RT650

TequilaKing · #1 12-30-2007, 09:13 AM

I've seen an RT650 on the bay and I'm a bit tempted to get it. What sort of figure should I be looking at to get it?

I don't think its allowed (is it?) to post a link to a live item on the bay so here's a pic of it

I have to say that I've never played a RT650 and I'm interested for nothing more than I like the look of it

so as well as an idea as to what I should be looking at paying for it any other opinions good or bad about the 650 would be welcome!

Cheers!
Karl

stratoskier · #2 12-30-2007, 09:19 AM

I have several RT650s and love them. The guitar in the image has been refinished, however. The ones sold in the US were blue or red -- I also have one that was apparently sold overseas that has a tan/brown flame top. It appears that the "gravure" (photo-flame) top was sanded away on the one in your image. In my estimation, the refinish would lower the price substantially -- I've seen original ones go for around $300-350, so I'd say more like $250 for that one. Unless of course, you prefer the refin over the original finish. Also, those aren't the stock pickups -- if they're good upgrades, that would boost the price.
Bert

**jono** · #3 12-30-2007, 09:26 AM

Now it's not allowed to post a live auction link here, basically to stop folks promoting their own auctions and to stop folks effectively shill-bidding more subtle auctions that folks who've really been searching have their eyes on.

Well that one looks like it's been through the wars as of course the RT650 originally came with a gravure flame maple top! But the pickups themselves are worth more than the starting price of the auction.

Overall I REALLY like the RT650 - the necks are a bit bigger than the RG series and they have a more strat like feel (including the heel) I think that Ibanez could revive them now and they'd probably do better than they did back in the early/mid 90s, although the SA series is kinda in that area of the market nowadays.

Personally I'd hold out for one in better condition but this one I'd probably go to say somewhere between £200 and £250 if I was in the market for one as cosmetically this isn't to my tastes.

**jono** · #4 12-30-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stratoskier

The ones sold in the US were blue or red -- I also have one that was apparently sold overseas that has a tan/brown flame top.

Yeah, in the UK we could get them in red, blue or amber.

TequilaKing · #5 12-30-2007, 10:19 AM

So a gravure top is really just a picture of a flame top? (excuse my ignorance!) Anyway, I just sent the guy a question asking about the refinish...

I must say I do like the 'natural' look and I think this would be the perfect guitar for me to put the 3 single coils in to get the Ibanez / strat / thing going on.

markg5150 · #6 12-30-2007, 10:36 AM

That looks great - even with the refinish. It's got to be worth a couple of hundred pounds of anybody's money

**jono** · #7 12-30-2007, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TequilaKing

So a gravure top is really just a picture of a flame top? (excuse my ignorance!) Anyway, I just sent the guy a question asking about the refinish...

I must say I do like the 'natural' look and I think this would be the perfect guitar for me to put the 3 single coils in to get the Ibanez / strat / thing going on.

Yeah, the gravure is the printing process used to make the maple effect. I beleive that the same process was used on the RG570CT from around 94/95 which is also stated in the catalogues as having a "gravure maple top"

TequilaKing · #8 12-30-2007, 12:31 PM

the seller has replied to me saying that, and I quote, 'SOME WERE NATURAL FINISH'

I take it that he's either bullsh*tting or just plainly wrong.

He's also updated his listing with the ususal 'I have this advertised elswhere..' think I might forget about having a serious bid now

Davey · #9 12-30-2007, 12:45 PM

Yep, he's lying.

Another thing, I lost out on one recently (that hadn't had the paint removed) that eventually went for about £130.

Davey · #10 12-30-2007, 12:51 PM

Plus, something else...

I've seen that guitar bounce around e-bay a few times now (though I can't remember the prices, they were certainly very cheap) if that guitar was really that good, someone would've kept it by now.

rastachild · #11 12-30-2007, 01:34 PM

the rt series is awesome. truly one of the hidden gems of e-bay as the resale value dropped substantially on them, but these guitars were made in the japanese plant (the 650s and 450s at least) and have excellent workmanship. i've probably owned about 10 of them, but i actually prefer the 450 over the 650 because i prefer the neck without binding. and unfortunately, ibanez doesn't have a neck that feels like the viper profile. it's more about the fretboard radius and the thickness of the neck that give it that stratty feel. keep your eye out, they appear periodically on the bay.

stratoskier · #12 12-30-2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastachild

... these guitars were made in the japanese plant (the 650s and 450s at least) ...

Yes, even the lowly RT150s were made in Japan and are really quite nice.

I have found 2 minor problems with the RT guitars, though. The first is that because of the non-staggered height tuners, straight headstock, and no string trees, there isn't much angle as the strings pass over the nut. This can lead to strings popping out of their slot and/or loss of sustain. I've found that staggered height Sperzels are a good remedy.

The other problem is the neck joint. It's an old-school heel with no sculpting. I don't mind that on a 22-fret neck, but it can be a little clumsy if you're trying to grab the last couple of frets on a 24-fretter. It would have been nice to have had the old RG or Jem style carve on the heel.

Nonetheless, I love these things!

Bert