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Ibanez RG 550 1987
Searched Ibanez RG 550 1987 in Reviews
Like Kellogs cornflakes "The Original And Best" !!
| Sound |
the 550 comes with an H/S/H pickup config..perfect for humbucking and the vital single coil tones. factory pups are considered by some to not be the best but you can easily swap them for your favourite brand. These guitars have ecellent internal shielding and are very quiet live or recording. QUICK TIP: use positions 2 or 4 and turn the guitar volume down to around 4 or 5 for the best glassy singlecoil sounds ever !!
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| Action, Fit, & Finish |
these guitars were made in the glory years of ibanez and when new every single one i owned bought and played never gave me any probs whatsoever
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| Reliability & Durability |
I have one still going strong 22years on, with only frets needing replaced due to wear and tear
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| Customer Support |
never had to deal with
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| Liked about it |
looks, sound , playing feel
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| Didn't like |
only thing i can imagine would be a single coil option on the humbuckers or the option to have both `buckers at once
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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paid 500 for mint 550 and well worth the money.
| Sound |
this guitar by far even with the stock pickups sounds better than any guitar i ever played.
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| Action, Fit, & Finish |
i can say i had to do a setup at first but after that it was amazing. the classic rg shape and blue lazer paint is in perfect condition .hardware is very nice cosmo color.
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| Reliability & Durability |
after 22 years this guitar still has no flaws and if you dont drop it it will last forever.
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| Customer Support |
never contacted them.
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| Liked about it |
i love the playability of this guitar. it by far playes better thsan guitars ive spent 5,000 dollars on.and the thing nevr ever goes out of tune.
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| Didn't like |
i wish they came with dimarzio pickups in it.
i wish it was rear routed so in cvase i wanted to get it swirled.
and i wish they all came in desert yellow and roadflare red so i wouldnt have a blue one lol.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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The Quintessential Technical Rock Guitar 
| Sound |
For more than 20 years, this has been the cheapest way to get a pro-level 24 fret solid-body electric. Bright maple neck and fretboards with basswood bodies mean a bright lively sound that won't kill your back. However, the one caveat with Ibanez electrics has always been the stock pickups. They're not terrible, they just don't stand out whatsoever. However, investing in a good pair of DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan humbuckers is a simple step to making this a top-flight choice for hard rock, progressive rock, or metal.
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| Action, Fit, & Finish |
Ibanez MIJ guitars are routinely on par with the best mass produced American gear. Expect straight necks, well-dressed frets, and near flawless finishes. As with all mass produced guitars, you can expect that the guitar will need a basic setup to play perfectly.
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| Reliability & Durability |
My RG550BK was manufactured in 1991 and looks to have another twenty years of faithful service left. The big jumbo frets have lots of life left, the paint (except the standard neck joint stress cracks) still gleams, and the neck is stable. 18 years of wear have begun to leave their mark on the fretboard though. Still, this is easily prevented by more frequent TLC than I've given mine over the years.
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| Customer Support |
N/A
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| Liked about it |
For what it is, this guitar is just about perfect. The neck is absolute perfection, the RG shape is a modern classic, and the Edge bridge is reliable. An excellent H-S-H guitar for rock.
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| Didn't like |
If there's anything to complain about, aside from the typically unimpressive stock pickups, it's simply that prospective buyers should bear in mind that this guitar is not designed for R&B or blues. The long-scale and pickup configuration make it difficult, though not impossible, to dial-in a warm vintage SRV-type tone. But if you're looking for Vai or Gilbert, the 550 plus a pickup upgrade puts you on the right path in a hurry.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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THE rock guitar of the late 80's early 90's. Holds
| Sound |
Does this guitar need a review really?
I've owned a few of these over the years and have never been disappointed. Extremely versatile guitars with the locking trem, maple neck, dual humbuckers with a single coil middle position. You can get so many sounds out of these guitars with the proper pickups and amp settings its ridiculous.
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| Action, Fit, & Finish |
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| Reliability & Durability |
100% rock solid guitar. If you know how to use, maintain and adjust a floating trem and dual locking system you will have no issues as far as playability goes. The finish will last forever unless you do something to make it come off. After over 20 years of use, my favorite 550 has only the odd chip or scratch. Hey, war wounds add character. The only thing this guitar is known to do that is potentially detrimental (to some people) is crack the finish in the neck pocket area. Lots of Ibanez guitars do this, and it is usually not a problem as it is just the finish that cracks due to stress in that area. However, I'm told that in some cases the crack can actually be in the wood, which would be a problem over the long term. That said, I would not hesitate to buy one with the finish crack.
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| Customer Support |
Never needed support.
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| Liked about it |
I like pretty everything about these guitars. The neck of course, if you know and like playing a Wizard neck, these are awesome guitars. The Edge trem is about as good a floating bridge as you're ever going to buy. The guitar is extremely versatile. With the five way switch, dual humbucker and single coil middle, volume and tone controls you can get loads of sounds from a 550.
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| Didn't like |
The tendency to develop the neck pocket crack has always been a sore point for a lot of Ibanez owners, and the 550 is no different. That said, I've also got a Music Man Petrucci guitar that has the same crack in the finish. It is not specific to Ibanez guitars. Floating trems can be a pain, but I'd rather have one and not use it, than not have one and need it.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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internal use: spec98 spec484
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