Ibanez SA260FM-TGB (Another GREAT Cheap Ibanez?)

Ibanez SA260FM-TGB (Another GREAT Cheap Ibanez?)
Yes, Ibanez makes some great budget friendly guitars. Is this another one of them? It sure looks promising, and it shouldn't have quality control issues, as Ibanez seems to have that stuff sorted.
So let's find out just how good of a guitar this is.
Enjoy!
0:00 Intro
1:00 Specs and looks
2:15 Sounds
7:05 Adding some overdrive
8:27 Even more overdrive
11:03 Whammy bar test
13:10 Extreme whammy bar test
14:55 Conclusion
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[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out some of my lessons: kzbin.info/aero/PLNaLwTdlpQNEQQfdhdttHV5rjmy7tmYCy Or some of my music: kzbin.info/aero/PLNaLwTdlpQNHKlg8ALZfM3AINC20WMp8s

[@valeroharold]

Dear Elmo. I have the same guitar. I know It is an entry level Ibanez Made in China, but It feels so nice and premium. I am considering to replace the tunning machines for Gotoh Locking, swap the Bridge AND high gain pickups. Based on your experience. Is it a good idea?. Thanks

[@basildog007]

30 years ago, there wasn't such an offer for first price guitars... I think it's amazing that a beginner player can easily have access to a very decent playing, looking and sounding guitar. You can always count on Ibanez imo. 👍

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Absolutely. I started with a Japanese LP clone that had such high action it was like pressing barbed wire against a fence post. 😂. There were two types of guitars. Really good and really bad. CNC routers have made guitars so much better.

[@krumple4skin548]

Yeah back in the day i hd an onyx brand guitar that was made of plywood But it played amazing and had Seymour Duncan's . Alot of people laughed until they plugged it in.

[@n64fan60]

I agree with this. I started 20 years ago, and even I can tell that beginner guitars have improved a lot. When I started, pretty much the only begginer-level stuff you could count on was Yamaha stuff (Pacifica 012). Back then, the cheapest Pacificas where what the Squire Strats wished to be lol. Time marches on, and things change. Long Live good, affordable guitars.

[@kmichaelp4508]

Well guys. I started 58 years ago and it was a laugh at what a cheap guitar was. This is the time.

[@Maddoggtannanify]

I started in 2001 and had a squire affinity strat.. Its still going and was always really nice to play. Terrible pickups though. But most of mates learning to play had the most terrible guitars, they ones that came in a package with and amp and stuff. They all only played for a year and stopped. I think poor quality instruments are a huge problem in people not wanting to play. Anyway, im so glad kids these day will habe access to guitars like these at such a great price.

[@XrossWise]

I got one, I find it really comfortable to play on. It is nice to see you picking it apart :)

[@jimmyz2098]

I really like this guitar. Beautiful instrument, and as always.... you rocked it hard, Elmo! You are a monster player. I've tooled around the net a little bit, and I do not see any of these guitars for sale any longer, except maybe on E-Bay. I don't know if this one has been discontinued or not. But I'd be interested in having this one. Anyway - great vid!

[@piemmetubo]

I'm a happy owner of a SA260FM. It was my first electric guitar, chosen among tens of competitors of the range up to 500 Euro after a good deal of visits to shops to do my nerdy tests. I'm aware that I sound like a weirdo, but despite having another far more highly emblazoned and expensive guitar, this is the one I play the most when I practice.

[@aurokris4182]

I'm an acoustic beginner, i have a basic Yamaha and another Juarez acoustic, very basic. The flame burst wrap guitars really look awesome and I'm really a newbie when it comes to spec, and was looking around to buy something? Idk if it's considered cheap or expensive, 😕Would this guitar be a good choice for me?

[@piemmetubo]

@@aurokris4182 IMHO, DON'T BUY a guitar just after reading a catalog and/or reading/watching reviews in the net. GO TO SHOPS and FEEL as much guitars as you can. The one that is good for you will show up. For me the that SA260 at that time was my best choice and I'm still very happy with it. But new models are thrown in the market every day and maybe today I would choose another guitar.

[@Noillintents]

I’d get a good cheap learning guitar for learning to do your own setup and adjustments, light modding.. I recommend a cheap squire Stratocaster. They sound great, parts are cheap and available, options are endless, you can get acquainted with a simple tremolo system. I’ve been playing for 23 years and will still not hesitate to pick up a squire bullet strat anytime. They’re a blast to play and sound great most times straight out of the box. Happy plucking!

