Jem 555 or the ogriginal?

lukather54 · #1 01-10-2004, 07:40 PM

Hi there!

At the moment , I'm thinking to buy a Jem 555 , but I really don't know exactly where the big difference are.I mean , both are having the same pickups and same feel , I think.Is it actually really more confortable to buy the orginal , my request

lease teach me about that!

I don't wanna be disapointed.Requierd by law , I would buy the Jem 555 , what would be so unkind ?

Nice greeting from Germany,

Matti

www.matti-lietsch.net.ms

DirtyBird31 · #2 01-10-2004, 09:32 PM

You'd be better off with an RG570.

The JEM555 may or may not be Japaneise, but hte main drawback is the TRS bridge, and for that kind of price it's ridiculous to get a TRS when Edge equipped RG5xx models are dirt cheap.

Of course your luck with TRS bridges may vary, I had horrible luck with mine and it just fell apart after a month. But it may work fine. But it may not... and it's not a REAL JEM because of it. You get a JEM, it should have a top notch Trem system. The trem can truly make or break a guitar.

aloymetal · #3 01-10-2004, 11:32 PM

agree with dirtybird31.
i have try new Jem 555 and compare it with my olg rg570.
there is nothing special with Jem 555 if u compare it with rg570.
Playibility of rg570 is better than Jem 555.

Petie · #4 01-12-2004, 12:05 AM

I've had no technical problems whatsoever with the Lo Trs on the RG320 I picked up last year. It stays in tune perfectly, flutters like a butterfly and nothing has fallen off it. But I don't like the feel at all compared to the Edge. The Edge is heavier and has more of a smooth action, responding very well to whatever you do with the bar, while the TRS seems more affected by the springs than the bar. As a consequence, I mainly use the 320 for the 'Bad Horsie' tuning, and if I use the bar it's more for simple dive bombs than using it to play melodies.

A 2003 555 with the new Edge Pro bridge will be better than the previous version, but ultimately you'll probably get better bang for the buck with an RG550 with Evolution pickups.

Shreddy Krueger · #5 01-12-2004, 03:19 AM

Actually....
last week I just picked up a 2003 Jem 555 w/ the Edge Pro II trem.

I've owned 3 Jems & 2 Universe's previously, not to mention an army of RG's....so here's my 2 cents...

In my opinion they are way better feeling than the previous TRS equipped versions.
The new EDGE PRO II trem is both good & bad(mostly the bad being the non-locking studs). However it is a HUGE improvement over the TRS, no question.
If the trem was the only thing that scared you off from the 555's you REALLY deserve to give this guitar a second look.

By no means was I fooled into thinking it was a 7VWH mind you.
I've played them....not that this is a bad guitar....but REALLY....

The neck is actually quite nice & the 1/2 vine actually looks kinda cool in person.

It's just a very nice resonably priced shred guitar equipped with EVO's....

That's exactly what I wanted....I've got a wall full of used Rg's for god's sake...I wanted a brand NEW guitar dammit!!!!
Plus I wanted Evolution pickups & a monkey grip....however I didn't want to exceed the $800 vicinity.
I've already had 2 of those 7DBK's & wasn't real sold on them.
Plus new the DBK was already about $400 over what I wanted to spend.

Plus I have spent a TON on guitars this year & wanted to pick up a "jem" yet be able to still "feed my family"....

Needless to say the 555 got the nod.

Actually what I ended up paying is pretty much what I would have paid for a new 1570/1550 & then buying some DiMarzio's to put in it.

However,
dollar for dollar you can get a good used 550/570 pretty cheap...
I'd just snatch one up,throw in some EVO pickups & save yourself a few hundred bucks....

Unless you're like me and have to have that damn monkey grip.
In which case track down a used Jem 777 or 7dbk or 2003 555 w/ the EDGE PRO II trem.

Seriously,to answer your question the old 555's don't hold a candle to the new ones...
I wouldn't even consider buying one of the old ones.

Hope this helped a little bit.

DirtyBird31 · #6 01-12-2004, 03:51 AM

I'll buy a used old Edge equipped guitar over anything new they're putting out, aside from maybe the ZR and fixed bridge models.

The old Edge models and their guitars are top-notch engineering and playability, and are such a steal, why waste your time buying something inferior, or in the case of the Edge Pro II, something that is definitely at least slightly inferior, when you can't replace it? The Old TRS'es could be replaced by OFR's or other things. But the new ones cant.

Not saying the Edge Pro (or II) is a bad trem, I'm just saying that I think the old ones are just a more solid, proven, and tangibly better (Due to the locking studs) design, and sell for such good prices that it seems like a waste to buy a new one to me. If anything get an RG3120 from last year, or even like an RG6xx. Those are some GREAT guitars and they go for SOOO cheap.

That said, I have the feeling an Edge Pro with Edge studs will be just as good as an Edge. The Edge Pro does have a lot of great features, but it's potential wont be fully realized until they bring back locking studs, and I doubt they ever will.

The Edge Pro II is definitely better than the TRS, but if something DOES go wrong, you're going to have to get new parts through Ibanez, and new EP II parts. If you had a TRS you could at least put an OFR or real Edge in it (With possibly a tiny amount of work on the rout) without having to reallign posts and completely reroute the rout.

So it's a big combination of things for me. The EP and EP II are fine trems, but the Edges are just, in my opinion, better.

Shreddy Krueger · #7 01-12-2004, 04:21 AM

Yeah I agree...
the LoPro Edge & the original Edge beat the pants off pretty much any thing they are putting out now.
It's sad how Ibanez dropped the ball on the whole locking stud thing.

I used my 555 all weekend & put the Edge Pro II thru the ringer . Although it help up pretty well, I noticed it wasn't quite as stable as my RG's w/ the old Edge's.

However, with the exception of an "original" Edge or OFR,
the Edge Pro II isn't bad, it's way better than most liscensed floyds.
It's just a little sub-par compared to the LoPro & original Edge.

Like I think Rich said "It's a bug & it's a cure"....

And compared to the TRS on the original 555's,
the EDGE PRO II is a HUGE upgrade to it's playability and overall feel.
It definately brings the 555 up a notch in quality.

But back to the topic,
I still wouldn't buy anything with a TRS.....

mahesh_jem555 · #8 02-26-2006, 04:15 AM

Yeah ........ the EP II is a better version of 555 than the trs .... u can reserch and do a lot of work your self .....coz vai took long time to get a guitar that he really tot was good enough for him ..... (EVO,FLO).. and these are not standard models they are all modified with different parts