Ibanez RG550-PN Purple Neon Electric guitar

Ibanez RG550 Purple Neon — A Faithful Revival of the 1987 Superstrat Icon

The Ibanez RG550 Purple Neon is a Made-in-Japan Genesis Collection reissue of the high-performance electric guitar that defined shred-era design in 1987. A basswood body, 5-piece maple/walnut Super Wizard neck and 648 mm scale preserve the original's lightning-fast feel. Under stage lighting, the Purple Neon finish shifts between violet and red.

What Sets the RG550 Purple Neon Apart

Two design choices make this guitar stand out in the modern superstrat category. Ibanez's five-way switching splits the inner coil of each humbucker in positions 2 and 4, producing glassier tones than a standard Strat layout. The Edge tremolo pairs locking studs with a pop-in arm and locking nut, so players can dive and flutter without retuning.

Super Wizard Neck Built for Speed

The neck profile defines the playing experience. Its slim 17 mm at the first fret and 19 mm at the twelfth keep the hand relaxed, while the 430 mm radius flattens string bending.

• Neck Type: Super Wizard 5-piece maple/walnut — laminated construction resists warping under string tension changes
• Fretboard: Maple with black dot inlays — crisp attack
• Scale Length: 648 mm — tight low-end and punchy attack
• Fingerboard Radius: 430 mm — flat enough for fast position shifts and aggressive bends
• Frets: 24 jumbo — two full octaves

Basswood Body and Edge Tremolo Hardware

A solid basswood body gives the guitar a balanced response with warm low-mids and enough upper-mid bite to cut through a dense mix. The contoured RG shape keeps it light on the strap.

• Body Material: Basswood — balanced tonal foundation with a natural growl
• Bridge: Edge tremolo — locking studs and fine-tuners for expressive whammy
• Nut: Locking nut — clamps strings for rock-solid tuning
• Tuning Machines: Gotoh — smooth, precise gear action
• Hardware Color: Black — matches the Purple Neon finish

HSH Pickup Configuration with Coil-Split Switching

The HSH layout pairs two humbuckers with a single-coil in the middle, giving five distinct voices through one five-way selector. From glassy cleans to saturated leads, the V7/S1/V8 trio covers blues, classic rock, hard rock and modern metal.

• Neck Pickup: V7 humbucker (passive, ceramic) — warm voice for clean rhythms
• Middle Pickup: S1 single-coil (passive, Alnico) — bright, articulate snap
• Bridge Pickup: V8 humbucker (passive, Alnico) — aggressive output for high-gain
• Factory Strings: D'Addario EXL120 .009–.042 — light gauge for the floating tremolo

Who Should Play the RG550 Purple Neon

The RG550 is the right choice for rock and metal guitarists who want a Made-in-Japan instrument with Prestige-level speed at a more accessible price. It suits players who favour thin necks, flat fingerboards and 24-fret access for sweep picking and legato. Intermediate and advanced players moving up from entry-level superstrats will find the build quality, hardware and voicing a clear step forward.

The 1987 RG550 and the Genesis Collection Revival

When Ibanez launched the RG550 in 1987, the model was conceived as a more affordable alternative to Steve Vai's signature JEM, sharing the same wizard neck philosophy and Edge hardware. The guitar quickly became a staple of 80s rock and metal, prized for speed, tuning stability and aggressive styling. This Genesis Collection reissue updates the formula with a 5-piece maple/walnut neck and modern V7/V8 humbuckers. Made in Japan at Ibanez's Fujigen factory, the Purple Neon finish is one of eight colour options that line up with the original 1987 palette.