NGD: Gio Edition

[rikomaru]

Ibanez GRG121 and some letters....
It's been a while since I posted anything here, but I figured it would be fun to share my new mod platform. Reviews seem to be surprisingly scarce for an axe at this price point with such a nice look. The spec list says it has a roasted maple neck, but I kinda feel like it's just tinted brown after a light toasting. Lol

Anywarbles, the plan is to start with the nut, saddles/bridge, and tuners before swapping out the electronics. I've been looking at the BKP Cold Sweat for a while now to throw in the bridge. Do any of you have experience coil splitting it? I want something that would sound sorta tele-ish when split so it can pair with a P90 in the neck position

 

[Chri]

Need more pics!
We were all kinda ogling these in the Ibanez 2022 thread when they were debuted, but I don't think anyone wanted to sit through the wait time they were estimated.

Are you dead set on BKPs? With their insane prices they're a little hard to justify stateside nowadays when there are so many great pickup options available.

 

[guitar_player4_2_0]

That’s the best Gio I’ve ever seen. Love the color!

 

[CanserDYI]

Show the neck! That thing is probably the best looking sub 400 dollar instrument I've ever seen.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

MOAR PICS PLZ

 

[Wahwah]

Wow, Roasted Maple. That went from premium feature to mainstream in the blink of an eye!

 

[bostjan]

Need more pics!
We were all kinda ogling these in the Ibanez 2022 thread when they were debuted, but I don't think anyone wanted to sit through the wait time they were estimated.

Are you dead set on BKPs? With their insane prices they're a little hard to justify stateside nowadays when there are so many great pickup options available.

Gotta see this neck!

 

[KyleDoesGuitar]

Ibanez GRG121 and some letters....
It's been a while since I posted anything here, but I figured it would be fun to share my new mod platform. Reviews seem to be surprisingly scarce for an axe at this price point with such a nice look. The spec list says it has a roasted maple neck, but I kinda feel like it's just tinted brown after a light toasting. Lol

Anywarbles, the plan is to start with the nut, saddles/bridge, and tuners before swapping out the electronics. I've been looking at the BKP Cold Sweat for a while now to throw in the bridge. Do any of you have experience coil splitting it? I want something that would sound sorta tele-ish when split so it can pair with a P90 in the neck position
View attachment 109522

Great upgrade platform, I’ve been toying w the idea of doing a Gio 7

 

[rikomaru]

Need more pics!
We were all kinda ogling these in the Ibanez 2022 thread when they were debuted, but I don't think anyone wanted to sit through the wait time they were estimated.

Are you dead set on BKPs? With their insane prices they're a little hard to justify stateside nowadays when there are so many great pickup options available.

A couple more pics until I get the time to take better ones. I'm not really adamant about using BKPs (mainly because of the price hike), but I know for sure that I want the Mississippi Queen HSP90 in the neck. I just LOVE the sound of that pickup in my old 7 string. Also, the customization available on their site is a prime selling point. The burnt chrome should be pretty schmexy with this finish. Thoughts/options?

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

A couple more pics until I get the time to take better ones. I'm not really adamant about using BKPs (mainly because of the price hike), but I know for sure that I want the Mississippi Queen HSP90 in the neck. I just LOVE the sound of that pickup in my old 7 string. Also, the customization available on their site is a prime selling point. The burnt chrome should be pretty schmexy with this finish. Thoughts/options?

wow that is hot!

burnt chrome pickups for sure!

 

[bostjan]

A couple more pics until I get the time to take better ones. I'm not really adamant about using BKPs (mainly because of the price hike), but I know for sure that I want the Mississippi Queen HSP90 in the neck. I just LOVE the sound of that pickup in my old 7 string. Also, the customization available on their site is a prime selling point. The burnt chrome should be pretty schmexy with this finish. Thoughts/options?

That looks very dark for roasted maple, to me.

If you like the Cold Sweat, you might like the Dimarzio Liquifire, but they don't really sound the same, they just have some of the same tonal features. Although, Dimarzio has been a bit of a customer service nightmare lately, purportedly. Elysian pickups are great, too, at least from my experience with them. I've only tried the more death-metally offerings. If your looking for something a little tamer, I'm sure Adam can figure something out for you. They're based in Texas, too, so shipping ought not to take too long for you.

 

[Adieu]

A couple more pics until I get the time to take better ones. I'm not really adamant about using BKPs (mainly because of the price hike), but I know for sure that I want the Mississippi Queen HSP90 in the neck. I just LOVE the sound of that pickup in my old 7 string. Also, the customization available on their site is a prime selling point. The burnt chrome should be pretty schmexy with this finish. Thoughts/options?

