New Guitar Day!! (and also guitar question)

[grywolf627]

UPS brought this to me about 30 minutes after I got home from work yesterday:

Schecter Hellraiser Sunset FR

Holy crap! I'm in love with this thing. Like I mentioned in the Christmas thread, I originally got an Ibanez S470DXQM. But it arrived with a big crack and chip in the finish, so I sent it back. But, as beautiful as the guitar was, and as much as I liked the ZR trem, I just didn't like the feel of the neck. I figured I'd love it, as my main guitar has been a mid 90's RG550 for many years now. But I just didn't "feel it". In fact, I hated the feel of the guitar. People rave about the Wizard II neck being thin. Hell, the neck on my old RG550 is thinner than that!

But this Schecter...it just feels like home. I'm as comfortable on it as any of my other guitars I've had for 10+ years. I'm still sorry to give up my Strat Deluxe Plus (to buy this Schecter), but this the most solid feeling guitar I've ever had. I've head some people complain about the thickness of the neck. It's fine to me. Maybe because I've also been playing Strats and Teles for years as well. Although that reverse headstock is throwing me off when I try to tune it. LOL

Now, a question: does anyone know how I can find out what kind of wood my RG's body is? I just always assumed it was basswood, like many RG's. Granted, I don't know much about manufacturing history of guitars. But, I've always heard/read that basswood is very light weight. Well, it's heavier than my solid mahogany body/neck Hellraiser. Anyone have any ideas, or an idea where/how I can find out?

 

[006]

jemsite.com would be a good start. Cool axe, not a fan of the headstock design personally but that's just a matter of taste. I'm with you on the thicker neck not being a big deal, I have 3 Fender Strats so I guess the transition isn't too difficult for me either

~006

 

[grywolf627]

Thanks. I'll take a look at the site. And yeah, I prefer the normal Schecter headstock, but I couldn't pass up the price on this.

 

[-J-]

tight new axe. ibanez's main site used to have a cool section of old guitars on a dropdown menu that led to pages of specs. long ago, I printed one out for the 550 since I have one - I may have it at my house.

I think this is it too (takes awhile to load - says basswood body):
http://web.archive.org/web/20011024043348/www.ibanez.com/rg/rg_specs/rg550bk/rg550bk.html

your shecter may have "engineered" holes or cavities to make it more lightweight, not sure. I would think a solid body & neck mahogany strat would be quite heavy feeling. the fact it's light compared to anything short of a mahogany explorer is odd.

 

[006]

My faded Explorer is all mahogany and not very heavy My HellRaiser C7 is pretty hefty though...

 

[grywolf627]

Thanks! I appreciate the link. I need to trace the serial number to actually date it when I get home. I've always just assumed it was a mid - late 90's as that's when I bought it. It was second hand, but in perfect condition.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, my EC-400 is all mahogany (LP style), and is quite light - BUT, my old neck-thru Ibanez RG (that I sold to Kev) was the HEAVIEST MOTHERFUCKER I'VE EVER HELD, holy god - it was neck-thru maple with mahogany wings, so I guess the weight came from maple being such a dense wood, but DAMN, thing looked like a featherlight shredder guitar, but weighed a metric fuckton

 

[-J-]

My faded Explorer is all mahogany and not very heavy My HellRaiser C7 is pretty hefty though...

really? maybe I shouldn't speak about axes I haven't actually owned.

 

[grywolf627]

I think this is it too (takes awhile to load - says basswood body):
http://web.archive.org/web/20011024043348/www.ibanez.com/rg/rg_specs/rg550bk/rg550bk.html

Hmmm...according to that, mine has a Wizard II neck, but it doesn't. It's thinner than a Wizard II...so I'm assuming the original Wizard neck. I really need to run down that serial number. Of course, it all really doesn't matter...I love that axe no matter what wood it is. There just aren't enough maple neck/fretboard guitars around these days (if you ask me). Finding out the wood construction is just a matter of curiosity.

