RG2550E problems

[twiddleuk]

Hi,

I posted in the wrong forum the other day so now im in here.
Ive got my first Ibanez and now that ive pugged in and had a proper play I can honestly say im not impressed.

The action is way too high and I cant really do a lot after the 12th fret and I plugged into my mates carlsbro amp (solid state) and we were both shocked at the lack of sustain, bite, crunch, dynamics, harmonics and just about everything with the pickups !

My cheap les paul copy sounds waaaaaay better and waaaay more responsive. All the little nuances and harmonics that I usually get from my playing style are GONE with the ibanez.

Should I only be plugging into a decent valve amp ?

First impressions out of the case were good but now ive had a chance to plug in and play and its a total anti-climax. And forget tapping on this guitar...........impossible regardless of how much pressure or technique, just dead notes come out.

Any ideas ?

[iumentum]

The first thing you should do is take it to a tech and get a proper set-up.

[jimmyfingersminion]

get it set up properly!

the rg550 is a great guitar and should play and sound great!

[90341689]

Originally Posted by twiddleuk

Hi,

I posted in the wrong forum the other day so now im in here.
Ive got my first Ibanez and now that ive pugged in and had a proper play I can honestly say im not impressed.

The action is way too high and I cant really do a lot after the 12th fret and I plugged into my mates carlsbro amp (solid state) and we were both shocked at the lack of sustain, bite, crunch, dynamics, harmonics and just about everything with the pickups !

My cheap les paul copy sounds waaaaaay better and waaaay more responsive. All the little nuances and harmonics that I usually get from my playing style are GONE with the ibanez.

Should I only be plugging into a decent valve amp ?

First impressions out of the case were good but now ive had a chance to plug in and play and its a total anti-climax. And forget tapping on this guitar...........impossible regardless of how much pressure or technique, just dead notes come out.

Any ideas ?

get a full and thorough set up - that should help the playability of the guitar, and if the pickups dont suit you, swap them.

[brothersnowgone]

Set it up yourself or have it setup by a tech like everyone else said. Ibanez pick-ups have never been great, but are pretty decent for stock pups. By the way you're describing them it might be a problem with the pick-up, because I know Ibanez pups aren't great but they should sound at least half decent and I know they have alright sustain. Is it one pick-up or all 3 that suck? If it's all three it's probably just because you don't like the way they sound and you should throw whatever pups you like in there. Other than the pick-ups, almost anything with a 550 in the name from Ibanez is a top notch work horse guitar.

[dragsternj]

Originally Posted by twiddleuk

Hi,

I posted in the wrong forum the other day so now im in here.
Ive got my first Ibanez and now that ive pugged in and had a proper play I can honestly say im not impressed.

The action is way too high and I cant really do a lot after the 12th fret and I plugged into my mates carlsbro amp (solid state) and we were both shocked at the lack of sustain, bite, crunch, dynamics, harmonics and just about everything with the pickups !

My cheap les paul copy sounds waaaaaay better and waaaay more responsive. All the little nuances and harmonics that I usually get from my playing style are GONE with the ibanez.

Should I only be plugging into a decent valve amp ?

First impressions out of the case were good but now ive had a chance to plug in and play and its a total anti-climax. And forget tapping on this guitar...........impossible regardless of how much pressure or technique, just dead notes come out.

Any ideas ?

Can only agree. Have bought a 2550 end of last year and its the worst guitar in the house, and i changed the PU's to DiMarzios. Is going to be sold soon.

[vmx23]

what you need is new strings

[twiddleuk]

Thanks for the replies,

The guitar is brand new and strings are brand new.
Yes the action needs adjusting but im not sure im going to bother because the pups are so weak and unresponsive. Maybe lowering the action / raising the pups might help but I seriously dont like the pups at all. Pinched harmonics do not exist on this guitar.

Swapping out the pups is exactly what I didnt want to do, more money and more hassle.

My old jackson with its stock alnico pups would absolutely eat this axe for breakfast and im sooooo glad I never put it on e@ay.

Im not sure the mail order guitar shop will let me return yet another guitar and im wondering what I would lose on e@ay ?

No offence but this is the second ibanez I have tried and im so put off that I doubt I will ever try another.

[Jem7RB MK]

If your local to Milton Keynes, Pop in and i'll set it up bro, i'm sure more than a couple of lads on here will vouch for my setups

Badly set-up guitars ruin many an ideal, don't let it put you off bud

Rob

[mike2558]

you should've got a JS

[Jem7RB MK]

And a poorly set-up JS is better in what way

Rob

[brothersnowgone]

Originally Posted by twiddleuk

Thanks for the replies,

The guitar is brand new and strings are brand new.
Yes the action needs adjusting but im not sure im going to bother because the pups are so weak and unresponsive. Maybe lowering the action / raising the pups might help but I seriously dont like the pups at all. Pinched harmonics do not exist on this guitar.

Swapping out the pups is exactly what I didnt want to do, more money and more hassle.

My old jackson with its stock alnico pups would absolutely eat this axe for breakfast and im sooooo glad I never put it on e@ay.

Im not sure the mail order guitar shop will let me return yet another guitar and im wondering what I would lose on e@ay ?

No offence but this is the second ibanez I have tried and im so put off that I doubt I will ever try another.

I see no reason to get rid of a great guitar that needs new pups, if its a better guitar than your Jackson (excluding the pick-ups) why not just swap your jacksons pups into and sell the Jackson with the Ibanez pups? Just an idea.. What Jackson is it? Properly setup, you'd prolly die before you let go of the 550...

[twiddleuk]

The js was top of my list until I read it had a vintage radius neck = not what I want for shredding.

Jem 7rb is right that a decent setup can make all the difference but I have my doubts that a proper setup will make me happy with the pups. If anything I thought the pups would be too 'hot' for me but they appear to be completely the opposite.

The humbucker on my les paul copy is a dimarzio with a label on the back that says "sd 59", does this mean its a dimarzio version of a seymour duncan 59 ?

Im going to try lowering the action on the ibanez myself, because I need to learn anyway if I want to reset my jackson with the floyd.

[dragsternj]

Sounds more like a Seymour Duncan 59?? Don't forget that in the 2550 are already DiMarzios/IBZ's made for the RG. Its not the pickups.

[twiddleuk]

The humbucker definitely has dimarzio stamped on the back, i will have another look later.

Maybe tonight I will have a go at lowering the action on the ibanez.