1987 Ibanez RG550 Guitar Salvage & Restoration - Desert Sun Yellow

[@soffsegtraddict]

Liking the fact that it was restored to maximum functionality & not an attempt to re-live the 'freshness' of a new guitar. Absolute thumbs up for this 👍👍

[@k.h.1587]

Those mods and repairs scream "TWEAKER!"

[@MilianMalivukMusic]

Adored this video with all the close ups. It felt like I was connecting with this guitar even though I can't touch it. Great restoration job! I share the love for RG550's, I haven't gotten an original one in my hands (I own two RG550's from the current Genesis Collection) but I know exactly how this must feel like, since I'm currently restoring an 1988 RG350. Very nice!

[@md93-z5e]

Whispering the entire video was odd, but the guitar came out really nice. I like the colored accents you did.

[@familyengineering5591]

For real. I think he lives with his parents and has to stay quiet in his basement or else theyll yell at him and threaten to kick him out.

[@dadoupi9836]

Yeah it was uncomfortable for me kinda ruin the video

[@sussy8970]

@@familyengineering5591 well he aint gonna be sounding like morgz the whole video

[@bc454irocz89]

I was scared

[@TerribleTommy]

I like it, he's like the Bob Ross of guitars.

[@Stephenmichaelsguitar]

I have an 87 Desert Yellow that my dad bought me brand new for Christmas that same year. I still have it. Ive been thru GIT and played thousands of gigs with mine and I can attest to the rusting. My Edge was not replaceable, it was completely pitted. And rusted shut. We managed to keep most of the original parts otherwise. Mine similarly has many of the same stress cracks. Fortunately nothing is of any concern and it’s still my number one favorite. If anyone is interested I’ve got a few videos of me playing it over the past 30 years on my page. This video warmed my heart.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure there are more of us out there. I'd love to hear everyones RG stories.

[@T0tenkampf]

Is 87 around the time you went to GIT? My buddy Dave Shaw attended that year too.

[@Stephenmichaelsguitar]

@@T0tenkampf no - went in 90

[@rockers2rockers616]

Very nice restoration. Nice save of an iconic 1980s Rock Time machine. More power to YOU.

[@KyleP133]

The horror movie ambient tones under the narration are perfect.

[@LeonTodd]

Desert yellow is the ultimate RG colour - stellar work!

[@matthoy2844]

That turned out so great. You managed to keep the character while making the thing fully functional. Thanks for sharing!

[@willcarmack1242]

Well done Brother.....You spun me back 30 yrz....love em....Head cutter guitars...the good Ole days...you got a treasure...I have owed 4.....still have 2......thanks again. ..Much Respect from St Petersburg Florida

[@jeffwoeber9590]

Glad I found this channel. Hoping to be one of the OG's and watch this channel grow! Really Great Stuff!

[@tellchoat8337]

So no joke. I’ve got an rg350m in dessert yellow with a single pickup, single volume, and a clear plastic pickguard. And it sings! I think it’s pretty cool that someone else thought to do the same thing.

[@MarkGutierrez]

The clear pickup mod was pretty common, right? It makes no sense to cover up all that lovely desert sun yellow.

[@danieledandrea4320]

I love your work on this guitar. You kept the intention of the old owner and made it better! I subscribed to your channel, well done

[@theleftymonster]

👏👏👏 not many people understand or appreciate what you did. Nice playing too. I had Frank Gamble’s guitar instruction where he had same colour Ibanez S series.

[@angel2of7death]

Incredible restoration & killer shredding!

[@leolorenzo79]

Nice job, great playing, wonderful guitar! You got a new follower!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks for the sub!

[@mitchmurrell753]

Love the videography, and the super tasty jam at the end.

[@phillipb9328]

Good job! Looks and sounds amazing

[@realitystudioscustomshop]

That's a cool project! Clearly well loved!

[@zigzagrz]

I have a 91 rg750 and it too has its qwerks but when they are broken in this is, they play amazing

[@DeathMetalGuitar]

pouring in the rust remover was very satisfying to watch👏 nice work🤘😎

[@TheRockinDonkey]

If Bob Ross was a luthier.

[@finaljesus]

awesome job restoring this beauiful RG 550

[@andretopy]

I just found one in a pawn shop, super surprised. same color but no mods. Crazy finger ware on the frets but nothing damaging. Not sure if I will post or keep

[@MarkGutierrez]

from the 80's? I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[@n.hathorne6170]

Great video. Killer playing!

