Ibanez GRX-40 (GR*10) Reviews 4

I got this guitar from Fletcher's (Big Flats, NY). I bought the Ibanez JumpStart pack, which gave me the guitar, 10 watt amp, strap, gig bag (a cheap one, but that's a different story . . .), cords, and some nifty stickers and cool little book. I paid 300 plus tax for the whole affair.

Overall, this is an excellent first guitar that will serve you for years if you don't need a proffessional-esque axe. The PowerSound pickups are fairly good with distortion. Sometimes stays in tune through a week of jamming (see dislikes section). Nice finish (see dislikes section). The guitar is noticeably light.

String tuning is erratic- sometimes staying in tune through some sadistic sonic sessions for days at a time, sometimes needing to be re-tuned every ten minutes. The tuning knobs feel light, but they do their job. The PowerSound pickups sound very very fake when playing clean. My gorgeous Metallic Red finish is a bitch to keep clean (smear marks and fingerprints). Also, the guitar eats high E strings like a binging bulimic. Screams "Fender Strat wannabe", which I don't particularly care for . . . you might.

Surprisingly good quality for such a low-priced guitar. Nice finish, sound body, lightweight. If only the gig bag were made this well.

If I were again faced with the decision between the GR*10 package and, say, a Yamaha or Squier package, I'd choose this one again, without a doubt. Versatile, sturdy, and inexpensive, it's the perfect guitar for the outcast teen speaking to the world (or the portion of it that lies within his bedroom) through anything from roots blues to heavy metal. If you're looking to do some serious band/performance work, you might go with an RG, but I'm really impressed with all the quality and components packed into such a small price (remember, 300 for the entire package).

Nathan Schied rated this unit 4 on 2003-06-08.

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