Ibanez GRG7221WH Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez GRG7221WH is an affordable, entry-level 7-string solid-body electric guitar aimed at beginners and novice players. As part of Ibanez's GRG line, the GRG7221WH offers great playability and versatile sound at a budget-friendly price point.

With its poplar body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard, the GRG7221WH provides a comfortable playing feel. The two Infinity R humbucking pickups and fixed bridge deliver a range of tones from rock and metal to blues and jazz. Easy playability, solid construction, and high-quality components make the Ibanez GRG7221WH a great choice for new 7-string players.

Body & Neck

The Ibanez GRG7221WH features a basswood body paired with a maple Wizard III neck for great playability and tone. Basswood is a popular choice for electric guitar bodies because it is lightweight yet dense, allowing for good sustain and resonance. The contoured basswood body on the GRG7221WH is comfortable to play while seated or standing.

The maple neck provides brightness and snap that complements the warmth of the basswood body. Ibanez uses its thin, fast Wizard III neck profile on this model, making it easy to play fast licks up and down the neck. The profile has a thin, flat surface that fits nicely in the hand. High access cutaways allow easy access to even the highest notes on the 22-fret rosewood fingerboard.

The basswood and maple combination produces a balanced tone that works well for various music genres. The GRG7221WH covers a lot of sonic ground with its dual humbucking pickups, allowing for everything from clean tones to high-gain metal distortion.

Some players may prefer guitars made with different wood combinations, like mahogany or swamp ash bodies paired with maple or rosewood necks. The warmth and resonance of mahogany can sound excellent for blues and classic rock. Swamp ash has bright vintage twang perfect for country and chicken pickin'. Rosewood necks bring a little darker tone that enhances the woodiness of mahogany.

Electric guitar construction involves many variables that contribute to tone and feel. The type of wood certainly makes a difference, but so do factors like body shape, neck profile, fretboard radius, bridge type, and hardware materials. It takes trying out a lot of different models to find your ideal electric guitar.

Brands like Godin offer great options for players looking for alternatives to the major guitar companies. The Godin 049738 is a single cutaway guitar with a mahogany body and maple neck. It has a comfortable asymmetrical neck profile and dual Godin GS-1 humbucking pickups for thick rock tones. The 049738 delivers excellent value in its price range.

Experimenting with different guitar models is the only way to find your perfect electric guitar. The choice ultimately comes down to feel and sound. Neck profile, body shape and weight, wood type, electronics - they all factor into what works for an individual player. It's a very personal decision.

Pickups & Electronics

The Ibanez GRG7221WH features two Infinity R humbucker pickups that provide a powerful, fat tone with plenty of sustain and warmth. The neck pickup delivers a smooth, round sound that's great for blues and jazz. The bridge pickup packs a punchy midrange punch for rock and metal styles.

This guitar has a 5-way pickup selector switch that allows you to tap into a wide range of tones. The switch positions are:

1. Bridge Humbucker
2. Bridge & Neck Humbuckers
3. Neck Humbucker
4. Neck & Middle Single-Coil
5. Bridge Humbucker

With this versatile switching system, you can go from thick humbucker tones to bright, twangy single coil sounds for everything from country to funk. The multiple pickup combinations open up lots of sonic possibilities when recording or performing live.

If you're looking for an affordable, versatile electric guitar, the Ibanez GRG7221WH is a great option to consider. With its dual humbuckers and 5-way selector switch, it provides a wide tonal palette for various musical genres. However, for those seeking the classic Fender sound and vibe, the Fender CD-60S is an excellent choice as well. This mahogany dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar delivers rich, resonant tones with plenty of bass and midrange punch. It comes equipped with a Fishman preamp system that includes a built-in tuner, so you can easily plug in for live performances or recording sessions. The CD-60S's slim neck profile and smooth satin finish make it comfortable to play for long periods of time. And with its classic Fender headstock shape and pickguard design, this affordable guitar looks as good as it sounds. Whether you're a beginner looking for your first serious acoustic-electric or a seasoned player seeking an inspiring yet budget-friendly option, the Fender CD-60S is tough to beat. It provides warm, full-bodied acoustic tones and flexible amplified performance at a very appealing price point.

Hardware

The Ibanez GRG7221WH features a double locking tremolo bridge, with large block saddles for added sustain and tuning stability. This allows for extreme vibrato effects and tuning stability when using the whammy bar.

The guitar has precision die-cast tuners to keep the strings in tune through heavy use. Many budget guitars will cut costs with lower quality tuners, but the GRG7221WH doesn't compromise here.