[@jdcordle7082]

Beautiful restoration and damn fine playing!

[@tomekkrakowiak2398]

That is most beautifully shaped guitar.

[@davidbrassard9125]

1987 best year ever!

[@linomoreno3897]

Sweet I miss my RG550

[@robtology]

Cool man. I like the redo. I've a '94 550ltd and love it!

[@bubbafrump74]

That's exactly what my first guitar was. I'm so jealous. I've been looking forever!!!

[@robertovilla7319]

Amazing restoration, wow everything!, thank you, thanks for sharing

[@geetar82]

The background music was on point my guy👍

[@ssisk87]

I have a 2007 RG 350 DX that I found in a pawn shop probably going on ten years ago now, was looking around for my second guitar with my dad because the SG copy I have didn't allow for trem plays. Even when I found it in the shop it was gigged, it already had the dings and some rusting going on, apparently the guy sold it with his amp as well (Which I bought, still have both, and it's still my main amp) it was missing the locking nuts and trem bar but those were easy enough to replace. It became my main guitar for a few years as I was still leaning and not really gigging or anything but I've had to retire it recently because where I grew up and the fact I didn't even have a bag for it, it just sat in my room exposed when I didn't play it means some elements have really gotten to it, the trem is rusted out, it still works but you get rust on your hand when you use it, the locking nuts and tuners have a fair bit as well, and the pickguard has warped upward heavily over time to where the middle single coil is almost touching the strings. The guitar still works though, and feels great on the neck but I have invested in a good thick bag for it and retired it until perhaps one day I can get it somewhat restored. It's got to have a trem repair because the tension plate under the fine tuners, the one removed at 9:27 the tensioner under the 5th string has been bent down since the day I bought it. But other than that I'd simply want like the guard warping issues and major rust issues sorted, otherwise keep the patina as is because that look is its story you know... Nowadays I have a couple other guitars I'm using as mains but the RG will always stay with me...

[@morganbouchaud885]

Nice frankenRG. And your coffincase is cool.

[@michaelhoke787]

The bridge saddles looked like they were growing moss! Good greif.

[@bb_lz9790]

Excellent work!! I would have worn gloves though... Curious why people refer to the jack where the guitar's signal comes out of as an "input" jack when it's really an "output" jack?

[@David.C.Velasquez]

OMG... this brings back so many memories of a similar guitar I saved for a year to buy in '91... RIP * I should have watched the whole video before commenting. Mine was the midnight blue, no pickguard, and the dayglo green dimarzio's, bought it used in immaculate condition for 8 hundy, which was alot in 1991 working a $5/hr job. A friend borrowed it for a gig several years later, dropped it afterward breaking the headstock behind the nut. I was young and stupid, so never considered that it could be repaired. Life lesson learned.

[@MarkGutierrez]

I had the coral mist one back in 91. It was a rare color. I wish I could find one again.

[@David.C.Velasquez]

@@MarkGutierrez I wish you will as well.

[@sRichterMusic]

i can't tell if he just recited the whole lords of the ring story or if he talked about a guitar anyways banger video thank you for that content :)

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

I like it, it's got a lot of character. I have 4 RGs, all are customized to some degree, one I built out of parts, my Frankenstein RG.

[@T0tenkampf]

I always wanted to play around with those little active circuits but it just never made sense to me to have those on board when there is much more ability to personalize the sound with off board fx

[@eduardocervantesaca]

what a beauty. I am going to look for one of those. I used to take guitar lesson at this music school back in the late 80's and they had this black 550. I loved it. Now, I have really nice rg770 Japanese which is more like the Petrucci Ibanez. I want a 550 with that maple neck.

[@murfdog19]

Music was in a much different place when this guitar was built. Just imagine the world around this guitar as it was originally being assembled. Where were you in 1987? Many of you weren't even born.

[@MarkGutierrez]

I was in 7th grade in 1987. I walked in to a music shop in Houston Texas one day and saw man playing a desert yellow RG. He was shredding so fast and hard that it left an imprint on my brain. Can't forget something like that.

[@supersonicnomad8437]

Cool 550. Would of liked to hear the original owners wiring set up before disassembly.

