RGA121 users....man...hate to say it but...

John01W · #1 11-02-2007, 06:19 AM

I while back I changed out the v7 and v8 pickups out for an air zone(B) and air norton(N).... in my rga121vlf

and I have to say, in this guitar the stock pickups sound great. Those particular dimarzios are not suited for this guitar IMO.

Now b4 you call me crazy, I liked the tone great when they were stock...

I have a 92 maple fretboard rg550dx purple neon that I absolutely LOVE the air zone(B), and paf joe in the neck.

Every time I pick up my rga, that 550dx sounds way better. Should have kept the stock pickups in the rga121...they sounded good.

Anyone else have a similar experience with the rga121?

mfergel · #2 11-02-2007, 06:43 AM

What exactly do you not like? Too bright, too dark, not hot enough, etc?

Ki swordsman · #3 11-02-2007, 06:56 AM

i changed the v8 bridge to an evo2 in my 121vlf which was an improvement and though i've stuck with it for a while, i'm not totally happy with it and am going to try a tone zone.

i liked the v7 neck for a long while, then i put a breed neck in and it was a subtle yet great improvement. the breeds just have a nice voicing i think..

Andelusion · #4 11-02-2007, 09:21 AM

I have a Breed neck in my RGA121 and it's perfect, I couldn't imagine anyone NOT liking it! It's especially spanky in parallel.

Tell us what you don't like about the combo in your RGA at the moment John, don't forget that your RGA is a very different guitar to your RG, for a start one is mahogany/maple, the other basswood, let alone the vast tonal differences (in my opinion) created by having a fixed bridge instead of a floater.

screamndemon69 · #5 11-02-2007, 10:23 AM

JB/Jazz in my RGA121. They are a perfect match for me in this great guitar.

The V7/V8 just don't have the depth and 3D tones I get from many aftermarket pups IMHO. They aren't bad pups but they just lack alot compared to many others. They do beat most Duncan Designed ones I've tried. Just my 2 cents.

John01W · #6 11-02-2007, 12:14 PM

Thanks for the replies fellas. There's also the factor of in my 550 I have the tone pot removed and no caps. There's a bit less output on the rga compared to the 550(this pickup combo in my old rg really is an amazing tone...those old 550s with that pickup combo(az, paf joe) really smoke, I've found my sound here. That guitar has mojo man.

There's a bit too much hi mids, maybe a bit too brash with that pickup config on the rga(az, an). I figured the combo would be good considering the j-customs are a very similar setup(wood combo, pickups).....

In my opinion, the v7 was a great sounding neck pickup. Articulate clear, smooth, easy to play. I've never really liked the air norton (had it in an alder body guitar and didn't dig it)but I figured i'd give it another try. That guitar has enough mids on it's own probably without extra help. Since I had the rga setup with a good nut setup...that guitar plays amazingly good. I have very low action and no buzz...and it's slinky as hell. B4 I had the nut tweaked it was kind of stiff. It's an awesome playing guitar, beautiful top compared to some I've seen and acoustically, it sounds very very nice.

a pic always helps so here ya go...not all of my guitars but a nice pic anyway:

Andelusion · #7 11-02-2007, 02:24 PM

Try and pick up a Breed before losing all hope with the RGA

screamndemon's combo also seems to be prefered by many so maybe give that a look in too.

Nice setup by the way, it's nice you've got some mojo going on with your RG! I have the exact same thing with my RGA

Big Red · #8 11-02-2007, 03:22 PM

My RGA, and RGA121H CDO (ALL mahogany), sounded poor with the V8 (the V7 was alright). Even though it had plenty of power, it was too muddy on the low E-string, and lacked the tonal charactor that I was looking for.

I had a Mo'-Joe/PAF-Joe combo in there, and while it seemed like that there was a drop in power, the clarity and tone was there in spades. I currently have a Super/Super II combo in there, and they roar!! I find that the Super 2 is well suited to mahogany guitars, I also had it in a Korean Dean Z.

