[Luke Duke]

So I've been eyeing a 6521 for a while...but part of me wants a doomburst purple 5521 to match my 5570! Agh!!

Anyhow, I know that the 6521 is different/newer but aside from finish, marbled rosewood, and Pickups....any other differences I'm missing? Oh I saw they claim the newest ones used an Ebony of some type? But it still looks like rosewood?!

A question for Rich too...how often are you shimming the fixed bridge necks, and are you still just doing bronze on them?

Oh...and a dirty part of me wants a JC7570....I've said too much.

 

[bob493]

Right, aside from the obvious finish differences, and the 6521 coming with dimarzios, the 6521 has a bound macassar ebony fretboard. In pictures its kind of hard to really dramatically notice a difference unless the rosewood is super dry, but in person the ebony is obvious. I personally think ebony feels better and is more aesthetically pleasing overall. Not a deal breaker for me though.

Id say if youre not in love with tone zone and air norton (youd be wrong ), youre better off getting whichever is cheaper/aesthetically pleasing; as they are functionally identical. Though keep in mind you can easily resell the dimarzios to compensate as well.

Im unfamiliar with jc7570, is that a special one off model or a typo here?

 

[Rich]

How often do I shim the necks for what?

I've been doing any packages lately.

 

[Luke Duke]

Right, aside from the obvious finish differences, and the 6521 coming with dimarzios, the 6521 has a bound macassar ebony fretboard. In pictures its kind of hard to really dramatically notice a difference unless the rosewood is super dry, but in person the ebony is obvious. I personally think ebony feels better and is more aesthetically pleasing overall. Not a deal breaker for me though.

Id say if youre not in love with tone zone and air norton (youd be wrong

), youre better off getting whichever is cheaper/aesthetically pleasing; as they are functionally identical. Though keep in mind you can easily resell the dimarzios to compensate as well.

Im unfamiliar with jc7570, is that a special one off model or a typo here?

I liked the AN/TZ combo in a 3550 I tried a few years back.

J Custom RG body with HSH. Basswood/maple...but it has a zero bridge (if memory serves) AN/TV/TZ

How often do I shim the necks for what?

I've been doing any packages lately.

Any of the fixed bridge S OR RG bodies.

For some reason I was thinking you weren't doing all the packages due to your hand.

Luke

 

[Rich]

I was doing what made sense, but I kept getting talked into more and more. As long as everybody understands I can't get that machine level of polish on stainless anymore I'll do whatever you want to it.

You shim for string alignment or for neck angle. Alignment is starting to get rare, neck angle only on a fixed if the saddle height screws get too pronounced at low action.

I'm guessing you mean 8570.

 

[Luke Duke]

I was doing what made sense, but I kept getting talked into more and more. As long as everybody understands I can't get that machine level of polish on stainless anymore I'll do whatever you want to it.

You shim for string alignment or for neck angle. Alignment is starting to get rare, neck angle only on a fixed if the saddle height screws get too pronounced at low action.

So the neck angle is the only issue of late. Thanks for clearing it up. The S still seems to still use Nickel frets though. That because it's a more "classic approach" to a shredder? Also, it's the only guitar
Left with KTS rods. I wonder if they help the dead spots that the S picked up with the 24 feet neck?

I've put half degree shins in my 2620 and 5570 to a great degree of success/playability.

I'm guessing you mean 8570.

https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/RG7570

 

[Rich]

S's are the only guitars [usually] that need neck shims for pullup range.

No 7570's in the US.

 

[bob493]

ooooh! Thats the guitar I saw with the crazy top! Thanks

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1HIAAOSwS6FflI1X/s-l500.jpg

Funny you mention that, I've been lusting after his 7 string brother for a little bit now haha.

https://images.reverb.com/image/upl...0,w_1600/v1532248344/xhtrsvlzgimlxxzltkag.jpg

Yeah, those are definitely some gorgeous guitars; I cant stand the j customs with the vines; so these are super appealing to me.

But yeah, as long as they are similar cost (they should honestly), the 6521 will definitely be the better buy due to the pickups alone. V7/V8 are just awful.

So the neck angle is the only issue of late. Thanks for clearing it up. The S still seems to still use Nickel frets though. That because it's a more "classic approach" to a shredder? Also, it's the only guitar
Left with KTS rods. I wonder if they help the dead spots that the S picked up with the 24 feet neck?

