Legacy of Precision: Ibanez RG655 Prestige

RG655_GK_00_01“Prestige” is defined as distinction arising from great success or achievement.  It is also an apt description of the reputation Ibanez has forged among players since it’s founding in the late 1950s.

So it makes perfect sense to all of us here at TheToneKing.com that the guitars of Ibanez’s flagship production line would carry the name “Prestige.”  While Ibanez has long delivered at every price point, the Prestige line takes the high levels of precision, performance and playability that Ibanez is known for to a whole new level.  For those players looking to step up to a completely transcendent playing experience rivaling the best instruments out there, the Prestige line is ready to deliver.

The Ibanez Prestige line is based around a philosophy of combining the best materials, construction techniques and extensive experience building high-performance guitars and incorporating it into the ultimate production guitar line.  Ibanez probably didn’t need to do this.  They’ve earned the trust and praise of countless players and offer a diverse line of guitars from big jazz boxes to funky 1960s throwbacks to edgy, retro-cool 1980s designs to sleek, modern, extended-range instruments that enable emerging talents like Tosin Abasi to forge new sounds.  They’ve equipped world-renowned guitarists like George Benson, Paul Gilbert, Pat Metheny, Andy Timmons and the Offspring’s Noodles with unique, versatile signature models.  In other words, Ibanez guitars already have “prestige” written all over them.  But in keeping with their tradition of considering the needs of all players, Ibanez pushed forward to build a special production instrument for the astute, experienced guitarist.

The RG655 is a great example of how the Prestige line takes a classic designs to a whole other level.  The RG655 is built in Japan and echoes the classic lines and looks of the “post-Roadstar” RG series, with sleek, sharp angles that invite players to push their technical abilities to the limit.  The RG655’s ultra-playable pedigree is further enhanced by a Super Wizard HP five-piece maple/walnut neck and jumbo frets with ends sporting Ibanez’s Prestige fret-edge treatment for minimal drag and maximum playability.  That pickup upgrade you were planning has already been taken care of, with DiMarzio Air Norton (neck), True Velvet (middle) and Tone Zone (bridge) pickups, providing a wealth of tones and capturing the natural resonance and response of the lightweight basswood body.  Meanwhile, Ibanez’s acclaimed Edge locking vibrato keeps everything in tune.

Every Ibanez video that we do here on TheToneKing.com is always followed by a slew of praise for their adherence to a high level of quality. Ibanez has always built instruments that offer the best in precision, performance and playability, and the Prestige line takes those elements to new heights.  That’s why the name is so appropriate: the Prestige RG655 and other instruments in the Prestige line embody the commitment to quality and innovation that has made Ibanez one of the most respected brands in the industry.

Tiny URL for this post:
 

SubscribeTTKsYTChannel

Filed Under: FeaturedGuitars

Tags:

About the Author:

RSSComments (2)

Trackback URL

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.