Cheers

rastachild · #9 11-02-2007, 06:13 PM

there's no reason to feel bad about liking the stock pickups. i mean, we aren't equipment elitists...are we? if it sounds good, who cares what it is. i'll play a fender bullet squier if it gives me the tone i want. i personally think the stock pickups (v8 included) sound very good in the rga121. they are very well balanced, which means they are good for a variety of different styles of music. if you are looking for a specific sound, then of course switch them out for something else. however, just because the stock pickups don't scratch that particular tonal itch doesn't mean they are inferior. if that's true, then most of dimarzio and seymour duncan's offerings would be inferior for me. i always recommend giving the stock pickups a try.

sick-boy · #10 11-02-2007, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

JB/Jazz in my RGA121. They are a perfect match for me in this great guitar.

The V7/V8 just don't have the depth and 3D tones I get from many aftermarket pups IMHO. They aren't bad pups but they just lack alot compared to many others. They do beat most Duncan Designed ones I've tried. Just my 2 cents.

What does the JB/Jazz sound like in that guitar? I was just curious because I don't go for the screaming over the top sounds. I like a more subtle, classic rock sort of sound, and I was thinking of getting an RGA, but I didn't know what kind of pups to use to get that classic rock sound

Big Red · #11 11-02-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastachild

there's no reason to feel bad about liking the stock pickups. i mean, we aren't equipment elitists...are we? if it sounds good, who cares what it is. i'll play a fender bullet squier if it gives me the tone i want. i personally think the stock pickups (v8 included) sound very good in the rga121. they are very well balanced, which means they are good for a variety of different styles of music. if you are looking for a specific sound, then of course switch them out for something else. however, just because the stock pickups don't scratch that particular tonal itch doesn't mean they are inferior. if that's true, then most of dimarzio and seymour duncan's offerings would be inferior for me. i always recommend giving the stock pickups a try.

That is sound reasoning and smart thinking. All though I've only own Ibanez's with standard-equipped INF and V-series pickups, if I ever purchase a 2550/57,2610/20, etc, the Dimarzio/IBZ's are staying in. I love those.. I think of those as a Super Jr. and a Super 2 Jr.

Also, I have a Dean Z 79 re-issue, and the stock Dean pickups are excellent for what I do with it.

Cheers

mi2tom · #12 11-02-2007, 10:52 PM

Some of the stock pups are great! If you don't like the dimarzio why don't you change it back to stock?

John01W · #13 11-03-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andelusion

Try and pick up a Breed before losing all hope with the RGA

screamndemon's combo also seems to be prefered by many so maybe give that a look in too.

Nice setup by the way, it's nice you've got some mojo going on with your RG! I have the exact same thing with my RGA

Thanks man. I I'm not giving up on the rga, since I had it setup it's definitely an amazing playing and acoustically great sounding guitar. I could put the action lower than I have already set it, but for tone I'm keeping it as is. That guitar plays like a dream. Hate having to go through the hell of finding the right pickups...it can be so hit and miss at times.

In the past, I've had the jb trembucker in another guitar and I found it to be lacking for my taste....too much hi mids and not enough chunk. Finding the right pickup combo for my 550 took many pickups...the air zone sounds without jumping to the usual cliches like the brown sound....the neck pickup(the pafjoe) took a while to find the right one....that guitar sounds and plays killer.

The zone just doesn't work for the rga in the bridge and the norton just flat out sucks....The stock ones did sound better.

Thanks again....

John01W · #14 11-03-2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andelusion

I have a Breed neck in my RGA121 and it's perfect, I couldn't imagine anyone NOT liking it! It's especially spanky in parallel.

Tell us what you don't like about the combo in your RGA at the moment John, don't forget that your RGA is a very different guitar to your RG, for a start one is mahogany/maple, the other basswood, let alone the vast tonal differences (in my opinion) created by having a fixed bridge instead of a floater.

Thanks....fwiw, the air zone doesn't sound very good to me in the rga. The rga has enough mids without the heavy midrange added by the air zone. From what I hear the tone zone or zone pickups still sounds great in the pgm fixed bridge modes too. I'm sure that the rosewood board has a lot to do with it too.

I've found the air norton to just be nasal, with no sparkle in every guitar I've had it in. In the Rga it sounds like poo and fights a little too much.

Also...man I hate where they put the volume knob. It gets in my way. In my 550 I took the tone pot out and put the vol in it's place(way out of the way like the pgm models)