Trying to identify a Japanese Ibanez RG

[VitaminG]

found this beasty in a pawnshop & was wondering if the experts here could help identify it.

It appears to be some kind of RG570 or RG670. MIJ. It has:

Gold hardware;
Lo Pro trem;
used to have the string retainer bar (now missing) and so has the notched truss rod cover;
dot inlays;
rosewood fretboard;
that all access neck heel thingo;
H-S-H, 5-way, vol, tone;
pickups are V7, S1, V8;
shiny logo (gold? chrome? not sure)

trans brown finish over some quite figured wood. Not flamed or quilt, just really grainy. It reminds me of alder or swamp ash, although I'm sure the finish helps the grain to "pop" more.

Best match colourwise seems to be the Walnut Stain (WS) from the '93 catalog, but this isn't offered on any of the RGs. Besides which, all RGs around this period seem to be basswood, occasionally with a maple cap.

the closest guitar I've found appearance wise is an RG670MH over at Ibanez Register, but that is obviously mahogany, and this guitar looks like a more featured grain under a trans brown finish.

any ideas?

[Rich#6]

anything like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ibanez-RG520QS-Made-in-JAPAN-Quilted-Maple-Top-RG_W0QQitemZ160148389091QQihZ006QQcategoryZ33043QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[j4vice]

Is it an IBANEZ RG390?
They had GOLD hrdwr

[Bengal]

Really need the serial number to date it. So post it if you have it...

Could be a RG547. Click the link and check the pic

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57878&highlight=RG+gold+hardware

My guess would be a RG570CT. Made for 1 year in 1995. I had a blue one.

http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1995/95015.jpg

But the serial number would help determine the year...

[pott]

Wow on that pic... John Lowery... is that John 5? Ace!

[VitaminG]

anything like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ibanez-RG520QS-M...QQcmdZViewItem

nope. I'm familiar with the RG520QS. Big fan of the RG520QSOL actually.
This thing has H-S-H, and the figuring on the top looks more like swamp ash or something, no quilting or flamage.

Is it an IBANEZ RG390?
They had GOLD hrdwr

The one pic I've found shows the RG390 with a pickguard. So no match. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Really need the serial number to date it. So post it if you have it...

unfortunately didn't think to grab it. D'oh!

Could be a RG547. Click the link and check the pic
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showth...+gold+hardware

That's pretty close. The grain on the one I'm asking about is stronger, but that might be due to the dark brown finish. Or just the bit of wood this one is cut from.

My guess would be a RG570CT. Made for 1 year in 1995. I had a blue one.

http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1995/95015.jpg

yea, I had looked at those, but a couple of things don't match up. No pickup rings, and the tops look quilted.

thanks for all the help so far. So far the RG547 is looking like the closest match.

it's a shame it's not an RG670MH....

http://www.kraft.mysnet.pl/pliki/rg670mh.jpg

http://www.ibanezregister.com/cpg148/displayimage.php?album=674&pos=0

[Bengal]

It's probably something made for the Japanese market. I'm not too familiar with those but the 547 I found quickly seaching on Jemsite...

But if you get a serial number we can figure out when it was made and go from there...

[kelly user]

pics?

[VitaminG]

didn't grab pics, unfortunately. And the pawnshop is about 100 mile from home, so it's not easy to just pop over there and snap some.

I'd love to be able to pop the neck off it and see what's stamped there. But pawnshops seem to be a little reticient to let any old joe start pulling gear apart in their shop.

It's an interesting piece & a nice player, but I don't know if I want to pay as much as they're asking only to find out it's some sort of RG3xx. The hardware suggests it's not, but I don't really know Ibanezes. Hence all the bonehead questions.

[Bengal]

Call the shop and ask for the serial number. That's a good place to start...

[slash-ed]

RG520QS is one that comes to mind for an unusual figured wood, can't remember if the specs match though.

[VitaminG]

Bengal, I'll see what I can do....

slash-ed, the RG520QS had 2 hums and quilt sapele veneer. Looks particularly good in the oil finish (RG520QSOL) The finish on the guitar I'm wondering about isn't quilted. The top looks most like the ash sample on Warmoth's site, with the finish making the grain look even stronger.