RG550 Custom - My latest project

[Vaibanez]

I decided to customize an RG550.
It used to look like this.

Now it looks like this.

GMW Guitars in California did the work and are great to work with. Dan Lawrence was the artist and even signed the body. The workmanship is absolutly top notch. Factory grade finish and quality. The only draw back are the pickups. They could have been given a bit more attention. Packaged for shipping like they knew UPS would toss it around. No shipping damage at all and about 4 lbs of packing peanuts.

I won't say it was inexpensive. But remember, you get what you pay for. And I got my money's worth. Now I have to wait for Kirk's neck and the final assembly and set-up can take place. Pics of the finished guitar comming soon.

J>

[strat110]

Sweet man sweet.

[Jimi D]

Jimm ~ that's really beautiful, but... (ain't there always a but :-) ...how will it wear? Is it finished with 20 coats of clear to protect it from play wear? I'm thinking especially about the pick guard below the strings and the pickups themselves - if the black of the guard or bobbins begins to peek through after a couple hundred thousand strums it would be a real shame. Just a gorgeous bit of work though... What's the headstock look like? did you get that done too?

[Christopher Chen]

Hey man congrats!
Very nice paint job, I often find myself at the GMW site drooling over Dweezil's Dr. Suess and "where the wild things are" guitars...very nice. Always wanted to get a custom with them. I love the work on your guitar, but I would think that one with the whole art painted on the guitar body itself, rather than the pickguard; would be better. The art painted on the pickguard kinda scares me Actually it reminds me of an Ibanez USA custom, I think it's called Angels' Landing or something lihe that.

Very nice guitar man!

Send us some close ups!

Congrats!

[Scott Smith]

Jimm,
Beautiful work! That is very nice. Looking forward to seeing the giutar once it's done. And, I'm I the only one who is mildy curious about the price of such work???

Congrats!!!

[Vaibanez]

JimiD - The body, pickguard and pickups were coated in a thick Polyester. The graphic won't wear off from playing. The headstock is your standard black Ibanez w/logo. I may add to the logo if I get gutsy eneough.

Christopher - Had to go with what I had. I too would have rather done this to a 570 body with direct mount pickups...but.......

Scott - You are correct about the USA Custom. I think it was called "Angels Depart" and also is available from GMW. The one I have is called "Dante's Eagle" and cost $600. But like I mentioned before, it is as close to a factory job as can get.

J>

[littlegreenman]

Very nice man, I love muraled guitars, they are always so interesting to look at. *Very nice indeed.
Jeremy

[Christopher Chen]

Yeah that's what it's called Angels Depart, I was getting mixed up with the LNG Promo Angel's Landing LOL!

Chris.

[Vaibanez]

OK guys...She's finaly assembled, set up and played.
Thanks to Kirk Slossar. The neck is from an RG517 and arrived in time for the final assembly.

Pics are viewable in the Jemsite FTP section.

Any comments are welcome.

BTW...she plays like buttah:biggrin:

J>

[kirk]

Glad to see you got the neck. *Did the posters arrive in good condition?

[Christopher Chen]

Hey man I just checked out the pictures in the FTP, and the guitar looks awesome. I've always had a liking for guitars with beatiful graphics. Very nice, is it a charcoal drawing?

Chris.

[Vaibanez]

Pencil scetch. I can even see where the artist changed things he didn't like...very unique and cool.

[Josh Blagg]

I am very saddened, and I am sure you will all agree, to see that after spending ALL that money on this custom paint job from GMW (who are quite awesome I might add), that you didn't get the "Hellraiser" finish. *If I pay $650 for a refinish on my guitar, it better have a picture of Pinhead Cenobite on it. *If you don't know what I am talking about, go to the GMW site and see for yourself. *I am sure that you will agree wholeheartedly.

(P.S. *There is a guy locally that does a mean Freddie Kreuger in acrylic over the clear coat. *He took a pink HM Strat and painted it right over the finish with cheap acrylic paints. *The abolute most pathetic thing I have seen to this day. *To put the dressing on the salad, he had to add the motif "Nightmare on Elm Strat". *It travels from one local pawn shop to the next, being bought then resold for $300. *One pawn shop owner even told me that he has sold it on several occasions, and it just keeps coming back. *I'll leave you with that to chew on.)

[mecca777]

I love the GMW paint gallery. I think my personal all-time favourite must be the "Hot Wheels" flame. Man, if I had the cash to get my RG570 resprayed like that...

[megawzrd]

Awesome guitar. Thats what visuals are all about. I think a gun metal finish on hardware could complete that well.