[@kmichaelp4508]

31.6K you’re coming up in the world ‘This Guy’. I’m proud. Maybe someday soon you’ll be making some $ with all your work.

[@robertmenzies6939]

Nice guitar I like the SA range and amazing playing. Thanks for the review

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@TheHenkka65]

Harmi että kaula on niin ohut satulan kohdalta (42mm!) Olisi kiva löytää joku shredder- IBZ jossa olisi vähintään satulan leveys 43mm. RG- sarjasta lienee löytyy jotain tuolta asteikolta... Jos tiedät suositella jotain edullista / keskihintaista Ibanezia, kerro ihmeessä. Keep on the good work! You're needed here, buddy! 🙂

[@SkanderGuitar]

I got myself one and by far it‘s my favorite budget Ibanez ever

[@blessedheavyelements8544]

My main is a 2000 Korean SA260 with Seymour Duncan replacements - Lil 59, Cool Rail mid and Distortion.. it has the best harmonics now and is chocolate. SA’s have always been let down by cheap ceramics. Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@TheSaintedOne]

I started with an Ibanez. My first was a black slab of wood (no curves or carves) with a white plastic pickguard, 3 single pickups. Super uncomfortable but I never could put it down.

[@Santacroce73]

Great review. Thanks!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@Fmvidela]

I have a SA260FM TLB 2009, replaced mics with C3 (neck and midle) and FM2 (bridge). With some tlc and proper calibration, it´s a hell of a guitar for the price. Lots of sounds with the push-pull volume pot. A real workhouse for amateur musicians.

[@HECKproductions]

the worst thing about ibanez instruments are their names when people ask me what guitar i have i dont wanna recite some sort of secret code language lol

[@MrPolevaulter]

🤣

[@bloodrunneruk71]

Great channel with refreshingly honest reviews, So this or harley benton fusion 3? Would make a great comparison IMO

[@sommerssamantha]

Hi, Elmo! I think it's time to release some guitar review albums, cuz each of Your guitar reviews sounds much more interesting than most officially released music albums! 👍 Keep it UP! 🤘

[@MrPolevaulter]

😀 Thanks!

[@Ghost12561]

whammy bar test is fantastic.... that's the test we want to see.

[@foxkun3]

Holy I still got mine till this day.

[@davidmartinez927]

Looks good Elmo. Like you making faces when using the whammy 😂

[@MrPolevaulter]

😀

[@carlosdubois579]

Buena prueba!!!

[@BuHeTy]

I've always thought that low budget Ibanezes are best in that price range. By the way she matches your clothing very nice. Denimish style!

[@MorketsKeiser]

Outstanding! I have a grg170dx and was thinking to get another Ibanez, to play metal mainly. This one is said to be no as metal as the RG but it doesn’t seem here…i think if I would tune to B with thougher strings can do the job. What you think?

[@johncollins5552]

Sounds lovely at least when you play it, looks great too, flame maple top veneer is beautiful , seems too good to be true for the price. If that was a fender, add a few hundred more to the cost I think. I have a chance to buy a secondhand lefty for 150 euros , it's not blue but that doesn't bother me😎

[@maverickxd4488]

How good is the Tremolo in this guitar, Response it in issues by tuning the guitar?

[@JesAiles]

Where is this model made?

[@matibrandrock]

I wonder if a EMG 89 could fit in the humbucker cavity

[@King0fHero]

I've gotten a very similar Ibanez SA model in 2012 as my first electric guitar. (It says on the back that its quality inspection was in 2008.) And after hundreds of hours practicing solo or in a band and playing several gigs I have never felt the need to buy a new one, because this beauty is still going strong. No weird flexes or sharp edges and it holds its tune perfectly for several days (sometimes weeks) straight. Ibanez makes some quality products for entry prices that can even last as a main guitar.

[@King0fHero]

And I have close to zero rattle which the newer ones often times seem to have a bit, but that should be adjustable, when you loosen the bend of the neck.

