Ibanez RG550 Genesis Collection Desert Sun Yellow

This is one of the best playing guitars I've ever had my hands on. $1k for a MIJ Ibanez is a steal. The neck is thin and has a great satin finish that feels very soft in hand. The frets are well polished and the fretboard is perfect. The setup was great right out of the box as far as I can tell; low action with no noticeable fret buzz and intonation was right on. The Edge tremolo feels incredibly smooth and flutters better than any other tremolo system I've tried. The pickups sound good. The purple neon finish looks so cool, shifting between a reddish-pink and deep purple depending on how the light hits it. The maple fretboard looks great contrasting with the black hardware and purple finish.If I were to nitpick, the fret edges are a little bit less rounded off ... MoreThis is one of the best playing guitars I've ever had my hands on. $1k for a MIJ Ibanez is a steal. The neck is thin and has a great satin finish that feels very soft in hand. The frets are well polished and the fretboard is perfect. The setup was great right out of the box as far as I can tell; low action with no noticeable fret buzz and intonation was right on. The Edge tremolo feels incredibly smooth and flutters better than any other tremolo system I've tried. The pickups sound good. The purple neon finish looks so cool, shifting between a reddish-pink and deep purple depending on how the light hits it. The maple fretboard looks great contrasting with the black hardware and purple finish.If I were to nitpick, the fret edges are a little bit less rounded off than my Ibanez Prestige from 2000, but it has not really bothered me at all when I am playing. Also, the neck pocket on mine arrived with some small hairline finish cracks on either side, but AMS made things right for me immediately after I contacted them about it.

Let me just say, the hype w/ these made in Japan Ibanez guitars is real. I couldn't find a flaw on the thing. It's just rock solid. The Edge tremolo feels fantastic and is extremely well built - better than even the Gotoh units, which I think are above even the German Floyds. I'd give the Gotoh a slight edge w/ the brass block but everything about the Edge seems beefier and higher quality. The neck's great. Nice and thin and wide. Fret work was perfect. The fingerboard radius is very flat and you'll either love it or it will feel funky to you. Out of the box it played great. Action was maybe a little high but it still played fast and felt good enough that I didn't tweak it. Anyway, the guitar itself is pristine.The electronics leave a lot to be desired. The ... MoreLet me just say, the hype w/ these made in Japan Ibanez guitars is real. I couldn't find a flaw on the thing. It's just rock solid. The Edge tremolo feels fantastic and is extremely well built - better than even the Gotoh units, which I think are above even the German Floyds. I'd give the Gotoh a slight edge w/ the brass block but everything about the Edge seems beefier and higher quality. The neck's great. Nice and thin and wide. Fret work was perfect. The fingerboard radius is very flat and you'll either love it or it will feel funky to you. Out of the box it played great. Action was maybe a little high but it still played fast and felt good enough that I didn't tweak it. Anyway, the guitar itself is pristine.The electronics leave a lot to be desired. The pickups just don't do anything for me in any position. They're dull and slightly muddy and I personally just can't make them work. Which is a bummer because, as I said, the rest of the guitar is great. IMO, this guitar can be something you own for life and are extremely proud of. But you're gonna want to swap the pickups out. Looks five, stars. Build, five stars. Tone, meh... 2.5.All that being said, I still think the guitar is a decent value. Craftsmanship is better than most of the American made guitars I've played. Head and shoulders above my made in the USA SG. If you're in love w/ the looks, and you know what you're getting into w/ the neck shape/profile, pick a set of pickups you love and you'll have a guitar that you can rock til you die.

