RG1527 Necks

[rippedflesh89]

I currently have a RG7620 (3-piece bubinga stripe version) and I'm considering trading it for something with a wider neck. This guitar has been great to me the last 10 years but recently I've been playing music that requires me to dig in more and I've been finding myself pulling the low B and high E strings off the edge of the fretboard from time to time.

This has me curious about the differences between the different necks the RG1527 had. I definitely don't want the 3-piece version made between 03 & 04 (I think?) due to it only being 1mm wider at the last fret. Did the neck profiles change that much after 05? What's the difference in neck shape between a post-2005 RG1527 and the RG752? The last time I played a RG752, the neck was uncomfortable to me that my fretting hand cramped up after 10-15 minutes of playing on it (this was at drum city guitar land so the setup was great and very much the way I set up my guitars).

I've also read, I think it was even on this forum, that one of the RG1527 variants had a neck profile that is "a 7-string version of the RG2228 with the KTS rods"; can anyone confirm that? Out of every guitar I've ever played regardless of string count, the most comfortable neck is my 2013 RG2228A; I'd loooove to have a 7-string version of that neck profile. Flat on the back with round shoulders that are way out near the edges so it doesn't get in the way while moving my thumb around. It reminds me quite a bit of my UV7BK. The RG752 has a flat back as well but the shoulders aren't far enough out that when I play on the highest or lowest strings, the shoulders get in the way of my thumb.

 

[kmanick]

well I don't have a 1527 but the neck on my RG3727 is probably very close if not Identical to a 1527. I've heard from a couple of guitar techs, that the earlier 1527 necks are a lot closer in feel to the 7620 neck. I believe the earlier 5 piece wider necks were a but 'smaller " feeling than the later ones as well.. The RG3727 I have is a 2015 and it has very round shoulders.(feels very similar to a wider Universe neck) I used to have 1 2018 752AHM and the shoulders on that one definitely felt more squared than what I have in the 3727. my 7620 is with my tech so I can't do a side by side right now but I should be getting it back this week and I'll do a comparison then when I have got them both here at the house. The neck on my 7620 is really comfortable, so I'm curious to see which one I like better (I too have had issues in the past on 7620's pulling the high E off the board while playing). I have a digital caliper too, so I'll measure them for you if you like.

 

[beyondcosmos]

https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/RG1527 Here's the RG1527 link.

https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/RG2228A Here's the RG2228A link.

Go all the way to the bottom with the specs, click on the links for the different necks, and be sure to read the different dimensions for the different years.

Everything you're saying seems to check out. If you look carefully at the neck link for the Ultra 8 prestige from the RG2228A link, you'll see that there's a weird gap between '2011' and '2014-2016' for the years that this particular neck was made. The 2011 dimensions are probably what your 2013 RG2228A has, where the thickness at the 1st fret is 20mm, not 19mm, and the 12th fret is 21.5mm and not 21mm. You're probably feeling just that slight variation when you go from your 8 string to any 7 string you play in the RG1527 family and the RG752 family.

As far as I know, the neck specs for every 25.5" scale RG 7 string from 2005 and on have been the same, with the exception of some of the Universe models as Steve Vai wanted to experiment with thicker necks for a while (if I remember correctly). So a 2005 RG1527 is gonna have the same neck specs as a 2018 or 2019 RG752 and so on. 48mm width at the locking nut, 68mm at the last fret, 19mm thickness at the 1st fret, 21mm at the 12th fret, and a 430mm fretboard radius. Personally, I've got two 7 strings with these neck dimensions and they're my favorite neck profiles, but that profile is what I've played the most over the last 10 years.

I'm by no means saying this is definitely what's going on, but if the Ibanez.fandom discrepancy on those specs for the Ulra-8 prestige neck are true, then it seems to me that the difference in neck thickness is what's messing with you. I say this as I've been trying to find a 6 string that feels comfy after so many years of playing the Ultra 7 prestige profile and having an RG520QS with the original Wizard neck thickness just feels awful.

Hope this helps and I hope you find something comfy.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

I owned a royal blue Rg1527, made in 2006 I think. It had the 5 piece maple/wenge neck.

It has a wider neck compared to the 7620 and early 3 piece neck 1527 models so your high E and low B will not slip off. I haven't played the black 1527 model that came out afterwards nor the white 1527 with the maple fretboard so I don't know if they changed the profile for them.

The Rg752 neck I owned iis nothing like the early Rg1527. The 3 piece 1527 are thin and flat, the 5 piece 1527 is still thin but a little less flat and the 752 is a chunky round profile more like older Schecters than Ibanez.

