Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM is a guitar designed for heavy metal players who want high performance and an aggressive look without breaking the bank. This medium-priced solid body electric guitar packs impressive features into an iconic RG-style shape with a bold metallic green finish.

The RGD61ALETMGM is part of Ibanez's Metal series, built specifically for hard rock and metal genres. It has a basswood body with a thin, fast Wizard III maple neck topped with a rosewood fretboard. The combination produces tight low end and snappy mids and highs, perfect for the definition and clarity needed in metal guitar tones.

This Ibanez comes equipped with two Quantum humbuckers, providing everything from singing leads to distorted rhythm tones. It has a 5-way switch for accessing various pickup combinations, along with individual volume controls for each pickup and a master tone knob. The fixed bridge provides solid sustain and tuning stability even with aggressive playing.

Overall, the RGD61ALETMGM brings many hallmarks of high-end metal guitars down to a reasonable price point. Its construction and electronics are optimized for heavy styles, complete with the edgy appearance that many metal players desire. This review will examine its features and sound in more detail.

Body & Neck

The Ibanez RGD61ALE has a basswood body with a flamed maple top and neck. Basswood is a popular choice for electric guitar bodies as it has a balanced and clear sound. The mid-range focused tone allows the natural resonance of the basswood to come through. The flamed maple top adds some brightness, snap, and aesthetic flair.

The neck is also flamed maple, giving it a fast feel and bright tone. It has a Wide Fat profile that fills the hand. The neck joints the body at the 24th fret for excellent upper fret access. The fretboard is rosewood which complements the basswood body tonally with its rounded lows and smooth highs. Overall the basswood and maple combo produces a versatile palette of tones.

The combination of basswood and maple is a common one in electric guitar design. Basswood provides a solid tonal foundation while maple adds crispness and definition. This allows the pickups and electronics to have a balanced and responsive canvas to work with. Many iconic models like the YMC BCG34-AM have used this wood pairing to great effect. It is a road-tested formula that works well across musical genres.

The 24-fret neck joint allows comfortable access to the highest registers. This expands the creative possibilities by making traditionally challenging lead lines easier to play. The smooth feel of the neck also facilitates moving quickly up and down the fretboard. Precise tapping and wide intervallic stretches are no problem, even way up on the neck.

Overall the RGD61ALE is thoughtfully constructed with tone, playability, and aesthetics all working together. The basswood/maple tonewood combination provides a versatile tonal palette. The neck shape and fret access enable technical freedom across the entire fretboard. And the flamed maple top looks fantastic under stage lighting. Ibanez has crafted a well-balanced instrument ready for a wide variety of musical applications.

Pickups

The Ibanez RGD61ALE features a pair of Axion Label passive humbucker pickups. The Axion Label pickups are designed to offer a versatile tonal palette, capable of producing everything from thick, saturated lead tones to glassy clean tones.

The neck pickup delivers a warm, round tone that is great for rhythm playing and jazzier leads. It has enough clarity to cut through a mix, but retains a smooth character. The bridge pickup has more bite and aggression, perfect for searing lead lines and heavy riffing. There is enough warmth in the bridge pickup to avoid getting too sterile or icy on the high end.

Together, the two Axion Label humbuckers offer a diverse range of tones. From warm cleans, to crunchy rock, to high gain metal, this pickup set can handle it all. The pickups are responsive to dynamics and allow the natural tone of the guitar to shine through. Overall, the Axion Label pickups provide great sound quality and tonal versatility.

When looking for an electric guitar with versatile pickups, the Applause Traditional AB24-4S is a great option to consider. It features two single coil pickups that offer a wide range of tones. The neck pickup has a warm, smooth voice that excels at clean and rhythm playing. The bridge pickup has more cut and bite for lead playing. Together they cover the tonal spectrum from sparkling cleans to raunchy overdrive.

The AB24-4S pickups are designed to be very responsive to playing dynamics and guitar volume controls. You can go from spanky funk tones to screaming leads just by adjusting your attack and volume. This level of tonal control makes the AB24-4S extremely versatile across many musical genres.

The classic single coil design also provides great clarity and note articulation. Chords ring out brightly with each note clear and defined. Lead lines really sing with these crisp and lively pickups. Even high gain distortion tones maintain definition thanks to the focused character of single coils.

When paired with the comfortable neck and solid hardware of the Applause AB24-4S, these pickups make this guitar an exceptional value. Players looking for versatility across a wide range of musical styles will appreciate what this Applause model has to offer.

If you want classic Stratocaster tones along with modern playability, the Applause Traditional AB24-4S is worth serious consideration. The single coil pickups give you a palette capable of sparkling cleans, fat overdrive, and singing lead tones. Overall an excellent choice for a versatile electric guitar.

Controls

The Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM has a powerful setup of controls that give you a wide range of tones to work with. It features a 5-way switch that allows you to select between the bridge humbucker, inner coils of both humbuckers, outer coils of both humbuckers, neck humbucker, and both humbuckers together.

There is also an independent volume control for each pickup, allowing you to blend their levels to your liking. The tone knobs offer additional shaping of the tone - one controls the bridge pickup and one controls the neck pickup. Having separate volume and tone knobs for each pickup makes it easy to dial in your perfect sound.

The 5-way switching along with the dual volume and tones give you tons of tonal possibilities. From aggressive metal tones with the bridge pickup to warm, rounded leads with the neck pickup, this guitar can produce the tones you need for any style of music. The controls are intuitive and give you great versatility.

