First, I am a lefty so I ain't going to be able to get a used this or that in a Jem. *Second, I honestly believe that the 555 is a great (not good) guitar period. *I have been playing for close to 23 years and I know a well made guitar. *Third, I think it really pisses a lot of people off to see a guitar come out that is less expensive but just as good as what they got. *Nobody wants to feel like they paid too much for anything. *I searched the whole world over to find a lefty 555 and with the help of Rich I found one new in the box. *I got it home and it wails great neck, great pickups, GREAT workmanship. *I keep reading all these "it sucks" posts and I got to tell you if I paid what ya'll paid for your guitars I'd be upset too. *It really blows that Ibanez has "finally listened" because apples to apples my 555 can hang with any top dollar JEM. *

P.S. *It is a "real" JEM it just cost less.

Congrats on the lefty.

For righty players the 555 is a terrible ripoff. The RGs are 1/2 the price on the used market and offer better quality. Enjoy... glen

Hey dude, was glad I could help you track one down, I know lefties have a very tough time. But you also listened to my 20 minite rant over the TRS too All that matters is it satisfies you!!

How is it a terrible rip-off? * It has the best pickups, the lions claw, and the monkey grip you can't get these stock on an RG. *If you go and buy the pickups alone it would *cost at least 150 - 200 dollars. *The monkey grip isn't something you can add yourself. *Just a damn fine instrument. IMHO.

DiMarzio replacements are about $125 USA. Next up some don't like Evos, so with a Japanese RG you could hand choose your pickups. The 555 is Korean so quality is hit and miss... always less than the Japanese guitars. Lion's claw & grip don't enhance sound and the 555 is non-desirable so it's moot anyways. I could go on and mention the TRS but i'll stop. $850 for 555 vs $595 for RG550 is a no brainer for righties.

Bottom line is YOU are lefty and happy and that is great... glen

I find the TRS to be a very solid trem and it stays in tune which is contrary to what I was led to believe and it is also very smooth. *I personally paid $694.50 for my 555 new and if all we are talking about is sound (which mine rocks) then fine every JEM owner would have an RG however, looks do matter just like a woman. *You ain't going to hang the ugly duckling around your neck. *

The TRS will stay in tune as will any free floating/double locking trem that is setup right. My gripe with them is in the fine tuners and the screw in bar. The TRS is just not made from as good a metal, and is not machined as well as it's big brothers. I've had a few that had smooth fine tuners but I've had many where the fine tuners felt like they had sand in them. The screw in bar is completely awkward for me compared to the free movement of the EDGE and LPE. I don't want to turn this into the TRS/LPE debate from hell, or the 555 vs. the JEM debate, we've all read enough of those. I am glad that you are happy with yours though, as it is the only choice of JEM available to you.

My point if I have one is: *It really is a shame that Ibanez has basically given up on a guitar that IMO is super. *I can't speak for every single 555 owner but, mine is incredible. *I understand that quality may differ but, I have looked this guitar up and down and was prepared to send it back if it didn't measure up. *It has measured up and actually exceeded my expectations. *That said, I appreciate your opinions and want to feel welcome in this forum but, the way some guys knock the 555 it makes me feel like I don't belong because my guitar is supposedly outcast. *Hey, maybe I got a really exceptional 555. *Maybe it was meant for Steve himself Ha. *I can't describe how great it is to plug it in and get THE sound I have wanted instantly. *Just freakin' incredible.

Everybody is welcome here! Just with the differences comparing 555's to Jap JEMs, you'll find the majority of course lining up on the other side of the street. You shouldn't feel like an outcast, but some have very strong views about the 555, as you have very positive views. That's what makes this a forum. The 555 was your only option besides a full custom so for you it fits well. For us righties, the choices are vast though. That you are as happy with yours as you are does say alot!

