Red re-string

In view of the recent limelight of new Japanese Ibanez models, I was aggravated to soak in the hype by taking this out to play - RG550DX. This was part of the Genesis line up which was not warmly received due to its rosewood fretboard variation. The proverbial RG550, regardless of its resurgence timeline, requires a maple fretboard to preserve the legacy & more importantly, the commercial traction.

Something felt wrong; the guitar playability wasn't as addictive as it used to be. A quick diagnosis revealed a slightly bowed neck & an action that required a wee bit of shimming. I used a discarded name card here to provide a non-intrusive elevation.

As such, an action adjust was required. A reminder to those embarking on a similar set-up adventure; there is a locking mechanism inside the stud post which requires attention first before raising / lowering it. That's why you see the smaller allen wrench being used here. When you are done, do lock it back in place. 

 

A set of fresh Dunlop strings. Sometime, a guitar's set up requires a re-visit as some aspects would be affected by temperature, for instance, over time. Some of us find this a put-off, we just wanna play because by the time we finished tinkering, the urge to play would be gone.

Red

I played this one yesterday. In conjunction with CNY, I grabbed the nearest red guitar & this was it. Didn't play the single coil much (Duncan Hot Strat), just the JB & Jazz all the way through. It's true that some guitars with their individual quirks & tone, would influence what you play. So this one, compounded by my heavy rotation of Atheist albums for the last couple of days, saw some tech-death moments which have not been my playing staple lately. Unlike the other metal sub-genre, all these tech-y stuff requires purposeful playing & very little peddling unlike black metal, for instance. Also, speed is optional. If you listen to Pestilence, it's mid-tempo for the most part.

Hope everyone is still revelling in the CNY celebrations with loved ones.

Red rise Sunday

Early start to the guitar-ing day with the RG550DX. I tried to keep things within the single coil realm & playing cleans under loads of chorus & reverb but I should not kid myself, yes? That lasted for like 20min till the distortion kicks in along with the angry tunes.

This RG550 (discontinued) is the less prominent member in the Genesis range but it packs a punch like the rest. It's somehow heavier than its siblings, the reason I played it lesser these days, especially after my post-chemo lifestyle kicked in. I am still lost in the greatness of the Seymour Duncan - Ibanez fusion & this guitar is one of the better playing / sounding among them.

550 Sunday

Spent time with my RGs. The 550s you see above are from the same Genesis family but different iterations. The DX has a granadillo fretboard & a set of Seymour Duncans (JB / Hot Strat / Jazz). The Road Flare version sports a maple fretboard & kept in its original form, no mods. 

Are there benefits from swapping out the default pickups to some other brand names? It really depends on the owner - are you happy with the default pickups? The in house Ibanez V/S pickups are alright. They are not bad in any way, still capable of pulling off good rock tones. However, I realize that if too much distortion is dialled into them, they sound honky / nasal. The Seymour Duncans, on the other hand, has more tolerance for distortion, maintaining clarity & note definition. 

We're into the final week of April. That's fast. 

Red Sunday

Started playing early today, ended when breakfast arrived. Guitar of choice - Ibanez RG550DX. The guitar itself was not the reason I played, the Duncan JB was. I feel it's the best representative to understand how pick material / thickness contributes to tone. What's so special about the JB? It has a spiked midrange which many people shun but in the right guitar, with right set up, it sounds incredible. In this case, the JB manifested tone difference each time I switch picks. Back to the topic in hand, I ended up using my 4mm Gravity pick for the rest of the playing time. 

Folks, pick material & thickness do contribute to tone; it's a matter of hearing it. My take on the matter:

• Thickness: Thicker picks give off a deeper tone, more bottom end so to speak. Awesome for those peddling bass notes, the riff mongers among us. 
• Pick material: This is my way of testing - drop the pick onto a hard floor. If it sounds crispy, it tends to manifest more top end. If it sounds a little muted, the opposite is true. The crispy sounding picks (especially acrylic) will please the solo-inclined players, assuring them of clarity. Those choosing the neck pickup for solos will appreciate this boost.

My Gravity 4mm pick you see above is an acrylic pick. At the time of playing, I was focusing on riff ideas more than solos. Its thick form assured good bottom end but its acrylic pedigree means clarity will be present & reducing the chances of muddy tones being heard. Personally, I like my riffs to ring clear as well especially when I tend to play real fast with too many notes per beat. Oh, managed to swap out those black control knobs & selector lever tip to red ones. 😅

Still Duncan-ing

I've been playing slimmer necks lately, I think it helps keep my fretting hand more at ease due to its preferred profile. More importantly, it addresses my needs. The whole of last week, I've been with the RG550DX mostly.

