Ibanez GIO GRX70QA
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- We are an independent review website and do not sell products. Purchases are made with the retailer you choose.
The GRX70QA is the entry point into Ibanez electric guitars. It brings the brand's rock-oriented design — pointy double-cut body, thin fast neck and two humbuckers — to a price that makes it one of the cheapest guitars from a major brand. The "QA" stands for the quilted-maple art-grain top that gives it its eye-catching finish.
Specifications
| Body | Poplar with quilted-maple art-grain top |
| Neck | Maple, GRX profile (slim), bolt-on |
| Frets | 22 medium |
| Scale | 25.5" |
| Pickups | Infinity R humbuckers (neck, bridge) and Infinity R single-coil (middle) |
| Controls | Volume, tone, 5-way switch |
| Bridge | T106 synchronised tremolo |
Who is it for?
Teenagers and adults who want to play rock, pop-punk or metal and prefer a slim neck. The two humbuckers produce a thick, high-output sound that works well with distortion, while the middle single-coil and in-between positions add cleaner options for chords and arpeggios.
What you get — and what you don't
For the price, the GRX70QA looks great and plays comfortably once set up. Expect compromises elsewhere: tuners and the tremolo are basic, so tuning stability suffers if you use the whammy bar heavily, and the stock pickups are serviceable rather than refined. A professional set-up (string height and intonation) makes a big difference with any guitar at this level.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Fast, slim neck
- Versatile HSH layout
Cons
- Basic hardware
- Fretwork can vary between units
- Tremolo best used lightly
Verdict
A great-looking starter guitar for rock players on a tight budget. If you can spend a little more, the Yamaha Pacifica 112V is more refined overall.