very strange issue

Homebake · #1 01-12-2009, 03:47 AM

a while back i posted a thread in the tech section asking for help on an issue on my RG2550Z. certain frets would just sustain for half as long and turn into pinch harmonics whenever you played them.

i took the whole frieking guitar apart (literally 80% of the parts on the guitar were taken off/examined) and even tried talking to an ibanez rep. the guys at the store i bought it at had no clue either.

took it to a luthier today, really smart guy who's studied all sorts of things from sound, to woodworking and everything in between. he came to the conclusion that it was just the pieces of wood the guitar was made of and how the frequency of the trouble notes interacted with the resonance of the wood and how they phased each other out.

so, long story short, there's a very good chance i'll get to hand the guitar in back to the shop i got it from (contacts make the difference in this industry...).

not sure weather i'll get most of the money back or weather it would be a direct swap. it could be...i might even look at a different guitar. i've decided in the long run, an EP would probably better than an EZ despite my love for the EZ. and just to make sure the problem is not trem related.

i can't express how satisfying it is though to have found out it's not just me nitpicking. i can now sleep again.

so anyway, that's my story. i wonder if anyone else has seen this problem before? apparently 99% of players wouldn't even hear the problem, but the thing is, now that i hear it, i can't get rid of it!

JohnnyRG1527 · #2 01-12-2009, 06:34 PM

yeah man i know exactly what you mean i get it on RG1527 but i doesn't bother me enough to warrent a new axe lol

Hikey Mikey · #3 01-12-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homebake

. . . i wonder if anyone else has seen this problem before? apparently 99% of players wouldn't even hear the problem, but the thing is, now that i hear it, i can't get rid of it!

I have never heard of it, but it makes sense. Wood is a natural and therefore variable material.

Every chance you all get, play a guitar before you buy it. Even the exact same model will vary from instrument to instrument.

Glad you found it and now have peace. I am also learning to trust my own ears. If it sounds good, it probably is good, and vice versa.

LonePhantom · #4 01-12-2009, 07:12 PM

I'm guessing you bought that from Better Music? They are god guys there, and should be able to do something to help you out (especially if it's under warranty still). Which luthier looked at it for you? I've been curious about luthiers in Canberra for a little while.

scotteggshell · #5 01-12-2009, 08:20 PM

Does it do it unplugged ?

Homebake · #6 01-13-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonePhantom

I'm guessing you bought that from Better Music? They are god guys there, and should be able to do something to help you out (especially if it's under warranty still). Which luthier looked at it for you? I've been curious about luthiers in Canberra for a little while.

pro audio, actually and rusty vance. and yes, it does it acoustically which leads me to believe the wood story as well.

Splinter8451 · #7 01-13-2009, 01:31 AM

Haha my Schecter C-1 Elite that's a string through does this on the 7th fret and I love it, I was just like wow its like having a sustainer, cause the notes hold for-freaking ever! My Jem7v also does this a tiny bit on the b string at the 7th fret so I just figured it had to do with intonation and that being a natural harmonic point but I have no clue really, just a guess.

Sadly the Schecter only gets played when the Jem has a broken string sooooo XD

But thats cool you are getting things worked out and gettin a new guitar cause thats always a fun thing

Homebake · #8 01-13-2009, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splinter8451

Haha my Schecter C-1 Elite that's a string through does this on the 7th fret and I love it, I was just like wow its like having a sustainer, cause the notes hold for-freaking ever! My Jem7v also does this a tiny bit on the b string at the 7th fret so I just figured it had to do with intonation and that being a natural harmonic point but I have no clue really, just a guess.

yeah, when you bend up to the troubled frets on my guitar, the notes just last for like half a second, it's pretty ridiculous.

Homebake · #9 01-13-2009, 02:10 AM

just got off the phone with the manager of the music store and i can get a direct replacement for the guitar! i keep my case and i just get to swap it. pretty damn nice deal if you ask me.

Splinter8451 · #10 01-13-2009, 02:13 AM

Play it first to make sure its not the same!!!

Haha just in the very small chance it does the same thing.

Homebake · #11 01-13-2009, 02:32 AM

yeah, i'm gonna spend 7 hours on each fret.

LonePhantom · #12 01-13-2009, 05:37 PM

Good stuff, glad you are getting a replacement. I've never found Pro Audio as good as Better Music (even though Better Music own them now), but at least they are looking after you.

Dino · #13 01-13-2009, 06:16 PM

They are sure it's not just fretting out, something a good level would fix?

Homebake · #14 01-13-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dino

They are sure it's not just fretting out, something a good level would fix?

nope, definitely not fretting out, checked that a lot.

Darin · #15 01-14-2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikey Mikey

Every chance you all get, play a guitar before you buy it. Even the exact same model will vary from instrument to instrument.

Absolutely positively correct. I recently bought and acoustic for a friend for Christmas. We took several out of the boxes before I settled on one that sounded best. Its the same with acoustic and electric. Play them all, and buy the one that plays and sounds best, even if it's the wrong color!!