How Much Do Ibanez Electric Guitars Cost? (Models Compared)

Ibanez make some of the best electric guitars on the market, but their range is so vast that it is hard to figure out which model is suitable for you, and how much you should expect to pay for it. In this article, I’ll take you through the average prices of different Ibanez guitars and why the prices differ, so you can figure out how much you need to spend to get the guitar you want.

The Quick Answer

Ibanez electric guitars cost between $200 and $7000 on the average in the USA, with most models costing between $500-$2500. The entry-level guitars in the GIO series cost between $200-$300, whereas the most expensive J. Custom models start at $3000.

In the UK, Ibanez electric guitars cost between £150 and £6000 on average, with most models costing between £500 and £2000. The entry-level GIO series models cost between £150 and £300, whilst the most expensive J. Custom models cost upwards of £2500.

Ibanez split their guitar ranges into series. Guitars in the same series are similarly priced, have similar build and tone quality, and are made in the same part of the world. Here is a list of the different series from the lowest to highest price:

• GIO Series ($200-$300/ £150-£270)
• Standard Series ($300-$1000/ £350-£750)
• Genesis Series ($1100/ £870)
• Iron Label Series ($1100-$1300/ £1000-£1100)
• Axion Label Series ($1100-$1400/ £1000-£1150)
• Premium Series ($1300-$1600/ £1100-£1270)
• Prestige Series ($1500-$2800/ £1280-£2500)
• J. Custom Series ($3000+/ £2500+)

Within each series you’ll find multiple guitars with different shapes. For example, you can find the RG shape in every series. Hence, why trying to work out how much you need to spend, it’s best to look at the series rather than the shape of the guitar.

Confused by all the Ibanez guitar names? Check out my complete guide to the Ibanez naming system to demystify all the numbers and letters.

Ibanez GIO

Ibanez’s entry-level guitars are in the “GIO” series and these typically cost between $200-$300 in the USA and £150-£270 in the UK. These guitars are made in China and use Ibanez-own brand pickups. They are great for new players but more experienced players will find that the build quality and tone isn’t up to scratch. These guitars are made in China.

Some models in the range will explicitly state they are “GIO” models in the name, but others don’t make it as obvious. If the model code starts with the letter “G” e.g. GRGA120, then it will also be in the GIO series.

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez GIO Series guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
GIO RG	$200	£150	Poplar	Ibanez HSS Ceramic Passive
GRGR120EX	$230	£200	Poplar	Ibanez HH Ceramic Passive
GRGA120	$250	£200	Poplar	Ibanez HH Ceramic Passive
GRGR221PA	$280	£220	Poplar w/ Burl Top	Ibanez HH Ceramic Passive
GRGA120QA	$300	£270	Poplar w/ Maple Top	Ibanez HH Ceramic Passive

Ibanez Standard

The Ibanez Standard series is vast and models range between roughly $300 and $1000 in the USA and £350-£750 in the UK. These guitars are a step-up from the GIO series in terms of tone and build-quality, but they are still aimed towards amateur players. They are made in China and Indonesia primarily.

Models in this series are the hardest to identify because being the “standard” series, Ibanez does not really highlight this in the name. If the guitar falls into this price range and does not start with an additional letter at the start of it e.g. “G” then it is likely to be in the standard series.

Sometimes the Standard series models are also referred to as “S” series models. However, these are not to be confused with the S-shape, which can be found in pretty much every series that Ibanez offer.

The price ranges quite a bit in the Standard series, with more affordable models sharing many of the same features seen in the GIO series, and more expensive models having upgrades such as DiMarzio pickups (instead of Ibanez’s own).

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez Standard Series guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
S521	$400	£360	Mahogany	Ibanez HH Passive Ceramic
JEMJR	$500	£420	Mahogany	Ibanez HSH Passive Ceramic
RGRT621DPB	$650	£500	Mahogany w/ Burl Top	DiMarzio HH Passive
RG421HPFM	$800	£550	Nyatog w/ Maple Top	DiMarzio HH Passive
RGA42HPT	$1000	£750	Nyatoh	DiMarzio Passive HH

Ibanez Iron Label/ Axion Label/ Genesis

Ibanez have the Iron Label, Axion Label and Genesis series guitars which typically cost between $1000 and $1400 in the USA, and between £870 and £1150 in the UK. The Axion and Iron Label series are aimed at metal players and have high output pickups. The Genesis series includes re-issues of some older iconic Ibanez guitars.

