Ibanez RG Prestige
Encyclopedia
The Ibanez
RG Prestige series are the highest quality guitar
s in the extremely popular RG series
next to the J-Custom Series. They were introduced in 1987 and are well known for their characteristic thin necks and hard-edged tone, which is generated by high-output humbuckers. The guitars are made in Japan
and according to Ibanez, only the best wood and mechanics are used to make the guitars. There are three different groups: The RG, which is the regular design, the RGA, which has an arched top and a slimmer body, and the RGT which has a neck-thru
construction.
were first introduced in 1987 as a derivative of the Ibanez JEM
and Universe
series by Steve Vai
. The RG guitars became very popular after a while and many artists started using the guitars both live and in the studio. Hard rock and metal bands have used the RG Prestige for many years, and are still using them today. The RG Prestige series has been running for over 15 years, and is still thriving.
The RG Prestige series' main competing models in the hard rock world are the Jackson Soloist
series, the Schecter
Hellraiser series and the ESP
M series.
Model-specific information:
While all the specs from the original RG550 are mirrored in the 20th Anniversary run, Ibanez have addressed one important issue. The original RG550 models sometimes suffered from catastrophic neck warpage, owing to the ultra-slim carve of the neck - the very thing that made the RG550 such a unique instrument in the first place. Instead of recreating the 2- or 3-piece neck of the late 1980s, which usually had a head piece and a longer neck piece glued together obliquely just behind the nut, Ibanez have revised the entire neck construction with the 20th Anniversary model. The neck on the new RG550 is a 5-piece laminate, with three strips of hard rock maple and two thin strips of walnut. The maple strips are arranged so that the grain on the outer two pieces is parallel, while the grain of the center strip is perpendicular to the other two, thereby granting the neck far more resistance to warping than the originals had. They also feature 2 titanium rods going down each side of the truss rod for added strength and rigidity.
Other than the neck construction, the XX model is cosmetically and functionally identical to the original 1987 issue of the RG550, including a return to that year's Edge tremolo system, a licensed version of the ubiquitous Floyd Rose double-locking bridge system.
Cases sold with the DY and RF Anniversary guitars are covered with matching-color tolex.
Ibanez announced the RG550XX at the 2007 Winter NAMM show; the first guitars were delivered to distributors in April 2007.
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
RG Prestige series are the highest quality guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s in the extremely popular RG series
Ibanez RG
The Ibanez RG series has the maximum subtypes of guitars under the Ibanez Electric Guitar catalog and a popular series of Ibanez electric guitars produced by Hoshino Gakki. The Ibanez RG was originally designed as a derivative of Steve Vai's JEM\Universe series and released in 1987. Manufacture of...
next to the J-Custom Series. They were introduced in 1987 and are well known for their characteristic thin necks and hard-edged tone, which is generated by high-output humbuckers. The guitars are made in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and according to Ibanez, only the best wood and mechanics are used to make the guitars. There are three different groups: The RG, which is the regular design, the RGA, which has an arched top and a slimmer body, and the RGT which has a neck-thru
Neck-thru
Neck-through or neck-thru is a method of electric guitar or bass guitar construction that involves extending the piece of wood used for the neck through the entire length of the body, essentially making it the core of the body. The strings, fretboard, pickups and bridge are all mounted on this...
construction.
Origins
The RG seriesIbanez RG
The Ibanez RG series has the maximum subtypes of guitars under the Ibanez Electric Guitar catalog and a popular series of Ibanez electric guitars produced by Hoshino Gakki. The Ibanez RG was originally designed as a derivative of Steve Vai's JEM\Universe series and released in 1987. Manufacture of...
were first introduced in 1987 as a derivative of the Ibanez JEM
Ibanez JEM
Ibanez JEM is an electric guitar manufactured by Ibanez and first produced in 1987. The guitar's most notable user is its co-designer, Steve Vai. As of 2010, there have been five sub-models of the JEM: the JEM7, JEM77, JEM777, JEM555 and the JEM333...
and Universe
Ibanez Universe
The Ibanez Universe is the world's first modern, commercial seven-string electric guitar, developed by Steve Vai and manufactured by Ibanez. The Universe is a seven-string version of the Ibanez JEM series, Vai's signature model...
series by Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
. The RG guitars became very popular after a while and many artists started using the guitars both live and in the studio. Hard rock and metal bands have used the RG Prestige for many years, and are still using them today. The RG Prestige series has been running for over 15 years, and is still thriving.
