NGD... Ibanez RG550

[BenoA]

Just scored another RG550! My second one this year... I think I'm starting some kind of compulsive disorder...

It's 1989, RG550 HP (heather perl). As for the last one, I was getting this one to mod it... But after cleaning it (steel wool does magic on a dirty fretboard), it's too nice and I'll keep it as is. This one plays great and the neck was in better condition the previous one I got.





Anyone knows something about those V1, V2 and S1 Ibz pickups?

[Fender]

I also have an 89'. Black headstocks as opposed to matching. GREAT guitars. I swear by mine. I dunno much about those pick -ups. I usually swap them out on newer prestiges, but i kept them on my 89. They either got some nice tone with age or they just always sounded this good. All i know is that they don't sound as dry and pale as the new ones they put in the prestiges.

nice guitar!

[BenoA]

Fender, I had time to try it with my Peavey 6505 and I like those PUs!!! This guitar sings and has a nice sustain, they do sound good. Only bad thing I discovered is that the previous owner must have modified the switch as the 2md and 4th position sounds like the 1st and 5th respectively. Ah well, nothing a good soldering gun can't fix.

Here is she, all cleaned and set up:



Other pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jbaubry/...eat=directlink

Neck is awesome, thin and fast! Removed all the dirt with steel wool and then I oiled it.

That RG is in better shape than the other one I got in mid-July... Both are going to be my main axes now!

[straycat]

Those pick up are made by DiMarzio and are perfect for basswood I'd leave them in there.

[BenoA]

Those pick up are made by DiMarzio and are perfect for basswood I'd leave them in there.

No plan removing them. They do sound very good (to my ears )

[straycat]

550's are my faves

[Frigo89]

one guitar I'd like to get my hands on, a nice 550, I had a 560 that was badass, I'd also like a 565...

uh oh....

[Fender]

I used to have a couple of Jems. Though they are slightly better, the price difference gap was huge between them. 1 Jem is easily worth 4 to 6 good condition rg550s. I'd rather have the 550's . They are a dime a dozen, but the old ones are work horses. They play fantastically, they will serve for long, the tone is great stock and can only be improved or rather personalized with a choice of new pick ups and i love the crazy looking 80's and early 90's finishes. I do miss my jems. The jem neck is unique and though the 550 is very thin, the Jem was slightly different and i liked it a lot. However, i hated that i had to spot check myself before picking up my jems. Make sure i didnt have any zippers, or messes on me or anything that could hard their finishes. They were worth everything to me because of how bad id have always wanted them. If i get a jem, i want a battered one so i can just play it. However, for the cost of a battered one i can pick up a couple of 550s' or maybe a nice 770 .

Lucky purchase, and what did i say about them pick-ups . Now go pick up a new one and if you're ears are as sensitve as mine you'll notice the newer ones sound stale and less dynamic in comparison.

[Grandturk]

Congrats. As said before, the pickups are made by Dimarzio in NYC for Ibanez. The humbuckers are basically PAF Pro bridge, PAF neck. I had the same ones in my 770 DX and they sound killer. Wish I didn't sell that axe... ah, well.

[BenoA]

I'd love to have a Jem... Just to say I own a Jem (and as I used to be a Vai fanboy )

I bought the 2 RG550s in a few months. At first I bought them to transform them in a some kind of Jem copy (was thinking having them swirled and add a monkey grip+bear claw) but both are so good as is, why bother spending more money on them.

[BenoA]

Congrats. As said before, the pickups are made by Dimarzio in NYC for Ibanez. The humbuckers are basically PAF Pro bridge, PAF neck.

Thanks for letting me know. The more I play it, the more I like those PUs. The neck one with my Peavey 6505 sounds damn fine to me!

[BenoA]

one guitar I'd like to get my hands on, a nice 550, I had a 560 that was badass, I'd also like a 565...

RG565... Humm... That's one I'd like to get too!!! If you give a look at the Canadian version of Ibanez web site, they just release a RG465... Not to the specs of the 565 but not bad if you don't have issues with the EdgeIII... But you don't get the super thin neck profile and it's made in Indonesia.

[MetalHeadMat]

My friend has a blue one, and dear god do I love it.

The pickups are some of the best I've played.

[BenoA]

Don't temp me for another color... The wife funded that last "impulse" buy!

[84sups]

I have a set of those pickups sitting here ready for a project. When ever I get another one. Those are about the only Ibanez guitars that I like.