Ibanez Rework and Refinish

[ulijdavid]

Here we have an Ibanez RG550 that a customer wanted to transform into a JEM. It would not be able to be re-sold as a fake due to the fact that it has a front and rear route for the electronics.
Anyway, here are the before:
CP-JEM-003.jpgCP-JEM-005.jpgCP-JEM-031.jpg

And the after:

CP-JEM-042.jpgCP-JEM-048.JPGCP-JEM-058.jpgCP-JEM-138.JPGCP-JEM-142.jpg

I can't figure out how to properly photograph the guitar. The pink is actually SOOOO neon pink you actually get a headache after 5 minutes of looking at it. I am waiting on the tuners and then it should be ready.

I can't give Mike Learn enough props for his help and precautions in painting the neon colors. What a pain in the ass - especially with painting inside of the monkey grip. Thanks a million Mike!

[DonP]

Cool. I have an RG550 too. Great sounding guitar.

[Trem]

Nice job.
I didn't know those necks had that overhang! Looks like it fits snug against the body though when bolted down?

[ulijdavid]

Nice job.
I didn't know those necks had that overhang! Looks like it fits snug against the body though when bolted down?

Yeah...Ibanez does some nice work. The fretboard seats in the pocket and right on the recess.

[Cygnus X1]

Not my style, but outstanding work!

[Hellbat]

Since it has a battery box, he should have thrown in a sustainer!

[ulijdavid]

Since it has a battery box, he should have thrown in a sustainer!

Not a battery box. Ibanez has that extra pocket for the input jack. This one uses that long stereo/mono jack.

[Hellbat]

Ah, okay. I just took a quick glance and figured thats what the extra cavity was for. I don't have much knowledge when it comes to JEMs and RG series Ibbys.

[rjohnstone]

So you converted an RG560 body into an RG550?
Nice.
Where did you get the inlays?

[dvscool]

I love it man...great work....Older RG's are the SHIT!!...all my main players are old RG's...

[ulijdavid]

Where did you get the inlays?

Actually my customer sent me sticker inlays from ebay. He asked if I would stick them on the correct locations. I would not put "stickers" on a fretboard that is associated with my work. I was looking for materials to inlay them in the traditional way, but could not find anything with the correct colors. After some digging, I have found places on the internet that stated the originals are printed pyramids that are glued in under thin clear plastic inlays. So, that's what I did. I used his stickers as templates and cut the pockets in the fretboard, then inlayed the clear palstic over the stickers. It came out really nice. The only problem was some of the inlays still had remnants of the dots and I should have layed a thin piece under the sticker to hide the dots. Close up there are a couple of inlays where you can see ashadow of the dot.

[dvscool]

"Actually my customer sent me sticker inlays from ebay. He asked if I would stick them on the correct locations. I would not put "stickers" on a fretboard that is associated with my work."

YOUR the guy I want working on my guitars.

[Larz]

Amazing work right there, well done.

[Learn Guitars]

Beautiful job on that Ibenez. A lot of tedious details!!!! It looks like you got through it just fine.

[MOSHWITZ]

Sweet refin John It looks great.

MOSHON
DAVE