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Rich, is the Genesis is truly a prestige?

9K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  Viper Pilot 
#1 ·
https://www.ibanezrules.com/new/rg550rf.htm

Rich

People often say that the Genesis is not truly a prestige because it doesn't have the "prestige fret treatment", but based on your writings, even the RGs named prestige with maple fretboards do not have the prestige fret treatment seen in rosewood, despite having it included in the description.

Here is an example

https://www.ibanezrules.com/new/rg752wmfxol.htm

As you can see the maple board Prestige models do not have the "Prestige" fret end and fretboard edge finishing, this now evidently factory standard, as maple fretboard models have been for many year.
So, if the "real" maple Prestiges that have "Prestige" on the headstock, don't have the fret treatment, why should the Genesis be any different?

Here's a maple Prestige with no fret treatment


but even the RG550 dx with rosewood doesn't have the treatment, it wasn't going to have it anyway. Yet, why are all current maple Prestiges, not having the treatment? And what's so special about this. It's just cosmetic and can this be done by the average joe?

 
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#2 ·
The rosewood have a slight treatment if you look at better shots. but I don't think they've ever claimed they were Prestige. Nothing in print ever has said anything. Nothing maple but some rare signature models and the AZ's get treatment. The Genesis has ever bit of the close tolerances, it uses the same programs as Prestige for all the mill work, but these were always about giving you Japanese on a budget. They don't even give you a multi tool.
 
#3 ·
I think the Op is worrying too much. The Genesis series are not Prestige, because Ibanez choose not to label them as such. That’s all there is to it.

That doesn’t stop them being amazing guitars that follow in the decades-old tradition of building amazing guitars under the Ibanez brand in Japan.

Enjoy it for what it is, a Japanese RG in a crazy colour. :)
 
#4 ·
Right but the fret treatment is just a cosmetic thing, it feels nicer when you run your finger on the end of the frets I guess?

Is it worth having a tech round the frets since shipping a guitar to rich just for that alone wouldnt be worth it i guess

I supposed this is not something a noob can do with some files lol
 
#5 ·
If you look at the Jem 30th anniversary, it doesn’t have the rounded prestige frets either. I’ve looked at photos and the fret ends look cut similar to the Genesis rg550. Both are maple fretboards.

Is it possible that they did it this way to stay true to the original models of both the rg550 and jem777

I mean you’re paying over $3500 and now is even 5k and it doesn’t have the rounded fret ends as the prestiges.
 
#20 ·
The only time they have really bothered me is on the very low end guitars... Like an Ibanez Mikro I played in the music store. Brutally rough/sharp, but nothing that couldn't be rectified with some careful elbow grease. I've been poor all my life, so I'm used to buying cheap stuff and making it better! :smile_big:
 
#21 ·
I always saw the Genesis series as kind of its own thing. I never even thought about whether it said Prestige on it or not. Here's what I saw:An RG, made in Japan, It was kind of a reissue, except with some upgrades, like the the old neck heal, but 3(?) piece nck, neck, a volute, and direct mount pickups. I think those specs are excellent, the price is great, and they're an excellent value. Where else are going to get a Japanese RG for less than 2 or 3K? I still want one.

Someone mentioned that fret ends weren't an issue. He's lucky: He obviously never played a guitar that had frets sticking out. Almost ALL of my guitars, I've rolled the edges.
 
#22 ·
I recently bought an RG550DX Laser Blue and really enjoy it. Whether it's a prestige or not doesn't matter. It's a pretty decent guitar made in Japan with double locking Floyd Rose. I like the neck feel and the frets don't bother me a bit...plus I didn't pay an insane amount of money for it (just under US$1000).
 
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