Just bought an RG321 - Need advice!

[Chud]

Okay guys, so i went and tried out an RG321 today and ended up buying it under the excuse "I need a hardtail" (lame excuse i know... but enough to justify it for me haha )


Just a few things i need advice on about this guitar though:

1. The guitar was setup with .9s on it but i use .10s. I'm going to change the strings to .10s but shall i mess around with the truss rod etc? I was thinking of putting the .10s on, leaving the guitar a couple of days, then adjusting action/truss rod etc. Can anyone give me tips on this as i have never touched a truss rod and i'm pretty scared to


2. The action on the guitar is quite high - though so was every other guitar at the shop (even a JEM7V had a massive action ). After i put the .10s on my guitar, how will i go about lowering the action. I know i'm meant to measure it and test at the 8th fret, but what's a good way of lowering the height? It's a hardtail so i want the action to be as low as possible


3. I'm probably going to end up putting a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge. Can anyone give me diagrams or such to show how to install it?



Cheers for any advice guys, i'll post up pictures some time in the future when it's modded up a bit

[lttoler]

I'm in the same boat as you. I just got my RG321MH this week and am wanting to do the same thing. I've been playing for about 10 years but never got to learn the technical stuff. Good luck!

[Chud]

Originally Posted by lttoler

I'm in the same boat as you. I just got my RG321MH this week and am wanting to do the same thing. I've been playing for about 10 years but never got to learn the technical stuff. Good luck!

Ah cool

What did you think of the guitar? I've been playing them alongside my other guitars and a few guitars in the guitar shop and it's pretty impressive for the money.

Natural harmonics seem stronger on my RG321 then my RG1550. I dunno if that's because of the bridge, wood or whatever. Probably just a combination but the harmonics really ring out on the RG321

[lyconxero]

I own a 2005 model RG321 and it rocks. I LOVE the way the mahogany body resonates the notes. It sounds completely different than my other RG made of basswood. I also play with 10s on my guitar and I can tell you from experience that adjusting the bridge and the truss rod will have to be done pretty much right after you put the strings on and get it up to tune. If you've never done it before, then have a professional do it and WATCH WHAT THEY DO. Necks are a touchy thing and I've only found one person that I trust to do the job properly.

[travis bickle]

i just got two of these and i love em. i threw in a dimarzio x2n and i can't believe how good this thing sounds. and get a tech to work out your guitar.

[t1r12003]

I would find a friend or guitar teacher that you know that can show you the basics. A store probably won't take the time because they want your money to do themselves. There are great books out there to teach you too. If you have an older beat up guitar, work on it to start. You can always go buy a used cheapo, practice all your wiring and adjusting, and resell it cheap later when you've learned. That's how I learned. I didn't start with my nice guitars I baby around, but worked on my POS.

[t1r12003]

One more thing, try Projectguitar.com for tons of tutorials and reference material on wiring and set-ups.

[Chud]

Originally Posted by travis bickle

i just got two of these and i love em. i threw in a dimarzio x2n and i can't believe how good this thing sounds. and get a tech to work out your guitar.

Yeah, i'm gonna put a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge to give it a stronger sound. I was really suprised at the sound of the RG321, just because even with a JSX on full lead distortion, roll down the volume on the guitar and it's got a really nice clean sound

One thing that sucks on the RG321 is the neck humbucker. It's just weak as hell and i'll have to change it.

I think i'll ask one of my tutors at BIMM to help me set it up. There was a masterclass on setting up guitars by a british guitar company, but i missed it (doh!)

Cheers for all help!

[red5]

Originally Posted by Chud

1. The guitar was setup with .9s on it but i use .10s. I'm going to change the strings to .10s but shall i mess around with the truss rod etc?

Give it a quarter turn clockwise then put the 10s on. That should do the trick if it's setup right now!

2. The action on the guitar is quite high - though so was every other guitar at the shop (even a JEM7V had a massive action ). After i put the .10s on my guitar, how will i go about lowering the action.

I don't even fret about measuring the action. I usually eye it and use what feels right. I know what works and what doesn't by now. The bridge saddles have screws in them which you can use to raise the action and alter the radius as well.

3. I'm probably going to end up putting a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge. Can anyone give me diagrams or such to show how to install it?

The pickup should have a basic diagram already. You will see your bridge pickup will be soldiered to the pickup selector switch and to the volume pot. The installation guide on dimarzio.com says to soldier the black and white wires together and cover them with electrical tape, soldier the green and bare wires to the ground and the red one to the same spot on the pickup selector switch as the pickup you are replacing. They did change their color codes - you will want to read what the booklet says when you get the pickup to be sure. It's pretty easy!

[lyconxero]

I agree that the neck pickup on the RG321 is kind of lame. I would probably go with an Air Norton in the neck simply because it has the best split tones of any humbucker that I've tried.

[JM5150]

I noticed that the 321 has a new color on MF (nickel). What about a TZ in the bridge of a mahogany guitar like the 321?

[rty13ibz98]

i have an rg321mhol with air norton and tone zone an it is very versatile. i have several mahogany rgs with trems and this guitar is brighter than those and just as fat.


rich

[valdex]

Originally Posted by rty13ibz98

i have an rg321mhol with air norton and tone zone an it is very versatile. i have several mahogany rgs with trems and this guitar is brighter than those and just as fat.


rich

Hi, I just buy 2005 model RG321mhwk, and will arrive in one week to my country (Venezuela). I want to change the PUs to the same config. AirNorton/ToneZone, but I dont know wich buy, F-Spaced or normal spaced, any advice?

PD: Sorry for my english

[lyconxero]

Originally Posted by valdex

Hi, I just buy 2005 model RG321mhwk, and will arrive in one week to my country (Venezuela). I want to change the PUs to the same config. AirNorton/ToneZone, but I dont know wich buy, F-Spaced or normal spaced, any advice?

PD: Sorry for my english

You want to buy F-Spaced pickups for both the bridge and the neck.

[valdex]

even if the guitar has a fixed bridge needs a f-spaced pickup?