Ibanez 2023: RG2550 - back

An interesting find - the RG2550 has returned to the fold but in China only. That's right, for some strange reason, it's not made available everywhere. The RG2550 bowed out of the catalog with an Edge Zero bridge & DiMarzio IBZ pickups. Looks like it has gone one up with the Edge bridge & DiMarzio pickups (Air Norton / True Velvet / Tone Zone).  

Pic: Ibanez CN

Thank you & goodbye: Ibanez RG2610

Parted ways with my Ibanez RG2610 just moments ago. While it's still worth it, handing it over to a deserving owner was no loss to me. I have a few other Ibanez & Japanese guitars to be delisted from my inventory. I have other plans but still geeking out on all things guitar. 

Been a while (2)

No surprises here as my new Ibanez is the AZ model. This one's an AZ2402. I prefer the AZ2204 for the single coils but currently, none is offered in a pickguard-less version except the Tom Quayle model & if you know me by now, signature models aren't my thing. 

I see the AZ model as a winner from the start. It's not replacing the RG in terms of popularity & appeal but it treaded into a non-traditional Ibanez path without losing credibility altogether. I'm just hoping that this model would be perpetuated along the way & not suffer the SZ fate where popularity guaranteed nothing. The SZ was put to death despite a strong sales figure but some conspiracy theorists suggested that 1) The SZ made way for the AZ & nobody saw that coming because nobody was in the know 2) The SZ was eating into the RG's market share & that's a worrying thing for Ibanez. The manufacturer is still holding on to patented authority for the RG's neck profile while the SZ has nothing to fall back on to in terms of intellectual property. The legal proponents here know that if you own the idea, you can take it with you & apply it elsewhere out of RG land should things go south with the RG design one day. The Gibson camp is learning it the hard way when it comes to intellectual property & it's made plain for all to see (& learn). 

I have absolutely no intentions to mod this guitar as it appeals to me in every way & that's a rare feat. Even the pink finish here is a winner. Amongst the current available finish, this pink is the least popular & that means the probability of getting an unmolested piece is higher. In fact, that happened. This isn't my first pink, there were two others before it & I'm absolutely ok with pink. Definitely no more black or sunburst for me. Not a fan of flames & quilts either. Thank you, Ibanez for not having the Prestige label on the headstock. 

A fitting end to October 👍

Curved goodness

The Ibanez RGA121 was my first Ibanez Prestige. It was the first curved top RG offered by Ibanez together with the RGA321 (flame maple top). As I'm not a fan of elaborate flame tops, I opted for this plain version instead.

From this view, we can see how much maple was used for the instrument. At its thickest part, it is 1.5cm thick. The Prestige line was serious (still is) about having a top wood enhancement for all the guitars featuring a cap top.

Same ol' story... wood drying out but conditioning is the answer. 😀

There's a cloudy build up over at the headstock. No amount of polishing seems to cure the situation. Maybe some car-care product might do the trick. The other guitar suffering from this anomaly is my PRS S2 Singlecut.

Ibanez equipped this model with a pair of V pickups at the factory. It did very little to make me happy when it comes to overdrive/ distortion. These are the deserving Seymour Duncan replacements: JB (b) / Jazz (n). The JB will remain prolific when it comes to single note definition under high gain settings. Some players dislike this citing the extra treble as the cause of poor power chord tones but that happens if you ignore the EQ at your amp. The JB was conceived to be as such. If you wish for a pronounced bottom end thickness with the top end definition in check, the Custom is your best bet. The Jazz sounds good in all the guitars I own. Between the 59 & the Jazz, I prefer the latter as it doesn't mud out at higher volume settings. For woman tone lovers (all ye Clapton-era Cream fans), the 59 does a better job.

I'm in the initial stages of testing the new D'Addario XTs out, more comments when the time comes. 

1451

Took out my Ibanez RG1451 for re-stringing.  This is perhaps my least problematic, well-maintained RG in my possession. Pickups (Seymour Duncan): Jazz (n)/ Classic Stack + (m)/ JB (b). The bridge pickup is a trembucker model despite the instrument not sporting a whammy/ dual action bridge. 

A little re-conditioning of the fretboard & it's good as ever. The RG1451 is one of the few Prestige models to not come with a hard case upon purchase. 

Korean elite

Would you splurge good money on an Ibanez Prestige which is not made in Japan?

My Ibanez SA2020 is Korean, made in the famed World Music plant which was pretty much overlooked by many manufacturers but later became the go-to facility for quality craftsmanship without adding much to costs. These days, anything coming out from WM isn't entry-level by any means. In fact, manufacturers are designating their budget models to China/ Indonesia for more costs cutting. The WM people basically handles upper midrange level instruments but Ibanez was out of the picture at the turn of this decade. We still have PRS SE, Schecter & Chapman instruments, among others, being manufactured there. 

