# NGD: 1989 Ibanez RG550 Road Flare Red



## simonXsludge (Apr 25, 2012)

Long story short...

Found this one on eBay last year and bought it for a fairly good deal, with the intention to put some money into it and mod it up to my liking. And now it's finally finished, so it feels all new to me! Havn't even played it before really.

Let the photos do the talking first:

























































First off: The color is very well captured. My cam wasn't able to do this until I put the guitar on a white sheet. Worked like a charm, it's pretty much spot on.

So yeah, this is a 1989 RG550. The original owner refinished it in Road Flare Red. I don't like middle pickups, so I had my go-to luthier / guitar tech cut a custom H-H pickguard in matt black for it. While he was at it, I had him throw in a green DiMarzio D Activator / Liquifire combo. Finding those green knobs took me a while, because Ibanez doesn't produce them anymore. I also have a matching switch tip, but unfortunately it doesn't fit with the new selector - bummer!

It's set up to dropped A# with a set of 13 - 56 D'Addarios. The action could be a hair lower, but the neck would have to be shimmed to get it there. Maybe in the future...

Enjoy! 

*//EDIT:* Recorded a short clip - http://soundcloud.com/mouldermasters/da6


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## gunch (Apr 25, 2012)

Man all these sick Ibby NGDs today

Does not bode well for my GAS.

Nice call on the matte black pickguard.


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## Rojne (Apr 25, 2012)

That fucking color!!!!!!!!!

HNGD man, really nice find!


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## Tranquilliser (Apr 25, 2012)

You and I have the same taste in guitars, bright colours & maple fretboards


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## simonXsludge (Apr 25, 2012)

Tranquilliser said:


> You and I have the same taste in guitars, bright colours & maple fretboards


I LOVE maple fretboards, that's for sure. I also like dark natural finishes, though. I need something natural up next, preferrably with a burl or claro walnut top. A maple fretboard would look sweet against it.


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## Rain (Apr 25, 2012)

OMG. I can definitely fap to this. Happy NGD, dude! I'm so very jealous of you xD


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## drjeffreyodweyer (Apr 25, 2012)

2 NGDs in one week? How dare you 

Really nice guitar!


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## Robby the Robot (Apr 25, 2012)

This isn't helping my GAS at all, especially since I don't get paid for another two weeks. HNGD!


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## Riffer (Apr 25, 2012)

Dibs!!!!!! Sick guitar man!


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## MikeH (Apr 25, 2012)

That rules. Makes me want to snag a 550 really badly.


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## Rojne (Apr 25, 2012)

Imrefinishing my RGA8 in Road Flare Red! thats it!


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## simonXsludge (Apr 25, 2012)

Rojne said:


> Imrefinishing my RGA8 in Road Flare Red! thats it!


Trent of After the Burial has a RG2228 in that color.


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## Furtive Glance (Apr 25, 2012)

AmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazingAmazing

Mm.


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## DTay47 (Apr 25, 2012)

I absolutely love the crazy 80s coloured RG's. I really do want one some day.
How the hell are you playing in drop A# with only 13-56 though?! I play in C standard with 12-60's. That just seems like it would be way too loose, for me at least!
Either way, happy NGD!


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## CrushingAnvil (Apr 25, 2012)

That action is sky-high for an RG550, my friend


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## simonXsludge (Apr 25, 2012)

DTay47 said:


> How the hell are you playing in drop A# with only 13-56 though?! I play in C standard with 12-60's. That just seems like it would be way too loose, for me at least!


Man, A 60 for C? That must be a struggle to play. 



CrushingAnvil said:


> That action is sky-high for an RG550, my friend


It looks worse than it actually is. All my guitars have like super low action and this one is not as low, but still comfy to play.


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## Bones43x (Apr 25, 2012)

Nice! I'm still hoping to find the right RG550. Nice call on the pickguard...(I know you saw my thread) I did the HH pickguard on my RG2550 about 2 years ago.


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## s_k_mullins (Apr 25, 2012)

As I told you earlier on Instagram, this is a sick Ibby!! Love the green DiMarzios. 

Congrats dude!


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## Gren (Apr 25, 2012)

Jesus Christ that is perfect. +1 on that pickguard, it looks great. I'm really jonesing for a HH for my RG550 now...


