interesting.... is the new one a 2011 model by any chance? If not, perhaps it's a second. Is there anything else on the back of the head?

 

I believe it's a 2010 model(serial # starts F10xxxx) I heard that they stopped "tagging" them in 2008 on another forum...

 

Theres nothing else on the back of the headstock except for the serial #/made in Japan decal

 

this is strange, I have not heard about any prestige's losing the TJC badging. I know my son's 2008 1527 has it. I'll look into it further, this will be interesting to find an answer for.

 

Thanks I really appreciate your effort! It is quite strange especially since it has the "Made in Japan"/serial # decal and came with the Team J Craft case. It has all of the same exact hardware as my first one, there's absolutely no difference between the two!

 

...Just the Team J Craft Decal...

 

Not all Prestige guitars come with Team J craft logo. My jem does not have one either I wouldn't be worried. If you are however just post some pics and we can let you know if its real!

 

I just checked the back of my 2550e and there is no Team J Craft decal, just the serial number and Made in Japan. Mine is one from Musicians friend when they were 699.99 which I received in late December 2010.

 

There is also one other thing that's a little different...the back of the neck has a very light satin finish on it, but the back of the headstock is completely raw/unfinished. Is that the norm?
This is my second one that I got from M.F. and I paid 569.99 for it after a little negotiating, so I guess I shouldn't be complaining!

 

Funny, I got the same deal except mine came to $563 and some change. They guaranteed Christmas delivery, then once I found out it wasn't going to make it in time got an additional 20% off the price...plus an in house credit of $25.00.

I do remember Team J Craft was on the headstock of the first 2550e from MF(2009 sn), but it's replacement (2010 sn) didn't have it. Honestly, I didn't even pay attention until I saw this thread but for the price of these it was unbeatable!

 

Mine doesn't say Team J Craft either. I know I read somewhere that they recently (within the past year?) stopped putting it on. Rich has a new RG3550MZDY in the Used section due to a neck joint crack. The back of the headstock on this guitar doesn't say Team J Craft.

http://www.ibanezrules.com/images/used_index/rg3550mzdy/IMG_7448.JPG

 

That's exactly what I've got on mine - mine's a 2010 model made at the FUJI-JEN factory in Japan...got this info off the ibanezrules site.

 

Mine is also a 2010 RG2550Z! I realized there is no TEAM J CRAFT stamp at the back, but it has the TEAM J CRAFT case. I don't think I should care, since it's still made by the awesome Japanese magicians and it still plays like an Ibanez should.

 

Is the back of your headstock unfinished like mine and does your neck seem to have a light finish on it?

 

What do you mean by that? Oh how will we struggle to describe...
OH WAIT! I got pics:
facebook . com / photo. php?fbid=1846372796878&set=a.1846369036784.107035.1167410218
Remove the spaces...

 

the back of the neck seems to have a very light gloss/satin finish on it and the back of the headstock is unfinished. Raw wood, kinda rough feeling...

 

Yeah, the back of my neck has some clear finish, but it's uber smooth. The back of my headstock is partly finished, and it also has a kinda rough feeling,

 

Absolutely! Well at least Ibanez is consistent You're right about how great this guitar feels and plays, and for under $600.00 brand new it's a steal!
Thanks for your help!

 

Just to throw a spanner in the works, my RG2550MZ HAS the team j craft logo. Its 2009.

Figure that one out...

 

...and I thought I got a smokin' deal...it is a great guitar and now they're back up to $999.99! All of us who got in on the killer price made out like bandits!
I'm relieved to see this TJC decal "issue" is not really an issue at all. I just got a pretty reliable confirmation that they stopped tagging them "TJC" in '09.

 

'09 was th last year that they tagged 'em "TJC" according to Rich at ibanezrules.com...

 

I bet it still says "team J craft" on the hang tags, though. That's how it worked with the rg1420f I just got. Just serial number and
made in Japan on the back of the headstock, but the hang tag is Team J Craft.

 

Nope...

 

My hang tag didn't have the TEAM J CRAFT, all it had was the signatures of the peoples who crafted it. I wonder why Ibanez stopped/started the stamping, it's not like it's gonna do anything.

 

Same here on the tag. As to why they stopped, it'd be nice to know the reason...I've seen other forums where this is a real big problem for some people and this is what sparked my initial concern. But after all of the responses and the little digging I did on the side, I feel confident that we have "Team J Craft" Prestige Guitars whether or not they're tagged TJC.

 

There was a similar confusion when they STARTED the TJC stamping. A lot of people thought something was wrong when their guitars didn't have the stamping. I'd really like to know why they even started it. It's a huge mystery.
Maybe it went like:
"HEY LET'S STAMP THEM FOR NO REASON!"
*8 years later*
"Wait that's pointless..."
But I can't imagine that the geniuses that build the guitars thinking that way.