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ibanez rg prestige 3550


MichaelYoung

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that's a reasonably high-end ibanez

 

however, as far as i'm aware, it's not a whole heap different from a 1570 with upgraded pickups. so if you just want an ibanez that might be a better way to do it

 

i guess check the going new (online stores, it's a current model i think) and used (ebay completed listings) rates on the ibanez and your gibson and go from there.

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You might want to check completed eBay auctions to see what the Ibanez is worth. Ibanez usually take a pretty big hit on resale value.

 

I did a quick search and it looks like there were a few in pretty good shape that went for $900-1000, which is more than I would have expected...

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Well that sounds like a fair trade then.

 

Just make sure to play it for awhile first, looks like most of your guitars have slightly chunkier necks so you may not like the slimmer Ibby profile.

 

That said I switched from an LP to a Charvel (which has a much thinner neck profile) and I couldn't be happier.

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I have a 3550 and it's great. It has a level of versatility you would never expect from a pointy super strat. The factory stock pups (DiMarzio Tone zone, True velvet and Air Norton) are outstanding. You want clean? Sure no problem, but you can also have pretty much anything else you want up to and including the brootlz. As a plus, if you do happen to use it, the Edge Zero whammy never goes out of tune. I've had this one since they were introduced (Winter NAMM show '09) and I'm keeping it. To me, it would be more than a fair trade for an LP Studio from an overall tone point of view.

 

P7231460_edited.jpg

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I have never owned one but can vouch that the cleans on damn near all Strats, especially higher quality superstrats, will be pretty damn nice, and so many sounds to choose from! My Charvels have Tone Zone bridge pickups and they are just... perfect. Beefy as all get out, but CLEAR. Miles away from harsh, or muddy for that matter. Somewhat akin to a Duncan Custom Custom, maybe a touch more fat.

 

Anyway.

 

Do it. Worst case scenario, you don't care for it, and sell it (and maybe even make a little).

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I have never owned one but can vouch that the cleans on damn near all Strats, especially higher quality superstrats, will be pretty damn nice, and so many sounds to choose from! My Charvels have Tone Zone bridge pickups and they are just... perfect. Beefy as all get out, but CLEAR. Miles away from harsh, or muddy for that matter. Somewhat akin to a Duncan Custom Custom, maybe a touch more fat.


Anyway.


Do it. Worst case scenario, you don't care for it, and sell it (and maybe even make a little).

 

 

looks like we're going to go thru with it.

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From a fiscal perspective, it's a damn good deal.

From a break the string, oh {censored}, I don't know anything about Floyd Rose, you mean to tell me the whole damn guitar is out of tune now, dammit, and I have to mess with a wrench, and fine tuners? WTF? I am going to be on youtube for hours trying to find someone who has a decent video on how to get this damn thing strung back up, and in tune, why didn't I just keep my freakin Gibson.... I would be back to playing hours ago...instead I am up till 2am trying to figure out how to get this bridge level...this is bull{censored}....

From that perspective.... the deal blows.

 

I would do the trade....sell it.... get what you really want.

Or if you really like the Studio...keep it.

YMMV

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From a fiscal perspective, it's a damn good deal.

From a break the string, oh {censored}, I don't know anything about Floyd Rose, you mean to tell me the whole damn guitar is out of tune now, dammit, and I have to mess with a wrench, and fine tuners? WTF? I am going to be on youtube for hours trying to find someone who has a decent video on how to get this damn thing strung back up, and in tune, why didn't I just keep my freakin Gibson.... I would be back to playing hours ago...instead I am up till 2am trying to figure out how to get this bridge level...this is bull{censored}....

From that perspective.... the deal blows.


I would do the trade....sell it.... get what you really want.

Or if you really like the Studio...keep it.

