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Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

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  • Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

    So I got this beauty in June of 2018 and she has been a constant companion since then.

    Here are the specs: https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/S5570Q

    A random few personal thoughts first. I LOVE the color. I saw the S5570 at NAMM in 2014 and thought it was the first Ibanez that just really grabbed me by the throat and said BUY ME! I like the look of the Lo-Pro more than the Original Edge, I've only had one other Ibanez and it had an Edge. I can't tell difference in functionality but I just prefer a more sleek look. That said, you can see the route is a bit oversized for the Lo-Pro, and I realized the reason for that was because until 2014 the model had a Zero Trem. In their wisdom Ibanez made plenty of room for the intonation tool to not hit the top of the guitar. I also like the thought of the titanium reinforcement from the KTS rods. I don't know if it really does much for sustain or not...but it gives me warm fuzzies to know that such a slim neck has a bit of extra engineering in it. Finally, I know it's dumb but I LOVE the colette knobs! they have the rubber middle and feel so good to use.

    So as far as looks go, this guitar was about 4 years old when I got it. It had a few pick scratches but overall was perfect.


    Play-ability The guy I bought it from on Reverb said it had sustain issues on the 14th-ish fret. I didn't feel like it was very bad, but I hear there's more drop off around the 14th fret than higher or lower on the neck. I don't want to insinuate it's a dead spot, just a less lively spot. As far as the rest goes, the neck was fast and I love the S body shape and weight. Don't get me wrong, a RG is a good body but I don't feel like it's quite as friendly for long gigs. Mine had a Tremol-No in it. I used it for a while, but I didn't like it enough to keep it. The neck is thin and wide as it has the Super Wizard HP profile. The biggest issue I've had is fret sprout. the S5570 doesn't have neck or body binding so when it reared its ugly head it became obvious. I used the StewMac fret dressing stick to get rid of it. Also on recommendation from Rich at Ibanez Rules I used a razor blade to make the neck feel broken in and WOW...what a difference that made.

    Trem use....the Lo-Pro is pretty incredible. I can't believe how well it works. I like the slide in arm, but it has already developed some slop since I bought it. I guess I need to get some new teflon washers from Rich. The feel is great and I'm really impressed by the thought that wen into its design. One thing is that the duralumin block is pretty small. I think eventually I'm going to get a FU-Tone block upgrade. I think this would probably help the 14th fret issue as well as warm up the guitar just a hair. I did try the Floyd Rose brass claw...just to see and it didn't make a difference significant enough I could hear after a string change. It looks nice though!

    As far as sound goes....the guitar came with a Hot Grinder Neck and Bridge with a Short Tracer middle. I really was unimpressed with the pickups chosen. Funny enough, Nita Strauss LIKES that setup. I went to a show with her and Angel Vivaldi, where I had both sign the back of my headstock, and she commented about how she liked the factory pickups and asked what I put in it. The Neck pickup was too bright and quacky and the bridge was to mid-humpy. I couldn't get a sound that was consistently good for neck and middle. The short tracer was alright, it was pretty strong over all, but a bit too much glass for me. I put in a Liquifire neck, red velvet in the middle, and a Steve's Special bridge. The Steve's Special in the regular orientation has a very clinical sound. I definitely get some early Dream Theater sound and feel with it even in this guitar. The low end is HUGE and the highs aren't brittle but are out front for sure. Long term I wasn't sure I could deal with it. So eventually I flipped it and have been MUCH happier. It is still somewhat scooped, more like a Custom I'd say but with a warmer top end and thicker bottom end due to more low mids. The Liquifire you've all probably read about. It's designed for Petrucci's 24 fret guitars and is based on an Air Norton so it does really well in the S. Sometimes the presence can be a little TOO much, but normally it's fine. In the middle position the red velvet does well keeping up with the other two. It's definitely a hotter strat single sound as for output, but it still has the normal strat quack etc. The Red Velvet plays nice with the other pickups in the 2 and 4 positions. I think it's supposed to be comparable to the SD Twang-Banger. but with less tele EQ-ing.

    Overall, I'm very satisfied and this guitar has turned me into a big fan of the Prestige line. When I consider how much guitar I got for the price it seems a little ridiculous how much some companies charge for less. That all said, I think that with dbl locking trem guitars it's imperative that the store or individual that sells them set them up correctly the first time or the recipient will NEVER be happy with the guitar.