We can agree, judging by visuals alone, that WM takes pride in their craftsmanship & will deliver quality as specified by the brand name owners. I'm especially happy with this SA2020 as it's certainly up there in terms of the Prestige standards but players are not keen of such a compromise. The Ibanez purists still believe that anything Prestige should reflect a Japanese flagship, the reason the Korean Prestige range was short-lived. Thankfully, all Prestige instruments are back into the Japanese camp. It wasn't a case of the Prestige range excluding the non-RG models. We know how it is when it comes to sales; the RGs are still raking in the money. Along the way, Ibanez managed to address this affordable elite issue by venturing into Indonesian territory. They managed to secure the quality-to-price ratio in the guise of the Premium range. The label here is important because it would mean a branching off from the Prestige range & not patronizing it with double standards. From the business perspective, it's a crucial move. Branding affects financial performance.

I'm showing this rear view of the SA2020 where the neck meets the body in a seamless set neck construction. Attention to detail here is seen where the gloss body portion is differentiated from the satin finished neck rear.

I'm still not a huge fan of DiMarzios but I have the X2N (b) & Breed (n) in this guitar for variety's sake. I like how they perform in this one. They will stay put in the mean time.

Couldn't quite remember the previous strings in this guitar but after about two days of playing with tremendous amount of sweat, a fresh set of Darco 9s made for a nicer feel. 

Bleakest winter

I've been re-stringing guitars everyday. This was done on Saturday- my Ibanez S1620FB. It's one of my best S-Series & it's also another one I got for a bargain. Despite being a Prestige model, certain special editions/ regional exclusives don't come with a hard case. 

The current SD pickups in there are the Black Winter humbuckers. There used to be Teslas but I had a feeling the BWs would be awesome & they are above my expectations in terms of high gain/ intense distortion applications. Thus far, I'm of the opinion the Alpha/ Omega are on par with the BWs in this aspect, the former pair being less crunchy & smoother in the bottom end. These are by no means PAF-like in terms of subtleties but the BW in the neck position can rival the Sentient/ Jazz in terms of clarity & single note separation- rather surprising.

This guitar was fitted with a set of Cleartone 9s, seen here in its new packaging (now available at Davis GMC). 

It's the week before 🎄

As good as gold

Ibanez RG657 in limited edition gold finish. Looking. 😑

Ibanez 2018 (2): Genesis return

Ah... so the resurrected Ibanez RG550s for 2018 are none other than the Genesis line. The differences here, which is really splitting hairs, is the guitar's neck construction. The first wave of RG550 back in the '80s feature a seamless construction but the later necks manifested the laminate lines running from one end to the other. These are very thin lines, if you ever encountered the Genesis version in person. 

Here's a reference from my past entry (2013 to be precise 😙). The other differences worth noting are that back plate cover with access holes to the spring tension screws & the Edge bridge without the licensed stamp on it.

Ibanez decided to include the RG570 for good measure. 👍

The really awesome consideration here is price- thank you, Ibanez, for keeping the prices true to the original Genesis listings when they first debuted. However, do bear in mind the current exchange rates so expect a slight difference. I will not quote an estimated listing which might upset both buyers & sellers. On that note, do keep in mind that the Genesis are Prestige models but offered without a hard case/ bag. Definitely on my list this year. 

Price watch (9)

This 2017 Ibanez Premium RG6PC is now available here if you are interested in one.

This Prestige RG2550Z is also available and lists for $50 less than the RG6PC.

What am I driving at? I would classify both guitars as very high quality but we know the Premium model is not Japan-made & sits lower in terms of hierarchy, compared to the Prestige. Granted, the RG2550Z in the stores here might be a NOS unit & it accounts for that price difference but I'm reiterating the fact that as we hesitate to get the instruments we prefer, prices keep climbing. Very soon, the Prestige will necessitate a higher list price because it's a Prestige; it's of higher standing than the Premium & the prices should reflect the circumstances. 

On another note, we see the psychology of brand-price relationship. Nobody would want to pay too much for a non-Japanese Ibanez model but the fact that it's a Premium model, something that arguably commands a little more respect in terms of QC, the manufacturer wouldn't hesitate to place it in the higher price range. Consumers would subconsciously agree to this classification as well due to that crucial label there: Premium. Remove this from the instrument, it's just another Far Eastern manufactured instrument regardless of whatever soaring levels of QC it's manifesting. 

Prestigious

Managed to grab this JHS little ditty on the final day of SV Guitar's festive sale last week. I had the Morning Glory as the initial consideration but after hearing it it action, it was a no. I managed to try this one out & was happy with the tone as well as what it has to offer in terms of dynamics. It's actually a 4-in-1 pedal; at the initial stages it's a clean buffer, past 25% it turns into a volume boost, past noon, it's a drive unit which eventually fuzzes out beyond 3 o'clock. Too bad it's not battery compatible, otherwise it'd become my pedal of choice when I head down to guitar stores. Free Gravity guitar pick with the later batch of JHS pedals but I'm through with this brand name.

