View Full Version : Anyone own/play a Yamaha RGX A2?
These are lightweight resonant solid bodies, have fairly flat radius fretboards (13.xx ") and weigh < 6 lbs.
Since the latest versions have a USB port, the older ones are being blown out at $269 or so prices.
I've never played one, but the flat neck, and light weight (as light as a PRS SE hollow body?) are intriguing.
But if the quality and fret dress are like the < ~$300 Ibanez guitars I'd want to pass.
Foxtrot
03-24-2009, 01:56 AM
I've only played one AIR, but I've played many other RGXs & countless Yamahas. Yamaha does great fretwork; the only frets on a Yamaha I didn't like so much were the PAC112s, but even they were far from unplayable.
The frets were great on the AIR. IMO, as trite as black guitars are the black version is much classier than the white.
I like mine (white, no USB). Soundwise, it's intriguingly neutral- not Fender or Gibson. Used it live many times in high volume situations.
Thanks, am going to check one out.
Got a black one. Great tone, feeds back like a semi-hollow, but controllable, semi-shoddy fret edges, med. output pups, very funky rotary pickup switch, and uses a 9v battery (optional) for lighting up the volume dial with red or blue (neck or bridge) or both colors (middle) position.
Best thing is it's extremely light, about 5 lbs. Plays well, body shape is like an Ibanez S or Schecter C1 type body. Great guitar for the price. Made in Indonesia.
Crikey
03-28-2009, 10:24 AM
Congrats on the axe!
A year or two ago there was a white one on sale locally, and I played it for a few hours. I liked the feel, the light weight, the resonance, and the tone I was getting from the pickups. The quality wasn't perfect, but "good enough", especially for the price.
The only things I didn't like were the rotary pickup selector switch (I don't like them in general, and this one was really hard to operate), and the idea that if I wanted to swap pickups I'd need a router. I guess the real reason I didn't buy it was that I had me a few guitars already. :facepalm
I have always thought it would be cool to have something with, as jgyn put it above, that "neutral, not-Fender, not-Gibson" tone.
Crikey
I have no idea what they were thinking with the high tension rotary pickup selector. I agree the tones with resonance make it a unique lightweight guitar. 5.5 lbs, and has tone like my old large hollowbody electrics with humbuckers.
Congrats on the axe!
A year or two ago there was a white one on sale locally, and I played it for a few hours. I liked the feel, the light weight, the resonance, and the tone I was getting from the pickups. The quality wasn't perfect, but "good enough", especially for the price.
The only things I didn't like were the rotary pickup selector switch (I don't like them in general, and this one was really hard to operate), and the idea that if I wanted to swap pickups I'd need a router. I guess the real reason I didn't buy it was that I had me a few guitars already. :facepalm
I have always thought it would be cool to have something with, as jgyn put it above, that "neutral, not-Fender, not-Gibson" tone.
Crikey
snarkle
03-28-2009, 02:01 PM
I've been VERY impressed with the couple I've played, but the lack of a tone control has kept me from buying...I tend to ride the tone control a lot.
But they seemed very resonant guitars, and I liked the pickups...one could call them neutral, I suppose, but I found them quite responsive to finger-style playing.
For under $300, you probably couldn't do much better.
treeofpain
03-28-2009, 02:06 PM
I like them.
I always keep my tone control fully cranked, and I can't imagine these pickups on anything but full on. I get a bassy neck only sound that I would EQ a bit if recording, but 90% of my playing will be bridge only which cuts through like most modern electrics.
Ben Furman
04-07-2009, 08:34 PM
I like mine. (White w/USB.) The fret ends are flawless. Better than many higher-end guitars. I'm not thrilled with the tuners or rotary switch....
-Ben
treeofpain
04-07-2009, 08:37 PM
You could certainly have the rotary switch replaced and add a tone control. It's pretty cheap if you can't do it yourself.
Are the USB ones still made in Indonesia? What does the USB thing do? Do you find it useful?
I like mine. (White w/USB.) The fret ends are flawless. Better than many higher-end guitars. I'm not thrilled with the tuners or rotary switch....
-Ben
Ben Furman
04-08-2009, 01:39 PM
Honestly, I haven't tried the USB functionality yet. I do own a Mac laptop....
The instrument was made in Indonesia. I think early production models were MIJ, but production quickly moved to Indonesia. My guitar was one of the recent 8th Street Music eBay specials ($270 shipped). I never really cared whether it came with USB or not.