    Luke
    Attached Files
    “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

  • #2
    Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

    So I take it, you kinda like it?
    Not planning on flipping it?


    So the razor blade on the neck
    You are talking about rolling the fretboard edges

    Please a bit more on what exactly that procedure involved
    EHD
    Just here surfing Guitar Pron
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    • #3
      Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

      I call the S model a multiplex guitar cause it's so thin it feels like a slab of plywood poking the ribs.

      Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk

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      • #4
        Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

        You can wrap a piece of electrical tape around the trem arm or stretch the washers with a nose plier to make the trem sit tight again.

        Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk

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        • #5
          Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

          Originally posted by ehdwuld View Post
          So I take it, you kinda like it?
          Not planning on flipping it?
          Ummmm....nope!

          Although...I WISH it had an ebony board instead of rosewood.

          Originally posted by ehdwuld
          So the razor blade on the neck
          You are talking about rolling the fretboard edges

          Please a bit more on what exactly that procedure involved
          Correct!

          Waaaaay back I did a lot of this with just steel wool. It was a much slower process and although you accomplished your end it's not as finished, I feel like.

          Full procedure for the fingerboard went like this:
          Fret stick work to get rid of sprout on ends.
          Then I'd hit each fret on the sides of the end
          Next take your razor blade and start on either side. I used a steeper angle when I started...say around 70 degrees knocking down the hard edge
          Then switch sides of the fingerboard and complete the process with the steeper angle on the untouched side.
          Afterwards see how it feels to you.
          If you want it significantly more rolled or rounded move to a more acute angle, say about 45 degrees and repeat the process
          Check the feel again. It's possible you might feel a bit more "fret sprout" on the sides. When this happened I got out my dressing stick and worked the edges again ever so slightly.
          If it's rolled enough I finish with 0000 steel wool. I use it like sand paper and run it up and down the edges at about a 45 degree angle or maybe a little less.
          I run the steel wool up and down the fingerboard until I get the desired smoothness on the edges
          Finally I double check from the back side to make sure it feels good at the maple to rosewood transition. This is also a good time to hit the back of the neck with the steel wool to ensure a good matte finish.

          Let me know if you need any other questions.


          Originally posted by Obsessive Compulsive View Post
          I call the S model a multiplex guitar cause it's so thin it feels like a slab of plywood poking the ribs.

          Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk
          Maybe it's just where it hangs on me I haven't have the poking issue, but I've heard lots of guys have that issue.

          Originally posted by Obsessive Compulsive View Post
          You can wrap a piece of electrical tape around the trem arm or stretch the washers with a nose plier to make the trem sit tight again.

          Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk
          Thanks for the tips! The fact it "falls" doesn't bother me, but the slop it's developed does aggravate me.

          Luke
          “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

            Nice review.

            I've had my old S-540 Ltd since I bought it new in '94 & it's still the best playing axe I own ....now upgraded with a fantastic handwound pair of "7th Sin' alnico 4 pickups from SIN pickups. I've bought two more S's since including a seven string S7421 which is Indo-made but just as awesome. Love the stock pickups on this one & the ZR is a cool tremolo..

            Saber's are Great playing & sounding guitars that are totally underrated for how awesome they are! Forget OFR's ..the Lo-Pro is my fave trem hands down.
            "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

            I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

            Originally posted by Rodney Gene
            If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


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            • #7
              Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

              Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post
              Nice review.

              I've had my old S-540 Ltd since I bought it new in '94 & it's still the best playing axe I own ....now upgraded with a fantastic handwound pair of "7th Sin' alnico 4 pickups from SIN pickups. I've bought two more S's since including a seven string S7421 which is Indo-made but just as awesome. Love the stock pickups on this one & the ZR is a cool tremolo..

              Saber's are Great playing & sounding guitars that are totally underrated for how awesome they are! Forget OFR's ..the Lo-Pro is my fave trem hands down.
              Everyone loves the old S540. I've never had a chance to play one though. I was broke when a SF-470 came up years ago and have been looking for a fair priced one since.

              Luke
              “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Ibanez S5570 Review 22 Months After

                I use a small socket or the rounded shaft of a screwdriver to round over my fretboard edges.

                It works great and is super hard to damage anything.

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