Ibanez RG MiKro GRGM21 Meter- Jewel Blue

I received this guitar when my kid was showing more interest in playing guitar. I wanted something that was lighter than my guitars and had a fretboard with all frets reasonably accessible without having to overstretch but would also serve for them as they grew. I do recommend this for kids possibly as young as 6 if they are kind of tall or long limbed. Otherwise, I think this is a great guitar for around 8-11.To begin with, the material quality is excellent for the money:- Knobs and switches work smoothly- Tuning keys work well and hold- Body and neck materials and finish are excellent- Frets are reasonably well finished, not protrusive or sharp- Fretboard is not a wood I am familiar with, but the feel is good and the tone it helps produce is very mid-range and versatile- Pickup quality is excellent for the moneyThe guitar has a nice tone. With the amp settings set very neutrally on an amp that is normally a bit bright, this guitar was not too much either top or bottom and sits nicely in a mid-range with a minor lean toward top end (could have been the bias of the amp). This would allow for versatility of style for play from metal, blues, country, rock, and so on. It would respond well to the amp's tonal quality.The pickup arrangement is excellent. The pickup selector can select between humbucker (warmer, fuller tone) and single coil (brighter, twangier). It will let you select between neck (brighter, more for lead), bridge (mellow, rhythm). The combinations you can pick are neck humbucker, neck single coil, neck & bridge humbucker, neck & bridge single coil, and bridge humbucker. Really, really tonally versatile.Some other reviews may observe (complain) that higher up the fretboard (closer to the body), it is hard to play. That shouldn't surprise anyone. As a short scale guitar, frets must be smaller and the frets higher up are always smaller (simply how it works as the distance from the fret to the neck reduces). One should not expect to easily play high frets on a short scale guitar. However, for kids with smaller fingers, it is perfectly fine.Compared to some other guitars of similar price range, I found this to be really worth the money and better constructed. I played several mini-strats and found them all unserviceable due to very poor fretting. I did not think those would be an enjoyable experience and therefore would disincentivize the player from continuing to play and learn.This was a pleasure to play, highly versatile, and well-built.Great 3/4 size guitar. Great guitar for young players.

I bought this for fun and to replace a Squier Mini-Strat I gave away. I was very impressed with the quality of this little guitar! First, the body appears to be one solid piece of poplar. No visible seam. Very cool. The neck is one piece of maple with a maple fretboard, which is not something you see on cheap guitars. I have a more expensive full-size guitar which has a scarfed neck! The fretboard appears to have about a 12" radius, fairly flat and set up for shredding. The frets edges are smooth and the fit and finish are excellent; what you'd expect from a guitar costing about $100 more. The humbuckers(!) are not as great, but not terrible. You can get HUGE sounds from this thing. The nut is 41mm, like a full-size. However, if you have big hands, remember that the distance between frets is less and you have to cram fingers in there. I have slender hands. The electronics are pretty good; the tone pot actually works well, which is something I can't say about some guitars I've owned. All controls are smooth and responsive. It was intonated and set up right out of the box. Your experience may vary.The ONLY thing I found with this guitar is the frets are rough. Like VERY rough. I have a dressing stone and will take care of it next time I change strings. This was probably a QC issue at the plant which slipped through.If you are deciding between the Squier and this one for a 3/4 guitar, buy this one. It's head and shoulders above the Squier.

I dont "get" alot of these reviews. I've been playing forty years and have had at least five dozen guitars running the gamut of pricing. You never know with a guitar, they all are different. Personally, i have always liked maple necks and fretboards. It has a soft, easy to play feel. If it doesn't feel right, NOTHING else matters. This guitar feels good and makes it easy and fun again, the same can't be said of plenty of guitars I've owned over the years. I've had cheaper guitars feel great and really expensive guitars feel like crap. As long as it feels good, i can get a good sound by using pedals. I was very pleasantly surprised. The tuning is a slight issue but stretch them good and/or put a new set on it. The finish I think is great, too. I like it so much i am going to get another. That'll be a fun comparison. Like i said, you never know. I think it's a crapshoot. I don't trust so-called luthiers, either. I've had plenty of guitars come back less-playable. These were well-respected people. It's either playable or not. I like this little thing.