Ibanez RGA42FM Electric Guitar- Dragon Eye Burst Flat
Overview
The Ibanez RGA42FM – Dragon Eye Burst Flat (DEF) is a standout in the RGA Standard Series, introduced around 2017. It’s produced in Indonesia and remains popular for its exceptional feel and tone.
Design & Construction
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Body: Solid Meranti body (since 2019) topped with flamed maple and eye-catching binding, offering a rich midrange with a scooped sweetness and visual appeal.
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Finish: Dragon Eye Burst Flat—a warm, amber-brown burst that highlights the flame maple top beautifully, all under a satin urethane coating.
Neck & Fingerboard
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Neck: Bolt-on three-piece maple with the famed Wizard III profile—thin, flat, and super fast—ideal for shredders.
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Fingerboard: Jatoba wood (since 2018, replacing rosewood), reddish-brown tone offering crisp highs and warm mids, with offset white dot inlays.
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Frets & Radius: 24 jumbo frets, with a flat 15.7" (400 mm) fingerboard radius geared for fast bends and precision playing.
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Scale & Nut: Standard 25.5" scale length; nut width of 43 mm (about 1.692").
Hardware & Electronics
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Bridge: Upgraded F106 fixed bridge (since around 2020), offering enhanced sustain and simple individual string height adjustment.
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Pickups: Dual Quantum ceramic humbuckers deliver quick low‑end response, robust midrange, and clear high-end articulation—great for everything from hulking riffs to rapid lead lines.
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Controls: Master volume, master tone, and a convenient 5‑way pickup selector for versatile tonal options.
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Hardware: Sleek and stylish Cosmo black hardware enhances the guitar’s modern aesthetic.
Tone & Playability
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Feel: The ultra-thin Wizard III neck combined with the flat radius makes shredding and fast runs feel effortless.
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Tonal Character: The Quantum pickups provide clarity and articulation even under high gain, with a wide tonal palette accessible through the 5‑way switch.
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Stability: The fixed bridge ensures rock-solid tuning and excellent sustain—perfect for aggressive playing and gigging setups.
Who It's For
This guitar is tailored for players seeking:
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Speed and responsiveness: Players who favor fast riffing or soloing across metal, rock, and shred.
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Tonal versatility: A broad sound spectrum from articulate cleans to saturated distortion.
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Dependability: Excellent tuning stability and sustain with the fixed bridge design.
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Visual flair: That stunning flame top and finish elevate its stage presence.
In short, the Ibanez RGA42FM Dragon Eye Burst Flat strikes a chord between eye-catching aesthetics, lightning-fast playability, and robust tonal versatility—all at a budget-friendly price point. Want to explore comparisons, tonal demos, or gigging setup ideas? Just let me know—I’d be happy to dive deeper!