I gave it a Duncan makeover with whatever pickups I have lying around here. So here's the lineup:

• Neck: Jazz
• Middle: Hot Strat (RWRP)
• Bridge: JB

Very happy with this trio. Many players would have second thoughts about the JB being in a guitar with locking, double action whammy bridge. To many, it sounds next to shrill due to the excessive midrange / top end.

Even the manufacturer's EQ representation of the pickup's performance suggests it is unsuitable for such a guitar. But I guess it all boils down to the real time tone one hears & for me, I've been hearing the JB in action in many guitars so despite the documented suggestion, I know if it's gonna be a make-or-break investment. Yes, we generally need a good bottom end push for guitars with such a bridge but it doesn't exclude other pickups that manifest a different tonal range than the traditional expectations. The other two pickups in this likeness are Duncan's Custom Custom (TB-11) & DiMarzio's D'Activator. 

Wishing you a good Monday & a good week ahead - take care. ✌🏽

Pic: Seymour Duncan

Discontinued: Ibanez RG550DX

That's right folks, the RG550DX is discontinued for 2021 for this region. It's facing a stiff competition against its own siblings in the Prestige & Premium line ups. It's also a victim of stubborn people who insist the 'true' RG550 should feature a maple fretboard at all times.  

However, back in 1987, the catalog clearly showed that a non-maple version was offered. We say goodbye to January on a high knowing the good gear released this month had been worth waiting for. Most of them. 😬

Pics: Ibanez / VJ Guitars

Red DX

This made its way to my residence last Sunday as well. It's in pristine condition despite being listed as used. It's too clean to be true. Only two tell-tale signs of actual ownership; a very low action out of the box (yes, it came with the box as well) & a scratched pickguard which is visible here but it's still covered by a sheet of plastic film so nothing to be concerned with there. Another unnecessary purchase but this one's worth the consideration; my best after-market experience so far (after all these years). 

Genesis: Blue (3)

The replacement pickups in this one are DiMarzios:

• Neck: D'Activator
• Mid: HS3
• Bridge: D'Activator

This isn't the first account of D'Activators in my guitar, they were in my Jackson Yellow Dinky (click HERE). I'm largely a Duncan camper but I'm not averse to DiMarzio, especially the D'Activator. These  are easily preferred in terms of extremity & clarity when it comes to tone. The bottom end loving geeks out there wouldn't be in love with this kind of offering; they sound brash & manifest more treble than a typical PAF type humbucker. I'm at home with this kind of tone as it easily addresses my extreme metal needs & additional bottom end could easily be dialled in over at the amp end. If there's any Duncan equivalent, then it would be the JB but the D'Activator is a louder counterpart. I lowered the bridge D'Activator a little bit more than my usual preference & it sounds marvelous. 

Related entries:

Genesis: Blue

Genesis: Blue (2)

Genesis: Blue (2)

Since I bought it in February, I've only managed to give my Ibanez RG550DX some TLC & due attention recently. The main consideration was getting the electronics done before tinkering with everything else. That means waiting for Mr. Beez to resume business after the CB period ended & it took longer than expected. The intonation for this guitar was off for most of the strings (4 out of 6 to be precise). The most horrible was the low E & from the physical evidence seen above, someone in the store was aware of this & pushed the saddle way back to address the issue. It looked wrong thereafter. If you have to push it way back, that's where the other (front) hole is for.

The front hole was utilized this time leaving the rear vacant & the issue was solved. 

Compare these front screws to the rear counterparts, these are obviously oxidixed. It happened when the instrument was not wiped down after play, leaving sweat to act on those metal parts.

These were removed, sanded & re-sprayed black. To make it a consistent affair, all four screws were given this treatment instead of only the two affected ones. 

Finally, the joke of it all; look at the orientation of the rear cavity cover. The slots are there to facilitate  tension spring adjustments. Even if your screw driver is the long version, it won't reach the adjustment screws as the inclination there requires some clearance.

This is the correct way. The slots give you immediate access to the adjustment screws. You can even see them to begin with.

Please bear in mind that this guitar was in showroom condition when I purchased it. It's not an out-of-the box unit in pristine condition. We can understand that all these anomalies were present in an attempt to re-string the instrument, making it more presentable (at least) before the sale event took place (it's what I wager, you need not agree). However, due to unfamiliarity with the features & mechanics, tuning & subsequent intonation issues manifested. I am glad that I could attend to these setbacks without breaking out too much sweat. If it's sent to a tech, it might entail some costs which might defeat the instrument's sale price to begin with.

Genesis: Blue

On the final day of the Swee Lee Katong closing down sale, this was the final guitar I managed to grab. Nothing special, just the Ibanez RG550DX, the follow up to the successful RG550 in the Genesis series. This version was less popular among the RG550 die-hards due to its non-maple fretboard & shark tooth inlay. These, to me, are not earth shattering differences. More importantly, it's going for a bargain.