-Ben
chrisjw5
04-08-2009, 05:54 PM
I have one that I paid $250 for with a Fender hardshell case. I bought it for the case but it's a really fun guitar. The P p/u's in it are really open and the light, chambered body gives it a neat, different sound.
A tone control would be nice, but isn't overly necessary. I haven't checked out the USB feature yet.
Phil M
07-06-2009, 11:16 AM
Will the pickups on these do heavy modern rock?
Ben Furman
07-06-2009, 06:47 PM
Will the pickups on these do heavy modern rock?
Yep. :)
Maruuk
07-07-2009, 02:24 AM
I fell in love with mine the second I picked it up (at 5.5 lbs). Then it played better than any guitar I have ever played, and I played a lot. Super low action, no buzzing, comfortable frets, great bending, incredible sustain, shallow (flat) radius, and 43mm nut width. Perfect.
While I love the wild look of the alnico soapbar pickups, and their output seems just right for lovely amp breakup at the right settings, their sound is a bit generic and lacking in distinctive character. They sound kind of between P90's and humbuckers. Brighter than the usual humbuckers, richer and smoother than P90's. But they do sound cool, definitely have their own thing going on. Killer harmonics on OD--to die for. They rock hard, yet remain expressive and responsive like a good woman. The neck P/up is great for warm, detailed jazz and whatever clean, articulate passages you want to run em through. The bridge just plain boogies all night long in OD. But chunks clean with a nice sharp metallic clank when you need that funk or country edge to bite for you.
This is one fantastic guitar. Mine was made in Taiwan--the early production run. I have heard they're a lot better than the later and cheaper Indonesian ones. I just know this has pristine fret edges and zero quality problems. It listed for like $900 or something back a few years. GC was selling them street for $499. And I got mine slightly dinged for $325 on a sale day.
Best money I ever spent.
Yeah the switcher is goofy but you get used to it. But why would anybody want to dull their guitar sound with a passive tone killer like a tone knob? All smart guitarists just wire their pups past those tone-suckers. Yamaha wisely eliminates them.
You get 3 very nicely defined and useful tones from each of the 3 pup positions. I use each a lot in recording and live. I give this guitar the highest compliment: it makes any amp sound great! And the neck makes any player instantly better. I play way better on this than my other guitars. It's like driving Ferrari compared to driving '74 Dodge. A fine note driving machine.
Good playing demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF8jw3_CyYQ&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guitar123.co.uk%2Fguitars%2F electric%2Fyamaha%2Frgx_guitars%2F&feature=player_embedded
Too bad he doesn't demo the cleans and slight breakup. It's a highly versatile ax.
Phil M
07-07-2009, 07:38 AM
...
Good playing demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF8jw3_CyYQ&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guitar123.co.uk%2Fguitars%2F electric%2Fyamaha%2Frgx_guitars%2F&feature=player_embedded
Too bad he doesn't demo the cleans and slight breakup. It's a highly versatile ax.
Great demo! I am a very unsophisticated guitarist compared to that guy...
How are the necks on these? Thin, medium, fat?
Maruuk
07-07-2009, 12:03 PM
Relatively thin (not deep), comfortable wide (43mm nut) "C" shape. I have big hands and it feels great. One caveat may be that the Indonesian models are different to some extent than the Taiwan models. Never played the Indies so hard to say.
Where can one get the Korean made ones new?
Maruuk
07-07-2009, 02:39 PM
They made em in Korea, too? Man, they got the whole Asian world crankin these babies out!
Ben Furman
07-07-2009, 08:51 PM
Yamaha Musical is closing its factory in Taiwan later this year, ceasing piano production there. They probably shifted guitar production to Indonesia some time ago, even though news reports said they were going to mainland China:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Yamaha+shifts+guitar+production+from+Taiwan+to+Chi na-a0156652124
No matter. My MII RGX-A2 is just fine, thank you. It has none of the finish or fretwork problems I've read about.
The Japanese invented modern quality control, so they probably know a thing or two about getting what they want out of the Indonesian factory.
Maruuk
07-08-2009, 12:39 PM
These are amazing and distinctive guitars, especially for the money. I LOVE playing mine, a pure pleasure. Makes me play better than I ever have. And what's weird is, they never include them in MF or AMS or Sweetwater catalogs. Nobody knows they even exist!
phantasm
07-08-2009, 12:42 PM
What's the USB thing all about?
Is it just an easier way to plug right into an audio program like garageband or something?