A Special Guitar

Overall:Ibanez RG genesis series guitars represent the 80s genre metal as well as shred virtuoso guitar playing. So they are very cool! They are extremely comfortable and well made. The super wizard neck is thin and action can be adjusted very low. The trem system is one of the best systems out there, very predictable and reliable. The guitar does not go out of tune! The V pickups truly capture what this guitar is about, the character of this guitar is precise and warm and so are the pickups. They are well balanced and they do not disappoint. Not sure why many players get them out and put name brands...You can tweak your amp and get the tone you need from these stock pickups. Music and taste in instruments is subjective and yet RG genesis series guitars are high ... MoreOverall:Ibanez RG genesis series guitars represent the 80s genre metal as well as shred virtuoso guitar playing. So they are very cool! They are extremely comfortable and well made. The super wizard neck is thin and action can be adjusted very low. The trem system is one of the best systems out there, very predictable and reliable. The guitar does not go out of tune! The V pickups truly capture what this guitar is about, the character of this guitar is precise and warm and so are the pickups. They are well balanced and they do not disappoint. Not sure why many players get them out and put name brands...You can tweak your amp and get the tone you need from these stock pickups. Music and taste in instruments is subjective and yet RG genesis series guitars are high quality precision instruments any guitar player would be proud and privileged to have. For me, these guitars are the pinnacle of craftsmanship.

Excellent Guitar!

Just took delivery today - it arrived in mint condition and the intonation was nearly perfect - only required a small adjustment on 1 string! The finishes on this guitar are beautiful - the purple color is deep & rich and the black hardware really compliments the overall look, I can tell that when stage lights hit it, the guitar will be stunning. Action was set very low and it has very minimal fret buzz - no need for adjustment. Ran it through all the paces using every effects pedal on my board both "clean" and "dirty." It sounds great with everything. After string-stretching I could gig with the guitar just as it is now.The Ibanez pickups surprised me both with their power and clarity. Yes this thing shreds - that's why I bought it, but ... I was totally ... MoreJust took delivery today - it arrived in mint condition and the intonation was nearly perfect - only required a small adjustment on 1 string! The finishes on this guitar are beautiful - the purple color is deep & rich and the black hardware really compliments the overall look, I can tell that when stage lights hit it, the guitar will be stunning. Action was set very low and it has very minimal fret buzz - no need for adjustment. Ran it through all the paces using every effects pedal on my board both "clean" and "dirty." It sounds great with everything. After string-stretching I could gig with the guitar just as it is now.The Ibanez pickups surprised me both with their power and clarity. Yes this thing shreds - that's why I bought it, but ... I was totally unprepared as to how great it sounds clean. Has a better "dumble" sound than my Strat. Can play it distorted with the selector set to both the middle and bridge pickup without any "muddiness." Neck is VERY comfortable and fast - you don't have to worry about sweaty hands sticking to it at hot gigs. The shape allows easy access to the upper frets with little effort. Output on the humbuckers is good - I could turn down the drive-settings on both my OCD Overdrive and the ProCo Rat and not lose anything in tone. Ergonomics are great, I don't find myself hitting knobs with the right hand and the tremolo arm stays put in all positions. This guitar is LIGHT and perfectly balanced.The pickups are quiet when using compression combined with dirt, without extra humming or other noise during rests.Will probably upgrade the pickups, but for this price point, the instrument was better than I expected and sounds better than 2 of my other more-expensive guitars already.I will be playing this thing a LOT and I bought it for gigging, jamming, practicing. Am very happy with this purchase!

Genesis RG 550

Overall:I've been playing Ibanez guitars for over 30 years and have owned many models in that time including the original 500 series guitars some of which I still own. This guitar is superb. I have had the guitar for a couple of days now and can say after playing it almost non stop. The build quality is excellent I haven't found any flaws yet and will have to say that this particular guitar is absolutely flawless. I have gone over and over the guitar and there are literally no flaws. When I received the guitar which was 3 days earlier than promised I unpacked the guitar and went over it with a fine tooth comb. Flawless fit and finish. Everything is exactly as it should be. I have been ordering guitars for years online and this one was the most flawless one I ever ... MoreOverall:I've been playing Ibanez guitars for over 30 years and have owned many models in that time including the original 500 series guitars some of which I still own. This guitar is superb. I have had the guitar for a couple of days now and can say after playing it almost non stop. The build quality is excellent I haven't found any flaws yet and will have to say that this particular guitar is absolutely flawless. I have gone over and over the guitar and there are literally no flaws. When I received the guitar which was 3 days earlier than promised I unpacked the guitar and went over it with a fine tooth comb. Flawless fit and finish. Everything is exactly as it should be. I have been ordering guitars for years online and this one was the most flawless one I ever purchased. I always find something on guitars when ordering online like at least some minor flaws or even major ones that are deal breakers. I've been comparing this guitar to my original 550 and it does have some differences. The neck is slightly thicker than my old one and the volute on the neck is there. 5 piece neck is different from the one piece with scarf joint. These are all excellent improvements to the original the other thing that I noticed was the fretboard edges are rolled which is awesome! I love it. I actually like it better than my old 550 which is blowing my mind. The only complaint is I really wish it was offered in a hardshell case. But I'm in the mindset that all guitars over say 500 bucks should have at least a gig bag. Thanks zZounds for getting me a great guitar super fast!

