Cheapy Ibanez RG

Van Noord

Van Noord

New member
I'm looking at finally dipping into the RG pool after years of procrastination.

Been kind of wanting to try a thin, flat neck...but not toooooo thin.

This is the guitar I'm aiming to pick up tomorrow.

https://reverb.com/item/6958294-ibanez-rg3ex1-2005-red-burst-flametop-hardtail-guitar

Not a huge fan of the color, but has everything else I'm looking for. I'll also be putting in a JB/59 zebra set straight away.

So, this is a 10+ year old guitar in near new condition.
Is the Wizard II neck from that era the least thin of the Wizard necks?
 
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Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

There's almost no such thing as "the least thin of the Wizard necks." I've owned 2 Wizards from that era - an '03 S Series and an '01 RG - and now own a '17 S Series Standard, an '08 7 String S Series, and recently got rid of a '17 S Series Iron Label, and MAYBE the new ones are a bit thinner, but if so, it's such a small difference that playability is negligable.

Without looking up the specs so that we can talk about one or two millimeters, I'll just say that those Wizard necks are really super thin.

The question for me, personally, is if there's a difference in the SHAPE of the neck. THAT'S where the REAL playability of the Wizard necks MIGHT become apparent. MIGHT! But to me, a Wizard neck is a Wizard neck.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

I think these days the "Wizard 3" neck seems to be just a little thicker and rounder profile than the rest. It felt pretty confortable to me, more so than the RGA 121 i once owned. Actually that one was TOO thin and flat for me. Anyway, the only problem with Wizard 3, is it seems to be found mostly on their cheaper, lower line guitars, and the ones i've seen were one-piece maple. I much prefer the current Schecter "SLS" necks, and to me the Wizard 3's i played at GC seemed pretty similar. Finish on those Ibby's was pretty atrocious though, lots of sharp fret ends. That RG you linked to looked sweet!
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Sun King said:
I think these days the "Wizard 3" neck seems to be just a little thicker and rounder profile than the rest. It felt pretty confortable to me, more so than the RGA 121 i once owned. Actually that one was TOO thin and flat for me.
Click to expand...

My S670QM has a Wizard 3, and "rounder" is the right way to describe it. It's still really thin. The neck is maybe just a bit easier for me to play both open & barre chords because that roundness gives my thumb something to grab onto (NOT a "wrap-around to grab the low E with my thumb" deal, just something to grab onto in the back of the neck). And even then it's really negligible. It's not at all like going from a Wizard to a "C" shape neck, it's just a teeny tiny bit more "C" shape.

You're right about the fret edges being too sharp, and it's a bound fretboard...!!! It cleans up well with a 180 grit foam block, but the entire binding has to be hit with it in order to give it a uniform appearance, not just the top edge.

When I start playing that thing, my mind now instantly goes to the jumbo frets, which I no longer prefer. But, after I start playing, I get over it pretty quickly. (Either re-fret, or file 'em down and re-crown 'em, or sell the guitar...or just get over it and start jammin'.)
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

I think the Indonesian and Korean made versions are a little thicker than the current Japanese made RG652 and Genesis 550's. I prefer that. I had a new RG652 for a short while and it was so thin it caused hand cramps for me. I sold it and kept my RG450m. I never thought the JB got along well with Basswood RG's. I have Duncans in all my Les Paul, SG's and PRS guitars, but always end up with Dimarzios in my RG's. Air Zone/VV54pro/Paf Pro in one of them, Fred/Area 61/Paf Joe in another and Tone Zone/VVblues/Paf Pro in another. The Humbucker from Hell also works well with the Fred. If I were going for a shred set from Duncan, I would probably go for Perpetual Burn Bridge and Full Shred neck.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Mr. B said:
I think the Indonesian and Korean made versions are a little thicker than the current Japanese made RG652 and Genesis 550's.
Click to expand...

That one got my curiosity going, so I checked, and you're right. The Prestige and Genesis (made in Japan) have the Super Wizard at 17mm / 19mm (1st fret / 12th fret), the Premium (not sure where that's made) has the Wizard 11 piece at 18mm / 20mm, the Iron Label (made in Indonesia...pretty sure mine was) has the Nitro Wizard at 19mm / 21mm, and the Standard (Korea, right...???) has the Wizard III that specs out the same as the Nitro, except that it's a one piece neck.