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## bob123 (Apr 26, 2012)

Nice man


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## s4tch (Apr 26, 2012)

H-H conversion + green stuff + DA/LF + road flare red + maple fretboard + wizard neck + original Edge = win. Congrats, man, that's a killer axe!


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## Semi-pro (Apr 26, 2012)

So that's how it looks like with green pickups! I'm still trying to decide which color to put in mine (got the 20th anniversary version) 

Looks good! Curiously I first noticed the very detail that it doesn't have the original b/w/b pickguard before I realized that it's missing a middle pickup


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## FrancescoFiligoi (Apr 26, 2012)

just wow.


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## bob123 (Apr 26, 2012)

Semi-pro said:


> So that's how it looks like with green pickups! I'm still trying to decide which color to put in mine (got the 20th anniversary version)
> 
> Looks good! Curiously I first noticed the very detail that it doesn't have the original b/w/b pickguard before I realized that it's missing a middle pickup




Im thinking we need an RFR fan club round here 


BTW I NEED that pickguard in my life!


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## simonXsludge (Apr 26, 2012)

Thanks for all the nice comments! 

I actually decided for the matt pickguard, because the road flare red and the green are such loud colors, so I wanted the pickguard to be a little more subtle in its appearance. 

By the way, the guitar sounds huge. All my Ibbys have D Activators in the bridge but this guitar sounds a tad beefier than the others. Not beefy as in more bassy, just bigger really. I'll try and record a clip soon.




Semi-pro said:


> I'm still trying to decide which color to put in mine


I was torn between the green ones and white ones with black poles. I'm sure it would look just as good!


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## simonXsludge (Apr 26, 2012)

Just recorded a short clip with the guitar:

Ibanez RG550 / DiMarzio D Activator Tone Test by mo)))ulder on SoundCloud


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## MetalKennedy (Apr 27, 2012)

The Christmas Guitar  
Congrats bro!!


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## bob123 (Apr 27, 2012)

random question, why is your trem bar holder sticking so far out haha


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## youshy (Apr 27, 2012)

So much win, congrats!


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## amonb (Apr 28, 2012)

Some serious Carcass-era Amott there... great looking guitar!


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## simonXsludge (Apr 28, 2012)

bob123 said:


> random question, why is your trem bar holder sticking so far out haha


I have no idea. It doesn't matter really, tho... it's blocked anyways.


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## bob123 (Apr 28, 2012)

shitsøn;2984772 said:


> I have no idea. It doesn't matter really, tho... it's blocked anyways.



greatest tremolo on the planet and you have it blocked  



 

just me  Still kicks ass though.


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## Bones43x (Apr 28, 2012)

bob123 said:


> greatest tremolo on the planet and you have it blocked



I know...crazy! 

...and I'm not really much of a trem user, either.


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## MetalBuddah (Apr 28, 2012)

God damn!!! That color and DAT TONE!!!! Happy NGD brosif


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## simonXsludge (Apr 29, 2012)

bob123 said:


> greatest tremolo on the planet and you have it blocked


I wouldn't if I'd use it more, you know?!


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## Semi-pro (Apr 30, 2012)

shitsøn;2981732 said:


> I was torn between the green ones and white ones with black poles. I'm sure it would look just as good!



Actually, a year back i ordered purple DiMarzios for mine, but the shop never got back to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even order them... Oh well, I just bought a black Crunch Lab in mine, i guess it'll stay close to the original look then.

[ot]
However, i'm also waiting for a Black/Blue CL/LF combo in my RGA121 CDO  I wanted some color in the pickups but thought white would be too in your face and regular green wouldn't look good with the CDO finish... Somehow I can picture these in my head fitting perfectly.
[/ot]


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## fortisursus (Apr 30, 2012)

That color is dang nice. Of all the guitars I've had the RG550 is that one guitar I just could never let myself sell.


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## simonXsludge (May 1, 2012)

Semi-pro said:


> Actually, a year back i ordered purple DiMarzios for mine, but the shop never got back to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even order them...


That sucks. It really shouldn't be a problem for any store to order them. You'd have to wait for 6 to 8 weeks, usually. Sometimes I just feel like if dudes at stores don't know about something, they don't bother to even try.


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