HOLY COW!!! I just replaced my JEM7VWH hardware

rikkbeatty · #1 07-01-2004, 02:20 AM

After 11 years of severe wear and tear on my VWH I finally had no choice but to replace the trem system and thanks to Chris I got to replace all my gold hardware.

Click here to see the old compared to the new: http://rikkbeatty.com/bridges.jpg

davester1234 · #2 07-01-2004, 02:58 AM

new one so pretty!

Does it work okay?

fettouhi · #3 07-01-2004, 05:35 AM

New hardware is always sweet

!

Regards

André

sanitarium · #4 07-01-2004, 06:28 AM

Looking at the old one it's hardly supprising you replaced it, looks well used. Was it hard to replace or did you get someone to do it for you?

disassociative1 · #5 07-01-2004, 09:05 AM

rikk dude thats some serious use on the old one lol,

i bet she looks all minty fresh new now.

rikkbeatty · #6 07-01-2004, 10:34 AM

Yeah the knife edge opposite the side with the curve cut in it was catching like crazy and it made it non usable unless I locked the dang thing down with a piece of wood or something under it. There was a groove WELL worn in it from all the whammy bar use. When I took it out and examined it compared to a new one I was like "Well THAT explains it!" lol

It was VERY simple to take the tuners, locking nut, and trem system and springs out and replace them with new ones. I would like to get some of the new posts I think since they have a bit wider "v" in them but until then I will use Rich's/Satch's tech advice and put some chapstick in the "v" of the trem post to keep it from sticking. The knife edge on the new trem was nice and thin the way it should be so I think it is just in its "adjusting" faze. lol

Yeah if you look at the old one you can see where I wore the metal down on the saddles so there is no "angle" or slant to the top of the piece anylonger. Its just flat. lol For about 7 years that was the only guitar I played anywhere from 4 to 5 hours a day 5 to 7 days a week so it definitely took some abuse!! lol

Rich · #7 07-01-2004, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rikkbeatty

The knife edge on the new trem was nice and thin the way it should be so I think it is just in its "adjusting" faze. lol

:

Either Chris filled them or you're getting nearsighted

rikkbeatty · #8 07-01-2004, 02:49 PM

Not sure when he got the bridge (if its one of the older ones or not or if he filed it) but it is as thin as my bridge from 93' from the VWH. DEFINITELY thinner or more tapered than the one shown on your site before you worked on it.

Rich... how much for a set of new posts with the slightly wider "v"?

Rich · #9 07-01-2004, 02:53 PM

That was a fairly bad example, if it's wider than that one AFTER I got done with it it's still too wide

$27 shipped.

the.godfather · #10 07-01-2004, 03:08 PM

Hows the ole 7VWH holding up anyway on the whole? Is the body holding up okay after all that play? I know you have played it alot, and I bet its got a fair few scars, but I am just interested in how well it is holding up!
I have never played a guitar that much tbh, so I just wondered. Has it got the typical neck joint crack too. I am interested to see how well an Ibanez axe can stand to constant pressure. Cos I mean, look how long EVO has lasted after all the thrashing Vai gave it!
Gary - The.Godfather

rikkbeatty · #11 07-01-2004, 03:54 PM

Rich.. I will have to check it out....

Actually there is no neck joint crack (go figure that one out....) It has a couple battle scars on the body and the neck is well worn with certain grooves from playing positions that I play allot. Basically it feels like an old pair of shoes. The inlays have held up for the most part. There have been occasional lifting in certain spots on some of the vine but a small injection of epoxy under it fixes it no problem. Structuraly the guitar has remained in tact and is still the best playing JEM I have ever owned.

RIGHT when the VWH came out in 93', American Music in Tacoma Washington was one of the few lucky stores to get one before they went on a quick back order. I remember they had it hanging as close to the ceiling as possible with all these lights on it. Those were still the days where you paid pretty close to list for a guitar and EBAY and buying/selling on the net was not quite thought of yet. So with the attention this baby got and due to the backorder I paid full list for it. They would not even take it down until I pulled a wad of hundreds out of my pocket to show them I was a serious buyer. lol It was set up with 8's on it and it just SCREAMED. I changed it to 9's and the tone was even more unreal. Its gone through allot of stage, show, and practice wear and is a true testiment to the quality of Ibanez guitars.

All praise Steve Vai and Ibanez......

anuj · #12 07-01-2004, 10:55 PM

'new' hardware on my 7vWH (pulled from an '88 rg560):

http://www.sodiumchannel.com/images/...ar/01-Agro.jpg
http://www.sodiumchannel.com/images/...-Agro-Body.jpg

flawless. looks pretty battered, but it's in great shape and i MUCH prefer the edge to the lo-pro. oh, and this one broke while i was swapping it in (the knife-edge holder snapped in half) - BUT rich and his jb weld advice has held absolutely stunningly for the past year and some. it's stable as a ROCK (and ultra sensitive, like i like it) with the original edge and original locking posts.

~A

darren wilson · #13 07-02-2004, 01:30 AM

What i wanna know is... where did the worn metal off the bridge saddles go? At least some of it must have been absorbed through your skin and is now floating around in your bloodstream.

And people thought it was cool when Vai put his DNA into a guitar's paint. Rikk has his guitar in his DNA!

rikkbeatty · #14 07-02-2004, 01:48 AM

ROFL A TRUE Ibanez fanatic I am!!

Gresh · #15 07-02-2004, 01:10 PM

Man Rikk, I thought my VWH saddles were in bad shape, yours was downright horrifying...but very cool I have to say. I've got a few saddles that are basically all black now, but your base corrosion just blew me away. I guess for a 95, mines not too bad afterall...the bar has been raised

(no pun intended)