[@urryhana368]

Congratulations! Job well done 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@bluematrix5001]

I was waiting to hear the Guitar with that crazy Mod it had..... regadless sounds great.....

[@DeadGlassEyes]

Very tasteful restoration.

[@iaroslavgrygorash5443]

Good job! Awesome playing!

[@tomjhutch]

Absolutely love this video, great job! A big kill-switch button where the power input is would have been really cool btw, maybe something for the future!

[@bjstein4242]

Just stumbled upon your vid.. great job in recovery of this "Franken 550".. and nice job keeping its original feel from the owner.. very surprised the bridge turned out as well as it did.. that rust remover is special stuff I have to look into it.. I am starting to love the Ibanez necks as I age.. i guess the playability helps the old hands.. lol.. awesome job.. your vid flowed quite nicely..

[@cancelbubble6535]

Great job on the restoration.

[@tyremanguitars]

nice job on the restoration! that's a pretty bold statement colour wise, they are great guitars.

[@stefanoramon]

No intonation on the bridge saddles?

[@MarkGutierrez]

There is. The saddles slide back and forth. They are locked down by the small screw that clamps down on the U channel.

[@stefanoramon]

@@MarkGutierrez oh thanks! Those were pretty straight so i was wandering if intonation was done. Nice restoration btw, without bizzare re-finish :D

[@ris163]

what song in the end?

[@manonbassguitar]

Never understood the Vai hype around these, but cool you kept the mods the preview owner made.

[@tjchad1]

Cool find. I traded my 87 RG550 for a roadworn Strat a couple years ago. Mine was about 3000 units older based on the serial. Was black with an aftermarket anodized pickguard and NOT the original Edge trem. Mine had a pristine neck with a rosewood fingerboard. If it had the Edge I would have kept it. Cool story on it- I GOT IT FREE!!!! Dude at work had purchased it at a Goodwill or other thrift shop as a prop for a Halloween costume- he gave it to me instead of trashing it when he no longer wanted it... It did not work and I found the reason it did not work was just a wire on the output jack had come off.

[@cltw1]

great restoration bro such an iconic model with that marker like yellow ,You got a new follower btw what products were used to clean the neck?

[@wizrom3046]

How have you got so few subscribers? That cinematography, the voiced audio, the superb music. 🛎👍 Wishing you a million subs! 👍🙂

[@ALTheGuitarViking]

This just pop up on my KZbin Homepage and it was fun to watch. Great refinish you have done! So what was the original setting? How did it sound? I am curious what the previous owner did to it. By the way I subscribed your channel! Great channel to know! Thanks!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Originally it sounded pretty darn good. The circuit was a built--in overdrive with 3 or 4 settings. When kicked in it sounded heavily compressed and tight. It was cool but I wanted something a little closer to the original guitar. Thanks for the sub!

[@ALTheGuitarViking]

@@MarkGutierrez COOL!

[@BoogyWoogyCreep]

I have a 1990 DY 550. Classic sound and is so easy to play!

[@jvelueta]

I have an 87 which is going through restoration, I need to change pickups, paint is now more like orange burned but still kinda yellow, just wierd looking, it was expose to heat a lot and paint got damaged.

[@danriley5848]

I owned an 87 RG 550 in 87 and it was a great guitar.

[@rickcrotts6673]

I'd have swapped in a super distortion, new pot, and jack and left the rest alone.

[@ImYourProblem]

So you would suggest worn out jumbo frets be refinished rather than replaced?

[@MarkGutierrez]

For sure, even flattened out, jumbos have lots of material left.

[@jaymartinson3236]

duuuude.... this guitar, even as it came in, is so sweet.... I love "rat rod" guitars.

[@christianfumz5299]

I really like the background music, but plz release a ASMR version of the restoration process ♥️👂 - cool job so far - still watching 🎸

[@bizzski]

Great guitar, great channel, great playing.

[@CobyBassett]

Beautiful guitar! All that battle damage reminds me of my dirty, beaten-up jewel-blue RG570 that I got new as a teen. (No weird modifications though.) I think I should give it a good cleaning...

[@-iv4uh]

Damn this guitar paid its dues, deserve a good retiring

[@ranman58635]

Bro, you should see the one I just found. I'm going tonhave to do a video. I've done some of the repairs but never expected to receive it. It's been painted over like evh. Badly drippin paint. Set in neck in great shape. Multiple layer neck. It'll take some work.

