In brief: Ibanez 540PIII

This 540PIII should have been the re-intro of the moment save for the neck width detraction. I see where Ibanez is coming from in terms of production economy; the 540PIII neck sports a generic Genesis Series reverse headstock neck to avoid the need for manufacturing a period accurate 540PIII neck. Nevertheless, another good one for the catalog.

LIKES

• fast neck
• upper fret access
• strap-on balance
• overall fit and finish

DISLIKES

• bridge pickup
• discomfort (sitting down)
• Chrome input jack while other hardware are black

Because the Genesis Series guitars are Japanese but not in the same reverence as its Prestige / J-Custom counterparts, there is actually no point for the manufacturer to replicate the 45mm nut width for nostalgia's sake. It would mean other cost entailments, the least of which would be the inclusion of a wider top lock unit to accommodate this width difference. There's already a reverse headstock neck in the Genesis production line - the RG565 / RG565R - Ibanez simply used this one for the 540PII. The current generation of Ibanez enthusiasts wouldn't mind but the purists would scream heresy. 

The 540PIII is a warped body version of an RG, that's how I see it. Warped in a good way, definitely. In fact it's visually pleasant. The not so pleasant part would be the body outline inducing some discomfort while playing sitting down. It's that lower curvature proximate to the electronic controls; this bit here got trimmed to compensate the extended treble side cutaway. However, things get interesting if you play this one strapped on; it's suddenly one of the most comfortable body shape you've come across. Adding on to the fast neck, do take note of the more generous upper fret access. The 540PIII's block heel joins the neck at the 21st fret as opposed to the RG's 17th. 

Last but not least, if you are the type who prefer keeping the default pickups in tact, that bridge humbucker, to me, is merely a get-by unit; neither special nor a dud. The neck counterpart on the other hand is above expectations especially for distortion applications. 

Final rating: 89%

Ibanez 540PIII

• available at Swee Lee ($1,749)
• bag not included

Pic: Ibanez

White & grey

Ibanez did a wonderful thing this July by re-introducing the Genesis RG550 in white. It was done before not too long ago & was quickly snapped up. Those who are trawling the scalper's market for one can now get it for a reasonable retail price. (EDIT: The white version is not offered in China)

This is the other new finish in the lineup, a grey affair & would probably appeal to senior folks like me. 

Pics: Ibanez

Ibanez: Blue - Black

These two RG550 from the Genesis (Japan) Series are finally here. No change in prices compared to the previous batch of RG550 which was actually $200 more than the batch before. Finally because these blue & black version were released in August 2024 & they are only available about 5 months later. Have a feeling Ibanez had forgotten about its distributor in Singapore. Maybe we are of lesser importance compared to distributors in other countries. Maybe.

Pics: Ibanez

Ibanez: August '24

We begin August in the knowledge that Ibanez had decided to perpetuate the Genesis RG550 by adding a couple of new colours to the fold - black & electric blue.

Pic: Ibanez

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.

Aggression collective

Had been playing this combo since Friday. There's so much aggression in this pic:

• Ibanez RG550. Pretty much the utilitarian guitar for anything distortion inclined. The neck profile might please some & irk the rest, acquired taste for what's 'right' for you. 
• DiMarzio D Activator X. Often confused with the X2N with reference to the looks per se. One of the better pickups in my possession to supplement distortion, a little grizzly so needs some EQ tweaking at the amp end.
• DAW Shred line pick. I've grown accustomed to this pick profile over time as it caters to my playing quirk. Very rewarding for me as I kinda use my pick to kill string while playing. 

So, does an aggressive music set up require one to invest in pointy guitars, active pickups & an equally pointy pick? Of course not.

