RGA121VLF results with pickup change

John01W · #1 03-02-2006, 09:28 PM

FIrst off, man what a guitar.... after a full setup of the nut, neck and action. The guitar plays like a dream and is a joy to play. Actually slinky. The neck is awesome.

I just got my guitar back from having an air zone(BR) and air norton(N) installed after some reasearch on the switch.... I can honestly say this guitar is a dream

I feel I really got lucky with this one, it has to have one of the best maple tops of the RGA121s I've seen on the web or on the ibanez site....I got very lucky.

First off, the position #4 two split coil tone on clean tones is WOW. THe air zone in the bridge fits this guitar. Of course the Air Norton is pretty close to being the perfect neck pickup. Man what a sound. This pickup selection posiblities are awesome on this guitar.

I got lucky with this one for sure. I'll post picks here in the next reply.

I have to say, my Ibanez 92' RG550DX purple neon(maple neck, original wizard neck).... with the air zone, and paf joe is also a killer killer guitar, I need to get a good middle single to get some better clean tones.

Man what a pair. Don't hesitate to get one of these. Be sure to click the full size option so it isn't garbled:http://community.webshots.com/album/548189134WkskDQ

JM5150 · #2 03-02-2006, 10:42 PM

Sounds awesome. Say, on that "switch", what colors go where?

I was looking at the wiring diagram for the 321 (which I believe is the same setup) and the stock IBZ pu's have a blue wire(?).

Glad you like your new pickups!

John01W · #3 03-02-2006, 11:31 PM

one the 121 they are the v7 and v8 pickups, and the green wire to me looks green/blueish, but then again they are different pickups... I would assume that's the green goes.

One thing for certain, wire it exactly like the diagram says, it's not a regular switch that's for sure.

Ya know I think a regular paf pro would sound awesome in there too in the neck. The neck pickup for the stock ibanez was pretty not bad actually, the bridge totally blew next to the air zone. IMO, the air zone is "the" bridge pickup. The norton is a great pickup though fo sho.

Gotta say though they both split awesome, like crystaline in position 4.

Thanks a bunch. Hope this helps.

guitardevil2005 · #4 03-02-2006, 11:46 PM

just so you know, you just bought one of my dream guitars

John01W · #5 03-03-2006, 12:01 AM

Traded my Triaxis for it, never cared for it really. Pics on the way.

John01W · #6 03-03-2006, 12:58 AM

Ok here's some pics. Be sure to click the full size option so it isn't garbled:[

http://community.webshots.com/album/548189134WkskDQ

lyconxero · #7 03-03-2006, 01:15 AM

Aww, man. I've been wanting one of those guitars since they first came out and that pickup combo is one that I'm seriously considering for my RG321. I actually got a diagram directly from Dimarzio about how to wire their humbuckers on the stock switch the same way as the stock pickups.

Andelusion · #8 03-03-2006, 11:57 AM

Nice one

I've got one in natural and I play it a hell of a lot (probably more than my Jem to be honest - I'm starting to prefer fixed bridges).

I think i'm gonna put a PAF in the neck and a Breed in the bridge, or Tone Zone.

erikm5150 · #9 03-09-2006, 02:40 PM

congrats on the nice axe, John...

i have an RGA121VLF too! and i also have an Air Zone in the bridge -- i agree that it's a really good match for this guitar.

i'm still using the stock V7 neck pup (which is actually not bad), coz i still can't decide what to replace it with... i'm thinking of a paf joe or air norton, or a duncan jazz/59 hybrid.

John01W · #10 03-09-2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikm5150

congrats on the nice axe, John...

i have an RGA121VLF too! and i also have an Air Zone in the bridge -- i agree that it's a really good match for this guitar.

i'm still using the stock V7 neck pup (which is actually not bad), coz i still can't decide what to replace it with... i'm thinking of a paf joe or air norton, or a duncan jazz/59 hybrid.

Thanks, I love the RGAs big time. The air zone, ends up spankin' in my RG550 with no tone control and the RGA121VLF with all the stuff. THe air zone is just THE bridge pickup IMO, sounds great in both. Yeah man the V7 ain't bad at all...(actually Ibanez neck pickups aren't bad, the one in the 550 was pretty good too), actually not bad at all! THe norton does come ahead though, something about it when split with the air zone, just gets a sound in the 4 position that is just amazing. CLean tones with that are super crystlline.

Regarding the Paf Joe...It's an awesome neck pickup, no doubt...I was really surpised in how bright it is in the neck, which is good for the basswood in my RG550DX(love this guitar too), I might be afraid to put it in the RGA.

You're actually setting pretty right now, the V7 is a good pickup IMO, the air norton is a notch better, but the split capabilites are amazing. Either way, you can't go wrong.

I would suggest a regular Paf Pro, rather than the Paf Joe for the wood combo in the RGA though

Glad you like your RGA121VLF though, congrats to you as well!!

We lucky, great deal(love the case too)....I can't begin to tell you how having the nut set up made this thing a completely better guitar.... Slinky, plays like air and stays in tune much better too.

erikm5150 · #11 03-09-2006, 04:17 PM

thanks for the pickup advice...
so i guess the paf joe isn't a good match for this guitar.
i think i'll go with the air norton then -- never tried that pickup, but by what everyone here says, can't go wrong with it.

just curious, what was done to the nut to set it up? did you change the nut?
i'm having some problems keeping the guitar in tune sometimes

did you do it yourself, or have a pro set it up?

John01W · #12 03-09-2006, 04:49 PM

Yeah, can't go wrong with it....it would almost be like a j-custom I guess(same woods, and pickup combinations). I had it set up by a tech I like to go to in Austin who is very good(where I bought the guitar, a setup came with it, but I was so eager to get it home I just brought it home before he had a chance to set it up). He just filed the slots from what I could tell. I remember the slots being slightly deeper maybe very slightly wider on some strings I guess. Same nut. I remember him saying he thought it was graphite. It came back playing much better. I woundn't even think of trying anything like that myself lol, no doubt about that lol. That guy is great, great dealer too for Ibanez guitars.

Some nut sauce might help even more, although I haven't tried it.

fettouhi · #13 03-09-2006, 05:09 PM

Sweet

, congratz!!!

Regards

André

John01W · #14 03-09-2006, 06:35 PM

Really, the more I play with it, call me crazy, but I'm missing the original V7. Dunno, maybe you should just keep what you got. I may have the original neck pickup put back in. If it wasn't for the position 4 tone I would, I couldn't quit playing that on clean, just so pretty.

Heck I might....the original V7 had some cut that the norton ain't got, and a little less midrange. If the norton had just a bit more cut.

Dare I say it.... the V7 is a kick butt neck pickup?

Robotechnology · #15 03-10-2006, 09:28 AM

You know, I played 3 of my Ibanez' yesterday back and forth and came to the same conclusion... the V7 in the neck isn't bad at all. The V8 is the weak link.