Hands down the best guitar i've ever played

Overall:My first purchase from zZounds, decided to try this red rg550. I was a bit worried because this is my first Floyd. I have a handful of other guitars but none of them play like this. Everyone upgrades these pickups, im not going to, they are hot to me, there is a great amount of sustain and they are metal machines as far as im concerned its that old school metal shred tone I want but they are versatile. The guitar was in 99 percent perfect condition, the bridge pickup was raised too high and someone testing it out had caused a slight cosmetic tear in the ribbon of the pickup, a few pick marks on the plastic. Stellar condition, the neck is flawless, the trem is top of the line with gotoh hardware stays in tune even with the gnarliest dives. Beinga Floyd noob ... MoreOverall:My first purchase from zZounds, decided to try this red rg550. I was a bit worried because this is my first Floyd. I have a handful of other guitars but none of them play like this. Everyone upgrades these pickups, im not going to, they are hot to me, there is a great amount of sustain and they are metal machines as far as im concerned its that old school metal shred tone I want but they are versatile. The guitar was in 99 percent perfect condition, the bridge pickup was raised too high and someone testing it out had caused a slight cosmetic tear in the ribbon of the pickup, a few pick marks on the plastic. Stellar condition, the neck is flawless, the trem is top of the line with gotoh hardware stays in tune even with the gnarliest dives. Beinga Floyd noob I had to watch a few videos on how to tune it but ive got the hang of it. The first time I didn't tighten the nuts just a hair enough and lost my tuning when I dived, I tuned and tried again now I have the hang of it. Anyway, aside from the Ibanez edge trem system the neck itself is like butter. I mean any solo or riff I could think of just felt effortless and easier. Like I said hands down the best guitar ive ever played and totally worth every penny. Will come back to zZounds, thank you for the great guitar.

Ibanez RG550 Genesis - DY

Overall:This guitar rips. While this is my first non-prestige Ibanez, it certainly contends with them. The Super wizard neck is super thin and fast. 5 piece construction is great for touring musicians and those living in constant humid-shifting climates. Maple fretboard is clean and snappy. Tilt-neck joint allows for pretty solid upper-fret access. And as for the finish, Desert Yellow POPS. Its super bright and obnoxious. I love it!This is my first Edge tremolo system ( My other prestige's consist of lo-pro Edge or hard tail ) , and I think it feels good! Diving up and down feels fluent as ever, tuning stability is solid, and the sustain seems decent aswell. One thing is for sure, its MILES better than any FR...It's no secret that the v7 and v8 PU's are a bit ... MoreOverall:This guitar rips. While this is my first non-prestige Ibanez, it certainly contends with them. The Super wizard neck is super thin and fast. 5 piece construction is great for touring musicians and those living in constant humid-shifting climates. Maple fretboard is clean and snappy. Tilt-neck joint allows for pretty solid upper-fret access. And as for the finish, Desert Yellow POPS. Its super bright and obnoxious. I love it!This is my first Edge tremolo system ( My other prestige's consist of lo-pro Edge or hard tail ) , and I think it feels good! Diving up and down feels fluent as ever, tuning stability is solid, and the sustain seems decent aswell. One thing is for sure, its MILES better than any FR...It's no secret that the v7 and v8 PU's are a bit underwhelming, they lack the low and mid-range punch being medium output humbuckers, but that is my only personal gripe with this guitar. I plan to switch them out with something a bit more hot.All in all, for 1000USD this is a steal. the 550 Genesis is a work of art. A worthy reissue of the classic shred guitar, and I've been having a blast playing it since I got it. MIJ Ibanez simply cannot be beaten.

