Tried out the RG550 Reissue today...

Jem#5150 · #1 07-02-2007, 08:20 PM

and man, WHY DON'T THEY MAKE THESE THINGS ANYMORE!!?!?!?

as soon as i picked the guitar up man, the vibe was just so cool, the action was super low, the super thin wizard neck SHREDS. now i see why everybody loves these guitars. i even love something as stupid as the neck joint, it's just so COOL! all i know is this is my next guitar, one way or another, ugh.

Brandon

Gtr4000 · #2 07-03-2007, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jem#5150

and man, WHY DON'T THEY MAKE THESE THINGS ANYMORE!!?!?!?

as soon as i picked the guitar up man, the vibe was just so cool, the action was super low, the super thin wizard neck SHREDS. now i see why everybody loves these guitars. i even love something as stupid as the neck joint, it's just so COOL! all i know is this is my next guitar, one way or another, ugh.

Brandon

i must agree.. i checked out the action, dropped the bar till the strings went slack, and shook it the **** out, then played an open g, and bought it.

brianxtr · #3 07-03-2007, 08:27 AM

they are great....the jems with those necks are even better!!a little smoother...how do i say it...flatter and different feel...profile is different...the pbk and the vdy ...and the back of the neck are not finished.their even faster! look for a old rg550/750 style of old jem(they are also different!
have fun

TheJazzTerminator · #4 07-03-2007, 12:09 PM

I like them (minus the ugly colors), but I don't think they're worth anywhere near $900. You could get a lot of better stuff for that price.

jwoods986 · #5 07-03-2007, 12:36 PM

Really? Tell me what other NEW guitar is "a lot better" for $900? It's got an incredible neck, great pups, and looks cool as hell. Plus, it is an anniversary model and limited edition. Considering a 2550/2570 is only twenty bucks cheaper, the new 2610 is $100 MORE, and a Korean made S2170 is $1299, I think $899 is pretty good. JMO of course

bancika · #6 07-03-2007, 01:01 PM

I think that the price is good, but I don't like neck joint (I know it's reissue but still...)

TheJazzTerminator · #7 07-03-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwoods986

Really? Tell me what other NEW guitar is "a lot better" for $900? It's got an incredible neck, great pups, and looks cool as hell. Plus, it is an anniversary model and limited edition. Considering a 2550/2570 is only twenty bucks cheaper, the new 2610 is $100 MORE, and a Korean made S2170 is $1299, I think $899 is pretty good. JMO of course

When did I say it had to be 'NEW?' I said you could get better STUFF for that price.

You could find a used Universe or RG3120 for that price on e ...bay or a Mesa Boogie Rectoverb or Triaxis or something else equally as cool. And, now that you mention it, for $900, you could get a nice NEW Strat, which is much more worth the price than a rehashed 1980's guitar with ugly neon colors. But, that's just my opinion.

If the reissues were only $500-$$700 (at the MOST), I'd praise it more, but it's an absurd price in my opinion.

Jem#5150 · #8 07-03-2007, 02:15 PM

i dunno about price and whatnot, how much were they when they came out in the eighties?

and would you guys say that these are dead on reissues? cause if they are, i may as well just get one from the eighties or early ninties if they are that close. either way, i'll have an rg550.

JJEMMER777 · #9 07-03-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJazzTerminator

I'd praise it more, but it's an absurd price in my opinion.

Tell me......

have you tried one out???

just wondering??

rastachild · #10 07-03-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jem#5150

i dunno about price and whatnot, how much were they when they came out in the eighties?

and would you guys say that these are dead on reissues? cause if they are, i may as well just get one from the eighties or early ninties if they are that close. either way, i'll have an rg550.

they are not exact copies because the neck is a 5 piece with 2 titanium rods reinforcing it. also, i believe the neck has the volute. so in essence, the reissue is actually better than the original, but the neck profile is supposedly identical.

i agree that $900 is not that much for a brand new guitar with the features on the reissue. and i think the price is comparable to what the original 550s listed at.

i also think it is silly to compare the value of new equipment to used equipment. apples to oranges, imo.

Jem#5150 · #11 07-03-2007, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastachild

they are not exact copies because the neck is a 5 piece with 2 titanium rods reinforcing it. also, i believe the neck has the volute. so in essence, the reissue is actually better than the original, but the neck profile is supposedly identical.

i agree that $900 is not that much for a brand new guitar with the features on the reissue. and i think the price is comparable to what the original 550s listed at.

i also think it is silly to compare the value of new equipment to used equipment. apples to oranges, imo.

well i understand construction wise they may be different, and the 20th i played had no volute i believe. but as far as neck profile and the way they play, they are pretty much the same? the reissues are similar to what the 550 would have been new in the eighties?

540s · #12 07-03-2007, 04:07 PM

I only played one reissue so far while I was in a Sam Ash in Jersey. I tried to like it but I couldnt. The only I played was way too heavy & was basically a dead piece of wood. Maybe it just wasnt a good one but I much prefer the early 550's I've played.

I have not ruled out owning one completely.. but it will have to be a lot more resonant than the one I played.

The price is one of the things I liked about it... Not too expensive for what it is.

Dee · #13 07-03-2007, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJazzTerminator

You could find a used Universe or RG3120 for that price on e ...bay

Funny, I sold a 3120 to buy the RG20th. The 20th is better and I'm happier with it. It's also nice to have a brand new, untouched guitar straight out the box. With e-Bay purchases, I didn't get the same kind of satisfaction. It's odd that you suggested a 7-string here, btw.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jem#5150

i dunno about price and whatnot, how much were they when they came out in the eighties?

and would you guys say that these are dead on reissues? cause if they are, i may as well just get one from the eighties or early ninties if they are that close. either way, i'll have an rg550.

The list price in 1987 was $659. I don't think a case was included because I didn't get one. Actually, I paid almost as much for my 1987 RG550 (without case) as I did for this imported reissue, 20 years later. Importing one over here from the states, mine worked out to be great value.

These are not dead-on reissues. Everything is close, but the 20th has a few improvements. The neck is stronger, and you can really feel it. It's stiffer and feels more robust. Also has a front-mounted lock nut, volute for added strength, there's a much bigger contact area where the neck joins the body (there's no fretboard overhang, it's built like the AANJ neck). The volume control is placed better (compare pics of the 1987 placement and the RG20th), pickups are better than the originals (they are awesome, actually)...

So basically it looks almost the same, but the neck is the main selling point here. If you have the cash, buy the reissue, but if money is tight you can't go wrong at all with the original.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jem#5150

well i understand construction wise they may be different, and the 20th i played had no volute i believe. but as far as neck profile and the way they play, they are pretty much the same? the reissues are similar to what the 550 would have been new in the eighties?

Yeah, they play pretty much the same. There's no way the original plays better, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Profile is the same, or close enough. My new 550 has a thinner neck than my 1990 RG750.

Hikey Mikey · #14 07-03-2007, 06:21 PM

I thought it was a good value and bought one. I began thinking seriously about it when I heard it would sell for under 1 grand. I'm lucky to have one, I'm sure it will always be one of the nicest guitars I'll ever own.

It's comparable in quality to the Fender American Strat ($949), the neck is great (five-piece, maple, fast, thin,nice and flat on both sides, reinforced with titanium) the pickups are very, very good, clear, and produce many versatile tones.

Dee is right on in his post (except for the fac t that it doesn't have a volute).

Dee · #15 07-03-2007, 06:29 PM

Yep, you're right, I don't know what I was talking about. What I meant to mention was the lack of scarf joint, the neck and the headstock are not separate and grafted on. How I got that confused with a volute I have no idea.