Friday, February 27, 2026

Conceptually

If you love the A527 but cannot live with the excessive neck dive (because you play sitting down most of the time & find the strap annoying), the RGD71 might be a good alternative. 

As you can see above, the guitars are conceptually similar. The blueprint for features & playability was in the RGD71 all along. For innovation's sake, the Alpha's neck profile was given the asymmetrical treatment which, in my opinion, gave a very different & somewhat addictive appeal (yes, despite the quirks). The body moved entirely away from the RG outline to facilitate those of us who strap the guitar higher. The retarded Alpha headstock is compensating the overall neck weight in what might be an attempt to make it less heavy but there's already a significant addition due to the asymmetrical design.

Also, A527 ($2,399) vs RGD71 ($1,549) might be a significant consideration for many of us. 

 Pics: Ibanez

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