Rich you did try to dissuade me from getting the 555. *And like the saying goes opinions are like a**holes everyone's got one. *My 555 experience may be as rare as a four leaf clover but, I am tickled. *I almost didn't get it because of all the negative opinions expressed here. *Which if the 555 is the baby brother to the 7's then it is being picked on pretty hard. *I am happy to be able to be involved here. *Thanks *

There are (or have been) quite a few posters in here that have loved their 555's. My only point is if you could go head up with a lefty 7VWH, I'm pretty sure which side of the street you'de be lining up on too :biggrin:

This is gonna get me in trouble, OFRs are made of harder metal that the LPEs. *That's why they sound brighter, I think the LPE is a better feeling and sounding trem, the softer metal has a warmer sound. *I really don't know much about the TRS, never owned one. *I had a old 550 about 8 years ago that wouldn't stay in tune, I've learned alot about Edges since then and if I had it back I would check the knife edges and I'm sure I could get it to work alot better than it did. *

Unasked for $0.02,
Roger

I talked to Kev about this, he said the TRS was great "...after the guitar was setup properly."

Now, I must ask... Proper setup = swapping TRS for LPE?¿

lpe is made of potmetal!(hasnt anyone broke one yet?)
trs is steel! i like the look and feel of the lpe but its not a "better trem" only in looks

Just thought I'd throw in my $.02 Canadian (about $.01 US) If the 555 works for you and you like it great!!!
As for the trem systems,
I haven't had a TRS for years so I can't do a true test for you guys but, All the the TRS trems I've seen are chrome plated with what appears to be a true chrome plating. *Now to be fair, I've never see a LPE in Chrome, just cosmo black, black, and gold. *It seems to me that the chrome on the TRS is quite thick (I had one that peeled). *Chrome is a chromium nickel alloy and by nature is incredibly hard. *Much more so than the alodining done to the LPE's or the electroplating done on the VWH trems. *If you were to Rockwell test both a TRS and a LPE plated with the same alloy, I think you would find pretty similar results, probably about a 66RC hardness. *The LPE's that are Alodined are probably only about a 35RC (bigger the number the harder the material) *In fact, if you took both of the trems unplated, you might find that the LPE is actually harder than the TRS as it is a cast piece were the TRS is pressed. *The bottom line is that if the entire TRS trem was as hard as the chrome plating on it, you would probably crack the saddle blocks when you tightened up the retaining bolt.
Kevan, as far as your comment about the harder material being stronger, not really. *A harder material is often no where near as tough as the softer material. *As metals get harder they become much more brittle. *Hardness adds wear resistance to metals. *This is partly why bumpers and such are plated chrome. *It is very hard and will not dent as easily as unplated metal. *It will fracture if hit to hard and a proper bond is not made with the material.
Anyway, that's kind of neither here nor there in this post, just though you might like to know about it. *What qualifies me to say this, I'm a tool and die maker/machinist by trade and I deal with hardness and plating everyday.
One thing I will say about the TRS, when I did have one I disliked it. *It never seemed to centre quite right. *I have a friend who has a TRS in a JS100 that doesn't centre as well as he'd like either. *Here was my fix to it, very easy to do if you've got a $55000 die sinker edm machine (electo discharge machine) *I made up a "Knife edge" for the TRS out of inconel (very high nickel alloy used in turbines) to put in place of the edges on the TRS. *Then I made up a dummy electrode that was exactly the same dimensions as the knife edges I built
-.0025" out of copper to be used as the electrode on the edm. *After setting up the TRS vertically in the edm the copper electrode is plunged into the piece. *(an electric field similar to a plasma cutter, slowly erodes the material around the electrode to extreme accuracy)
to an accurate depth.
Once the 2 slots were done I pressed the new knife edges in place. *
With this mod to the tail piece and a new set of posts in the guitar his TRS now feels very much like a LPE.
The downside to this modification. *It shows you all just how bored I can get sometimes as it required about 8 hours of edm work never mind set up and finishing. *So that would put the cost of the mod right around $500 Canadian based on shop time (glad I work there and can use the equipment whenever I want)
I think next time I'll just tell him to buy a LPE. *LOL
Well enough of blah blah blah.
Enjoy your 555, I think they are an alright guitar though a little spendy for a Korean axe but that's just my opinion.
C-ya
Jeremy