Unlike some guitars in this price range, the GRG7221WH does not come equipped with a whammy bar. While this limits some playing techniques like dive bombs, it also provides more tuning stability and reduces maintenance needs. Players who don't utilize extreme vibrato techniques may actually prefer not having a whammy bar to deal with.

The hardware is designed to offer maximum playability and reliability. While the lack of a whammy bar may disappoint some players, the high quality bridge and tuners ensure solid performance. Overall the hardware complements the guitar nicely without driving up the cost.

Playability

The GRG7221WH features a GRG maple neck which offers a fast, thin profile that's designed for speed and playability. The rosewood fretboard has 24 jumbo frets for extended soloing range.

The neck is very thin and comfortable, making it easy to play fast riffs and solos even for smaller hands. The fretwork from the factory is good, with smooth and evenly finished frets.

The action on this Ibanez is set up well out of the box. The strings sit close to the fretboard, allowing for easy bending and vibrato techniques without excessive finger effort. Overall the low action and thin, fast neck make this a very playable and shred-friendly electric guitar.

Sound

The GRG7221WH features two high output humbucker pickups that deliver a powerful and aggressive rock tone. The bridge pickup provides plenty of bite and cut, while the neck pickup tones down the aggression for a smoother lead sound.

The dual humbuckers offer more tonal versatility compared to single coils. You can go from crunchy rhythms to singing leads by just switching between the neck and bridge pickup positions. The 5-way selector switch also allows you to tap into single coil-like tones in positions 2 and 4.

Overall, this Ibanez delivers the muscular rock tone expected from a guitar equipped with two humbuckers. The pickups have enough output to drive an amp into overdrive without the need for distortion pedals. The tonal palette ranges from rich and warm to bright and cutting. This versatility suits different playing styles and genres.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Excellent playability right out of the box due to premium components
• Great value for money given the quality of hardware and electronics
• Versatile sound across genres like rock, blues, jazz, metal thanks to humbucker pickups
• Low action and thin, fast neck allow for easy bends, vibratos, and fast soloing
• Lightweight and comfortable body shape makes playing for long sessions easy
• High quality tuners keep it in tune through dynamic playing
• Comes with gig bag for convenient transport and storage

Cons

• No tremolo/whammy bar which some players like for dive bombs
• Only two tone knobs to control bridge/neck pickups limits tone shaping options
• Fixed bridge doesn't allow for pitch changes while playing
• Not the most elegant or eye-catching design for a showcase/statement piece

Alternatives

The Ibanez GRG7221WH is an affordable 7-string electric guitar, but there are several other guitars to consider in a similar price range:

• Jackson JS Series Dinky JS22-7: This has a poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, and dual Jackson humbuckers. It's a good alternative from another big brand in a comparable price point. The Jackson has a slightly thinner, faster neck profile compared to the Ibanez.

• Schecter Omen-7: Schecter is known for metal and hard rock guitars. The Omen-7 has a basswood body, maple neck, and Schecter Diamond Plus humbuckers. It has a 25.5" scale length. The Schecter offers a bit more aggression in the tone and playability compared to the Ibanez.

• ESP LTD MH-17: ESP is another leader for hard rock and metal guitars. The MH-17 offers an alder body, maple neck with thin U profile, and ESP designed LH-150 humbuckers. It has a very fast feel and bright, cutting tone. The quality is a small step up from the Ibanez but costs a little more.

• Dean MLX: The Dean MLX has a mahogany body, set mahogany neck, and Dean humbuckers. It's comparable in price to the Ibanez and has a similar heel-less set neck design. The tone is a little warmer and darker compared to the Ibanez.

Overall, the Ibanez GRG7221WH holds up well against others in its class. The alternatives provide their own flavors of tone and playability at a similar entry-level price point for 7-string guitars.

Conclusion

The Ibanez GRG7221WH 7-string electric guitar provides great value for intermediate and beginning players looking for their first 7-string guitar. It has a quality basswood body and maple Wizard II-7 neck for good tone and playability. The two IBZ-7 Infinity R humbuckers deliver a versatile range of tones, while the Edge-Zero II tremolo bridge provides solid tuning stability and dive-bombing effects.

The GRG7221WH may lack some premium features found on more expensive Ibanez models, but it excels in providing an affordable, quality-made 7-string well-suited for modern metal genres. Between its comfortable thin neck, quality hardware, and versatile pickups, the GRG7221WH punches above its class for the price. Overall, it's an excellent entry-level 7-string electric that provides great bang for your buck.

Specifications

• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, 24 frets
• Scale length: 25.5"
• Bridge: Fixed
• Pickups: Infinity R humbucker (neck), Infinity RS single coil (middle), Quantum humbucker (bridge)
• Controls: Master volume, Master tone, 5-way pickup selector switch
• Hardware: Chrome