Of course, this is all "current catalog models," and doesn't absolutely mean that this applies to a 10 year old "spot model" (not in the catalog, and available only at certain retailers...with "spot model" being an Ibanez term, and I don't know if any other manufacturer uses that term.)
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

I have a blue RG2 hardtail with the Wizard II neck
the RG3 has a mahogany body while mine is basswood
the Wizard II neck is about the same thickness as my Epi Slim 60 on my Florentine

super flat radius

I like mine
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Gransen said:
...and the Standard (Korea, right...???) has the Wizard III
Click to expand...

Here's me about a minute ago: "Dude, why don't you go look at the back of the headstock on your S670QM and see if the word 'Indonesia' has changed to 'Korea.'"

It didn't. It's still made in Indonesia.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Well I got the guitar today. It has Duncan Designed chrome covered humbuckers, which are not stock. It's in really good condition for a 12ish year old Ibanez. No body wear, dents or dings. Which is rare for a basswood body this old. Nice quilt top, which I think is a maple cap. The body also has a cream binding.

Neck feels nice and broken in. Not as thin as I anticipated, so that's good. It is flat though, which is what I wanted.
Didn't play it so no sound or playability report because the strings and action were terrible. Needs a setup. I just stripped it and cleaned it.

As I said I'll be putting in a zebra JB and 59. There seems to be mixed reviews on the JB in a basswood guitar, but I guess I'll find out.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

All cleaned up and ready for surgery tomorrow!

IMG-20190204-203330-01.jpg
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

I love the color and the figuring of the top. Fixed bridge, so the tuners are probably plenty good enough, from my own experience with Ibanez. Upgrading the nut is questionable at best in my opinion (unless it's plastic), and really cheap and easy to do so whatever, right...???

So, the zebra JB and 59 and you're a rock star...!!!

Oh, and you're more of a man than I am if you can buy a guitar that has strings on it and not set it up and plug it in BEFORE the p'up surgery...it's gonna have to get done anyhow, it should only require a minor tweak after the new strings are in, and I'd lay awake in bed all night wondering how the outgoing p'ups sound!
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Dude, I've had two guitars with a quilted maple top, and neither of them had the balance of the one that I'm seeing in that picture! That's actually a really super awesomely balanced figuring.

Look at how there's a "smiley face" right between the pickups that stretches EXACTLY down to the bridge pickup. Then, an inch or so under the bridge and there's another "line," and everything between the smiley face and that line is perfectly symmetrical. Then, perfectly centered under the bridge, there's a big moth being chased by a smaller moth...

...or is it a bird with 4 wings...???

You didn't buy a guitar, you bought a "Rorschach Test...!!!" PEOPLE PAY EXTRA FOR A RORSCHACH TEST GUITAR, and they put THAT top on a cheap spot model...!?!

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a fan of the RG. It starts with the "80's hair band" shape, and then I just start not liking anything about them. I've owned one, and didn't have a problem buying it knowing that it just doesn't have the look that I like, and that I start needlessly nitpicking after that. I'm an S Series guy as far as Ibanez is concerned. It was fun to play when I had it, but haven't had the urge to buy one since.

That being said, if you EVER want to get rid of that thing, please look me up.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Y'all realize those tops are thin laminate tops, right? Most likely a "photo" finish to look perfect. They are in no way the same caliber of quilt top that you'd see on a Prestige model with a real maple cap.

Regardless of that, those are cool RG's. Great value. Upgrade the electronics and you've got a very solid instrument.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

ErikH said:
Y'all realize those tops are thin laminate tops, right? Most likely a "photo" finish to look perfect. They are in no way the same caliber of quilt top that you'd see on a Prestige model with a real maple cap.

Regardless of that, those are cool RG's. Great value. Upgrade the electronics and you've got a very solid instrument.
Click to expand...

I know so little about those "printed" tops that I forgot that they even exist!!! And yeah, that makes A LOT more sense than (1) the perfection that I'm seeing, and (2) why that didn't go on a Prestige.

That being said - and knowing that up close and personal it takes an average guitar player a moment or two to figure out if it's printed or natural - I'm gonna say that I'd still make an offer on that one someday if it ever comes up for sale...I just wouldn't throw in the extra cash for a perfect QM top. It's really super cool looking...!!!