Ibanez RG550-Practically Stole it

Sound:The stock pickups sound great especially with high gain. Nice crunch and break up.Features:For me the reason that I bought this model is that it is the least expensive way to get a real Edge tremolo. I can do subtle things with the Edge that I can’t do on an Original Floyd Rose. The bar is easier to position and it stays where ever you put it. As long as the torsion bushings on the bar aren’t worn out, the pop in bar is neither too tight or too sloppy.Value:This guitar is worth every penny.Manufacturer Support:I did not use Ibanez customer service and I did order half a dozen sets of torsion bushings, but had to order them from different places.The Wow Factor:I love the color of this one, Desert Sun Yellow.Overall:In the last 2 months I’ve ... MoreSound:The stock pickups sound great especially with high gain. Nice crunch and break up.Features:For me the reason that I bought this model is that it is the least expensive way to get a real Edge tremolo. I can do subtle things with the Edge that I can’t do on an Original Floyd Rose. The bar is easier to position and it stays where ever you put it. As long as the torsion bushings on the bar aren’t worn out, the pop in bar is neither too tight or too sloppy.Value:This guitar is worth every penny.Manufacturer Support:I did not use Ibanez customer service and I did order half a dozen sets of torsion bushings, but had to order them from different places.The Wow Factor:I love the color of this one, Desert Sun Yellow.Overall:In the last 2 months I’ve bought 5 different Ibanez guitars, both lower and higher price. I must say that this guitar is the most bang for the buck out of any of my 21 guitars that I own.Got more than 200 bucks off on mine as it was sold as a slight blemish. When the guitar arrived, I noticed it did have a hairline crack in the paint on the bass side at the neck pocket. That was the only flaw I could find and it probably would have happened anyway if I would have got a “new” one.This is the shreddiest guitar that I have. The only thing that I had to address is that the 6th fret was a little proud. Other than that the fret job was good. All the frets were shiny and smooth and no fret sprout.This is the guitar that is at the price point where if you spend more money, you aren’t going to get much better. And the fit and finish were top notch.

Jack of All Trades

Overall:I've been playing for many years off and on. Since the pandemic I've found myself purchasing more to my arsenal and have spent way too much money. Oh well we only live 1 life. This is my very first time buying an Ibanez electric guitar and I've been around since the 80's. I typically go for Fender, Jackson or Gibson. However I wanted to give this guitar a try. As simply put this guitar is outstanding in every way! I honestly thought the wider nut width was going to turn me off as my other guitars have in the past. I'm so wrong cause of how thin this neck is I can put my hand around it and not feel like I'm stretching my fingers to play the next fret. I have smaller hands so this is plus for me. It looks amazing and plays well without even plugging into an ... MoreOverall:I've been playing for many years off and on. Since the pandemic I've found myself purchasing more to my arsenal and have spent way too much money. Oh well we only live 1 life. This is my very first time buying an Ibanez electric guitar and I've been around since the 80's. I typically go for Fender, Jackson or Gibson. However I wanted to give this guitar a try. As simply put this guitar is outstanding in every way! I honestly thought the wider nut width was going to turn me off as my other guitars have in the past. I'm so wrong cause of how thin this neck is I can put my hand around it and not feel like I'm stretching my fingers to play the next fret. I have smaller hands so this is plus for me. It looks amazing and plays well without even plugging into an amp. I actually had to force myself to put it down to write a review before hearing what is sounds like only because the play-ability is amazing. This guitar is not lite as I expected and I'm glad it doesn't feel like a toy. The neck is smoother than the others I've played or had in the past. The only drawback is the whammy bar. I can't tell if it's in all the way and is it supposed to be stiff.....meaning it doesn't seem to move freely at all. However the plus side it's made in Japan and the craftsmanship shows! I've owned a lot of guitars and this ranks one of the best comfort and play-ability guitars I've had. I'll plug into my amp later but more than likely I'll change the pickups just because I want Dimarzio Super D and Super 2. Great price and great guitar......I would buy again if it was ever stolen!

MY MOST VERSATILE GUITAR

With the H-S-H pickup configuration, this is my most versatile guitar. It can get pretty much any sound you want from it. Obviously, the Floyd Rose also gives it even more versatility. SUPER thin neck for extremely fast playing. I've had this guitar since around '94 ish, and it is BY FAR the longest lasting guitar in my collection. Again, MAINLY because of it's versatility.