Ibanez RG550LTD

I wanted to buy an electric guitar for a long time but it took a while to sum up the money for it.Anyway i gathered about 900 euros and hit the stores.I found my self at the official importer of ibanez guitars in greece,a guy named Trimis,and I tried out the S-series first,as i really liked the slim body.Then the salesperson(who was much cooler than his boss!)said that he thought an RG model would suit me better because I'm more into hard rock&heavy metal,so he brought forth the 550LTD,black with the mirror scratchplate, and i must say it was love at first sight!So after trying it out a bit i was sure it was the guitar i wanted(which proved to be a mistake actually!).Cost?Around 900 euros or 300000 greek drachmes,as I bought the guitar 5 years ago.

The thing I like the most about my guitar is that it's probably one of the coolest looking guitars I've seen.Of course I also think it delivers a top notch tone from clean to filthy distorted sounds,considering the fact that it's relatively not too expensive.I particularly like the bridge pickup both in rythmic parts and solos.The fretboard is like a dream too.I have never played something more comfortable and the jumbo frets seem to work really well with hammer ons,pull offs and right hand frettings(ala Van Halen!)

The problem with the thin super wizard neck is that it's not sturdy.if you yank the whammy bar you can see it moving along with the strings,which is something that bugs me.Also I'm having buzzing problems which are a total pain in the neck,especially when you like low action.I've refered to technicians but these problems seem to be very persistent.I even considered changing the neck with a new one but Ibanez doesn't sell necks seperately,which kinda pissed me off.However I mostly put the blame on me as I think i should have tested the guitar better when I bought it in the first place.

Again i have in mind that this is no 2000$ Gibson.So I have to say that generally the RG550LTD is well constructed and of fine quality.I think that the finish is probably as good as it gets.I have tried much mre expensive guitars and I can't say that they were noticeably better.Also I think that the electronics used are of impeccable quality and durability.

To sum up I'd give the guitar two thumbs up and recomend it to beginers and more advanced players who like rocking the house!However,and I think this goes to anyone wanting to buy a guitar,thoroughly play and examine any guitar you like before buying it!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this guitar from the guitar, amp and keyboard centre in Brighton. I chose this model because it has a touch of class the other models just dont have. I recommend anyone to buy from them, they are extremely helpful and are willing to bust a nut to make sure you get your dream guitar. I think they now have an internet site - www.gak.co.uk, check them out.

I love this guitar in everyway possible. The neck is a super wizard type so if speed is your thing this is awesome. I play Pantera, Slayer etc so take my word for it, this guitar seriously rocks. The normal wizard neck isnt half as nice, so its worth forking out that extra bit of cash. The looks are awesome - the stage lights shine off beautifully from the mirrored scratchplate so you can blind the audience!

Nothing. Even the Ibanez hard case is top notch.

Ummm......excellent. The neck is bound, the body paintwork is beautiful. Its a bronzy, gold colour and i have never seen anything like it. The shark fin inlays are simply a finishing touch. The pickups are cool, the perhaps not perfectly alligned with the strings. The lows are low, and the highs are high, no noise either from them, so what more can you ask from stock pickups?

To conclude, this is the best Rg guitar for fast playing. Ive tried all the high end Rgs so take my word for it. I would advise anyone to get an ibanez with a super wizard neck if you can afford it - also the lo pro egde is the dogs willy for dimebag squeels, slayer style vibrato, etc etc. Buy one mothers! Contact me for any further info on Ibanez RG models.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The RG550 has gone through various different changes throughout the years. The guitar I'm going to be referring to has a basswood body, a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, 24 jumbo frets, an Edge tremolo, a pickguard with an HSH configuration, one volume, one tone and a five way switch.

UTILIZATION

These guitars are amazing. The necks on these are really something you gotta try to believe. They're incredibly thin and flat, and this allows you to slam your action like no tomorrow. One thing to watch out for is the nut being over tightened in the rear. Too many people crank down on these things, and because the necks are so thin, it can really cause some issues. The Edge trem on this is absolutely glorious. It can hold tune for days without any issue, and they last forever. On top of that, there are locking studs to help make sure nothing ever moves during whammying.

SOUNDS

The sound is pretty polarizing on these guitars. I tend to find these a bit more resonant than the RG570s and other direct mounted versions, and a lot of that is due to the chambering that occurs underneath the pickguard from the pickup and electronics cavity. The guitar sounds warm and has lots of mids, but it seems to lack bite. Some people really dislike that, but I love it for lead tones. The stock pickups in these are pretty crappy, so I recommend replacing them with some really nice DiMarzio pickups. Those seem to blend in the best with Ibanez guitars for whatever reason.

OVERALL OPINION

I prefer the 550 to the 570, but they're all great guitars. Since they're so cheap, there's no reason you should go without at least one Ibanez guitar. Be sure to watch out for the rear nut cracks, and you might want to change the pickups once you get it. The necks are thin, so also be sure you like thin necks.