Ibanez GRGM21BKN Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro is a compact, short-scale electric guitar designed for beginners, travelers, and players with smaller hands. As part of Ibanez's GIO series, the GRGM21BKN delivers reliable performance and classic styling in an affordable package.

This 6-string electric guitar has a 22.2” scale, providing an easier playing feel than full-size guitars. The smaller body size also enhances comfort and portability. The Poplar body gives the GRGM21BKN a lightweight, resonant tone. The Maple neck adds brightness, while the Rosewood fretboard brings out the midrange.

Overall, the Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro is a great entry-level model for new guitarists or an ideal second electric for experienced players. Its compact size makes it easy to handle and transport, while still retaining the familiar feel and sound of a full-scale electric guitar.

Body & Neck

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro has a compact, smooth poplar body paired with a maple neck. The smaller poplar body makes this an ideal electric guitar for younger players or those with smaller hands who want the feel of a full scale guitar without the bulky body size.

The maple neck provides brightness, snap and sustain. It has a fast, thin profile that facilitates quick playing up and down the neck. The maple fretboard has 24 medium frets for ample room during solos and riffing. Overall, the combination of the poplar body and maple neck gives this Ibanez Mikro guitar a balanced, nuanced tone with clear note definition.

The compact size and smooth feel of the Ibanez Mikro guitar body is well-suited for beginners or those with smaller builds. While it doesn't produce the full, booming tones of a standard electric guitar, it offers impressive versatility through the HSH pickup configuration. The dual humbuckers provide thickness and warmth while the single coil injects chime and sparkle into the Mikro's tone.

Another great option for beginner and intermediate players looking for a comfortable, playable electric guitar is the Ortega Guitars RCE145LBK. This guitar has a slightly larger double cutaway Les Paul-style body made of basswood. The basswood construction gives it a balanced, clear and resonant tone. It has a bolt-on maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard featuring dot inlays. The hardware includes a fixed bridge with string-through-body design and a set of open gear tuning machines. Overall it's an affordable, well-built electric guitar for a wide range of musical styles and ability levels.

The Ortega RCE145LBK comes equipped with a humbucker in the bridge position and two single coil pickups. This versatile pickup configuration allows guitarists to experiment with a variety of tones from searing lead lines to warm, full-bodied rhythm parts. Between the two pickup options, the bridge humbucker provides thicker distortion and sustain for solos and heavy riffing. The single coils have a brighter, punchier sound well-suited to clean and lightly overdriven tones.

When comparing the Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro and Ortega RCE145LBK electric guitars, the main differences come down to body shape and size. The Mikro has a smaller, contoured poplar body designed for comfort and playability. The Ortega has a standard double cutaway shape with a slightly larger basswood body. Both guitars feature dual humbuckers and a single coil pickup. The Mikro may suit smaller players better while the Ortega offers a more traditional feel and sound.

Pickups Offer Versatile Sound

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN features two Infinity R humbucker pickups that provide a wide range of tones. The bridge pickup produces a tight, aggressive sound that excels for rock and metal. The neck pickup has a smooth, warm tone perfect for blues and jazz.

The pickups use ceramic magnets for hot output and enhanced sustain. There's plenty of power on tap, with crisp highs and tight lows. The pickups are wax potted to reduce microphonic feedback at high volumes.

Overall, the Infinity R humbuckers are versatile pickups capable of covering various genres. They balance vintage character with modern output and performance. From clean tones to high gain, these pickups can handle it all.

When choosing an electric guitar, the pickups are one of the most important factors to consider. They have a huge impact on the overall tone and sound you can achieve. Many guitarists opt to swap out pickups on their guitars to better match their playing style and musical needs.

There are many types of guitar pickups to choose from. Single coil pickups like those found on Stratocasters tend to have a brighter, twangier tone. Humbuckers like the Ibanez Infinity R pickups offer a thicker, warmer sound with more output and sustain.

Active pickups boost the signal even more for super high gain metal tones. Then you have specialized pickups like P90s and mini humbuckers which each have their own distinct sound and character.

It's a good idea to try out different pickup types when shopping for an electric guitar. Even guitars of the same model can sound quite different based on their pickups. Listen to the bridge and neck pickups separately to get an idea of the tonal palette available.

Pickup placement also matters. Neck pickups tend to be smoother and warmer while bridge pickups sound more aggressive and biting. The mix of pickups and switch positions expands your tonal options exponentially.

Magnet type is another pickup spec to be aware of. Alnico magnets are viewed as vintage sounding while ceramic and steel magnets provide higher output and aggression. There are also active pickups which require a 9V battery but provide extreme levels of gain and distortion.

As you can see, guitar pickups offer an incredibly diverse range of tones. The Ibanez GRGM21BKN with its dual Infinity R humbuckers provides exceptional versatility for various genres and playing styles. Be sure to choose your pickups wisely to match your musical needs and preferences.

For guitarists seeking high performance and contemporary metal tones, check out the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE. This sleek guitar comes loaded with active EMG 81/85 humbuckers for crushing amounts of gain and output. The thin, fast neck and solid mahogany body also make this an ideal choice for shredders and lead players. If you need a guitar built for speed, power and aggressive modern metal tones, the Dean AXS AX E CAIDIE delivers in spades.

Controls

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN features simple but effective control options. It has just one volume and one tone control knob, keeping the interface clean while still providing good tonal versatility.

The single volume knob allows you to easily adjust the guitar's output level. Turn it up for louder tones, or dial it back to clean up and play at lower volumes. It has a smooth taper that makes it easy to fine tune the volume.