I prefer Duncans

I always annoy the heck out of Ibanez dweebs by showing them my Duncan equipped guitars. More often than not, it ended up killing any conversations about the brand. There seems to be an unwritten law stating that Ibanez guitars should feature DiMarzios, everything else is unworthy. Well, Ibanez make it a point to vary their offerings throughout the years with the defunct SZ Series & the current AZ models featuring Seymour Duncan pickups largely. There are newer models with Bare Knuckles in them as well. You have to blame the hair metal days of relentless shredding when Ibanez endorsers were seen with DiMarzios in their guitars. If you plug into a computer & your life depends on digital emulations, the pickups don't really matter. 

Anyway, my RG565 above feature a pair of Seymour Duncans; the Custom Custom (b) & Cool Rails (n). The CC is my lesser known go-to pickups. It's a hot-sounding humbucker running on weaker magnets with the default EQ not featuring a scooped default setting; absolutely my kinda tone to begin with. The rest is about tinkering & discovering what works best. The Cool Rails is basically a '59 in a single coil size with blades instead of pole pieces. Unlike a true blue '59, the Cool Rails is a little hotter & that's what I like about this pickup in the neck; the hotter output guarantees clarity.

I'm a little angry today & it intruded into my mood at home. The angry shade of orange here best reflects my temper for the day.

Laser vampire

It's not in my nature to constantly check American web stores for Ibanez stuff. Sweetwater has an exclusive deal for the RG565, the finishes you see here are exclusive to them. I have a feeling these will be made into standard offerings come 2022 seeing how popular this model is. Also, we might see additions to the Genesis range unless the J-Line models take over as international offerings.

Yellow Saturday

Someone saw my yellow RG elsewhere & asked if it's the same butchered RG featured here: CLICK 

The answer lies in the picture above. These are two different guitars albeit the same model - RG550 (Genesis Series), which were both played this morning. It's an indoor Saturday for me as I stayed home to oversee some kitchen makeover. Also, my skin had been acting up since yesterday so home is the best place for some rest & healing. Why the sudden urge to play both? Just to hear DiMarzio (top) & Seymour Duncan (bottom) pickups in action. I made less mistakes with the DiMarzio fellow because there was no urge to switch pickups while playing. Also, I tend to play more riffs due to the single pickup offering. With the Duncans, I resorted to the neck pickup for solos (simply love the clarity there) & single coil for cleans. This isn't conclusive but true for most cases - the gear we play influences what we play. 

Pickups in the above guitars:

• TOP: DiMarzio D'Activator X
• BOTTOM: Seymour Duncan Distortion (n/b) + Quarter Pound Staggered (m)

Damage control (2)

I proceeded to advise the owner of this unfortunate guitar to just invest in a new pickguard & get the electronics looked into. The neck (Super Wizard) & bridge (Edge) are still in very good condition. In fact, there was no fret wear to be seen & the bridge is showing no signs of neglect either. The guitar might have been kept away for some time after the gouging episode. The owner asked me if I could handle this project considering my conditions. I told him it's possible but I will take my time & he has to agree to some limitations with regards to spares availability.

First thing -  purchased a single humbucking pickguard for a no-frills look. FYI, it wasn't a perfect fit for a Japanese Ibanez, three screw holes are totally off the mark. This pickguard was meant to fit an RG350 hence the misalignments (Japanese RG550 vs Indonesian RG350 specs). I have a DiMarzio D'Activator X in the house so that became the pickup of choice. 

The guitar received a thorough cleaning, frets were polished & all screws were replaced. The Edge bridge was dismantled for a good wipe down & the innards were surprisingly oily - no idea what took place. The battery enclosure you see above was left in tact to cover more gouging horror. The block heel indicates a recent RG550 iteration - the Genesis model. This was confirmed by the serial number on the headstock; it's a 2013 model, the first batch of the Genesis RGs.

Very happy with the neck, only needed to raise the string retainer to a more optimum level since it was screwed too much into the headstock. 

To be concluded...

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. 

Double blues

These two, they are worlds apart. The Ibanez RG is the epitome of everything fast & furious. The Gibson LP Jr DC wants you to take your time, feel every playing moment. Had an interesting time playing both in a single sitting.

