Ibanez RG520 QS SOL - have you seen???

rixter67 · #1 02-08-2002, 01:14 PM

Does anyone have any information regarding the RG520 QS SOL? I am interested in getting one and from what I have been told, the brown tung oil finish is rare? Is this true? I have seen the blue flame top finish on this guitar, but did Ibanez actually do a tung oil or was this redone? Thanks in advance.

**jono** · #2 02-08-2002, 01:30 PM

They're out there and yes it's a factory finish. I'm not sure how many there are and whether they should be considered "rare" but I've only seen a few, a couple over here in England (which also got the RG620SOL with direct mounted pickups) and a couple on the net.

(Edited by jono at 7:36 am on Feb. 8, 2002)

darren wilson · #3 02-08-2002, 01:50 PM

I've never seen or heard of an RG 520 with an oiled Quilted Sapele body... even on the Ibanez Japan site.

Could you be thinking of the RG 580SOL, which is just stained, oiled mahogany?

**jono** · #4 02-08-2002, 01:56 PM

Nope they're definately two seperate guitars

I think Jeremy Krull used to have one, I think he was told his was the ONLY one, but I've seen others. It's just like the normal RG520 with the quilted sapele top, but it has the SOL stain instead of a trans black or trans blue finish

Edit - They're also quite old now, and certainly not produced anymore to the best of my knowledge.

(Edited by jono at 7:58 am on Feb. 8, 2002)

Todd Crawford · #5 02-08-2002, 02:21 PM

These are incredible guitars, and you can find one HERE I just got this one from my friend/dealer. He was selling it, forgetting that I mentioned that if he ever sold it, to find ME!!! They arent old, they were made in 98 actually. Not that many, it was a experiment model I guess you can say. Probably 25-50 made. Its a unfinished tung oil top. Very sweet. It came with a regular Edge, but my buddies that I'm getting is swapped out with a Lo-Pro, and came with a V7/V8, which have been swapped for DiMarzios. The tops are sweet.

**jemsite** · #6 02-08-2002, 02:37 PM

"rare" is a relative term, and always to be taken with a grain of salt when included in the same sentance as "ibanez" :biggrin:

At $500-600 shop a UCEW/USRG ...glen

**jono** · #7 02-08-2002, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Todd Crawford on 8:21 am on Feb. 8, 2002
They arent old, they were made in 98 actually.

98?!??!?! Blimey that was Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears ago

caprile · #8 02-08-2002, 06:24 PM

guitartrader.com has a really cool price for the blue 520.

Todd Crawford · #9 02-09-2002, 02:05 PM

Here's some better pics of the one I just got:
Pic1
Pic2
The V7 and V8 are getting swapped out with a Air Norton and Steve's Special.

(Edited by Todd Crawford at 1:23 pm on Feb. 9, 2002)

Getthis · #10 02-09-2002, 03:36 PM

a local florida shop had one of those RG520QSTKSOL's a few years ago.

**jono** · #11 02-09-2002, 04:54 PM

Quote:

getthis on 9:36 am on Feb. 9, 2002
a local florida shop had one of those RG520QSTKSOL's a few years ago.

See another guy who thinks 98 or so was "years" ago *

:biggrin:

And Todd, that looks great

darren wilson · #12 02-10-2002, 12:13 AM

Wow. That is a beauty, Todd.

I really love oil finishes on guitars. So comfy. And that quilted sapele is gorgeous! Too bad it doesn't have direct-mounted pickups.

Todd Crawford · #13 02-10-2002, 03:27 AM

Quote:

darren wilson on 11:13 pm on Feb. 9, 2002

Too bad it doesn't have direct-mounted pickups.

No ****.

CDNICKCD · #14 02-11-2002, 10:30 PM

Ok, i have a question, i was looking at the RG-3120 and its counter part the RGT-3120, but both are only flamed maple...i really would like a quilted top...whats the difference between staple and maple? *Also, is the 520QS better than the 3120's (i will be changing the pickups anyway so thats no an issue). *Does direct mounted pickups sound better then ones with pickup rings? *Are there any mods needed to be done to direct mount the pickups to a 520QS?

darren wilson · #15 02-12-2002, 12:58 AM

I too would love to see a 3120 and T3120 with a quilted top, but alas, Ibanez only seems to have about a forest's worth of *flame maple in their warehouse and nothing else... at least nothing else for the North American market. I haven't been able to find much information about sapele at all, in terms of what other species it's similar to. It's not used much in instrument making, so tonal information on an uncommon wood is a little hard to come by.

The 3120 twins are Prestige models, which means a lot more handwork goes into finishing and assembly. The 520 is still very good (made in the same factory, but not on the Prestige line), but it's a regular production model. My biggest complaint with the 520 is that its stain/tinted coat is very opaque, which really doesn't do the grain much justice.

The jury is out on whether there are tonal differences between direct-mounted and ring-mounted pickups. I prefer direct-mounted for aesthetic reasons. You can convert a 520 to direct mounting, but you'll end up four little holes around each of the pickup routs where the rings were mounted.