The lone tone knob lets you shape the high end response of the pickups. Turn it down to mellow out the treble frequencies for a warmer, rounder sound. Roll it all the way up for maximum brightness and bite. The taper gives you a nice range of usable tones between the extremes.

While just having one volume and one tone knob keeps things uncomplicated, the controls still give you essential adjustments for crafting your sound. The minimalist control layout helps maintain the guitar's sleek aesthetic as well.

Hardware

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro electric guitar comes equipped with quality hardware to provide durability, stability and great functionality.

The guitar features a fixed bridge, which provides solid intonation and tuning stability compared to tremolo bridge systems. This is ideal for musicians who want to avoid potential tuning issues caused by excessive whammy bar use or bridge flutter. The fixed bridge offers a simple and reliable setup.

For tuning stability, the GRGM21BKN uses sealed die-cast tuners on the 3-a-side headstock. Die-cast tuners hold their shape and resist slipping better than stamped tuners. This allows for accurate tuning and reduced maintenance over time. The tuning machines feel solid and smooth when turning to tune the strings.

Overall, the hardware on the Ibanez GRGM21BKN is designed for stability and ease of use. The fixed bridge and quality die-cast tuners supply the guitar with reliable intonation and tuning capabilities.

Sound & Playability

Despite its small size, the Ibanez GRGM21 Mikro electric guitar packs a punch when it comes to sound. The two Ibanez humbucking pickups provide a thick, rich tone that belies the diminutive proportions of this guitar. There's plenty of warmth and body in the midrange, nice sparkle and chime in the highs, and enough low-end thump to satisfy.

The 24.75" scale maple neck enhances playability, making it easy to wrap your hands around for chordal work or fast soloing. The rosewood fingerboard is comfortable and smooth. Thanks to the Mikro's compact size and light weight, it's an extremely comfortable guitar to play standing up. The action is set low and buzz-free.

Overall, the Ibanez GRGM21 Mikro punches way above its weight class when it comes to great tone and easy playability. The small size shouldn't fool you - this guitar was built for serious playing.

Pros

Ibanez's Mikro GRGM21 is a great option for guitarists looking for a smaller, more portable electric guitar without sacrificing build quality or sound. Some key pros include:

• Unique small size: The GRGM21 features Ibanez's special "Mikro" body shape, substantially smaller and more travel-friendly than a standard guitar. The 22.2 inch scale length and slim neck profile also enhance playability. This makes the GRGM21 a great choice for younger players, small-statured musicians, and those needing a portable practice/travel guitar.

• Quality components: Despite the low price point, the GRGM21 doesn't cut corners. It has a solid basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and the trusted Ibanez T101 bridge and tailpiece. Attention to detail like this makes it play and feel like a more expensive instrument.

• Good sound: With Ibanez AX Mikro humbucking pickups, this guitar delivers a bold, organic rock/blues tone well beyond its size. The pickups provide plenty of warmth and growl, especially for lead playing. Users consistently praise the GRGM21's resonant acoustic sound and ability to "sing" when not plugged in.

Cons

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN does have some downsides to consider.

• Limited controls: The GRGM21BKN only has a single volume knob and no tone control. This limits your ability to shape and customize the guitar's sound. Some players may find the lack of tone control too restrictive, especially for cleaner tones.

• Unsuitable for some playing styles: The short 24.75" scale length and single pickup design of the GRGM21BKN make it less than ideal for certain genres and techniques. The shorter scale can make it difficult to intonate properly, particularly for lower tunings. The single pickup also limits the tonal palette, which may be an issue for rock, metal, or blues players who rely on neck pickups for a fatter, warmer tone. The GRGM21BKN is best suited for leads and solos in a high register.

Comparable Options

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro is a great entry-level electric guitar, but there are a few other comparable options worth considering in a similar price range and size:

Squier Mini Strat

The Squier Mini Strat is another 3/4-size short scale electric guitar like the Ibanez Mikro. It has a 22.75" scale length similar to the Mikro. The Mini Strat features a classic Stratocaster body shape and pickup configuration - 3 single coil pickups and 5-way switching. It has a poplar body, maple neck, and laurel fretboard. The hardware is chrome with vintage-style tuning machines. It produces the recognizable bell-like tones of a Strat. An affordable option for small hands and travel.

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light

The Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light has a full 24.75" scale in a compact lap steel guitar design. It weighs only 2.5 lbs with a solid Eastern American hardwood body. The pickups are dual rail humbuckers, with controls for volume and tone. The hardware includes chrome tuners and a chromatic bridge. The slim neck and light weight make it very comfortable for travel. It can deliver tones from glassy cleans to gritty distortion. A great portable electric guitar.

Conclusion

The Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro is an ideal short-scale electric guitar for younger players, smaller hands, or travel. Its slim, lightweight body and fast, comfortable neck make it very playable. The two humbucking pickups provide a warm, rounded tone that works well for rock, blues, and metal. While it doesn't offer the tonal complexity of guitars with three single-coil pickups, the dual humbuckers keep noise low. The fixed bridge provides great tuning stability.

All in all, the Ibanez GRGM21 BKN is a high-quality, affordable short-scale electric well-suited for beginners, children, or players needing a travel guitar. Its playability and classic tone make it a great choice as a starter electric guitar. More advanced guitarists may want to opt for a full-scale guitar with more tonal variety. But for basic rock and metal tones in an easy-to-play size, the Ibanez Mikro gets top marks.