NGD: A very abused and neglected Ibanez RG550 - 1987

SquireJapan

Couldn’t resist this. It’s a first year 1987 RG550 in road flare red. 

It’s been scalloped (not very well), and someone routed it for new layout. Totally destroyed the value, hence I could afford it

https://imgur.com/a/bZ09mNT

Needs a lot of love. 

ICBM

That’s cool.

I have a friend who keeps buying wrecks like this - although in his case generally older Fenders - and getting me to fix them up.

I call it ‘dog rescue’ .

SquireJapan

I love stuff with a bit of character. Someone put a lot of energy into this (not talent), and it’s been played a tonne (back of the neck is very well worn). 

Neck seems solid, and the electrics work. 

Off to @FelineGuitars soon for a good seeing to. 

guitarmangler

Nice ! That looks like something Paul Gilbert played on his instruction videos ! 

OilCityPickups

That's really cool ... I love guitars with this sort of vibe - heavily personalised working tools. Someone had mahoosive good taste in putting in a Firebird pickup ... 

Offset

OilCityPickups said:

That's really cool ... I love guitars with this sort of vibe - heavily personalised working tools. Someone had mahoosive good taste in putting in a Firebird pickup ... 

Yeah, I think that mini h/b will sound great in there.  That guitar has genuine mojo for sure!

* EDIT - looking forward to hearing about its' road to redemption @SquireJapan ;

stonevibe

The days when guitarists played and modded their instruments. 

Rather than taking photos of them (for social media) and keeping them in locked cases as part of a collection/investment.

Nice!

Cool RG, very cool. 

racefaceec90

that is lovely enjoy :-D

CHRISB50

Really like that. 

Enjoy mate. 

bassbora

Really love that 

Lewy

Love that. It's the Yngwie Gilbert signature model!

SquireJapan

Lewy said:

Love that. It's the Yngwie Gilbert signature model!

Ha! Love that. 

I’m torn as to whether I’ll ask to the scalloping “evened out”. 

It gets more scalloped towards the bridge (from barely to lots), and it’s not symmetrical from low e to high e.  

Also varnished with a brush …

Lewy

SquireJapan said:

Lewy said:

Love that. It's the Yngwie Gilbert signature model!

Ha! Love that. 

I’m torn as to whether I’ll ask to the scalloping “evened out”. 

It gets more scalloped towards the bridge (from barely to lots), and it’s not symmetrical from low e to high e.  

Also varnished with a brush …

I think the Blackmore strat gets progressively more scalloped towards the bridge so that could well be deliberate. Does it get more or less scalloped as you go towards the high e? 

SquireJapan

It does indeed - it's deeper on the high E side, and as you go towards the bridge it gets deeper.

I don't know why, but I feel we're diagnosing something. Not a bad thing!

gumbothewiddler

Great score! I reckon it’s probably a good player as Nobody plays a really bad guitar that much…

SquireJapan

So this thing is ace!

Took of the biohazard strings, cleaned the fretboard gunk and "polished" the frets with Brasso.

There's varnish on the sides of frets, which is quite telling.

Has a TB4 in the bridge, more modern than I thought (modern printed label).

Sounds very "hotlicks VHS" shreddy ... (reminds me how Paul Gilbert sounded on those intense rock videos).

Lots of fun, and clearly can't yet do this justice, though I will!

Frets def need a proper seeing to, but for now I'll live with it until I get it "Feline'd"

jdbwales

How’s the scalloped neck feel? I’ve been tempted to try a scalloped neck on my RG but I fear the usual ‘bending chords out of tune’ stuff!

DrBob

As others have said I love guitars like this it’s got so much personality. How stable is the neck ? There’s not a lot of wood on them without scalloping them 

SquireJapan

It’s holding tune and seems straight. Doesn’t deflect much when I pull the headstock forward (that’s an odd little test I do on guitars after owning one that would move enough to go out of tune if depending on how you held it). 

Scallops I love, they’re kind of their own thing, but I love them. Had another guitar with them, took a week or so of playing to learn to get the tension right, now it’s fine. Made my touch much lighter. 

CHRISB50

jdbwales said:

How’s the scalloped neck feel? I’ve been tempted to try a scalloped neck on my RG but I fear the usual ‘bending chords out of tune’ stuff!

Try playing without using your thumb on your fretting hand. Just use your fingers. No thumb at all. Not over the neck, not behind the neck. 

Very quick way to instantly lighten the pressure you put on the strings. Once you get used to how it feels, add the thumb back in.