I own a 2008 RG2550z and an RG1421.

I like both necks but I really like the 2550z neck, it's somehow just got a much nicer thickness and overall feel compared to the RG1421. I really like the hardtail of the 1421 so thought it might be possible to Frankenstein it and combine the best of each guitar.

I was wondering how feasible it would be to swap them around? It seems the 2550z has a Wizard Prestige neck as does the 1421.

Is it really as simple as just plugging them into each other...? What about the nut differences?

The 1421 is a hardtail. If one uses a hardtail bridge with a locking nut (2550z has the Edge Zero) would one lock the nut? Or would it still be usable unlocked? What are other nut options for hardtails?

I've never swapped or even taken off a neck on any of my guitars so any info is appreciated.

i have done this a couple of times. I had a luthy built jem neck and ran across a 421 that had a neck with a stripped out trussrod. rather than mess with the 421 neck i just took it off and put the jem neck on. It isn't a 100% prefect fit. the 421 had a little bit wider neck pocket but the mounting holes lined up right a split the difference just fine. I have run in to this multiple times with Ibanez bodies and necks. some are a little wider than others.

all that said it really is that easy. you may need a shim or two for either neck pocket to get the action 100% but that is easy enough to do.

assuming the neck widths are pretty close, swapping shouldn't be an issue.

As long as the heal widths and the neck screw holes are good it'll be an easy and reversible swap. If you're going to use the locking nut you'd probably be best using the lock blocks, since travel over the nut with out blocks may bind on the metal of the nut. I'm pretty sure I've seen replacement non-locking nuts to fit a locking nut route, but whether there's one that suits the RG spacing and mounting is something I'm not sure about.

Yeah, I think using a locked nut with a hard tail bridge isn't ideal; you don't have any fine tuners.

I might just look into blocking the Edge Zero on my 2550z instead of swapping the necks...I don't use it and just prefer the stability and simplicity of a hard tail.

you don't need to use the locking nut or even have the pads installed. I fail to see how a locking nut that isn't locked is any different than any other nut. who cares if it is locked, most fixed bridge guitars don't lock anyway. As long as the guitar is set up correctly tuning stability on the fixed bridge should be as good as any other fixed bridge.

you could always install a tremol-no on the 2550z.

Can recommend tremolo-no as an easier option.
My friend has the JS100 which is a pretty decent guitar let down by a rubbish trem. Tremolo-no works a treat for him.

Agreed. Mine has been brilliant as a solution to the horrible Edge Pro II trem on one of my RG's.

I thought Tremol-No's didn't fit on Edge Zeros?

Anyway, after some consideration I've decided the best option might just be to get some locking tuner heads for my RG1421 hardtail.

https://www.realparts.com.au/gotoh-s...set-black.html

I believe these would be a direct replacement for the standard Gotoh tuners the guitar comes with, anyone confirm?

yeah i think those will work. Best i can tell Gotoh puts the set screw in the same place on their tuners, diameter wise I am not 100%. From my experience there is usually a little play room in the diameter of the holes the tuners go in so more often then not tuner changes are pretty easy on the Ibanez stuff.

Locking tuners on the hardtail seems like the best option. It would increase the tuning stability (making the hardtail similar to a locking nut/bridge).

It's really a shame about the Edge Zero on my 2550z. The neck on that guitar is so great but that bridge is such a piece of junk. I wish I had just gone for an Edge/LoPro RG at the time but I didn't know better. Instead of fiddling around trying to convert it to dive-only and making it more like a hard tail, I'll just keep the necks on each guitar and focus on the RG1421.

So I installed some Gotoh locking tuners today, everything is looking good! Was alarmed by how low they sit in the headstock but seems just how it goes.

Tuning seems great now, will need to play the strings in a bit. I tried to string it up with as much tension as I could pull by hand but the tuning pegs still had to turn a bit to get it up to pitch, hope that’s fine.

Some glamour shots:

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I advise you to keep the Edge Zero on your 2550z it's a thousand times better than an Edge / LoPro RG and I talk about my personal experience

So you got the staggered ones? They're great, I have a set of the self-locking staggered Gotohs on one of my strats. No need for string trees with them.

That is a brilliant looking guitar too

How so? You're probably the first person I've ever seen say that haha.

Yep, I believe they are all staggered? I was worried at first as it seemed like the headstock may have been too wide for the posts to fit through with enough relief on the top side but it seems they're just designed to sit low like that.

Thanks, I bought this one at the time of release not thinking much of it (it being an anniversary model and all) but it seems they are kind of rare now?

I had the same thought with my strat at first too, but realised they had to fit, otherwise, how would Gotoh sell them?