If that's roasted and untinted, is that maple?

 

[budda]

That finish rules.

 

[fabronaut]

damn, that slaps. I've been waiting for these to come in stock at the bigger independent retailer near me, and it looks like they're finally here!

if they have one on the showroom floor, very high odds I'll snap one up. plan is to run it through their PLEK machine, maybe see if I can pay for a Graptech or bone nut to be cut and installed to run it with a heavier string gauge.

how's the bridge? I usually swap the electronics and pickups to taste, but finding a compatible replacement bridge (hole spacing etc.) can be a bit finicky sometimes.

 

[DoctorStoner]

Kiesel Lithiums split really well and used to be super cheap used. The Holdsworths and Berylliums are lower output and they would also work well with a P90. Call them up, pretty sure they'd only be like $110 new straight from Kiesel.

There are a bunch of good options from SD and DiMarzio for a lot less than a new BKP, but I'm out of touch these days...

 

[Crungy]

Congrats! I'm surprised someone got one to post here. It really looks great... I wonder how long Ibanez will offer these?

 

[rikomaru]

That looks very dark for roasted maple, to me.

If you like the Cold Sweat, you might like the Dimarzio Liquifire, but they don't really sound the same, they just have some of the same tonal features. Although, Dimarzio has been a bit of a customer service nightmare lately, purportedly. Elysian pickups are great, too, at least from my experience with them. I've only tried the more death-metally offerings. If your looking for something a little tamer, I'm sure Adam can figure something out for you. They're based in Texas, too, so shipping ought not to take too long for you.

Yeah....the darkness of it makes me suspicious as well. I still think they've tinted it. It feels quite nice though, so no legitimate complaints. I looked at the Elysian site and they do make an HSP90. I'll contact them to see if we'd be able to make my idea work.

damn, that slaps. I've been waiting for these to come in stock at the bigger independent retailer near me, and it looks like they're finally here!

if they have one on the showroom floor, very high odds I'll snap one up. plan is to run it through their PLEK machine, maybe see if I can pay for a Graptech or bone nut to be cut and installed to run it with a heavier string gauge.

how's the bridge? I usually swap the electronics and pickups to taste, but finding a compatible replacement bridge (hole spacing etc.) can be a bit finicky sometimes.

The bridge is solid enough to be comfortable, but the saddles are all close to max height to get a pretty low action. I don't know how consistent this will be on a Gio line, but mine will be getting replaced. A Gotoh should be an easy swap, but I've not taken any real measurements yet.

Kiesel Lithiums split really well and used to be super cheap used. The Holdsworths and Berylliums are lower output and they would also work well with a P90. Call them up, pretty sure they'd only be like $110 new straight from Kiesel.

There are a bunch of good options from SD and DiMarzio for a lot less than a new BKP, but I'm out of touch these days...

It's been so long since I looked at the Carvin site I didn't even consider that option. Lol. Thanks for the tip.

Congrats! I'm surprised someone got one to post here. It really looks great... I wonder how long Ibanez will offer these?

I'm surprised they aren't popping up all over the place here. The layout and design at this price seem like prime SSO thread material! I feel like this is one of the models that end up having a short run. I didn't want to regret missing out on it like I did with the RGA121 and stuff like that. Sweetwater had at least 5 in stock last time I checked. This one was actually a demo so I got it for $270 instead of $300.

 

[RadoncROCKs]

That looks awesome for the value

Looking at your pics and the stock ones on the internet, no way that neck isn't tinted somehow. Even the Prestige artists don't have as reliable supply of dark roasted necks on the AZs

Kiesel charges $400 for the color change finish alone - the price of that entire guitar

 

[bostjan]

That looks awesome for the value

Looking at your pics and the stock ones on the internet, no way that neck isn't tinted somehow. Even the Prestige artists don't have as reliable supply of dark roasted necks on the AZs

Kiesel charges $400 for the color change finish alone - the price of that entire guitar

Yeah, if it's really roasted maple, I'm beyond impressed. Colour-shift sparkle finish, wood-mount pickups, matching headstock - all options you never see on $300-400 guitars. If only it had stainless frets! (Just kidding!)

 

[CanserDYI]

Looks exactly like the roasted maple on Legator Guitars. I'd bet it's roasted. Can you see any splotches? Brown tints+indo factory making 400 dollar guitars=splotches somewhere. Would probably be more cost effective to actually roast all the blanks of maple versus having someone individually dye them or add a step of dying and finish over the dye. Could be, but I just don't see why they'd advertise it if it isn't, it's ibanez not Chibanez.