ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear

Non ADA Gear => Guitars => Topic started by: Systematic Chaos on December 11, 2017, 04:31:15 PM

Title: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: Systematic Chaos on December 11, 2017, 04:31:15 PM
Treated myself to an early christmas present ;-)

This is regarded as the holy grail Ibanez RG550, a 1987 MIJ Ibanez RG550 in Road Flare Red. This color was only offered for one year and it's friggin hard to capture on camera. Neon red kinda.
Found this on Yahoo Auctions Japan for ~220€/260$, and besides some gunk and discoloration on the fretboard, the body has no dings or scratches.
These were the firs RGs that were released together withthe first Jems and I guess Ibanez really wanted to set a mark and footprint in the guitar market back then. This one has a one piece body.
These first series RGs came with V2 bridge and V1 neck pups that were wound by Maxon in Japan. After 30 years of "natural aging" these truly sound phenomenal. The V2 like vintage throaty Super Distortion and the V1 like neck PAF from the late 50s.
So much for teh first impression....now off to de-gunking the fretboard and sanding down the back of the neck for a Tru-Oil/Wax finish ;-)
(http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af41/MagnusBausW/55299829-2C1C-45A3-950E-F6E69A436606_zpsexcbjkph.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: rnolan on December 12, 2017, 12:28:47 AM
Very nice SC, merry xmas  :wave: .  Have you considered true oiling the fret board as well ?  That will get rid of the divots and make it less slippery, and I assume a re-fret wouldn't hurt it..
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: MikeB on December 12, 2017, 12:44:00 AM
Geez. How many guitars does one guy need? :dunno:
...
Oh ,that's right.  Just one more.  :banana-guitar: :headbanger: :banana-trip:
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: Soloist on December 12, 2017, 12:48:40 AM
Very Nice SC!  :thumb-up:
Always liked the early RG's :headbanger:
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: MarshallJMP on December 12, 2017, 04:26:38 AM
Geez. How many guitars does one guy need? :dunno:
...
Oh ,that's right.  Just one more.  :banana-guitar: :headbanger: :banana-trip:

+1  ;D Nice guitar, really like the color!!
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: Systematic Chaos on December 31, 2017, 02:44:04 AM
All cleaned up, new pots and wiring. Polished the frets with StewMac Fret Erasers (8000 grit) and, despite this being a 30year old guitar with original frets, theres no need for a refret for even a fret level. I set the truss rod for a completely straight neck and theres no buzz or fret-outs with the action being super low (1mm E, 0.7mm e @12th).
The pups (V2 bridge and V1 neck) are not super high output but, after having "naturally aged" for 30 years, there's really some PAF'ish Mojo with a twist going on...no need to swap them out.
(http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af41/MagnusBausW/B2FFD1D5-31CD-475B-8218-9EDC2C07482D_zpsyrzmqivb.jpg)
(http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af41/MagnusBausW/AF052A02-DA14-480A-89ED-2C75605301A8_zpshsepic3g.jpg)
(http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af41/MagnusBausW/63386D4F-E14C-4C01-8CD3-1E9B4F6EF941_zpsnodpf4o2.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: rnolan on December 31, 2017, 07:13:45 PM
Hey SC, looking good  :thumb-up: :whoohoo!:
Title: Re: NGD! THE Holy Grail Ibanez RG - 1987 RG550 Road Flare Red
Post by: Iperfungus on January 17, 2018, 04:48:11 AM
Nice f**king guitar!!!  :bow:

Wizard neck and an awesome pickups set.
The pickups, even if unmarked, are the same V2-S1-V1 set I've on my 1991 RG570 and they're actually very good units.
I'va a couple of F2/F1 IBZ/USA I want to try on the 570, but stock pickups are fine.

Good score mate!  :thumb-up: