RG2620 vs RG2550Z

[Shadowy]

Heya,
I'm looking for a good shredding guitar for rock, metal (solos and progressions), Vai, Satch and other technicians stuff.

My budget is $2500 and I've come up with these 2 models above.
2550Z is a new model from 08' and 2620 has been deleted from Ibanez's site and can be found still in many online guitar shops.

I need to ask which one of these would you suggest me to grab and why mostly.
In my country I am not able to compare both of them (nor even take a look in real :/) so I will have to trust reviews, test and your opinions.

So which one should I take? (Is there any definition of a "mature sound" when talking about guitars? I hear it somehow but I don't know wheather you know what kind of a sound is "a mature" one.

[Shadowy]

Does NOONE have an RG2620?
Everybode goes for RG2550's?

(Maybe I asked wrong: Did you play/do you have/have you heard any of these guitars to write here some opinions for me?)

[kotornut]

just wait people sometimes take a while to respond.

[courtney2018]

I've got a 2550 and love it, however I've not played a 2620. They're both very similar guitars...should be the same neck. So, you won't be disappointed with either. To me the deciding factor would be do you want to have a single coil in the middle, and what color of the ones available do you like?

[Shadowy]

According to the videos I've seen I think that 2550 is a bit smaller than 2620.
I like 2620's color CBK more than 2550 one but I don't know if I manage to get 2620 at the moment.
Their production has been called of.
I can't find any information about it on Ibanez's site.
When you say that you've played both of them, does it mean that you compared it and eventually chosen 2550?
Why 2550 instead of 2620? What were the deciding points that made you buy that model?
I probably won't have a chance to compare both of these so I have to ask you about all this stuff.

The main points are: the comfortability of playing and the sound.
If you'd been asked about the extraordinary features of both of them, which one of them has got "more soul"? Which has got something more than ordinary shredding, metal guitar?

[kotornut]

I might be wrong but, I don't think so, all RG's bodies are the same dimensions.

[Shadowy]

I don't want to have "that much" full-only-metal shredding guitar.
I'd like it to be able to give something more than what RG's were born to.
I like to play some rock sometimes, something what is not a fast, technical metal.
And I'd like it to sound well even though this guitar would be theoretically destinated to metal music.

[mike570]

Shadowy;

Everything on my myspace was recorded with an RG.
I wouldn't classify my music as all "metal".
www.myspace.com/mikeolmeda
Cheers!

[Shadowy]

So you have experience with RG2620, right?
Could you write a longer comment about this guitar in general, please?
(I really need some extended info about this model as it is not being selled anymore. RG2550 has got tons of vids everywhere but RG2620 is a rare stuff)

[courtney2018]

Sorry, I didn't proof read what I had written. I have NOT played the 2620. Both guitars are exactly the same size. They're both RGs, both have the same neck. The only real difference is the pickups.

I like having a single coil onboard, so I typically won't buy a guitar that doesn't have one in the middle. However, I do have a few S series that only have 2 humbuckers. Although I do play them, they get very little play time. And here lately I've only been playing my 7 string. I haven't picked up a 6 string in months.

For me, unless the 2620 just has a cool looking finish then I'd get the 2550, but it's based on the fact that the 2550 has a single coil.

Either one will give you a wide range of sound. The pickups that come with the guitars aren't exactly junk. They are quite good. I left the original pickups in my 2550 and I love the way it sounds.

[Shadowy]

I am wondering wheather you are actually capable of getting good single coil'ish sound out of one SC in the middle.
Is it actually possible?
I mean: can you play some light rock using that one single keeping good sound or is it just a poor imitation of 3*SC setup from stratocasters?

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

As Courtney2018 said, they are basically the same guitar. The differences are the finish, the pickguard, the single coil in the middle, and the bridge. It's all changeable stuff.

If you want a more strat like sound, put a coil tap on the humbuckers.

Either way, both guitars are great, and are definately more than just "metal shredding guitars".

I hope you enjoy your choice.

Rock on!

[mike570]

I actually like splitting the humbuckers and playing in the 2nd or 4th position on the 5-way switch. Having the single coil gone in the H-H configuration seems to be only slightly different since it just splits the humbuckers in the 4th position; depending on how your pickups are wired. It's not going to sound like a stratocaster, but it will sound similar. Without a humbucker in the bridge or a humbucker-like single coil, a strat won't sound like an RG.
The middle single coil on its own doesn't sound bad, though you might want to change the stock single coil out for something else depending on your taste.

[Shadowy]

I've sent many mails to check out if this RG2620 is actually still available to buy.
It isn't...
That means that I'll have to stick to RG2550Z. (Hope I won't regret that).

Thanks for help though.

[screamndemon69]

The RG2550z is front routed with an HSH pup configuration and the RG2620 was rear routed with an HH setup. Apples and oranges IMHO. You should be cool with either one and with the pickguard on the RG2550z, you can always change it out for other color options down the road if you get bored of the stock color pickguard.

Are you going with the white or black?