darren
Forum MVP
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2004
- Messages
- 12,822
- Reaction score
- 1,349
I popped by the Long & McQuade store in Burlington this afternoon, and they happened to have an RG2228 within easy reach, and a Mesa Boogie Roadster 2x12 combo sitting on the floor.
How could i resist?
The first thing that struck me was how instantly playable it was. The 27" scale and extra low string didn't faze me at all... as long as i didn't try to play familiar material on the other seven strings.
I found that the neck was super-smooth, nicely contoured, and didn't feel excessively wide, or with a "flat spot" in the middle of hte back, a common complaint i have with a lot of RG 7-strings. I felt instantly comfortable, and didn't really notice the extra width or length of the fretboard all that much.
I don't have much experience with EMGs, so i'm never quite sure how to evaluate or respond to them. I thought the 808s sounded great, whether i was playing clean, crunchy or full-on chunky-heavy-rhythm. There's a unique quality to them that i can only describe as "stringy"... i really felt that i was hearing the sound of a string. It was always clear and articulate, and i thought it sounded lively. They were loud, and i found when i really slammed the strings, it pushed the clean channel of the roadster into mild clipping. I'd love to try an 18-volt setup for greater headroom.
Appearance-wise, it was quite classy, but it's still an RG. I don't like RGs. Some have said that the strings pull straight from the nut to the tuners. Not true. There is a very slight splay from centre. I would have preferred it if Ibanez had kept the strings totally straight from the nut to the tuners, and maybe reduced the headstock size by 10%, keeping it looking a little sharper. I find the design they ended up with looks a little big and "bulbous" compared to the normal pointy Ibanez "beak". From an ergonomic standpoint, i think they perhaps should have used offset dots on the fretboard face. Players that rely on them might not see them way over in the middle of the board. And smaller dots, like they recently started using on the rest of the RG line, would have looked a bit more classy than the big plastic dots. They were a bit of a throwback.
Because it was so readily playable and sounded so good, i found it to be a very inspiring guitar to play. Within minutes, i was coming up with some really cool riffs and low-tuned melodies that took advantage of the extra string. It was a lot of fun to play, and i could easily see myself making room for an 8 in my collection. I don't think i'd pay the C$1800 they're asking for the RG, but i would love to find (or build) a more budget-minded 8-string.
Oh, and the Roadster combo? Killer amp. I loved every tone i got out of it. If i had the means, i would have one of these.
How could i resist?
The first thing that struck me was how instantly playable it was. The 27" scale and extra low string didn't faze me at all... as long as i didn't try to play familiar material on the other seven strings.
I found that the neck was super-smooth, nicely contoured, and didn't feel excessively wide, or with a "flat spot" in the middle of hte back, a common complaint i have with a lot of RG 7-strings. I felt instantly comfortable, and didn't really notice the extra width or length of the fretboard all that much.
I don't have much experience with EMGs, so i'm never quite sure how to evaluate or respond to them. I thought the 808s sounded great, whether i was playing clean, crunchy or full-on chunky-heavy-rhythm. There's a unique quality to them that i can only describe as "stringy"... i really felt that i was hearing the sound of a string. It was always clear and articulate, and i thought it sounded lively. They were loud, and i found when i really slammed the strings, it pushed the clean channel of the roadster into mild clipping. I'd love to try an 18-volt setup for greater headroom.
Appearance-wise, it was quite classy, but it's still an RG. I don't like RGs. Some have said that the strings pull straight from the nut to the tuners. Not true. There is a very slight splay from centre. I would have preferred it if Ibanez had kept the strings totally straight from the nut to the tuners, and maybe reduced the headstock size by 10%, keeping it looking a little sharper. I find the design they ended up with looks a little big and "bulbous" compared to the normal pointy Ibanez "beak". From an ergonomic standpoint, i think they perhaps should have used offset dots on the fretboard face. Players that rely on them might not see them way over in the middle of the board. And smaller dots, like they recently started using on the rest of the RG line, would have looked a bit more classy than the big plastic dots. They were a bit of a throwback.
Because it was so readily playable and sounded so good, i found it to be a very inspiring guitar to play. Within minutes, i was coming up with some really cool riffs and low-tuned melodies that took advantage of the extra string. It was a lot of fun to play, and i could easily see myself making room for an 8 in my collection. I don't think i'd pay the C$1800 they're asking for the RG, but i would love to find (or build) a more budget-minded 8-string.
Oh, and the Roadster combo? Killer amp. I loved every tone i got out of it. If i had the means, i would have one of these.