Oh, and I'll go out on a limb and say that since this one is "ding free," it looks like crap in that picture compared to how it looks in person. They always do with figured maple, even with a good faux figured maple print job!
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Shocking as it is, in depth research into this model reveals past owners have removed the neck and found the top is a 1mm wood veneer, not photo. Unless they put a photo on-top of the maple veneer. I don't know, I don't care... I didn't buy it for the top or even the color. At $150 US it's all gravy.
 
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Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Wood veneer...??? Does that mean that there's a parting line down the middle, and two slices of maple got mirrored...??? I was looking for a parting line and thought that I saw one right under the neck p'up, but then that 4 winged bird under the bridge looks super clean. I thought no way was it two mirrored slices.

And I'm assuming that "veneer" means "super thin slices" and then glued directly to the basswood, which is then how it was discovered by others who took the neck off to see unpainted wood and at the right profile to be able to judge.

A hundred and fifty bucks...!?! Man, you're not gonna want to get rid of that thing, are you...!!!
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Gransen said:
Wood veneer...??? Does that mean that there's a parting line down the middle, and two slices of maple got mirrored...??? I was looking for a parting line and thought that I saw one right under the neck p'up, but then that 4 winged bird under the bridge looks super clean. I thought no way was it two mirrored slices.

And I'm assuming that "veneer" means "super thin slices" and then glued directly to the basswood, which is then how it was discovered by others who took the neck off to see unpainted wood and at the right profile to be able to judge.

A hundred and fifty bucks...!?! Man, you're not gonna want to get rid of that thing, are you...!!!
Click to expand...

Yes veneer is a very thin slice of wood. There is a center line on the top, and although very close in appearance, the two sides of the top are not exact mirror copies. There are varying points and differences.

If you look at the same guitar in the Reverb link I posted above you can see the two parts to the top and the non mirror sides it has.
 
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Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Sorry dude, that's not the same guitar. Not even close. Here's the link from the original post...

https://reverb.com/item/6958294-ibanez-rg3ex1-2005-red-burst-flametop-hardtail-guitar

...Here's a picture of the guitar from that post...

noWAY.jpg

...And here's the picture that you posted...

IMG-20190204-203330-01.jpg

Where's the 4 wing bird under the bridge, and why is there a horrible parting line instead. That's not even almost the same figuring. And it looks like you've already completed at least one pickup swap...and went backwards. "This listing sold on 12/03/2017." That's two months ago.

The only acceptable explanation is that you posted the wrong Reverb ad, or that the ads got switched by Reverb. That's the only acceptable explanation. Otherwise, I gotta say that yes, I'm officially "calling you out." If that doesn't work for you, then the next step is to involve a moderator. If you post the right ad in correction, then all's well in Whoville, and you understand why I'm calling shenanigans here. Anything other than that will NOT elicit a response from me in this thread.

NOT IN THIS THREAD...!!!

It WILL elicit a response from me, but not in this thread.

Why...??? Because shenanigans can AND SHOULD land a person in a "no fly zone" when doing business on this forum. If you can't "prove your purchase," then you SHOULD move into a different category...even if you NEVER intend to do business on this forum. That's how online forums work. I'm just explaining my thought process.
 
Re: Cheapy Ibanez RG

Gransen said:
Sorry dude, that's not the same guitar. Not even close. Here's the link from the original post...

https://reverb.com/item/6958294-ibanez-rg3ex1-2005-red-burst-flametop-hardtail-guitar

...Here's a picture of the guitar from that post...

View attachment 95713

...And here's the picture that you posted...

View attachment 95714

Where's the 4 wing bird under the bridge, and why is there a horrible parting line instead. That's not even almost the same figuring. And it looks like you've already completed at least one pickup swap...and went backwards. "This listing sold on 12/03/2017." That's two months ago.

The only acceptable explanation is that you posted the wrong Reverb ad, or that the ads got switched by Reverb. That's the only acceptable explanation. Otherwise, I gotta say that yes, I'm officially "calling you out." If that doesn't work for you, then the next step is to involve a moderator. If you post the right ad in correction, then all's well in Whoville, and you understand why I'm calling shenanigans here. Anything other than that will NOT elicit a response from me in this thread.

NOT IN THIS THREAD...!!!

It WILL elicit a response from me, but not in this thread.

Why...??? Because shenanigans can AND SHOULD land a person in a "no fly zone" when doing business on this forum. If you can't "prove your purchase," then you SHOULD move into a different category...even if you NEVER intend to do business on this forum. That's how online forums work. I'm just explaining my thought process.
Click to expand...

2017 was 14 months ago... just fyi
 
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