subversion
Moderator
Yamaha RGX A2
List: $790
This 2005, the good people of Yamaha gives us yet another innovative guitar for our aural pleasure- the RGX A2. The RGX outline isn’t new for the market but the guitar is made futuristic with the inclusion of intriguing electronics & a resonant lightweight body. Looks aside, is the RGX all hype & no tone?
Construction/ Fit/ Finish
It’s been quite some time since I come across a shoddy Yamaha guitar, if it’s the sign of the times, then the A2 is proof enough that quality matters. The construction here is simply top notch. All wooden attributes of this guitar are superbly finished & fitted; no blemishes in sight. If this is your first encounter with the RGX series, it’s Yamaha’s take on the super-strat theme; a dual cutaway guitar sporting a suitably slim neck to accentuate personal technicalities. If you think the Pacifica is shred enough for you then the RGX simply adds a touch of finesse to the successful formula.
At the headstock, the 3-aside machine heads are innovatively recessed to contribute to nut pressure, hence eliminating the need for a string retainer. Unlike other RGX offerings, the A2 features 6 cylindrical tuning knobs which are amply grooved to promote a good grip. The 22 frets (they feel jumbo to me) here are well cut & dressed, no sharp edges to prick your fingers. The A2 body features a dual arch design, akin to Ibanez’s S-series offering, which renders elbow & ribcage contours unnecessary. The string saddles are also Yamaha’s own design, featuring no action adjustment screw protrusion to jab your picking hand. Surfaces are considerately rounded off to further add to playing comfort.
The primary let-down in this department is the pickup cavity. Both the neck & bridge pockets are bigger than the pickups’ dimensions. An intentional provision you might argue but in my personal opinion, it’s a construction oversight. I doubt Yamaha is lacking the tools to provide an immaculate fit, as the AES1500 sports a similar pickup type & the pickup cavity there is a precise cut compared to the visible void in the A2.
Playability/ tone
The A2 is very inviting mainly due to its overall mass- it’s a darling, lightweight guitar. Yamaha employed its patented AIR body technology (Alternarive Internal Resonance) effectively here. This involves a very lightweight centre piece, sandwiched between 2 much harder woodtypes being the front & rear laminates. The formula here also involves tube-like contraptions attached to the string saddle baseplates to help disseminate the top surface resonance throughout the entire body assembly. In effect, the A2 sounds very rich unplugged, almost hollow sounding.
This acoustic character, when amplified, gives the guitar a very rich midrange tone. Under high gain, clarity is unsurpassed but it compromises the bass response. If you are a dedicated, Les Paul fan, you’d be deeply disappointed. The active pickups here didn’t help much either, they do not possess enough inherent bass to help balance out the tonal output, but fans of high gain would enjoy the single note sensitivity & harmonic inducements on offer. There is only a volume knob on offer, the other being a pickup switch in disguise. The former is surrounded by a lighting system which lights up accordingly; green for neck & blue for bridge. The absence of a flick switch on the body surface underscores the A2’s uncompromising, futuristic design. The slim D-profile neck & generous dual cutaway translate into easy playing, if this is your first electric, you’d be smiling all the way. The neck’s rear is satin finished, very similar to Music Man’s SUB1 guitar, ultra smooth to the touch, absolutely non-sticky to the touch.
Last say
I’d give top marks to the A2’s innovative feature here but when it comes to a guitar, tonal performance precedes all else. All the futuristic inclusions & Yamaha didn’t provide a tone knob, which is rather crucial considering the very bright inherent tones on offer; it will help curb the excessive top end. I’d vote for a tone knob over a lighting system which contributes zilch to tone, anytime. Another demerit would be the cylindrical tuners; they look stunning but failed to promote a player-friendly grip. All in all, the A2 is a joy to play, not so for those who embrace a pronounced bass response & marked fretboards-
fumblers, be warned.
Last edited:
