How much is a 540 Radius worth??

PatrickSimsCustomShopUSA · #1 09-06-2006, 11:43 PM

I took an Ibanez 540 Radius in today for trade in on some painting.....its just the body and neck, no electronics, and its a Jewel Blue color. If it were in mint condition what would this guitar bring? I tried e-bay but couldn't find one.....anybody know what their worth and whether or not their any good? I've never had one, and have seen only a few. I may actually paint this guitar with the chrome paint thats out now, put some chrome Dimarzio pickups in it and make it look like a chrome boy.....

Thanks!

Patrick

Jemmm · #2 09-07-2006, 04:41 AM

$150-$200 tops. If the Edge trem is missing maybe even lower. Edge trem is easily $50 in itself.

And please don't use those new chrome paints. Please.

It will never look anything like the chrome boy. By going that route you simply ruin a great guitar.

If it were me...I would sand, fill, prime body and send it over to professional painter for nice green candy color.....matching headstock......scout chrome hardware and you have an awesome custom.

**GilkyBear** · #3 09-07-2006, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmm

If it were me...I would sand, fill, prime body and send it over to professional painter for nice green candy color.....matching headstock......scout chrome hardware and you have an awesome custom.

Yeah Patrick, know any painters

Lefty Robb · #4 09-07-2006, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmm

If it were me...I would sand, fill, prime body and send it over to professional painter for nice green candy color.....matching headstock......scout chrome hardware and you have an awesome custom.

LOL

I say chrome it up, if it looks like ass, swirl time!!!

no1spretty · #5 09-07-2006, 07:52 AM

I say black/red swirl and black/red zebra dimarzio pickups

Jemmm · #6 09-07-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

I say chrome it up, if it looks like ass, swirl time!!!

Chrome and Swirl type finishes are not easy to pull off.

Yeah, a jack ass chrome or swirl job are easy. Getting it perfect is a whole different ball game.

PatrickSimsCustomShopUSA · #7 09-07-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmm

Chrome and Swirl type finishes are not easy to pull off.

Yeah, a jack ass chrome or swirl job are easy. Getting it perfect is hole different ball game.

Ok u obviously don't u know who I am. See the big black banner above that says "Sims Custom Shop".....thats me.....all I do is refinish guitars. I do about 4 a week and have been painting professionally since the 1980's and was also a PPG painting instructor.

I have done the chrome paint on several guitars and it looked just like a chrome boy, and I have done a lots of swirls as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmm

Getting it perfect is hole different ball game.

Perfection is my middle name, I won't accept anything less. When you paint guitars for people like Warrior anything less than flawless won't cut it. Check out some of the pictures in my Guitar Gallery to get a better idea of the quality work I do.

JESTER700 · #8 09-07-2006, 08:48 AM

Leave it blue. It's common, but a great color, IMO.

A mint body by itself should get $150, and the neck $100 if sold seperately. I'd have to fight back the urge to buy the body myself...

The whole guitar in great shape usually nets $400, give or take.

PatrickSimsCustomShopUSA · #9 09-07-2006, 09:10 AM

So it sounds like its worth as much money as like an RG 550 or something there abouts. The trade was for the body and neck, but I already have all teh hardware I need to finish it, edge trem, tuners, pickups, etc, so that won't be a problem

So you guys think a 540 in great shape would go for $400 give or take? What about if it had a custom paint job and better pickups like Dimarzios? $500.....$600?

Thanks for the input!

Lefty Robb · #10 09-07-2006, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCS

Ok u obviously don't u know who I am. See the big black banner above that says "Sims Custom Shop".....thats me....

Seeing that he's from the darkside of the moon should explain a lot

PatrickSimsCustomShopUSA · #11 09-07-2006, 09:26 AM

Haha, good point, I dodn't think bout that

stratoskier · #12 09-07-2006, 11:56 AM

Hey Patrick,
One question -- is the body/neck by any chance an AANJ? If it is, they're pretty rare (AANJ Radius were only made one year), and that ratchets up the value quite a bit.
Bert

Jemmm · #13 09-07-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Ok u obviously don't u know who I am. See the big black banner above that says "Sims Custom Shop".....thats me.....all I do is refinish guitars. I do about 4 a week and have been painting professionally since the 1980's and was also a PPG painting instructor.

Then you of all people should know how difficult it is to pull of a nice swirl or chrome job. I have seen some "Chrome" painted guitars on the net these last years, that simply are nice......but not nice enough.

Chrome paint can get close.....but it will never have the real luster of chrome.
And that real luster of chrome is what makes the guitar so great.

If you want to refinish Radius.......prep body and find professional painter to do nice whatever color......but stay away from these semi chrome type finishes.

Heck Ibanez for JS PRM went to Aluminium damping process (same use to create reflector finish on mirrors and light lenses....) but even they (or company who does it for them) can't get it right.

That my $0.02.

Darkside of the moon or not.

Flobanez · #14 09-07-2006, 01:47 PM

If it were mine, i'd go with an ice blue or a pearl white.

PatrickSimsCustomShopUSA · #15 09-07-2006, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmm

If you want to refinish Radius.......prep body and find professional painter to do nice whatever color......but stay away from these semi chrome type finishes.

Dude, do u not read english well? I AM A PROFESSIONAL PAINTER.....I paint guitars everyday, thats is my profession. I have been doing it for 20 years......I thought I made that clear as humanly possible in my last post.....so why do u keep telling me to send it to a professional painter when that is what I specialize in? People send me thier guitars from all over the world to paint, I'm not some amateur who just piddles with guitars on the side.....Custom painting is ALL I DO, I was NOT getting on here to ask how to paint a guitar, I was asking how much the guitar is worth.

Its kinda like telling Eddie at EKG who makes JEM bodies to call Monster Guitar Shop or Christopher Woods if he needs a nice quality body........whats the point??

By the way, Chrome paint jobs are not hard to paint at all if u know what ur doing, their actually very easy, its just a base coat clear coat system......swirls aren't hard either if you know what ur doing......but take somebody who doesn't know what thier doing and they'll think their both hard.