JHS: Prestige

Availability: SV Guitars

List: $189

Ibanez: The retainer returns

Another Ibanez RG in the manufacturer's catalog (RG2570). But note the following:

• Ibanez re-installed the string retainer at the headstock plus no sliding truss rod cover
• This is a Prestige model but no 'Prestige' label there at the headstock
• OK, so they did an alder body for this one.

Ibanez: RGV3570

These are regional exclusive models, Ibanez is currently limiting this to their domestic Japanese market. The RGV3570 is currently manifested in 2 finishes; the plain top (black) or the burl laminate top. Give these a hurried look & you'll miss that non-tilted headstock; I was wondering why the truss rod covers were not included. Also, the guitars were equipped with Seymour Duncans at the factory (yes!): Neck: Stag Mag/ Middle: Vintage Flat/ Bridge: Custom 5.

Despite the exclusive debut, we know that good distributors would make it a point to acknowledge local demand.

Will you?

Ladies & gentlemen, this Premium Series Ibanez SA1060 is listing for the above-stated price. The 'Z' finish (zircote)is a limited edition offering for the year.

The Prestige Series RG655GK is listing for much less, the difference can easily get you a decent amp for domestic use.

The question- Will you fork out more money for a model in the manufacturer's lower series, granted it's limited edition? I'm not trying to instigate a price revision here (it'd be wise, though) & I'm not trying to put Ibanez down either- I've been a fan since day one. Chances are, prices were not dictated by the distributor but pegged against the manufacturer's recommendations & production costs.

If I am the salesperson in the store, who would I offer the SA model to? Considering that it's not the manufacturer's flagship model & the average Ibanez fan out there knows nuts about zircote, how soon can I clear this from the shelves?

Something to think about, yes?

Ibanez: RC Premium/ Prestige

From the way I see it, looks like Ibanez is pushing the RC models this year to the forefront. It's a good thing but who's playing an RC? Who's the visible ambassador for this model? We have 2 more RC goodness to behold here, this is the Premium RC720 featuring a rosewood body cap. 

The Prestige RC1320 is the top-end model in the range featuring a pair of Seymour Duncan pickups: JB (B) & a covered '59. We welcome variety into the Ibanez fold but from a commercial perspective, things might go the deficit way. Lest we forget, Ibanez's weapon models formerly in the X-series (Halbard/ Glaive/ Falchion) are now extinct. Hopefully the RCs won't join them as passing models with no elements of perpetuity whatsoever.

Ibanez: Fan fretting

Ever since Ibanez set up the Bass Workshop series, ideas have been bold & inviting. This fall, the SRF4405 gives us the wonderful fan fret design (the idea here is to keep intonation in check while having the longer scale option for you to consider those detuned stuff) while keeping good tones in tact (Nordstrand pickups). You'd say that this idea isn't new, the boutique basses have been there & done that but the boutique prices would dent your coffers. The SRFF4505 is from the Prestige range but it won't retail for more than a typical boutique bass albeit in the upper price bracket. Let's just hope it gets here, that's more important.

Ibanez: RG90

Bare Knuckles are into the 9 bandwagon early. Here's an Ibanez Prestige featuring a set of Canine humbuckers. It's definitely good to know an established name being at the forefront of change. But as it is with Ibanez, whichever name they flirt with, they keep coming back to DiMarzio.  Time will tell.

Ibanez... some news (RG content)

Some news from the Ibanez front- the re-issue RG550/ 570 aka the Genesis models will make their way here soon (like very soon- in 2 weeks time) but the above chameleon finish won't be offered in this region- ARGH!

Anyway, the manufacturer had promised us an affordable price tag despite them being Prestige models but the catch is- no case/ bag provided. Let me give you a little foreclosure on the price- it's more affordable than some of the PREMIUM selections... :-o

Ibanez: RG2717

New from Ibanez for this fall- RG2717. My kinda guitar: single humbucker/ non-locking hardware/ mahogany body. In the mean time, it's a Japan-only model but we know how these things can be acquired. It seems that all the good stuff are elsewhere but here. Hmm...

Ibanez 2013: RG2721

This is the 2nd Ibanez RG to feature the Tight End R bridge; RG2721. Yes, that quilt top is gorgeous but this 2013, Ibanez makes it clear their tops mean serious business. In addition to a captivating laminate top-most layer, selected models feature a 4mm cap so we get 3 layers of serious considerations for the money. In this RG2721's case: 1) Mahogany body 2) Maple cap 3) Quilted maple laminate.