Hmm; only model using nickel frets and still using kts rods... makes me wonder if they are using old stock? I know theyve certainly done this in the past. As far as "picking up dead spots", Id have to give that a "no" lol. All the rods are doing is giving the neck some rigidity against internal movement (i.e. humidity changes). This should result in you needing to adjust your truss rod less, but on a normal scale length guitar, *especially* with the fact these are all multi laminate necks now, its probably more superfluous than anything. That said, my RG550 neck hasnt moved AT ALL, where some of my other guitars have, so its definitely "working", but whipping out an allen wrench every couple months for 2 minutes to adjust my action down .1mm isnt exactly giving me cause for concern either. Im not sure why they just didnt use carbon fiber rods like every one else. Its cheaper and does the same exact thing lol.

 

[Luke Duke]

Im not sure why they just didnt use carbon fiber rods like every one else. Its cheaper and does the same exact thing lol.

See?! That's what I want to know! The new 8580s and 8520s all have the wenge lam jobs too...so that's the only reason I question the S body still using the KTS/Walnut combo. I guess it's entirely possible they sell so many fewer they can use them to burn off old inventory. No luminlays on the Prestige S either from anything I can see.

I'm no expert. I've only regularly been playing Ibanez guitars since '18, before that my non-old school forays were my PRS CU24, EBMM Anniversary, snd Morse/Bonamassa Dark Lord. I can say that between my 2620 and 5570 there's a lot I mean LOT of decay on the D and G strings around the 15-17 fret. Definitely not a deal breaker for me like some I'm sure.

Oh Rich, for the 8570, I was looking at used ones. There a few floating around...though honestly I prefer the blue and haven't seen any JOT in Japan. My draw to them is the basswood/maple, I think it's a great wood combo. That's what my Anniversary had and I know Suhr uses it as well. But...Man those 8520s with a 3 way look SMOKIN!! I saw you've still got one in sodalite too!

Luke

 

[bob493]

I actually kinda know what you mean lol. I always wrote it off as me being silly and a personal bias, but I had an s5521 that I just did not like what so ever. I've played a couple 24 fret sabers and I was never able to vibe with any of them at all. I LOVE the old school sabers, s540-esque ones, but something about the 24 fret ones just never sat right with me. That aside, maple + basswood is always a classic choice, very ubiquitous in high end guitars; despite the apparent snobbery at basswood lol.

 

[Rich]

It's no secret I've never liked any S. Just too thin around the edges. Not comfortable on the leg sitting down, feels too thin, I've just never bonded with any of them. Then they jacked the price way up after doing a CNC time analysis and sales dropped even less.

I had an S5400 once [lacewood] and played it for 15 minutes, and my leg was dead asleep when I tried to stand up.

 

[OCDemon]

It's no secret I've never liked any S. Just too thin around the edges. Not comfortable on the leg sitting down, feels too thin, I've just never bonded with any of them. Then they jacked the price way up after doing a CNC time analysis and sales dropped even less.

I had an S5400 once [lacewood] and played it for 15 minutes, and my leg was dead asleep when I tried to stand up.

My first Ibanez was an S540HH 1988. I never could really bond with it. I have sold it, bought it back and sold it and I'm still trying to buy it back just for sentimental reasons, but it was not the right guitar for me.

 

[Luke Duke]

It's no secret I've never liked any S. Just too thin around the edges. Not comfortable on the leg sitting down, feels too thin, I've just never bonded with any of them. Then they jacked the price way up after doing a CNC time analysis and sales dropped even less.

I had an S5400 once [lacewood] and played it for 15 minutes, and my leg was dead asleep when I tried to stand up.

Wild, I feel like they are the most comfortable solid-bodies out there! But...I also play standing up 80%+

My first Ibanez was an S540HH 1988. I never could really bond with it. I have sold it, bought it back and sold it and I'm still trying to buy it back just for sentimental reasons, but it was not the right guitar for me.

That's a wild ride! Any particular reason? Uncomfortable sitting down like Rich?

 

[Rich]

The most comfortable is the Radius which morphed into the JS and disappeared. I highly recommend trying one

 

[Luke Duke]

The most comfortable is the Radius which morphed into the JS and disappeared. I highly recommend trying one

Maaan...it's hard to go back to a neck plate after the AANJ!

The weight of that 6521 on your site has my head swimming...makes the Sodalite 8520 look like a boat anchor! :grin:

I played a 5320 at GC about 6mos ago and those fusion pickups were NICE...whole guitar sounded great, but DAMN...it was as heavy or heavier than my LP.

 

[OCDemon]

The body was too thin and also the wizard neck was way too thin. It just didn't feel comfortable to me.

 

[Luke Duke]

The body was too thin and also the wizard neck was way too thin. It just didn't feel comfortable to me.

I can see that. The Wizard is thinner than I prefer but the width makes it feel so easy to get around on for my big dumb hands.

My most "at home" neck is still my big shoulder LP 58 RI...it's just not a sound that I want as much these days.