The RG has a flatter - wider neck profile, trying to slow down on this one isn't easy. It's possible but psychologically, the brain kept telling the fingers to play fast & make it worth the while because this kinda neck profile was meant for this kind of playing. The hand is also postured differently, making the most of the available space for playing many notes. The Gibson neck will fight any attempts to be reckless with individual notes. The rounder - narrower neck profile also means that flattening out one's fingers while playing to achieve a marked playing speed is rather futile. The hand would turn lethargic quite easily. A simple understanding on the matter- the curved thumb (influenced by the round neck profile) does not complement the straightening of the other fretting fingers. 

So these guitars, given their technical profile, are they exclusive for a certain playing style? Yes & no. Yes because their individual neck profile complements a certain playing style. No because many of us would learn to adapt to the instrument's quirks to make things work. 😎

Wishing you a great midweek. 

5-way death

For some unknown reasons, this 5-way selector stopped working today- no sound coming from the guitar + it didn't notch in any position.

Bought this along the way to Beez's...

... and my Ibanez RG550 was up & running again by dinner time. The Ernie Ball selector is a trusted unit, recommended for those of us looking for durability & a smooth operation.

The sound of white noise

I have not played this for a good half year. I'm trying to figure out which replacement pickups should be in there. Recent sale events saw some DiMarzios & Bare Knuckles with significant price cuts but I'm not a fan of those despite the temptations.

This one caught my attention & there's no turning back. A Custom Shop piece with Seymour's signature; must be my lucky day.

So the entire Seymour Duncan line up: Custom Shop Crazy VIII (B)/ Classic Stack Plus (M)/ Distortion (N). The white middle pickup was intentional & the control knobs together with the selector tip were given the white treatment as well. I made a big decision to leave the tone control unconnected for a wide open tone. It's that special consideration for this guitar in making it a little different from the rest. Some tone appraisals soon.

Re-strung with Sfarzo's 5109 set of 9s. Sfarzos are not sold off the shelf here, bought this online.

Ready to annihilate everything that gets in the way. Sort of. 😎

Southern Genesis

All you southpaws waiting for the Ibanez RG550 Genesis- good news, red & yellow models are now available at Swee Lee Co. Not so good news- it's $100 more than the righty version. 

Image: leftyfretz

Gen white

On the final day of May, when everyone had been bewitched by my absence, I went to fetch this home. Nothing special, just an Ibanez Genesis RG550 in white. It's something I've played before, accustomed with, yet enchanted once more.

The first wave headstock without the 'RG Series' label on it had always been my preferred design- less cluttered, more elegant.

I'm now oblivious to the the block neck-body joint. If you frequent the upper frets & feel that this feature gets in the way, it might be just you. I'm OK with no extra trimmings inviting me to the higher  fret registers because I can deal with it.

By the way, these default pickups have to go- I already have something for it even before its presence here.

That blue Ibanez guitar bag with a ripped handle- that one was used to bring this guitar home. 👍

Genesis, south

Good news for lefties- Ibanez is offering the Genesis RG550 for left-handers as a spot model. Wonder if these will make it here at all.

Purple- done

This was done last weekened. The guitar in question- Ibanez RG550 (Genesis 2018).

It's an all DiMarzio affair this time- Evolution (n)/ Area 67 (m)/ Steve's Special (b). Why DiMarzio? Because my yellow RG550 is the Seymour Duncan version so this is an opportunity to hear a tone contrast. The Evo was high on my consideration list for its light treble bite, nothing too piercing but avoiding the rounded, wooly tone altogether. The A67 was already in my SA1620 & it's perhaps one of the best stacked humbucker that retains twang without being too Fender-ish. Coming to Steve's Special, it's an unlikely inclusion but I know it'd work in a dual action whammy bridge type that lacks bass. Of course, the SS isn't bass excessive, it's scooped sounding & something I dislike to begin with but I'm determined to make it likeable, at the very least. Let's see what happens along the way.

PS: Wishing all Muslim blog readers, friends & relatives a blessed Ramadan ahead which starts tonight.