Guitar: IBANEZ RG

The Ibanez RG series has the maximum subtypes of guitars under the Ibanez Electric Guitar catalog and a popular series of Ibanez electric guitars produced by Hoshino Gakki. The Ibanez RG was originally designed as a derivative of Steve Vai's JEM\Universe series and released in 1987. Manufacture of the RG model continues through today. The RG series are among the most popular hard rock and metal guitars ever made.

Origins
The RG series was first introduced in 1987 as a derivative to the Ibanez JEM and Universe series by Steve Vai, contrary to the more popular opinion that Rocky George, former lead guitarist for the California based hardcore punk/thrash metal outfit Suicidal Tendencies and current lead guitarist for Fishbone was its designer (Rocky however was one of the first famous users of the RG model). This was believed because Rocky's initials are the same as the model. The RG in the Ibanez RG name does not mean Rocky George, in reality it means Roadstar Guitar, although these instruments differ significantly from the original Roadstar II series, introduced in the early 1980s. All of the RG550s, 560s, 565s, 570s, 670s 750s, 760s and 770s have a version of the Ibanez Edge tremolo, be it Original or Lo-Pro. The Edge tremolo incorporated several manufacturing changes when compared to the original Floyd Rose, including increased mass, relocated fine tuners and improved locking posts. The Locking Posts are no longer used as of the 2003 model year along with the introduction of the Edge Pro.

Features
The RG Series features a thin neck - The Wizard Prestige and Wizard II necks are the thinnest and flattest necks ever made on guitars - with a wide, almost flat, double octave (24 fret) fret board, facilitating the performance of chords and solos. The body of the RG Series features sleek, offset pointed double cutaways giving better access to the upper frets. Typically the body is made of Mahogany or Basswood with the exception of the RGT220A, where the body is made of swamp ash. As of 2008 though, select J Custom RGs are made out of Alder as well as Basswood and Mahogany. The fretboard is made of Rosewood with the exception of the RG350MDX, the RG550MXXDY/RF and the RG270 (Can be seen in the catalog section of IbanezRules.com in the 1996 catalog),where the fretboard is made of maple. The pickups are usually configured as HSH or HH. There are Japan-Custom IBZ, USA-Custom IBZ, Infinity, Powersound, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, Acis, LoZ or EMG pickups in the RG Tremolo and Fixed series. The Prestige series typically comes equipped with either the USA and Japan IBZ series, IBZ DiMarzio pickups, DiMarzio pickups in different configurations (most often the ToneZone and Air Norton), active EMGs in several configurations, and one model comes equipped with Non-OEM Seymour Duncans.

Almost all guitars in the series have some variations of a Floyd Rose-style tremolo, except for the RG Fixed and the RGA Prestige series, which have fixed bridges.

RG's are famous for being the basis of particularly easy to play seven string guitars, and as of 2007, Ibanez produced its first commercially available 8 string guitar, the RG2228.

The RG Series
Current RG Series is currently split into 5 subsections

* Ibanez J Custom- Highest quality Japanese made RG guitars exclusive to the Japanese
market, sometimes available retail in Europe. The only source of 7 String RG's with non-IBZ
branded pickups. Unfortunately, not available outside of Japan unless you buy them from a
non-authorized retailer. Typically there are a few listed at any given time on eBay
* Ibanez RG Extreme-A middle range between the RG tremolo and RG prestige series guitars.
All three are of non Japanese origin, have EMG pickups and Edge III tremolos. They are not
available in the United States and many other countries.
* RG Prestige - High quality Japanese-made RG guitars which contains the RG, RGA, and
most of the RGT series. Contains the higher quality model of the two RG Seven Strings
currently in production.
* RG Tremolo - RG series guitars of non Japanese (China, Korea and Indonesia) origin with
Floyd Rose-style tremolo.
* RG Fixed - RG guitars with fixed bridges of non Japanese origin. Contains one of only 2
Ibanez 7 String RG's currently in production

RG Prestige
The Ibanez RG Prestige series models, introduced in 1987 and still thriving and evolving, are world famous for their characteristic thin, fast necks, and hard-edged rock and metal tones. The RG Prestige models are now all made in Japan by Ibanez's finest luthiers, with Wizard necks with Prestige finishing, Edge Zero and Edge Pro bridges, and a broad range of intense pickups in different configurations. The RG Prestige series also includes seven and eight-string models. Watch these diabolical creations turn heads and warp minds with colors and specs inspired by the originals.

RG3770Z