YMMV

 

I think it will be ok...I catch on pretty quick:thu:

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Depends what kind of player you are and what you're looking to get from the guitar. As a former owner of an RG3120 Prestige with PAF Pro/Tone Zone pickups - the RGs do play very efficiently with the thin neck and big frets, and if you're into whammy tricks their tremolos are very good. Sound-wise, the guitar was didn't have much character to it. A lot of guitars have a "signature" sound...for example, a Strat, LP, Tele, or 335 is very identifiable. The RG does not. It's fine if you're getting the bulk of your sound from a high-gain amp cranked up, where a hot and neutral sounding guitar works pretty well because the amp is doing most of the work. For more nuanced styles with less gain, not much in the way of note bloom, overtones, etc. Very unremarkable.

 

It just depends what you want to do with it.

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I think it will be ok...I catch on pretty quick:thu:

 

Ata boy!!

 

I think your best bet for setting up a Floyd trem comes from understanding that the spring tension has to equal the string tension.

 

This picture shows you the knife edge angle,

 

ep_knife_close.jpg

 

It's the small black cutout on the side, it shows the angle of the knife edge as it rests up against the posts.

You just have to make sure that this angel is parallel to the surface top of the body. Flat.

 

Dive the trem arm down before you tune too. This gets you to neutral on the system.

 

Spring tension is of course adjusted with the claw screws by the springs on the under side of the guitar.

 

Do not adjust the trem hight (action) with the trem under string tension, this will bunt the knife edges.

It is very easy to pop the springs off the trem block and then to remove the whole floyd for adjusting the action height with the posts, but you will likely not have to do this as the previous owner has likely done it for you.

 

A superb resource for setting up a Floyd or Ibanez Edge system can be found here,

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/angle.htm

 

Welcome to playing a modern guitar!

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Depends what kind of player you are and what you're looking to get from the guitar. As a former owner of an RG3120 Prestige with PAF Pro/Tone Zone pickups - the RGs do play very efficiently with the thin neck and big frets, and if you're into whammy tricks their tremolos are very good. Sound-wise, the guitar was didn't have much character to it. A lot of guitars have a "signature" sound...for example, a Strat, LP, Tele, or 335 is very identifiable. The RG does not. It's fine if you're getting the bulk of your sound from a high-gain amp cranked up, where a hot and neutral sounding guitar works pretty well because the amp is doing most of the work. For more nuanced styles with less gain, not much in the way of note bloom, overtones, etc. Very unremarkable.


It just depends what you want to do with it.

 

 

Very subjective. -1

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Ata boy!!


I think your best bet for setting up a Floyd trem comes from understanding that the spring tension
has to
equal the string tension.


This picture shows you the knife edge angle,


ep_knife_close.jpg

It's the small black cutout on the side, it shows the angle of the knife edge as it rests up against the posts.

You just have to make sure that this angel is parallel to the surface top of the body. Flat.


Dive the trem arm down before you tune too. This gets you to neutral on the system.


Spring tension is of course adjusted with the claw screws by the springs on the under side of the guitar.


Do not adjust the trem hight (action) with the trem under string tension, this will bunt the knife edges.

It is very easy to pop the springs off the trem block and then to remove the whole floyd for adjusting the action height with the posts, but you will likely not have to do this as the previous owner has likely done it for you.


A superb resource for setting up a Floyd or Ibanez Edge system can be found here,

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/angle.htm


Welcome to playing a modern guitar!

 

thanks so much for the info. I have an 85 contemporary strat with a trem on it. but it is completely different than the floyd. I am pumped about getting a "modern" "shredder" guitar. I love my gibsons but i think it's time for some change

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Value-wise, if both guitars are in comparable shape, it's a great deal for you.

 

Sanity-wise, I almost killed myself trying to enjoy the floating tremolo on my 3550. But I bought it cheap, cleaned it up, and sold it for a profit, so chalk that up in the good value column.

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im sure it will be something fun to work with:confused:

 

 

Was just remembering back to my first one, I didn't know how to set it up and I spent 8 to 10+ hours chasing my tail.

Now I can setup one that is totally off in under a half hour (intonation not included), and out side of some fine tuning on occasion, that's the end of the effort I have to put into one.

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