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Is the RG550 Genesis the same as a Prestige?

11K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Rich 
#1 ·
I read some people say is basically a prestige without a case. Even the box it comes in, says prestige on it.

Other people say is not as good as a prestige, that it didn't receive the Prestige fretboard treatment and maybe the prestiges have better pickups.

This would explain why Ibanez didn't put them in the Prestige line but created a new line, Genesis.
 
#2 ·
My understanding is that the Genesis line sits below the Prestige line for the exact reasons you've stated. They don't claim to have the "prestige fretwork" and they tend to have non-branded pickups (in the same way that the original RG550s did).

Interestingly they just recently revealed the RG565 reissue in Emerald Green and the new Fluorescent Orange colour.

https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/rg565_00_01.html
 
#4 ·
I've played a couple of these side by side: an RG450, a Genesis, a premium JS and a Prestige JS. Comparing the budget 450 to the Genesis was night and day. The Genesis was noticeably better than the JS premium and played just as nicely as the Prestige. I'm not too crazy about the pups on the Genesis so I plan to change those, but as far as feel, comfort and playability is concerned, I personally rank the Genesis right up there with the Prestige, even without the fretboard treatment.
 
#5 ·
When it comes to computer chips... After a high end model and a low end model have been out awhile. They have a big box of low end chips that came out too good but not good enough to make the high end chipsets during the quality control screenings, same for high end chips that weren't good enough but not really bad enough to be downgraded.
They then come out a new board or simultaneously release a midrange product that could actually be pretty close to either end of the spectrum, resulting in wildly mixed opinions, experiences, and performance.

My point is... (Thanks for bearing with me)

After reading this... Could that Kind of scenario be the case with these particular guitars?
 
#6 ·
After reading this... Could that Kind of scenario be the case with these particular guitars?
No, the genesis models have their own production setups. The necks are built differently to any prestige models; so they wouldnt be "B stock" of anything really. Basically the difference between genesis and prestige is the amount of time spent on each guitar. (Labor aint cheap!)

The only "genesis" model that is a prestige is the 20th anniversary model, and they arent even genesis to begin with. Those are much older and have their own deal about them. Even though look "the same" they are honestly very different all together. The neck is a much different in particular. The 2013 models use V1/V2 pickups but are otherwise the same as the recent releases.
 
#7 ·
As far as I understand it, the Prestige RG necks have the KTS Titanium Rods in them while the Genesis RG models don't have them. So if you take all this into account:

- no KTS rods
- no 3rd Party pickups
- no Gigbag/case
- no Prestige fret work (I've heard and read that they can come with minor fret sprout issues, the frets are overall still good, though)

the pricing of the genesis models makes sense.
 
#9 ·
As far as I understand it, the Prestige RG necks have the KTS Titanium Rods in them while the Genesis RG models don't have them. So if you take all this into account:

- no KTS rods
- no 3rd Party pickups
- no Gigbag/case
- no Prestige fret work (I've heard and read that they can come with minor fret sprout issues, the frets are overall still good, though)

the pricing of the genesis models makes sense.
According to Rich, the prestige maple dont get any fret end work. I asked him before if you buy a Genesis from him, will he do fret end work and he said not fret end work for maple guitar.

Gigbag, case and pickups are irrelevant.

So the main difference is that titanium rod
 
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