Description
Review of the Ibanez GRGA120BKN Gio Electric Guitar in Black Night
The Ibanez GRGA120BKN is a full size solid body electric guitar from the GIO series, with a poplar body carrying an arched top and body binding, a maple neck, jumbo frets, two Infinity R humbucking pickups with a three way selector and a tremolo bridge, finished in Black Night. The listing positions the GIO line as the maker’s starting point for beginner and intermediate players.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Jumbo frets. Taller and wider frets mean the finger presses the string against the fret rather than down onto the board, which makes bending easier and reduces the force needed to fret cleanly. This is a genuine playability advantage for a newer player.
- Two high output Infinity R humbuckers with a three way selector. Humbuckers cancel mains hum and give a thicker, higher output signal than single coils, and three switch positions give bridge, both and neck voices.
- Arched top with body binding. The binding is a strip of contrasting material around the edge of the body, which is cosmetic but also protects the most vulnerable part of the finish.
- 25.5 inch scale. The long scale gives slightly higher string tension and a tighter, more defined low end, which is what heavier styles are usually looking for.
- 8.63 pounds, which is a moderate weight for a full size solid body and comfortable enough for a standing session.
- Light gauge nickel strings are fitted, which is the easier gauge for a beginner to press and bend.
Cons
- The description specifies a treated New Zealand pine fingerboard while the specification table says purpleheart. These are entirely different materials with different colours, densities and wear characteristics, so the discrepancy matters and should be confirmed.
- The table lists the top material as alder and the back as maple, while the description describes a poplar body with an arched top and says nothing about either alder or maple in the body. The three accounts do not agree.
- The table records the pickup configuration as “H” while the description specifies two Infinity R pickups, which would be H-H. The description is the more plausible.
- A tremolo bridge on a guitar at this level is the usual source of tuning instability, because the bridge pivots and the strings must return to exactly the same position afterwards.
- Nothing is included. No amplifier, cable, bag, strap or tuner is listed.
Detailed Product Description
The body is poplar with an arched top and binding around the edge. Poplar is light, soft and even grained, and on a solid body electric the timber contributes far less to the sound than the pickups and the amplifier do. The arched top here is a shaping of the body rather than a separate carved cap, and it changes how the guitar sits against the ribcage as well as how it looks.
The neck is maple, which is dense and stiff and resists the flex that causes buzzing when strings are bent hard. The frets are jumbo, meaning taller and wider than standard. The practical effect is that the fingertip presses the string down onto the fret crown without the board getting in the way, so less force is needed and bends move more freely. Players used to smaller frets sometimes find jumbo wire makes them play slightly sharp until the touch adjusts.
The fingerboard material is where the listing contradicts itself. Treated New Zealand pine and purpleheart look quite different, purpleheart being a dense tropical hardwood with a distinctive colour, and they will wear differently under bending. This is the specification most worth confirming before ordering.
The electronics are two Infinity R humbuckers with a three way selector. High output means a stronger signal into the amplifier’s input stage, which drives it into distortion sooner. The three positions give the bridge pickup alone for a bright aggressive sound, both together for a fuller middle voice, and the neck pickup alone for warmth. That is the whole tonal range of the instrument, and for the styles this guitar is aimed at it is well chosen.
The bridge is a tremolo. It allows the pitch of all six strings to be lowered by pressing an arm, at the cost of tuning stability, since a pivoting bridge must return exactly and budget nuts and saddles rarely allow it.
What Comes with the Product
- The GRGA120BKN electric guitar in Black Night
Nothing else is listed. No amplifier, cable, gig bag, strap, tuner, picks, tremolo arm or spare strings is confirmed as included, so an amplifier and a cable will be needed before the guitar produces any usable sound. What is worth buying alongside is covered in the guide to guitar accessories beginners need.
Who It Suits
This suits a beginner or intermediate player who already owns an amplifier, or intends to choose one separately, and who wants a full size humbucker equipped guitar with a tremolo. The jumbo frets and the long scale make it a reasonable choice for anyone interested in rock or heavier styles where bending and a tight low end both matter.
It suits less well a complete beginner buying with nothing at home, since no amplifier is included, and it suits less well a player who wants tuning stability above everything, for whom a fixed bridge instrument would be the better choice. Anyone still deciding between instrument types should read the guide to acoustic versus electric guitar for beginners. Worth comparing are the Ibanez GRG121DX, the Ibanez GRG131DX in black flat and the Ibanez GRX70QA in transparent blue burst. The wider selection sits in the electric guitars section, and how the affordable end of the market is structured is covered in the guide to budget guitar brands explained.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings after every session. Nickel strings corrode from skin oils and a cloth kept with the guitar is the cheapest maintenance there is.
If the fingerboard is the pine described rather than the purpleheart listed, treat it gently. Softer boards dent under heavy vibrato and benefit from a light oiling once or twice a year, whereas dense tropical hardwoods need it less often.
If the tremolo causes tuning problems, the usual culprits are the nut slots binding and untidy string windings at the tuning posts. Stretching new strings thoroughly before playing resolves a large part of it.
Tips and Recommendations
Adjust the touch for the jumbo frets rather than fighting them. Tall frets reward a light left hand, and pressing hard pushes the string sharp because the fingertip bends it against the fret. Easing off improves intonation immediately.
Choose the amplifier deliberately, since none is included. For home use a small amplifier with a headphone socket is more useful than a loud one, and the reasoning is covered in the guide to guitar amp wattage for home practice.
Confirm the fingerboard material with the seller before ordering if it matters. Two very different woods are named in the same listing, and the appearance of the guitar depends on which one is fitted.
Product FAQ
What pickups does it have?
Two high output Infinity R humbuckers with a three way selector switch, according to the description. The specification table records the configuration as “H”, which understates it.
What is the fingerboard made of?
The description says treated New Zealand pine and the specification table says purpleheart. These are different materials and the point needs confirming.
What is the scale length?
25.5 inches, the standard long scale for this style of electric guitar.
Does it have a tremolo?
Yes, the bridge system is a tremolo. The listing does not confirm whether the arm is supplied with the guitar.