[@xyema-mpa-ma-ma]

Too bad that Ibanez has discontinued the SA Prestige line that had some excellent high end guitars such as SA1260AV

[@raulalcideslobostapia2610]

wow!!! The sounds you get from this guitar are wonderful... I didn't know it and I'm trying to discover it. Can this guitar, without being a Prestige, be considered a good guitar in general for a hobbyist? Thanks

[@user-kl7ug9dr2k]

I worked with this guitar and its gsa 60 gio version in the guitar shops it comes with a boon if you turn the volume on the guitar down on use the kneck pickup you can make this guitar sound like a realy expensive fender

[@mikaashton2152]

Another great vid... I love how you thrash the guitars like a hire car.... To see if they will break.. Hey that could be a good segment idea???

[@MrPolevaulter]

Breaking a guitar? Hiring a car? 🤣

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

@@MrPolevaulter 😂😂😂

[@mikaashton2152]

@@MrPolevaulter dude, it's the same thing more or less jijiji

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@mikaashton2152 Haha 🤣

[@mikaashton2152]

@@MrPolevaulter am I not right... When you you get a hire car you go hey let's see what this can do.. (because I can give it back jiji) same as a new guitar with warranty.... Thrash it my man hahaha

[@norbertittermann7028]

ELMO IS THE MASTERTESTER ON YOU TUBE -- FORGET THE REST !!!!

[@Barbarapape]

I have an SA460 which has locking tuners, and stays intune very well, i don't abuse the whammy bar to this extent. Ibanez know how to make good guitars at sensible prices that are very easy to play. I like thin wide necks due to small hands, and can play these for a long time, unlike the baseball bats fitted to Fender Strats. With some choice upgrades, these SA series strike a good balance of size and weight.🙂

[@joekelly9369]

9min 19 secs it started to wake up on my side of the bed , yes my name on one 😆

[@markproctor3100]

Try one of the Sire's S7,T7 or L7 the spec on them is ridiculous for the money I have an HSS Sire S7 and it's unbelievable 🤘🎸

[@Hiro.the.God.]

I like the guitar, but I’m not sure about the placement of the Jack.

[@valeroharold]

The Ibanez coding name means SA260FM-TGB Flammed Maple Translucid grey burst

[@aurokris4182]

I'm an acoustic beginner, i have a basic Yamaha and another Juarez acoustic, very basic. The flame burst wrap guitars really look awesome and I'm really a newbie when it comes to spec, and was looking around to buy something? Idk if it's considered cheap or expensive, 😕Would this guitar be a good choice for me?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Sure, why not.

[@David01.d]

What would you recommend as the best budget electric guitar similar price point to this one?

[@MrPolevaulter]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn6cq36Bnr-irsU

[@Johnny-oy9fh]

Back in the day Ibanez used to give their guitars names...instead of bizzare numbers...😳🎸

[@malthus101]

nice top but i hate binding

[@bluwng]

I never find the new SA in the US

[@zhangboyangsir]

hi did you experience unlevel frets on this one? thanks

[@MrPolevaulter]

No.

[@DougHinVA]

He shows off his considerable skills playing and there is very little discussion about the guitar but to complain.

[@bluwng]

I don’t like binding on strat style guitars.

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

Interesting how this model has cheapened. My old SA260FM from 2006 has an angled headstock (no string trees), a thicker block and a so-called "True Duo-Bucker" bridge pick-up with an allegedly special coil split function. Still looks good, though.

[@rentblop8070]

Yeah, they did kinda cheap out on the SA models when they moved production to Indonesia. I have an Ibanez SA120BK, which was basically the cheapest from the SA series back in 2005. Still made in Korea, 3-piece laminated neck and a bigger vibrato block just like yours. Very solid guitar.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Didn't know about that. Thanks for the input.

[@daniellarson3068]

Is there really any practical advantage to an angled headstock? It seems like this is where breakage occurs on Gibsons and Epiphones. Does it change the sound? The guitar Elmo is playing certainly sounds good.🙂

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

@@daniellarson3068 The absence of string trees removes a source of friction on the strings which is positive for tuning stability. That said, roller string trees can alleviate this and lubrication will also help. Les Paul's break because they are heavier and have an additional angle between neck and body.