And Marcus...a metric fuckton. I'm metric-ly challenged. Is that more or less than imperial standard fuckton? LOL

 

[006]

I thought the II was thinner than the original Wizard? I could be completely wrong, I'm nowhere near up to snuff on Ibbys any more these days.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

I'm not certain, though I do know I actually prefer the necks on less expensive Ibanez models; my friend just got like a $350 RG and I like the neck on it more than my Prestige, cuz it just has more meat while retaining that orgasmic satin-finished maple feeling. Honestly, the neck is the only weak point on my Prestige, but a) I've never been too picky about these things, and I've MORE than gotten used to it; and b) this was the only blue flamed-maple guitar I could find for the price this past summer, and believe me, I LOOKED (the LTD H-1001 had that hideously gaudy abalone binding, and the Horizon II was neck-thru maple, no thanks) And I love it otherwise!

 

[grywolf627]

I thought the II was thinner than the original Wizard? I could be completely wrong, I'm nowhere near up to snuff on Ibbys any more these days.
~006

Oh, I'm not either. I was just going by the specs on that website...saying that the original Wizard was thinner. I have no idea. I just know the neck on my 550 is waaay thinner than any newer Ibby.

And yeah, Marcus...that blue Ibby of yours is really sweet looking. Sorry I'm not in the blue guitar club anymore.

 

[slashvanyoung]

Yeah, my EC-400 is all mahogany (LP style), and is quite light

... and relatively thin compared to most LP's.

I like the EC-400 a lot but I usually prefer thicker bodies with maple caps on LP's (sounds just a bit brighter).

 

[MT01]

Wizard II = thickest
Wizard Prestiege is 1 mm thinner than Wizard II
Wizard is one piece construction and is 1 mm thinner than the Wizard Prestige.
Super Wizard = Wizard with three piece construction with bubinga center stripe on the back of the neck.


Original & Super Wizards are 430mm radius, 17mm thick at 1st fret and 20mm at the 12th fret.

Wizard 2s are 400mm radius, 19mm thick at 1st fret and 21mm at the 12th fret.

Ibanez Neck Info

I have a Super Wizard on my '99 RG550LTD and it's Super Wizard by name and Super Wizard by nature.


1993 Ibanez chart:

1997 Ibanez chart

I hope this helps!

 

[Chryst Krispies]

The flat top on that is making my baws full to burstin.

 

[grywolf627]

Wizard II = thickest
Wizard Prestiege is 1 mm thinner than Wizard II
Wizard is one piece construction and is 1 mm thinner than the Wizard Prestige.
Super Wizard = Wizard with three piece construction with bubinga center stripe on the back of the neck.


Original & Super Wizards are 430mm radius, 17mm thick at 1st fret and 20mm at the 12th fret.

Wizard 2s are 400mm radius, 19mm thick at 1st fret and 21mm at the 12th fret.

I have a Super Wizard on my '99 RG550LTD and it's Super Wizard by name and Super Wizard by nature....

Thanks!!!

The flat top on that is making my baws full to burstin.

If you're referring to mine from the above picture... it's $599 at zzounds.com still. http://www.zzounds.com/item--SCEHRSUNFR Don't think you'll find it cheaper then that. It's $850 over at musiciansfriend.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Thanks!!!



If you're referring to mine from the above picture... it's $599 at zzounds.com still. http://www.zzounds.com/item--SCEHRSUNFR Don't think you'll find it cheaper then that. It's $850 over at musiciansfriend.

Alas, I have not 599....

 

[JonWormwood]

Congrats bro

 

[Metaltastic]

The flat top on that is making my baws full to burstin.

Hahahahahaha

 

[MT01]

Holy crap! I'm in love with this thing. Like I mentioned in the Christmas thread, I originally got an Ibanez S470DXQM. But it arrived with a big crack and chip in the finish, so I sent it back. But, as beautiful as the guitar was, and as much as I liked the ZR trem, I just didn't like the feel of the neck. I figured I'd love it, as my main guitar has been a mid 90's RG550 for many years now. But I just didn't "feel it". In fact, I hated the feel of the guitar. People rave about the Wizard II neck being thin. Hell, the neck on my old RG550 is thinner than that!

Sounds like your S470 had a wizard neck.

I went from a wizard II which felt very thin and flat in comparison to the Epiphone Flying V that I had, then on to a super wizard and the wizard II felt like a baseball bat compared to the super wizard.

After getting used to the super thin and flat wizard profile I'm worried that anything else will feel like a telecaster! I know ESP custom shop and signature series have the Extra Thin U Neck Contour and Extra Thin Flat Neck Contour available, but I'm not overly keen on signature guitars (screams wannabee IMHO) and the custom shop is way out of my leauge.