Ibanez RG 3180 RV

Neck Pickup: Dimarzio Evolution Neck, DP158 BK
Bridge Pickup: Dimarzio Evolution Bridge, DP159 BK
Switch: 5-way selector
Neck: Super Wizard
Bridge: Lo-Pro Edge
Obs.: vintage "Prestige" inlay at the 12th fret

In 2011 I found an RG Prestige selling on OLX, at Portugal, and I bought it for 400 Euros. It was a 1995-97 Prestige (at the time i didn't even knew what "Prestige" meant), with a "Prestige" inlay in the 24th fret. One of the very first Prestige models, and rare! And it was mine all mine!

But what model was it?! Two days of research and no information... I opened an account at a Ibanez blog, and finally someone sent me more info about it, and told me it was an RG3180.

It is a high-quality made in Japan guitar, the neck is very thin, fast and comfortable, and for the first time I really had a neck where i could reach the 24th fret almost effortless! After that, I find out also that it was pretty close to some early J-Custom specs, and what "MIJ", "Prestige" and (woooow!) "J-Custom" meant. IbanezWiki helped me a lot!

And there she is, with a lot of dust, at its original colour.

The seller told me it was a floor model that he bought new. The store was having trouble selling it (expensive!) and they made him a special price. It costed about 1500 Euros at the time. But he played drums, so... no use for it now.

Here's the catalog page. The only differences from the page model is that it had a Tone Zone instead of the Super 3, and a quilt maple top instead of flamed maple.

I had some ideas, since the colour didn't please me, but who could help me? I couldn't risk myself on ruining this guitar. So at the same time I found the website of my good friend José Pereira (Fratermusic).

To make it cheaper I took it apart at home, and I found out something even nicer: the neck has an "RG4080" inscription on the cavity zone. You probably already know that at Ibanez, the bigger the number, the better!

I copied the J-Custom logo myself, made some vinyl stickers in white - it should've been bigger - and at the end, it was well worth it! It was then when I thought that the "J" could also mean "José". Funny thing...

Congratulations José!!!
He worked hard, and his work really worths it. Thanks man, great job!