the volume and tone knobs, you have the essentials covered to shape your sound with this Ibanez electric guitar.

Hardware

The Ibanez GRG131DX features quality hardware that enhances its playability and sound. It has a fixed bridge made of thick steel that provides solid tuning stability and crisp transfer of string vibration. This is preferable for electric guitars focused on aggressive playing styles like metal and shred.

The headstock contains sealed die-cast tuners that keep the strings locked in tune through heavy use. Tuning stability is essential for playing fast lead lines and complicated chords without interruption. The knobs also have a smooth turning action that makes quick tuning adjustments easy during live performance or recording sessions.

Overall the hardware supports the GRG131DX's role as a high-performance electric guitar ready for demanding players. The components are built to last while enabling clear notes, reliable tuning, and dynamic string expression.

Playability

The GRG131DX features a thin, fast maple neck that makes playing easy and comfortable. The neck has a 25.5” scale length, similar to many classic Fender guitars, along with a thin “D” profile that allows effortless fretting and chording.

Despite the thin profile, the neck feels substantial and solid. It's made of maple which provides stability and sustain. The fingerboard is rosewood which contributes to a smooth feel during runs up and down the neck.

The action is set low and buzz-free from the factory. Combined with the thin neck, this allows fast lead playing and makes it easy to quickly move around the fretboard. The fret edges are carefully finished for a seamless transition up and down the neck.

Overall, the GRG131DX provides outstanding playability thanks to its thin, fast neck design. The neck shape and profile allow beginners to easily form chords and progress quickly, while also catering to intermediate and advanced players who want to play fast lead lines.

Sound

The Ibanez GRG131DX features two Ibanez humbucking pickups that provide a wide range of tones perfect for rock, metal, blues, and more. The bridge pickup delivers thick, rich distortion with plenty of bite and aggression. It excels at everything from searing lead tones to heavy rhythm chugs. The neck pickup has a smoother, warmer voice that is great for mellow cleans and singing leads.

Having a humbucker in both the bridge and neck position makes this guitar extremely versatile. You can go from blistering distortion to creamy clean tones with just the flick of the pickup selector switch. This versatility also allows you to shape your tone to suit different genres and playing styles. From jazz to heavy metal and everything in between, the Ibanez GRG131DX can produce the sounds you need.

The dual humbuckers give this Ibanez solid sustain and a fatness to the overall tone. Chords ring out with thickness and authority. Fast solo lines have plenty of richness and vocal-like quality. Overall, the GRG131DX delivers professional humbucker tone in an affordable guitar package.

Pros

The Ibanez GRG131DXBKF electric guitar offers great value considering its quality and features. For the relatively affordable price, you get a fast, comfortable maple neck and a versatile array of pickups that can handle anything from rock to metal.

Some of the top advantages of this model include:

• Great value - This Ibanez model packs impressive quality and playability at a budget-friendly price point, making it a top choice for beginner and intermediate players looking for their first serious electric guitar or a solid backup option. The combination of build, hardware, electronics and tone outweigh the low cost.

• Fast, comfortable neck - The GRG131DX features a 25.5" scale maple neck that is designed for speed and smooth playability. The thin profile and finished back feel great, allowing for quick runs and effortless shredding. The rosewood fretboard also contributes to the smooth feel.

• Versatile sound - With dual humbucker pickups and a 5-way switch, this guitar can produce classic rock crunch, soaring leads, and high-gain metal tones. The Infinity R humbuckers are tight and focused, responding well to picking dynamics. You'll be able to chase a range of tones from clean to distorted.

Cons

While the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF electric guitar offers a lot of value for the price, it does have some drawbacks common for guitars in this lower price range.

• The hardware and electronics, while functional, are cheaper quality. The tuners, bridge, pickups, pots, and other components are budget-minded. This can lead to issues staying in tune, noise, and lower output/tone. Upgrading some of these parts down the road may be necessary for discerning players.

• The pickups are Ibanez's own Infinity R pickups, which are decent for the price but don't have the richness and dynamics of higher-end pickups. They get the job done for rock and metal styles, but lack nuance.

• The tremolo bridge is very basic and doesn't allow for complex manipulation of the whammy bar. It works fine for simple vibrato effects, but not extreme use.

• The neck is fast but a little on the thin side. For some players, it may lack the meatiness and thickness desired for certain lead styles.

• The fit and finish, while good for the price range, is not flawless. Expect some rough fret ends or imperfections in the finish upon close inspection.

Overall the guitar represents a tremendous value, but does lack some refinement in hardware and electronics compared to more expensive instruments. Upgrading key components could unleash more of its potential.

Summary

The Ibanez GRG131DXBKF is an ideal beginner electric guitar that provides great value for the price. It has a fast, thin maple neck and sleek double cutaway body shape that makes it comfortable and accessible for new players. The two Ibanez Infinity humbucking pickups provide a decent range of tones from clean to high gain distortion. Overall, the guitar plays well and sounds good for a budget model aimed at beginners.

Some of the main pros are the fast neck, comfortable body shape, versatile humbucking pickups, and quality hardware for the price. The tuners and bridge hold their tune well and the neck joint allows good upper fret access. The main cons are that the pickups and hardware are still basic, and the tone isn't as rich as more expensive models. The frets are also medium size, which some beginners may find harder to press down.

Overall, the Ibanez GRG131DXBKF provides excellent value as a first electric guitar for beginners to learn on. The playability and sounds are very good considering the affordable price. More advanced players may want to eventually upgrade, but this Ibanez model covers the basics well.