Hardware

The Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM features top quality hardware that enhances its playability, stability and tuning reliability.

It has a Gibraltar Standard II fixed bridge, which provides excellent string vibration transfer for maximum sustain and tuning stability. The bridge is stable even with low tunings and aggressive playing styles.

The headstock is equipped with Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads, which are high-ratio die-cast tuners. They enable precise tuning adjustments and keep the strings locked in tune during intense performances. The tuners have a sleek, modern design that matches the metal theme of the guitar.

Overall, the hardware complements the design and playability of this guitar very well. The fixed bridge and locking tuners form a solid tuning platform. Players who use alternate tunings and downtuning will appreciate the tuning stability.

Sound & Playability

The Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM produces a very aggressive and tight metal tone thanks to its pair of high output Quantum pickups. These pickups provide crushing amounts of gain while still retaining note definition, even on the lowest 7th string tunings.

The basswood body offers excellent resonance and sustain. Palm mutes have a very tight and percussive sound. The vibrato bridge provides great tuning stability even during heavy tremolo use.

The Wizard III maple neck has a thin and fast profile that makes playing rapid riffs and shredding solo lines very easy. The 24 jumbo frets allow for lots of string bending acrobatics. The arched top is also highly playable and comfortable.

Overall the RGD61ALETMGM delivers an extremely versatile modern metal tone with great playability for fast lead work. The guitar sounds fantastic for hardcore metal genres like death metal, prog metal, or math metal.

Pros

The Ibanez RGD61ALET has many positives that make it a great choice for metal guitarists.

• The thin, fast neck allows for easy riffing and shredding. It has a Wizard III Maple neck that is extremely slim and allows for very quick lead playing. The neck feels great for fast, intricate metal solos.

• The guitar is optimized for metal tones. It has a mahogany body and maple top which gives a nice blend of warmth and brightness. The pickups are geared for high gain metal tones. The bridge Quantum humbucker and neck Quantum single coil give you aggressive rhythm crunch and searing leads.

• The treble bleed circuit helps maintain clarity and articulation when rolling off volume. This allows you to go from metal rhythm to clean tones without losing treble.

• The Edge-Zero II tremolo bridge provides great tuning stability even with heavy use of the whammy bar. Dive bombs and squeals are no problem.

Cons

The Ibanez RGD61ALET has a few potential drawbacks to consider:

• Pickups may need an upgrade - While the Quantum pickups offer decent stock tone, some players feel they lack dynamics and need replacing to get professional recording or gigging quality sound. Aftermarket pickups like EMG or Seymour Duncan could provide an upgrade.

• Fretwork issues - There are some reports of sharp fret ends or uneven frets on this model right out of the box. It may require extra filing and polishing by a guitar tech to fix potential playability problems. This likely varies from guitar to guitar.

• No locking tuners - The die-cast tuners work well enough, but upgrading to locking tuners could provide better tuning stability during heavy playing.

• Weight relief not for everyone - The basswood body has weight relief routing that makes the guitar lighter, but some prefer a heavier, denser feel.

• May lack versatility for some players - With its pointy metal style body and extended scale length, this Ibanez model leans toward metal/shred playing. The tightly curved fretboard radius and thin fast neck may not suit all playing styles.

Comparable Models

Schecter and ESP LTD offer some comparable models to the Ibanez RGD61ALETMGM at similar price points that are also worth considering:

Schecter Hellraiser C-1

The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 has a similar arched top mahogany body with maple neck construction as the Ibanez, along with a thin U profile neck for fast playing. It features EMG active pickups compared to the Ibanez passive pickups, so the tone will be a bit different. The fretboard is ebony rather than rosewood. Overall it has a very metal focused look and feel, with black finish options, aggressive styling, and Hellraiser signature inlays. Those wanting a dark, shred ready guitar will feel right at home.

ESP LTD EC-1000

From ESP's more affordable LTD line, the EC-1000 offers set-neck construction with a mahogany body and neck, 24 extra jumbo frets, and an ebony fretboard. It has a thin U neck contour for fast lead playing. The EC-1000 comes in a variety of finishes from traditional black to more adventurous options like see-thru purple. The overall shape is a bit more of a traditional single cut than the Ibanez. Pickups are active EMG 81/60. Those wanting a metal focused Les Paul alternative should give the EC-1000 a close look.

The Schecter and ESP models mentioned offer close alternatives to the Ibanez at similar price points, with variations in body shapes, active/passive pickups, and different aesthetic options. The Ibanez stands out from these competitors in terms of its distinct RGD body shape and fast-playing Wizard neck profile.

Conclusion

The Ibanez RGD61ALE is a great electric guitar for metal and shredding, offering tight low end and crisp highs perfect for aggressive riffing and lightning fast solos. The basswood body provides resonance while keeping weight down, and the maple/bubinga Wizard neck gives stability and sustain for intricate playing.

However, there seem to be some quality control issues with the RGD61ALE. Some users have reported sharp fret ends, uneven frets, and finish flaws right out of the box. While return and exchange processes through retailers like Amazon are typically smooth, it can still be frustrating and time consuming to deal with defects on a brand new instrument. Considering the premium price point of the RGD61ALE, more attention to detail is expected.

So for metal guitarists seeking fast playing and great tone, the Ibanez RGD61ALE delivers in the sound department. But be prepared to thoroughly inspect your particular instrument for any defects before bonding with this shred machine.