Most Iron Label and Axion Label guitars will either say the series explicitly in the product name, or the code will end with “IL” or “AL”. Genesis guitars usually state “Genesis” in the product name.

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez Iron Label, Axion Label and Genesis guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
RG550 Genesis	$1000	£870	Basswood	Ibanez HSS Passive
RG550DX Genesis	$1100	£870	Basswood	Ibanez HSS Passive
S61AL	$1100	£1000	Nyatoh w/ Maple Top	Active Fluence Fishman Modern HH
RG Iron Label	$1200	£1020	Nyatoh	Passive DiMarzio HH
Xiphos Iron Label	$1300	£1100	Okuome	DiMarzio Passive HH
Iceman Iron Label	$1300	£1100	Okoume	DiMarzio Passive HH
RGD61ALET	$1400	£1150	Nyatoh w/ Maple Top	Active Fluence Fisher Modern HH

Ibanez Premium

Ibanez Premium series guitars range between $1300 and $1600 in the USA and £1100 and £1270 in the UK. These guitars are all made in Indonesia and are a step-up from the Standard/ Iron Label/ Axion Label and Genesis series in terms of quality but are still made in China and Indonesia so are not as highly regarded as the Ibanez Prestige series models.

Most Premium models will either say “Premium in the range, or the name code will end in the letter “P”.

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez Premium Series guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
RG1121PB	$1300	£1100	Basswood w/ Burl Top	DiMarzio Passive HH
AZ226PB	$1350	£1100	Basswood w/ Burl Top	Seymour Duncan Passive HSH
AZ Premium	$1400	£1130	Basswood w/ Maple Top	DiMarzio Passive HSH
RGT1270PB	$1500	£1170	Basswood w/ Burl Top	DiMarzio Passive HSH
JEM77P	$1600	£1270	Basswood	DiMarzio Passive HSH

Ibanez Prestige

This is where things start getting very high quality (and price).

Ibanez Prestige series guitars are made in Japan and typically cost between $1500 and $2800 in the USA, and between £1280 and £2500 in the UK. These are the flagship Ibanez models which are built with incredible attention to detail and high quality materials. Most guitars have either Fishman, DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan pickups and upgrades such as locking tuners, better tremolos and finishes.

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez Prestige Series guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
RG652AHMFX Prestige	$1500	£1280	Ash	DiMarzio Passive HH
RG5121 Prestige	$1800	£1500	Mahogany	Fluence Fishman Modern Active HH
AZS2200 Prestige	$2000	£1900	Alder	Seymour Duncan Passive SH
RGDR4327 Prestige	$2600	£2000	Mahogany	DiMarzio Passive HH
AZ2402FF Prestige	$2800	£2450	Alder w/ Maple Top	Seymour Duncan Passive HH

Ibanez J Custom

The only series which beats the Ibanez Prestige series is the J. Custom. These models can get very expensive and typically start from $3000 in the USA and £2500 in the UK. They are also made in Japan like the models in the Prestige series. The most notable difference is that J. Custom models often come with exclusive and rare finishes.

Here is a table showing some examples of Ibanez J Custom Series guitars and how much they cost.

Ibanez Model	Price (USA)	Price (UK)	Body	Pickups
RG8520 J. Custom	$3000	£2500	Mahogany w/ Maple Top	Ibanez Passive HH
RG8570Z J. Custom	$3000	£2500	Mahogany w/ Maple Top	DiMarzio Passive HH
JCRG2103  J. Custom	$7000	£6000	Mahogany w/ Maple Top	DiMarzio Passive HH

Confused by all the Ibanez guitar names? Check out my complete guide to the Ibanez naming system to demystify all the numbers and letters.