RG 550 or 570 - help me choose!

[caprile]

hi!
i would like to hear your opinions about these. i understand they're basically the same, except for cosmetic differences.
some info:
-i pick really light, so the pickguard/no pickguard is irrelevant.
-i like the cosmo chrome rather than the black hardware, however, i don't know which is more durable.
-maple/rosewood fretboard makes no difference to me
-only color available for the 570 is Gray Nickel (550 only black, obviously)
-i can only get NEW guitars in these price range, so the save a little more and get a used jem thing is not valid (too bad)
-only home use, stable weather (so i don't mind if the necks are paper thin!)
So please share your experience, especially about durabililty etc.
Thanks!

[Anil Sahal]

Personally, Caprile, I'd go for the guitar without the scratchplate. *I hate scratchplates since the are unnecessary and remind us that Jems were once related to horrible Fender Strats! *It'd be like having Liz Hurley as your girlfriend only to discover she had a monkeys tail!

Anil

[mmr7]

Get a 550. Everybody and his mother has a boring looking 570. With the 550 you get a maple fretboard (more rare than rosewood on rg's) and you can always customize your pickguard (from Jeannie's of course) and maybe stand out even more. Maybe like a nice chrome on black. Also, it's pure asthetics, but 520's (no middle pick up) look good, but it looks kinda dorky on a 570, too cluttered. Finally, it comes down to which neck feels best to you. Personally I think maple looks better, but prefer to play rosewood, so....

[trouble311]

I say 550, unless you can get a Sour Apple Sparkle RG570...

[jono]

Personally, I prefer the 550. I like the feel of a scratchplate on a guitar. I think it raises my hand from the body of the guitar slightly which for me makes playing a little more comfy.

[yurich]

570s come in grey nickel and rootbeer metallic. check Ibanez.com

(Edited by snakepit at 3:26 pm on Nov. 27, 2001)

[caprile]

yes, but here in chile i can only get the nickel. they cost $550 here. what's a good street price in the states? i have seen online stores like ******** listing them for $609.

[Scott 74]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the 570 has no pickguard so I'm guessing the pickups are direct mounted to the body so you can't really mess around with there height! If thats the case I'd go with the 550 since it has the pickguard mounted pickups. Gives you more flexibility IMHO. Good luck!

[Spagbol]

The Humbuckers in the 570 are mounted in rings - I much prefer direct body mount or scratchplate mount. Pickup rings collect dirt and always look tacky/too chunky in IMHO. I had a 570 and a 550 and I sold the 570 and play the 550 all the time but that's just li'l ole me!

Richard

[Whatson]

I think the black 550 and the maple fretboard clash wayyyy too much, for that reason, and that one only I would have to go with a boring grey :yawn: 570.

* Joel

[Pablo]

Well I'm against scratchplates this month.

In fact I only have two guitars with scratchplates one being a 550 the other a 12 string I just prefer rear routed for some reason

I'd go with the 570 personally

[trouble311]

I'm a huge maple fan, in fact the only thing I like better is ebony....so once again, I will say 550....plus, there are a ton of players with 570s....stand out with a maple-boarded 550! *:biggrin:

[Polaris20]

snakepit on 2:24 pm on Nov. 27, 2001
570s come in grey nickel and rootbeer metallic. check Ibanez.com

(Edited by snakepit at 3:26 pm on Nov. 27, 2001)

In North America, but in Chile they might have different choices. Besides IMHO that root beer metallic loos like poo.

[trouble311]

Poo is right. *Jeeeeeez.....they COULD have kept the Sour Apple Sparkle, but NO.....had to go with Root Beer Metallic? *What are these people smoking?

[nuno]

Both of them...