Ibanez RG1550MZ

The RG-1550 was made for a couple years in the early 00's. It was one of the first reissues of a RG-550 type guitar. Maple fretboards are coming back and the guitar companies are rushing to meet the demand. Maple fretboard Ibanez guitars were popular in the 80s then they kind of faded away, but now they are coming back and the 1550M is the top of the line Ibanez with a maple fretboard. The guitar is essentially a 1570 Prestige model with a maple fretboard. It is made in the Ibanez Prestige factory in Japan and the quality really shows. Like most Ibanez RG's it features a basswood body with a maple neck and maple fretboard. The prestige models get a 5 piece neck for extra stability. This means the neck is made from 5 pieces of wood to help prevent warping. This is important when you have a neck as thin as an Ibanez RG neck. The Edge Pro tremolo system is one of the best on the market and once setup it holds tune perfectly. It has a set of Ibanez pickups in an HSH configuration and a master volume and master tone control with a 5 way switch

UTILIZATION

A superstrat body with deep cutaways connected to a super thin neck makes playing everywhere on the neck a breeze. Ibanez gives special care to the fretwork on the prestige models, this is the greatest difference between the prestige models and the normal models. Like many of the new Ibanez RG models the 1570 features the all access neck joint so you can comfortably play in the high registers of the neck. The maple fretboard feels smooth and the great prestige fretwork means all the frets are lovely.

SOUNDS

The Ibanez pickups are also not very good. The neck pickup provides an okay sound. It can be smooth for solos and leads and clean stuff. The bridge pickup is too weak. I had to check if my volume knob what up all the way when I plugged it in. Coming from a guitar with high output pickups to this shows you how bad some factory pickups can be. Their guitars match up well with aftermarket pickups. Most people only put Dimarzios in Ibanez guitars but other brands work well too. A pickup change can help get a heavier sound out of the basswood. With the single coil in the middle you must remember that the single coil will produce much more ambient noise than the two humbuckers. So keep this in mind when you are switching pickups. If you are looking for a straight metal tone a set of EMG's could make this guitar a monster.

OVERALL OPINION

A few years after they discontinued this model they came out with the 1550M which is exactly the same except it has M in the name. These guitars are made to be played. The Ibanez RG Prestige is one of the premier metal guitars on the market. The guitar does not compromise in its playability. Every part of the guitar is designed to help you play better or faster. For anyone looking for an easy playing guitar I recommend they look at the Ibanez RG, and the best RG's are the prestige models. With a pickup swap this guitar can run with any guitar out there.

The RG-1550 is basically just an RG-550 with a new tremolo. Aside from that, the specs are pretty much the same. It features the same well known RG body, maple neck, maple fretboard, HSH configuration, tremolo, 5 way switch, volume knob and treble knob. This model comes with the AANJ that has been prevalent in the Ibanez line for some time know, too.

UTILIZATION

RGs always feel very nice in my hands. The neck is thinner than most necks out there, and it's also flatter. This allows you to slam the action and get crazy bends without much of a problem like with, say, a Fender. Given that this has the AANJ, access to the upper frets is wonderful, and since this has an HSH configuration, the versatility of this guitar is top notch. The Edge Pro trem isn't quite as good as the original Edge or Lo Pro Edge, but it's still a great trem, so that shouldn't stop you from buying this.

SOUNDS

Compared to the RG-570/RG-1570, this guitar has a little more bite to it in the upper range thanks to the maple fretboard. I also find that maple fretboards look better than rosewood, but that's a personal preference. Some people dislike basswood bodies, but I happen to really like how they sound for lead lines and fusion guitar work. They can be super versatile and allow the pickups to really shine. The stock pickups in this are pretty weak, but once you replace those, this guitar really sings.

OVERALL OPINION

Given that there's no real difference between this and the RG-550, you should really just find whichever one is cheaper. If you're someone who has to have the AANJ, this will probably be a better buy for you. The Edge Pro tremolo shouldn't scare you away from buying this; it's a great trem. Aside from that, they're pretty much the same as the original RG-550s that so many people have come to know and love.

"It is a Japanese-made guitar as the best guitars in Ibanez.
-24 Boxes. Pickups Ibanez v7 s1 v8. 5 positions: handle, sleeve + inter, inter, inter + bridge, bridge
Lo-Pro Edge tremolo Ibanez licensed Floyd (best vibrato licensed market!)
Channel wizard II hyper comfortable

UTILIZATION

Channel super comfortable, super late. It allows all styles without problem. A round of shredders!
-Access to acute is disconcerting ease.
Ergonomics-perfect: it is a row koi!
Easily obtained, the big sound with the bridge pickup, which is his favorite. The only problem is the neck pickup. It will work a little more sound on the amp and pedals to overcome some such default.

SOUNDS

It is suitable for large-metal sound with the bridge pickup, but all that is rock, Shredder. Pr blues and clean sounds, you can use the intermediate positiosns giving her a very bright and slamming.
-I play with a boss gt5. It goes very well! Amps: stacks and other tube amps with a big sound (mesa boogie, marshall, peavey (it goes very well with I think), but also a ampi fender lamps.
On an all-tube-like marshall, boogie, peavey, we get a big sound hollow metal if the mediums, and his ideal pr long solo with more mediums. It was also a more fat on a marshall with a lot of mediums. In his clear, intermediate positions are very close to the fender! So on a Fender all-tube ca does. The handle is hot enough, round with a touch of brightness with a fender twin type. But on a marshall or peavey amp in its clear sound is a little dull with the neck pickup.
-The sounds I prefer: big sound with peavey pickup or handle: ca is close to the typical sound of Steve Vai (he has some old rg 550!). The sounds that I dislike: clear sound with the neck pickup on an amp that is not made clear sound pr. It sounds a bit bland.

OVERALL OPINION

-It's been a year since I have it.
"I love the vibrato and the handle.
"I tried many guitars, and in relation to my budget, I was the best pr
-Very good. Especially if you change the pickups (Yen 1500 frs of pr + max), and there was a guitar that rivals the high end ibanez, which still costs 2000 francs of pr + mini guitar almost identical.
-I buy it back again.