[@niallio77]

I have this exact guitar, €310 about 4 yrs ago - the newer Ibanez Resolution stock stuff, and the newer tremolo system is better than the old whatever-it's called. I also had a S Duncan humbucker lying around to stick in it, but still need to upgrade to Gotoh tuners and "Fuzzy Duck" single coils. I bought it purely for practice, and, with HSS, versatility, if i ever join a wedding band...like he said, Ibanez do finish their guitars better than a lot of companies, a solid instrument.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Very cool. I thought the pickups thru headphones on my excellent Google pixel phone sounded just a tad harsh on the top end, but maybe it's just me. I could hear the strings getting stuck and slipping in the nut slot, but some graphite powder or Vaseline would solve that probably. Looks great too. Kinda reminds me of Kikos signature guitar body. Does it have jumbo frets? They looked kinda small to me, but hard to tell. I recently tried an inexpensive hardtial Ibanez in this Green sparkle. I think it was called the model 421 . Why that number I have no idea. An RG model that was like 399 bucks and it was really good for the money. It has huge frets which I love for that almost scalloped feel, and it stayed in tune great. Thin neck, which I'm not big on, but I'm agnostic when it comes to that mostly. Anyway, if you've not tried it or the S series which is also the model S 521 I think it is. The least expensive S series was great and a hardtial as well with Ibanez pickups that sounded good to me. Try one if you get the chance, it was pretty good I thought. Take care my friend and be safe!

[@MrPolevaulter]

You too!

[@medicinemann8844]

👍🏼ups 👍🏼

[@MrPolevaulter]

😊

[@user-sz3bw4wp8j]

How thick is the body, in mm? It seams to be thinner type... Thanks Elmo...

[@MrPolevaulter]

Don't know. Already sold it, so can't measure.

[@user-sz3bw4wp8j]

@@MrPolevaulter Thanks. Can you tell me, which pickups do you prefer, alnico or ceramic? And, which alnico pickups do you recommend for installing in a budget Ibanez guitar? Some alnico humbuckers which sounds good but they arent to expensive, in price range up to around 50€ for peace, if something like that exist on market?☺ Thanks

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@user-sz3bw4wp8j I'd go for the Seymour Duncan YJM Furys, but they're quite expensive. I probably need to start researching pickups.

[@robinsinghpatial]

Hello Sir, Can you make a review on Ibanez AZES40?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Maybe at some point.

[@tanveersingh9044]

@@MrPolevaulter how would this sa 260 fm compare with the azes40?

[@marianomenconi264]

Elmo sorry, why in your video you play ever a Plexy? 😬 I know it’s very best amp but over your shoulders I watch more amp model 😬...

[@MrPolevaulter]

I just like it.

[@remaralte7960]

That's a flagship guitar for me 😂😂 don't call it cheap

[@BrunoFilipe-mq6cq]

10:37 holy crap Batman! 😦

[@MrPolevaulter]

🤣

[@TFFSRAD]

I almost buy this .. but the plug in hole is not nice .. my grx has it in the side like a telecaster.. its much better

[@jenesaisvraimentpasquoimet8473]

In all honesty, it ain’t very unconfortable

[@shanewalton8888]

I'd prefer an S over a SA, but Ibanez has not made an S series for lefties since 2014. Grrrr.

[@garygamble1963]

As a lefty, I feel your pain 😞

[@MrPolevaulter]

That sucks.

[@dean828]

Another "Good" guitar that would need a upgrade on new quality Pots/Caps and Tremolo Block if you wanted to use it as a gigging player... (add some possible tuners... heavy gauge wiring... bone nut... fret work...)

[@bobfromsoireegames4309]

Hei vaan! Ostin tällasen eilen, tosin viulunvärisenä. Ok peli on mielestäni.

[@milankotevski1663]

I don't like the sound of the pickups. There is something slightly unpleasant about their sound.

[@matouscervenka7248]

I like Ibanez guitars, but pickups are always crap. Without upgrade unusable.

[@Alexeus737]

so so..for garage rock ..

[@glennhughes2664]

An Interesting video, you could put locking tuner's on it & it would be a good guitar for beginner's . But You'r brutalise guitars in review's & that's how it should be & that trem is useless so you show that most " budget friendly" guitar's need work. You seem to like Harley Benton's, They have just come out with a new " metal " like line but without a trem system , which will keep cost's down & so kid's can do all there stupid low tuning thing's, check them out if you haven't already. A drop D is as far as I go, If I want a lower tuning I'll use my 7 string's . Keep on fighting the good fight & as alway's, take care .

[@marianomenconi264]

😂😂😂😂impossible name!

[@ILLRICARDO]

Stop abusing that poor tremolo!!!