The 5 piece 1527 I had is my favourite neck profile. I modelled my 2 custom Carillion necks on it. This isn't a great pic but shows the flat back and shoulders.




You can see here that the fretboard was widened to address all the complaints of the high E string slipping off. For some this isn't a problem but you can hear Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert pull the string off on some of their live DVDs.

 

[beyondcosmos]

"For some this isn't a problem but you can hear Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert pull the string off on some of their live DVDs."
Interesting to read that, if you have any links to vids of that I'd appreciate seeing them.

 

[Vegetta]

I have a 2004 1527 and never have had issues on pulling strings over the edge of the fretboard.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

"For some this isn't a problem but you can hear Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert pull the string off on some of their live DVDs."
Interesting to read that, if you have any links to vids of that I'd appreciate seeing them.

I tried to watch a Vai DVD a few years ago and just couldn’t get into it but he does it in live in the Astoria, by accident and also on purpose to achieve different or higher notes. It’s one of Gilbert’s live solos he gets carried away and pulls the string off the fretboard a few times. It just takes a micro movement to slip it off the edge even if you have perfect technique.

 

[rippedflesh89]

Thanks for all the responses everyone, I really appreciate it!

It seems like I'm looking for something between 2005 and 2008 then. 2005 being the year they switched to the 5-piece construction and 2008 being the last year the 1527 had the 'Ultra Prestige' profile according Ibanez Fandom. Interestingly enough, my RG2228A that I love so much has the 'Ultra' profile as where my newer RG5328 has a 'Wizard' neck and I prefer the 'Ultra'. The Wizard is pretty comfortable too but the Ultra neck just feels like home to me.

I went to drum city guitar land this weekend to try out a few things and ended up playing a 2021 RGDR4427. That's either a completely different neck than the 2019 RG752 I tried a year or two ago or they changed the neck profile up again. I remember absolutely hating the RG752 I played, I couldn't wait to give that guitar back to the sales associate. The RGDR4427 was way more comfortable to me. It still felt thicker than almost every older Ibanez I've played but it feels like they moved the shoulders out more towards the edges so they don't get in the way. It feels very very similar to the neck on my RG5328, just obviously less wide.

@MaxOfMetal, I'd love your expert opinion if you have the time

 

[kmanick]

picking up my 7620 this afternoon, I'm really curious which 7 I'm going to feel more comfortable on

 

[kmanick]

Well I picked it up. Steve Morrill did a refret for me , leveled the fret board and did a custom shim for it. (it was hurting when I dropped it off)
Steve for those not in th eBoston area is "the man", I've had him do refrets for me in the past and this 7620 looks like it's a fresh factory job.
Absolutely perfect.
Now I can't decide if I like my 7620 or my 3727 better. the 3727 neck definitely feels "bigger" but not by much, but now with fresh 6100 wire on the 7620 they feel really similar.
If I could only keep one i don't know which one I'd keep. The neck on this 3727 definitely does not feel as chunky as the 752AHM I used to own.
I'd say any early 5 piece 1527 would be what you're looking for and there just happens to be a bunch of them on Reverb right now for under a grand ( couple in the $800 range)
if you like EMGs here you go

Ibanez Prestige RG1527 2007 Cosmic Blue | Reverb

Total shred machine!This is a great guitar in very good condition. There are some typical chips in the finish on the side of the guitar, and a small ding on the back of the headstock. I've upgraded the tuners to Gotoh Locking and pickups to black chrome EMG 81/60 with a solderless 3 way switch. T...

reverb.com

this ones' got Guitarmory pick ups in it

Ibanez Prestige RG1527 2007 Gray | Reverb

2007 Ibanez Prestige 1527Beautiful guitar, plays fantastic! Low profile, signature ibanez locking tremelo system, shredding machine!Gotoh tunersGuitarmory pickups (Orion and polaris) Only has volume pot (because tone comes from your hands!) which also doubles as a humbucker splitter.

reverb.com

 

[Santuzzo]

Very interesting to read this thread.
I can't really help the OP as I'm not familiar with the 7620. I do have several RG1527s and and RG3272 and to me those necks all feel the same, it might be me but I barely feel any difference. Only thing that comes to mind is that one of my RG1527Ms has quite pronounced shoulders at the lower frets. It's never bothered me, though, it's still one of my favorite guitars.
I have never had the issues of pulling the high e or low B off the fretboard on any of my Ibanez 7-strings. On my JP7s I have had this issue but I think those necks are not nearly as wide as the necks on my RG7s.

 

[bzhang9]

there is even variation in the same year, best bet is earlier 1527s will feel closer. later ones feels chunkier. 752s had variation between years some are chunkier than others