# Ibanez Tilt Neck vs AANJ



## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

Can those of you who own both / play both tell me what the difference is in feel and possibly playability? I'm looking at both now, but am unable to play them. 

Thought I could find this in search, but no dice. 

Thanks!


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## IbanezDaemon (Sep 9, 2014)

Both great neck joints. AANJ as the name suggests has great upper fret access but I never had a problem with any pre '94 RG with the old tilt joint (or earlier Sabres for that matter), plus they made some killer guitars back then.


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

IbanezDaemon said:


> Both great neck joints. AANJ as the name suggests has great upper fret access but I never had a problem with any pre '94 RG with the old tilt joint (or earlier Sabres for that matter), plus they made some killer guitars back then.



Did the 2000 and after models come with the tilt joint as well?


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## gigawhat (Sep 9, 2014)

For me, I hated the whole concept of a square neck joint with that opinion being based solely on fender spec/giant square chunk of wood spec guitars I had played. I loved the AANJ because it felt so comfortable, wasn't bulky, etc.

Then I came into possession of a tilt-joint. And I sold my AANJ.  That's not the only reason I sold it, but needless to say I had no issues with it. Oddly enough even, it felt better playing in the upper registers with a continuously even surface to rest my thumb on, and I still have no problem reaching the 24th fret. Not to mention most tilt-joint RGs are kick-ass guitars. 

So yeah I say Tilt-joint. 

This is all my opinion of course.


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## IbanezDaemon (Sep 9, 2014)

Buzzin_Cousin said:


> Did the 2000 and after models come with the tilt joint as well?


 
Featured on some of the reissues bro. 

I'd like to add that the heel on most of the J Customs is more sculpted and lower profile as well.


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

IbanezDaemon said:


> Featured on some of the reissues bro.
> 
> I'd like to add that the heel on most of the J Customs is more sculpted and lower profile as well.



When you say reissues, you mean the 550dx or whatever right? 2009 ish releases?
I'm looking at what appears to be a 2004 based on SN with a tilt neck joint. I'm thinking this must be an rg 1550 unless the neck and body have been switched or I've mis ID'ed the SN.


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## IbanezDaemon (Sep 9, 2014)

Buzzin_Cousin said:


> When you say reissues, you mean the 550dx or whatever right? 2009 ish releases?
> I'm looking at what appears to be a 2004 based on SN with a tilt neck joint. I'm thinking this must be an rg 1550 unless the neck and body have been switched or I've mis ID'ed the SN.


 
Yeah RG550XX and PGM models.

What's the spec of that guitar you are looking at? Even better do you have a link/pics?


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## Le Jeff (Sep 9, 2014)

I've had both, don't particularly care which one my next RG has. Both are fine and Paul Gilbert claims that tilt-joints can give the guitar a different, he implied better, sound. Of course, everyone knows someone with an AANJ who sounds like god, so we can probably conclude that, like every other this vs. that debate, two "identical" guitars will sound a bit different because they're made from cuts of wood, and wood doesn't grow in a standardized way - it's as individualistic as people.


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## gigawhat (Sep 9, 2014)

Buzzin_Cousin said:


> When you say reissues, you mean the 550dx or whatever right? 2009 ish releases?
> I'm looking at what appears to be a 2004 based on SN with a tilt neck joint. I'm thinking this must be an rg 1550 unless the neck and body have been switched or I've mis ID'ed the SN.



F04= 2004, F4=1994. Based on the tilt-joint, I'm willing to bet it's a '94 RG550. If it is an 04 with a tilt-joint, it would seem there has been some bastardizing going on.





IbanezDaemon said:


> Yeah RG550XX and PGM models.
> 
> What's the spec of that guitar you are looking at? Even better do you have a link/pics?



Also last year's Genesis-series RG550s. Just for the record.


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

gigawhat said:


> F04= 2004, F4=1994. Based on the tilt-joint, I'm willing to bet it's a '94 RG550. If it is an 04 with a tilt-joint, it would seem there has been some bastardizing going on.
> 
> 
> Also last year's Genesis-series RG550s. Just for the record.


 



IbanezDaemon said:


> Yeah RG550XX and PGM models.
> 
> What's the spec of that guitar you are looking at? Even better do you have a link/pics?


 
Here's some. Maybe someone did switch the neck and body, but I'm wondering, how would a tilt body match up with a non tilt neck?


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

SN is F041***.


Also, what exact version of the Edge trem is this? Looks a bit rough too. 


.


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## MetalBuddah (Sep 9, 2014)

I have played and owned both AANJ and tilt necks. The AANJ is very comfy and it is a well-designed joint. However....the tilt neck just feels so much better to me. It gives me a bigger point to anchor my hand on when I am playing the upper frets. It also just feels a lot more substantial.


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## IbanezDaemon (Sep 9, 2014)

That guitar is a 1990 model. Trem is Original Edge. Could be an RG750.


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## broj15 (Sep 9, 2014)

owner of both here. Upper fret access is more or less equal on both of them, but the AANJ is more comfortable. The rounded shape just fits the curve of my hand better while the corners of the Tilt joint can be sort of distracting if that makes sense. Not that I find one more playable than the other. Both require about the same amount of effort to play the upper frets.


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 9, 2014)

IbanezDaemon said:


> That guitar is a 1990 model. Trem is Original Edge. Could be an RG750.



Hmm, so what is the SN # F04 all about?


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 10, 2014)

I get it. The 0 is for 90, not '04.

