Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Nolly on June 28, 2011, 01:49:05 PM

Title: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Nolly on June 28, 2011, 01:49:05 PM
Hey dudes,

Bought this from a friend and absolutely loving it. Its serial starts with 9, which I believe makes it an '89. It's been recently refretted with Dunlop 6000s, and was stripped/oiled. I put a Rebel Yell bridge/VHII neck in there as I had them lying around, but will be getting hold of some pickups specifically for it when I head down to the BKP workshop in mid-July (probably a Holy Diver/VHII set or even calibrated VHIIs). This thing plays like a demon and sounds absolutely badass - I expected it to be way brighter than it is!

I think I need an RG565 next  8)

Here's a sound clip, with the Rebel Yell in there it's a wicked thrash machine:

Ibanez RG550 Thrash tone by Nolly on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free (http://soundcloud.com/nolly/ibanez-rg550-thrash-tone)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/IMG_1319.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: gwEm on June 28, 2011, 02:23:38 PM
no swirl finish? lame...
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: gwEm on June 28, 2011, 02:24:46 PM
(actually i really like the natural body/maple board combo)
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: blue on June 28, 2011, 02:24:56 PM
Niiice.  i, and i'm sure most of us, always associate 550's with wacky neon colours, but it really suits that stripped look.  i look forward to hearing the clip when i go home.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Telerocker on June 28, 2011, 02:43:11 PM
Very nice. I like the ''stripped'' look. Actually, these were/are fine and wellplaying guitars.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Alex on June 28, 2011, 04:27:05 PM
I like the wood, but can't really place the grain. Is that basswood? I think a lot of RGs are basswood.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Nolly on June 28, 2011, 05:22:23 PM
Cheers guys :)
Yes, it's basswood Alex
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Telerocker on June 28, 2011, 05:23:05 PM
I like the wood, but can't really place the grain. Is that basswood? I think a lot of RGs are basswood.

My Jem 77 FP (sold it) was basswood and I think most of the RG's are.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: James C on June 28, 2011, 06:29:53 PM
Saw you mention picking this up on your ViK build thread on SS.org, the RG looks amazing, makes me want to (get someone to) strip down and oil my RG7321.

the RY/VHII combo sounds pretty mean in there too
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Philly Q on June 28, 2011, 11:20:49 PM
It's got a cool "functional" look, I must say!
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: JDC on June 29, 2011, 12:36:46 AM
thought you had an RG, a big red one!!!! ;)
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Madsakre on June 29, 2011, 06:43:26 AM
Thats a nice piece of basswood you got there
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Andrew W on June 29, 2011, 07:19:56 AM
I must be honest and say that I'd never have thought a stripped RG would work, yet it does. Looks very cool indeed.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Loomer on June 29, 2011, 08:12:14 AM
yeah, as far as I've been told it's pretty rare that basswood looks that pretty. But then again, 80's ibanez builders were probably a whole lot stricter with their wood back then, than now.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: HTH AMPS on June 29, 2011, 10:21:39 AM
once thats 'lived in' and the wood darkens from sweat and beer stains, it'll be great.

Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: JacksonRR on June 29, 2011, 01:47:45 PM
once thats 'lived in' and the wood darkens from sweat and beer stains, it'll be great.



My thoughts exactly.
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Nolly on June 29, 2011, 10:24:49 PM
Just been noodling around with a new axe patch, really digging the lead tones from this thing. With a Holy Diver in there it should lose a bit of the "Marshall-y" upper midrange and get more Petrucci-ish.

This is just 10 secs of random lead playing, don't expect greatness hahah

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/790683/Widdlez.mp3
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: dave_mc on June 30, 2011, 06:06:07 PM
very nice indeed. the mij ibanezes are great (well they were before the massive price increases :( ).

that looks pretty good for basswood, too. I know most makers put a solid finish over basswood. swirl would be really cool but that looks pretty good as-is.

EDIT: ^ dude you're a badass. that was awesome. :D
Title: Re: NGD: 80's RG550
Post by: Loomer on July 01, 2011, 08:34:16 AM
once thats 'lived in' and the wood darkens from sweat and beer stains, it'll be great.



My thoughts exactly.

hey, mine too!