Phil M
07-08-2009, 12:50 PM
These are amazing and distinctive guitars, especially for the money. I LOVE playing mine, a pure pleasure. Makes me play better than I ever have. And what's weird is, they never include them in MF or AMS or Sweetwater catalogs. Nobody knows they even exist!
I remember the review in GP from awhile ago. If not for that, I wouldn't know about it!
I just noticed that these are bolt-ons but there is a very similar setneck model called the RGX320FZ. Those look nice as well.
Ben Furman
07-08-2009, 10:15 PM
What's the USB thing all about?
Is it just an easier way to plug right into an audio program like garageband or something?
Precisely.
Maruuk
07-09-2009, 01:32 AM
If the $259 Indonesian model is as good as my Taiwan version, they're giving these things away! Just read in the HC reviews the consistency with which players describe the wonderful playability of the neck, the low action, the intonation and of course, the incredible lightness of being (5.5 lbs)! Add in the almost surreal sustain from such a light body and this thing is the best kept secret in guitardom. The tuners are even good.
Maruuk
07-09-2009, 12:07 PM
BTW, MF is having a Yamaha sale right now. Call 877-207-0411 from Thursday, July 9 through Thursday, July 16 between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. PT and say "Yama" and they give you some special price. Theoretically that is. Might save a few bucks off that RGX A2.
Ben Furman
07-16-2009, 06:02 PM
The finish does have a kind of plasticy appliance-like feel, and the headstock overlay is literally plastic.
Glad you ended up liking your new instrument anyway! :)
Chrome Dinette
11-27-2011, 05:37 PM
I just rewired one of these for a friend. It's kind of a cool looking guitar. It's the one without a usb port. I put a tone control in it and a toggle for pickup selection. He got it used and it looked like there was a battery compartment, with nothing in it. It doesn't play or sound too bad.
The tuners are cool looking, as well, similar in appearance to the tuners on Hen/Bev guitars.
Virtual Pariah
11-27-2011, 06:59 PM
I just rewired one of these for a friend. It's kind of a cool looking guitar. It's the one without a usb port. I put a tone control in it and a toggle for pickup selection. He got it used and it looked like there was a battery compartment, with nothing in it. It doesn't play or sound too bad.
The tuners are cool looking, as well, similar in appearance to the tuners on Hen/Bev guitars.
Battery compartment was for the 9volt that controlled the led's in the pickup selector.
I think it was blue = bridge, green = neck.
Chrome Dinette
11-27-2011, 07:04 PM
Battery compartment was for the 9volt that controlled the led's in the pickup selector.
I think it was blue = bridge, green = neck.
Aha, pickup selector was long gone when I got ahold of it. It just had the bridge pickup wired to the volume pot and then to the output. I put a tone pot where the selector used to be and drilled a hole for a toggle switch.
Ben Furman
11-27-2011, 08:15 PM
Cool thread resurrection. I gave mine to my son, so it is still in the house where I can play it from time to time. :)
We did away with the rotary switch after the shaft sheared off (and was replaced with a toggle). The LED circuit and USB gobbledygook are no longer functional after the change, but this doesn't affect the basic playability of the guitar.
What p'ups did you change to? I like the stock units quite well.
Chrome Dinette
11-28-2011, 04:21 AM
I didn't change the pickups, just put in a toggle and tone control. It's really not a bad guitar.
Still using mine, both live and in the studio.
I love mine. Any contenders now have to be in this weight range for my consideration!
spiral
12-14-2011, 11:31 PM
Would you say the sound is more towards the hollowbody or solidbody side of the spectrum? With the long scale i was hoping for some woody tones.
Flogger59
12-15-2011, 12:50 PM
Solid body, but with a really light piece of wood in a plastic sandwich, IIRC.
spiral
12-15-2011, 12:54 PM
Thanks for the replies. I was hoping with the soapbars and resonant body i could get away with a hollow body sound. That makes my decision to get a Casino easier. :)
Virtual Pariah
12-15-2011, 12:59 PM
Solid body, but with a really light piece of wood in a plastic sandwich, IIRC.
Not really soild.
It's almost chambered with balsa wood running down the center.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/Cauldronics/yamaha2.jpg
Ben Furman
12-17-2011, 05:42 PM
Solid body, but with a really light piece of wood in a plastic sandwich, IIRC.
It's not plastic. It's an inexpensive hardwood.
I was hoping with the soapbars and resonant body i could get away with a hollow body sound. That makes my decision to get a Casino easier. :)
Yes, it's really not in the realm of a hollow body, even though it is on the resonant side for a solid.
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