What about that rusty bridge? Is it as simple as cleaning it well with brasso, or does it look too worked over? The trem is a big part of what I'm looking at when deciding.


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## CrazyDean (Sep 10, 2014)

Just because the trem is full of rust doesn't mean it won't perform well. Brasso isn't going to fix it, though. Cosmo black is a metal coating on the hardware. Your best option would be to strip it and powder coat it all, or chrome it.

However, that guitar has a lot of miles on it. There are a ton of old RG's in much better shape and for a great price. The old RG770, 760, 750, 550, 560, 570, 565, 515 are all the same except with different pup combinations, pickguard options, fretboard materials, bound or unbound fretboard, and sharktooth or dot inlays. Do a little more looking and I'd bet you can find one in great shape for under $500.

Also, I believe this is an RG750 since it has a bound fretboard with sharktooth inlays. Like this from 1990: http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1990/rg7.jpg


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 10, 2014)

CrazyDean said:


> Just because the trem is full of rust doesn't mean it won't perform well. Brasso isn't going to fix it, though. Cosmo black is a metal coating on the hardware. Your best option would be to strip it and powder coat it all, or chrome it.
> 
> However, that guitar has a lot of miles on it. There are a ton of old RG's in much better shape and for a great price. The old RG770, 760, 750, 550, 560, 570, 565, 515 are all the same except with different pup combinations, pickguard options, fretboard materials, bound or unbound fretboard, and sharktooth or dot inlays. Do a little more looking and I'd bet you can find one in great shape for under $500.
> 
> Also, I believe this is an RG750 since it has a bound fretboard with sharktooth inlays. Like this from 1990: http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1990/rg7.jpg



When you say a ton of miles, is that in reference to the rust on it or are you assuming with the rust and age that the frets may be worked down too much or ?
I'm not seeing too many 550's or 750's for great prices right now. Most of them are over $500. 

How much do you think I should pay for this or are you saying I should avoid it altogether?


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## coldandhomeless (Sep 10, 2014)

my rule of thumb is if it feels good, and you have expendable money, buy the guitar. any ibanez that says japan on the back is a real winner aanj or tilt joint alike. i have a 1987 rg550 in white with a rosewood board that slays. tilt joint. the guitars ive been hoarding lately are rg520qs tho... mahogany bodies AANJ, edge bride, quilted sapale top, two buckers, 5way switching, bubinga stripe super wizard necks... best guitars ive ever played. u can find them all day under 500$ if i havent bought it already lol... four and counting


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## maxdgad (Sep 10, 2014)

Having played both, I could honestly care less. I suck equally on both.


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## s4tch (Sep 10, 2014)

gigawhat said:


> So yeah I say Tilt-joint.



Same here. The AANJ is comfier, but my best sounding Ibanez guitars all had the square heel. My favorite Ibby line (RT) came with the big square without tilt, and my favorite RG I've had is the old RG560 with the tilt joint. My first Ibby (EX370) also sounded huge, way better than any basswood Prestige RGs I've had. Maybe it's because of their age, I have no clue, but most square heel Ibbies I've seen kicked serious ass.

AANJ can be nice, too. All 7620s I've played were at least very good, some of them were great. But if you take an RG550 and an RG1550, odds are the older one will be a better sounding instrument.


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## guitarmadillo (Sep 10, 2014)

I dislike the tilt joint. Give me the cutaway block heel or AANJ any day. The slant on the TJ gets in my way somehow, makes it harder for me to reach higher frets. The cutaway block heel like on the JEM77FP is glorious though. No problems there.


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## CrazyDean (Sep 10, 2014)

Buzzin_Cousin said:


> When you say a ton of miles, is that in reference to the rust on it or are you assuming with the rust and age that the frets may be worked down too much or ?
> I'm not seeing too many 550's or 750's for great prices right now. Most of them are over $500.
> 
> How much do you think I should pay for this or are you saying I should avoid it altogether?



Like I said, you have to look around a bit. A couple days ago there was a guy on Jemsite with an RG550 for $400. One seems to pop up on there about every week or so. A lot of people ask more than $500, but rarely get much more than that unless it's a rare finish or pristine condition.

The pictures you shared aren't that great for determining condition. However, that big thing I noticed apart from the trem is the pickguard and pickguard screws. There are A LOT of scratchs on that pickguard and I'm not sure you could even take it off without drilling out the screws holding it on since they're so rusted. Not that the pickguard is all that important, I just think it's a good indication of overall wear on the guitar.

As for worth of the guitar in question, I wouldn't pay more than $300 with a case.

80&apos;s Ibanez RG560 Edge Trem Wizard Neck Worldwide Available 550 570 760 750 770 | eBay

Ibanez RG560 Electric Guitar | eBay

Ibanez RG 570 Six String Solidbody Guitar Blue Right Handed Made in Japan | eBay


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## Buzzin_Cousin (Sep 10, 2014)

CrazyDean said:


> Like I said, you have to look around a bit. A couple days ago there was a guy on Jemsite with an RG550 for $400. One seems to pop up on there about every week or so. A lot of people ask more than $500, but rarely get much more than that unless it's a rare finish or pristine condition.
> 
> The pictures you shared aren't that great for determining condition. However, that big thing I noticed apart from the trem is the pickguard and pickguard screws. There are A LOT of scratchs on that pickguard and I'm not sure you could even take it off without drilling out the screws holding it on since they're so rusted. Not that the pickguard is all that important, I just think it's a good indication of overall wear on the guitar.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info, I'll keep looking or look at that price cap accordingly.


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