RG550 Owners....

Si_

I've got an '87 RG550 with Rosewood neck that's in serious need of some TLC. It's my play at home practice guitar and the strings are well well well overdue replacing, but I'm starting to gig again and it would cover a lot of songs so thinking of getting it all cleaned up. 

Just wondering what strings you guys are using.. I think it's got 9s on it but was thinking of putting 10s on (Mainly because that's all I've got at home).

Also thought I might replace the pickups while I'm at it.. anyone using non stock pickups?

Stevepage

I don't have one any more but I did have a 1990 DY 550. The stock pickups were the V1 and V2 pickups, if yours are the same then I'd say keep them. They're just like Dimarzio Super Distortions which cover quite a lot surprisingly. 

9s are great for widdly widdly stuff but 10s are a little more comfortable playing live, as you'll find you dig in harder when playing in front of people.

NelsonP

I've got an RG750 with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky's on 09-46. Best of both worlds?

Might be stating the obvious but if you put a different gauge on you will have to reset the tension on the trem. Which is a bit of a pain in the backside. Surely its easier to just go online and order some new strings?

The 750 has USA IBZ DiMarzios on it rather than the stock Ibanez pickups. They are great. I believe a Tone Zone is the nearest modern day equivalent.

guitars4you

remember if you move to 10's you'll need to adjust the springs on the trem block to stop it 'tilting' upwards and further away from the body and chances are a tweak on the truss rod - Not sure if you are into such work or take it to a tech

sweepy

Try 9.5’s from D’addario,  use them ok my Strats and Charvel, they have the playability of 9’s but a little more “beef” to the sound

Elwood

I've got an RG570 and have been wondering what to do with it.

Thinking of converting to dive only and putting a big block in the back of it (not sure if that is snake oil or not though).

What sort of pups do you have in mind?

John_A

10's work well IMO, got bare knuckle Emeralds on mine because that's how it came, but the stock pickups are fine

bluechargeboy

9-46 on my RG, I likes it.

Tone Zone bridge pickup is nice and chunky (cleans not so good though). I've never found a neck pickup that I was entirely happy with.

Si_

Doing a setup is no problem.  

On a closer inspection it it looks like the ridge pickup isn’t original.  No idea what it is. 

NelsonP

Elwood said:

I've got an RG570 and have been wondering what to do with it.

Thinking of converting to dive only and putting a big block in the back of it (not sure if that is snake oil or not though).

Maybe check out one of these?

https://www.allparts.com/tremol-no

DLM

Is there no indication on the underside of the bridge pickup of what it might be?

Here's what I've got, all in standard tuning:

550 ('91 [block heel], rosewood fretboard, bridge Evolution/middle stock/neck SD Distortion, nines) 

Also two very close relatives:

RG1550MPBL ('?? [AANJ], maple fretboard, bridge Jeff Beck SH4/middle stock/neck stock, nines) 

RG2011SC-BK ('11 [extended AANJ], rosewood fretboard, bridge Tone Zone/middle True Velvet/neck simulation, tens but moving to nines this change) 

On strings, nines and tens make me play differently and sound different. I like going wild and twangy on nines a bit better than pummelling riffs on tens, though it's close. If I could get my practice hours up I'd maybe be able to play huge bends on tens and have the best of both worlds.  

I think your pickups are likely to be most like the stock ones in my 550, I liked it much more when I went to aftermarket units.

The 1550 will be getting new higher-output pickups. Probably DiMarzios in blue.

maltingsaudio

RS540 LTD here and 10's all the way, actually use 10's on all my electrics

Elwood

NelsonP said:

Elwood said:

I've got an RG570 and have been wondering what to do with it.

Thinking of converting to dive only and putting a big block in the back of it (not sure if that is snake oil or not though).

Maybe check out one of these?

https://www.allparts.com/tremol-no

Cheers, already got a WTB up for one. Unfortunately it's not one size fits all - small clamp for stock block & large clamp if upgraded.