My special RGXXX

[LucasKotzen]

Here's my story....
I've always been a huge Ibanez fan and loved their RG and JEM line of guitars. I like their playability, their sexy body shape, their paper thin necks and everything about them. One day (it was about... 2 months ago), my dad was going to Orlando and asked me if I didn't want anything for my birthday, so I searched on the Internet for used RG550s or 570s. I ended up with a store that had a blue 570 with black Edge tremolo, a DiMarzio X2N pu in the bridge position (I hate that pu, but I could surely switch it) with a MAPLE neck. When I saw that maple neck I was like "Holy crap! I gotta have that guitar!" so I asked my dad for it. When it got in my hands it was very very very bad setup and dirty, but I could see that it had some weird stuff:

1. There was no "RG Series" written on the headstock;
2. It was a matching headstock (sweet);
3. The serial number indicates it's a '93 model (F938054, MiJ);
4. No AANJ (Square heel with a moon-cut).

But that's not all! When I wanted to make a first RHS (Rich Harris Setup) and took off the neck I realised that the neck had two stamps on it. One is black and says "RG 550M", the other is a large red "B". The neck joint area on the body had a red large sized "RG 570". WTF?

My questions:
1. What series is this RG from?! I am sure that it has a real wizard neck, an Edge tremolo and Gotoh tuners. All hardware is black.
2. What do those stamps mean?

Thanks in advance,
Lucas

[cerealk]

RG550M is a neck for an RG550 with a Maple fretboard and from 1993
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/rg_2.jpg

Older RG models do not have RG series on the headstock

the body if a 570 and an edge trem may be from around 1990 and will of course not have a pickguard
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1990/rg5.jpg

do you have a picture of the guitar?

However I am not sure whether the X2N pup should be in any RG550 or RG570!

[LucasKotzen]

I bought the guitar used, so I believe the original owner switched the original pu (it was a v2, since the neck pu is a v1). But I strongly believe that he had major mental problems, because it isn't F-Spaced and the guitar has some weird wiring (and the X2N is too loud. This is a shred guitar for me, not a Nu metal guitar). I don't have a picture of it, but maybe the website of the store I bought it from still has it Guitar Den.
When my dad was going to buy it, I gave him the picture of their website.

[cerealk]

No it wasnt there unfortunately, I had a good look

Sounds like you described it though.....a 570 body with a 550 neck

[jono]

I think with the serial number F938054, that that makes it a 1989 model rather than a 93. I could be wrong though.

[Rich]

Definately 89'

[cerealk]

ooops silly me

[gtrcollectr]

Sometimes the body and neck numbers dont match. I have a 560 and the neck says rg550r and it is original. If someone ordered a maple 570 Ibanez might have just used maple 550 necks.

Todd

[sniperfrommars1]

Originally Posted by LucasKotzen

I bought the guitar used, so I believe the original owner switched the original pu (it was a v2, since the neck pu is a v1). But I strongly believe that he had major mental problems, because it isn't F-Spaced and the guitar has some weird wiring (and the X2N is too loud. This is a shred guitar for me, not a Nu metal guitar). I don't have a picture of it, but maybe the website of the store I bought it from still has it Guitar Den.
When my dad was going to buy it, I gave him the picture of their website.

The x2n doesnt really need to be f-spaced along with just about any pickup Ive played. Ever try that magnetic tape on the emg website. The pole peices throw in an oval curve. Interesting stuff

[dcord]

All RG5xxes with the original neck joint have RG550 stamped on the neck. It's nothing special. The "R" or "M" designation are exactly as they seem, to differentiate between rosewood and maple necks.

What you have is an '89 RG570 with a maple board. Either custom ordered, or an aftermarket swap. My buddy and I did exactly the same swap because I wanted a rosewood board on my RG550 and he wanted maple on his RG560...

~d~

[Diver]

Hey guys, I recently bought an RG470 off ebay and this weekend when I gave it a good cleaning, I removed the neck and found that it was stamped with RG550R. Does this mean I have a Wizard or WizardII neck? BTW, the neck joint on the body was stamped RG470 as expected.

[SV300]

Should be wizard II, my RG470 had the RG550R destination as well.

[earthman]

Originally Posted by cerealk

However I am not sure whether the X2N pup should be in any RG550 or RG570!

my attitude boy disagrees!

;-)
--c.

[Diver]

Originally Posted by SV300

Should be wizard II, my RG470 had the RG550R destination as well.

Thanks for the response.. I'm glad to hear it as I understand the WizardII is more like the JEM neck and I soon want to get one.

One more quick question.. I've read the posts on the tremelo page but it doesn't seem to answer this question: what is the best replacement in a RG470 the Original FR or the Schaller Floyd Rose? The only person I've read that has upgraded the 470 said the OFR had a too tall block. Any RG470 owners ever done this upgrade?

[cerealk]

Originally Posted by earthman

my attitude boy disagrees!

;-)
--c.

...in a stock model...