[@TheRude42]

This was really enjoyable! ❤️🤘🤘🤘

[@johnboihardy]

Damn you can shred. Love it

[@dannohite576]

A black RG550 was the 1st guitar I bought with my own money. (My very 1st guitar was my dads, he gave me)

[@MarkGutierrez]

Same here. I saved up. Mowed quite a few metaphorical lawns to buy my first RG550. It was the rare Coral Mist Metallic color. Played it in so many punk, hardcore and death metal bands in 90's until it fell apart. Still looking for another one of those coral mist RGs.

[@iandevlin_Ibanez]

My new go-to ASMR video.

[@richarddinsdale]

Love the video. Should have replaced the frets but thats alot of work. Anyway great video 🎉

[@lustertone8587]

I love my '87 RG550 in DSY with a color matched headstock...

[@youtubeyagamiiori]

For your information, the ibanez rg550 guitar can make a bolt-on-neck Of course, it's a set in thru neckten thousand

[@Nibblerr]

Cool vid, but you really need to do something with audio. Those S's hurt my ears.

[@MarkGutierrez]

good to know. I'll take care of the S's in the next vid

[@josefplager]

This guitar has a vibe

A maior RG de todos os tempos! 🎸💛🔥🔥🔥

[@artuday3405]

"The fallen leaves tell a story Of how a Tarnished became Guitar Lord. In our home, across the fog, the Lands Between. Our seed will look back upon us, and recall. The Age of the Guitar."

[@juantafakya]

Ademas de un excelente video y una restauracion tremenda y digna, cerraste con una tecnica increible con tap arpegios y cromatismos a una linea de efectos clasicos para la rg: chorus, ts, delay y mucho mas que ya no alcanzo a percibir pero definitiva y totalmente ibanezco gracias por este vid lo disfruté

[@Lucho-ud4ku]

Sir good job

[@drzainnas]

Thanks great video.

[@hangman960]

I need to try an RG550

[@xCr00k3Dx]

What did the 'original' electronics do though?

[@MarkGutierrez]

It was an active overdrive module with 5 different distortion types. Like having a built in pedal board with 5 dirt flavors. Kinda weird. But the whole guitar was kinda weird.

[@skunkworks4u]

@@MarkGutierrez would you be willing to give a little more info on this subject please? im curious what its like.. im building a frankintar as we speak and this is pretty interestingly cool

[@MarkGutierrez]

@@skunkworks4u For sure. The active electronics were from Artecsound. artecsound.com/pickups/electronics/index.html The one in the guitar was the QDD 5-way distortion circuit. Wiring diagrams here: artecsound.com/pickups/electronics/index.html Dealer list here: artecsound.com/contact/index.html

[@skunkworks4u]

@@MarkGutierrez dude super thank you

[@russiangoose7053]

I had a newer RG350M in the same color and I had it gutted in a similar way with the open cavity and a single Seymour Duncan Invader and a single volume knob 😂

[@petercalhoun7259]

Still have mine!!! Same color!

[@Dooodrhino]

Awe man, you scrapped the funky varicose thing... I wanted to see what that was all about

[@SpiderSkot]

OMG is this the one that was for sale super cheap on some questionable website last month that I didn't trust enough to give them money?? If so, I'm totally green with envy.

[@cat_toy]

It's a guitar I've missed🤗💕💞💓💗

[@Lavietto]

I am Lefty and i still have one 1987 RG 560 and no less than three RG550ms 2 black from 91 original Edge and a 92 with the Lo pro edge and one white Casequeen without bucklerash or the pocket cracks with an original Edge from 1989. Ps amazing playing man. DS

[@oliverkirkland6541]

Love it!

[@jeffbishop8291]

This is the coolest F'ing guitar video ever..

[@LosPompadores]

That's what I call genuine character

[@murfdog19]

All guitars have a story, but not all stories have a guitar. It'd be a lot cooler if they did!

[@sergmo4979]

Amazing

[@ByGraceThroughFaith777]

The shredding tho 😮

[@chrisraatz6672]

fun fun fun in the desert sun

[@willcarmack1242]

But...never seen anything like this....very unique....and if it could only talk....well....you know what I am saying.....the rest is up to you....again ....Great job .... ..