Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Bird on November 28, 2005, 01:03:30 AM
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Anyone familiar with the RT650, an older Ibanez model :?:
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They're great, trem could do with changing for a Wilkinson, and the pickups. The necks are the same as a JS series I've heard. I picked one up no so long-back, the RT450 I think without the maple veneer top. Solid alder body, so a different tone to most Ibanezes.
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Looks like Ibanez' take on the more classic strat. It's HOT i wan't one! :lol:
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Thanks for the feedback guys :D I'll have to see if I can get them to bring the price down a bit, it's been in there a while.
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They go for about £250 in the UK when they come up, the RT250s and 450s are even cheaper and only need a set of locking tuners and new pickus, then they sound really good. There's more meat on the neck than a wizard and they're really comfy. Mine cost me £100! People confuse them with the cheap RX series.
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If you scroll down this page to the RT it's the blue one on the far right of the 2nd panel. I'm going to try and get him down to $200, I'll tell my wife Santa brought it. :D
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/index.htm
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wow are they really that cheap?! where were they manufactured? they sound like a bloody good deal!!
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They're Jap made, but they came out the same year Ibanez made the cr@p decision to move RG production to Korea, until '92 all Ibanez branded guitars were Jap made, and the Korean ones had a large EX logo and a small Ibanez logo, rather like the Squire/Fender thing. So back then you could tell the entry level stuff from the good stuff!
So back to the plot - the RTs are thought of as being Korean and kind of got lost, I think they were only on the books for a year, the RG guys didn't want them because they were retro, and the retro boys didn't like them 'cause they were too modern.....They were retailed from about £300-500 depending on the model. In the UK there was also an RT240/250, like the 450 but without the magnum tuners, just regular Gotoh ones.
The necks are great - very much like the feel of a JS series. I stripped the finish off and oiled mine using the same procedure as musicman do, now it's super fast and I've put Dunlop 6000 on too - it's a wolf in sheep's clothing - just need to decide which BKPs to put in it!!
They're good guitars but keep it quiet...if any body asks tell them they're no good!! A RT150 went for £60 on ebay - I found it in the completed listings...grrrr :evil:
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can still tell the entry-level stuff from the good stuff pretty easy - isnt only the "Prestige" series made in japan now? plus better stuff is more expensive generally!
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I have just got an Ibanez RT650 on ebay for $400 from the US. My BKP's arrived today. Have got a calibrated pair of Nailbombs and an Irish Tour in the middle. Also got a 5 way switch and new pots and capacitor from BK at the same time. Will almost certainly replace the trem with a Wilkinson/Gotoh unit and replace the tuners with locking staggered Sperzels. Will be an awesome axe once this work is done.
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hot damn, this is my perfect strat type!
im going to have to hunt one down
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If you scroll down this page to the RT it's the blue one on the far right of the 2nd panel. I'm going to try and get him down to $200, I'll tell my wife Santa brought it. :D
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/index.htm
Anyone else smitten with the Frank Gambale model (http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/fg.jpg)?!?!
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If you scroll down this page to the RT it's the blue one on the far right of the 2nd panel. I'm going to try and get him down to $200, I'll tell my wife Santa brought it. :D
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/index.htm
Anyone else smitten with the Frank Gambale model (http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/fg.jpg)?!?!
Saw it and loved it.
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If you scroll down this page to the RT it's the blue one on the far right of the 2nd panel. I'm going to try and get him down to $200, I'll tell my wife Santa brought it. :D
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/index.htm
Anyone else smitten with the Frank Gambale model (http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1993/fg.jpg)?!?!
Not at first, but after reading about it, it sounds kinda neat. Pickups flush with the body, the neck is recessed a bit... I like the sound of it.
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With respect to Gambale's yellow guitar
Anyone realise that yellow is the national motor sports colour for Australia?
In the same way that British racing cars were Green , Italian ones red, French were Blue and German ones silver - in the days before sponsorship took over.....
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With respect to Gambale's yellow guitar
Anyone realise that yellow is the national motor sports colour for Australia?
In the same way that British racing cars were Green , Italian ones red, French were Blue and German ones silver - in the days before sponsorship took over.....
Ah most interesting 8)
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Who the bloody hell chose GREEN for us?
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The whole flush pickups/neck thing sounds very cool indeed.. Anyone know whether they're any good?
Sorry for the thread hijack Bird!
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Who the bloody hell chose GREEN for us?
Dude- British Racing Green is awesome! Don't diss! :D
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The whole flush pickups/neck thing sounds very cool indeed.. Anyone know whether they're any good?
YES!
I know you have a PGM but have you played the S series? The ones that are MIJ are great guitars. The Gambale is basically just a customized S series. If you can find one and like the whole thin and sleek idea, get one. They still go for a lot of money on ebay.
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The whole flush pickups/neck thing sounds very cool indeed.. Anyone know whether they're any good?
YES!
I know you have a PGM but have you played the S series? The ones that are MIJ are great guitars. The Gambale is basically just a customized S series. If you can find one and like the whole thin and sleek idea, get one. They still go for a lot of money on ebay.
Awesome! I've played a good few S's and I love the shape and feel. I'll def keep a look out for any Gambale models on the 'bay.
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If you can find one in good shape you won't be dissapointed. I just did a quick run through the catalogs and have some information for you for if you are going to be looking for one. As far as I can tell from the catalogs they were made from '91-'98.
-In '91 and '92 they sold for $1300USD list. These(FGM100)came in Pink Salmon, Desert Yellow, Sky Blue, and Black. They all had matching shark tooth inlays and headstocks except the black one had normal shark teeth. I believe only the FGM100's have the matching shark teeth.
-In '93 the list price went up to $1500USD.
-'94 came out with the FGM200('94 only) in Black and White for $1500USD and with a fixed Gotoh bridge. Also for '94 was the FGM300('94-'96) and a new finish: Metallic Green and a higher list of $1700USD.
-In '96 everthing stayed the same but the FGM300 went up to $1800USD.
-'97 introduced the FGM400 with two new finishes and a higher price. Quilted Maple at $2200USD and Blazer Blue at $2000USD.
-'98 the last year only the QM was produced and at the same price.
This is all just from the catalogs. Here's some links to a few of the catalog pics too now that we've totally hijacked the thread:
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1991/fg_2.jpg
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1992/fg_2.jpg
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1994/94025.jpg
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1996/96022.jpg
http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1997/97009.jpg
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Wow! Thanks for all that info! Shame they didn't make the fixed bridge ones in the proper 80s colours! Maybe it'd be worth getting one and having it resprayed...
I'm actually really considering one as a main gigging guitar if I decide I the Blackmachine is too precious to risk on stage. Maybe even getting one of those Eastern European builders to make me a neck-thru one with a 24 fret maple board, reverse headstock and all of my personal little niggles fixed..
Thanks again for taking the time to link all of that!
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No problem. I kind of did it for myself too since I'm looking for one as well! Nice to have all the information in one place so I don't have to keep going back to the catalogs.
They only made the fixed bridge for one year in '94. I have yet to see one turn up so they're pretty rare. I'm looking for a desert yellow or black one to turn up when I have the money. :shock:
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Cheers regardless mate, you're a legend.