The RG Prestige series' main competing models in the hard rock world are the Jackson Soloist
Jackson Soloist
The Jackson Soloist is an electric guitar model by Jackson Guitars officially produced since 1984 . Jackson was essentially the pioneer of the "Superstrat" design...
series, the Schecter
Schecter Guitar Research
Schecter Guitar Research, commonly known as simply as Schecter, is a US guitar manufacturer. The company was founded in 1976 by David Schecter and originally produced only replacement parts for existing guitars from manufacturers such as Fender and Gibson...
Hellraiser series and the ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
M series.
RG Series
2007 standard RG Prestige features include:- Basswood Body
- 5-piece wizard prestige bolt-on maple neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
- Jumbo frets
- HSH - Two humbuckers with a single coil in the middle
- IBZ V7 neck, IBZ S1 middle, IBZ V8 bridge pickups
- Back routed wiring with body-mounted pickups
- Edge Pro tremolo
- Team J. Craft hard case
Model-specific information:
- RG1451 - Two humbuckers and one single coil - $800.00 List
- RG1520G - Two humbuckers, Roland GK output - $1399.99 List - Discontinued
- RG1550 - Maple fingerboard, pickguard, guard-mounted pickups, no case - $749.99 List - Discontinued
- RG1820X - Two humbuckers, piezo bridge - $1329.99 List - Discontinued
- RG2620 - Two humbuckers, DiMarzio IBZ pickups - $1506.65 List - Discontinued
- RG3120F - Two humbuckers, DiMarzio IBZ pickups, mahogany body with flame maple top - $1929.99 List - Discontinued
- RG1527 - 7-string, two humbuckers - $1199.99 List
- RG1570 - Standard RG Prestige model - $999.99 List
- RG1570L - Lefty version of RG1570 - $1199.99 List
- RG2550E - Bound fingerboard, DiMarzio IBZ pickups, wedge sharktooth inlays, pickguard, guard-mounted pickups - $1173.32 List
- RG2550E - Pre-2007 models do not have bound fingerboard, wedge sharktooth inlays, and does not have case
- RG2570E - Bound fingerboard, DiMarzio IBZ pickups, wedge sharktooth inlays - $1173.32 List
- RG2610E - Bound fingerboard and body, single Seymour Duncan TB-10 bridge pickup, wedge sharktooth inlays - $1333.32 List
- RG2670Z- Japan only model, has same specifications as the RG2550E but without a pickguard.
- RG2620E - Non-US model, appears to be same as RG2620 along with bound fingerboard and sharktooth inlays
- RG2228 - First ever mass produced 8-string, fixed Edge III bridge, two EMG 808 pickups - $1999.99 List
- RG550RXX - See below
- RG550MXX - See below
- RG770- Has a clear pickguard and has the original specs of the original RG770.
RG550XX 20th Anniversary Model
In 2007, Ibanez produced a low-number run of guitars built to the specs of the original RG550, first released in 1987. They tout original finish formulations, but only in the colors Desert Sun Yellow (DY), Road Flare Red (RF), and Black (BK).While all the specs from the original RG550 are mirrored in the 20th Anniversary run, Ibanez have addressed one important issue. The original RG550 models sometimes suffered from catastrophic neck warpage, owing to the ultra-slim carve of the neck - the very thing that made the RG550 such a unique instrument in the first place. Instead of recreating the 2- or 3-piece neck of the late 1980s, which usually had a head piece and a longer neck piece glued together obliquely just behind the nut, Ibanez have revised the entire neck construction with the 20th Anniversary model. The neck on the new RG550 is a 5-piece laminate, with three strips of hard rock maple and two thin strips of walnut. The maple strips are arranged so that the grain on the outer two pieces is parallel, while the grain of the center strip is perpendicular to the other two, thereby granting the neck far more resistance to warping than the originals had. They also feature 2 titanium rods going down each side of the truss rod for added strength and rigidity.
Other than the neck construction, the XX model is cosmetically and functionally identical to the original 1987 issue of the RG550, including a return to that year's Edge tremolo system, a licensed version of the ubiquitous Floyd Rose double-locking bridge system.
Cases sold with the DY and RF Anniversary guitars are covered with matching-color tolex.
Ibanez announced the RG550XX at the 2007 Winter NAMM show; the first guitars were delivered to distributors in April 2007.
External links
- http://www.ibanezrules.com - Information, gallery, and setup instructions for Ibanez guitars.
- http://www.jemsite.com - Information and setup instructions for Ibanez guitars, as well as discussion forum.