PGM 30 vs. RG550, 570

[Ralph khoury]

i would like to have ur opinion about the PGM 30, thx!

[Ibanezer]

the new 03' PGM30 is definately better than rg550
however, any PGM30 b4 03' is not as good because of the trem
the pickups in PGM30 sound better than the v7 v8 pickups on the rg550
and also without the tone control the PGM30 sounds much better! and i like the reversed headstock.
if you're a Paul Gilbert fans and you dont mind playing someone else's signature guitar, the PGM30 is definately better
however if you want your own guitar, get the rg550 and upgrade the pickups

[Ralph khoury]

thx dude for the hint, i actually hate V8s, i was wondering if i would need to replace the infinitys with Tonezone's.
Does Gilbert use infinity pickups???

[AndrewTodd]

Originally Posted by Ibanezer

also without the tone control the PGM30 sounds much better!

Erm.. not quite sure how you figured that

[the.godfather]

I used to have 2 PGM30's but I only got the one now. But both of them were really nice, and I still enjoy the one I got. It has got the *dreadful* TRS2 trem....but it is now blocked.

And I can say that blocking that trem with a piece of wood has made a world of different. Just treat it as a hardtail now. It has given it more sustain and much better tone.

I would still go with an RG550 though, I love those damn guitars. For the $$$ there is no better guitar. You get a wicked trem, neck and everything. Just change the pickups and you got a near-JEM. Just do a search, there are loads of topics about the PGM30 and the RG550. People have only got good stuff to say about the 550.
Gary - The.Godfather

[frankfalbo]

Originally Posted by AndrewTodd

Erm.. not quite sure how you figured that

There's another thread around here that talks about the increased resistance and minor bleed through the capacitor with a tone control. If you remove the control completely it brightens the signal negligibly.

As for the PGM vs. 5xx, many PGM's are Korean. I don't know when they played the trick on us to use INF pickups and a Lo-Trs on a Japanese guitar, but all the newer catalog photos have Japanese strap buttons, mounting rings, and with the prestige neck treatment, I'm sure it's Japanese. But why they would import pickups that he doesn't even use I'll never know. Anyway, if you are talking about a Korean PGM30 get the 550 for sure. In other words, you want a Japanese made product, not a Korean one. The neck and fretwork are miles apart, even though Korea is getting better every day. Otherwise, when comparing two Japanese RG-style instruments, neither is better, just different. The PGM is a thicker neck. Ibanezer is right about the '03 and the EP bridge. I don't see the point in taking a Lo-Pro PGM over an RG with a better trem.

[Ibanezer]

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

There's another thread around here that talks about the increased resistance and minor bleed through the capacitor with a tone control. If you remove the control completely it brightens the signal negligibly.

As for the PGM vs. 5xx, many PGM's are Korean. I don't know when they played the trick on us to use INF pickups and a Lo-Trs on a Japanese guitar, but all the newer catalog photos have Japanese strap buttons, mounting rings, and with the prestige neck treatment, I'm sure it's Japanese. But why they would import pickups that he doesn't even use I'll never know. Anyway, if you are talking about a Korean PGM30 get the 550 for sure. In other words, you want a Japanese made product, not a Korean one. The neck and fretwork are miles apart, even though Korea is getting better every day. Otherwise, when comparing two Japanese RG-style instruments, neither is better, just different. The PGM is a thicker neck. Ibanezer is right about the '03 and the EP bridge. I don't see the point in taking a Lo-Pro PGM over an RG with a better trem.

yer you're right. but the old PGM30's (b4 03') are also made in Japan! i thought they were made in korea too but someone on the board corrected me. how do i figure out the guitar sounds better without the tone control? I compared my PGM300 to my friend's RG, both guitars have a basswood body, maple neck (rosewood fretboard on his RG though), same DiMarzio pickups, through the same amp. my PGM300 sounds much better. then we messed with the tone control on the RG and figured out that it has to do with it. the PGM300 sounds brighter and more attack. i know nothing about wiring and all those stuff, but based on my experience, without the tone control you get a brighter sound and a more natural sound from the pickups and not influenced by the tone control.

[frankfalbo]

Originally Posted by Ibanezer

yer you're right. but the old PGM30's (b4 03') are also made in Japan! i thought they were made in korea too but someone on the board corrected me.

If I'm wrong that's okay, but I must say that the photo in each of the catalogs from 1994-1997 all show a Korean made PGM30. It could very well be the same photo recycled, but it is without a doubt Korean made. The strap buttons, mounting rings, and tuner nuts are dead giveaways, as is the poorly mounted neck pickup. Again, it could all be the same pic, while they switched to Japan somewhere in that time frame, but I can't find my '98 catalog, and the '99 cat just has the PGM Talman, and by 2000 they picture a Japanese version. So my guess would be Korea through '98 and Japanese thereafter. But that's strictly catalog photos. All I'm saying is that there is at least ONE Korean one out there! When they switched is a mystery to me, but it's likely around the time the Yen deflated to the dollar, and we saw the resurgence of Japanese products in the late 90's

[Ibanezer]

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

When they switched is a mystery to me, but it's likely around the time the Yen deflated to the dollar, and we saw the resurgence of Japanese products in the late 90's

you took some economics/business lessons (or maybe just common sense)
i'm business major too