Need Help! New and Stupid!!

Nimbus Rodus · #1 11-10-2002, 02:11 AM

Hi, I'm new to the forum and could use some help. I picked up a new Wizard neck and RG body, to put together a project Ibanez for fun. I used to have a first year FP Jem, and sold it when I got married (give me a break, she's pretty cool!)

Anyway, I stupidly didn't realize the body routings for the RG470 and 570 (?) guitars were different. Now I realize I cannot put an Edge trem in, and I hear all over this forum that the TRS trems are junk.

What to do? Should I...

A. Just put in the TRS, and slink away wiser for the next time
B. Drop an original Floyd in (what, maybe $150 bucks?)
C. Sell the 470 body on Ebay (its black, dead mint with all the covers) and pick up the right body.

Show me some love here, guys....I can use some advice.

Thanks!

spacenuke · #2 11-10-2002, 02:38 AM

why don't you just sell both the neck and body on ebay and buy a new stock RG5XX since it might actually cost more to buy all the parts separately.

But if you're looking to put the guitar together for kicks, then it'll depend on how much work you wanna do. If routing and refinishing is fine by you, then it'll probably add to the fun. But if you're just looking to assemble the parts, then just get the right body.

Ki swordsman · #3 11-10-2002, 05:25 AM

I'd route it and refinish it

I've heard routing a trs guitar to fit an edge is actually quite easy,

I think you basically just have to take a bit off the sides
and probably chuck new posts in

Ask the kind people from ProjectGuitar, or some of the other links
at the top of this page

SalemB · #4 11-10-2002, 08:51 AM

I would go with option C.

motogod927 · #5 11-10-2002, 01:05 PM

You could sell the body on ebay and order a custom made body and have them route it for a lo-pro.If you have the money i thinkl that would be a cool option.I ditched my rg 550 body and ordered a mahogany body with a koa top like the old reb beach guitatrs. looks and sounds great.

stratoskier · #6 11-10-2002, 02:33 PM

I just dropped an Edge into an S470 body (formerly had a TRS) and it took all of 15 minutes. All I needed to do was to sand off a teeny bit of wood from the 90-degree corners in the trem route of the body. Apparently (based on other posts I've read here), this is hit-and-miss: some bodies made for the TRS require nothing to accomodate an Edge, and others take more work. My advice would be to carry your body to a shop or a friend that has an Edge-equipped guitar, remove the Edge (detach springs and lift out, carefully!) and see if it'll fit in your body. That's what I did before I bought the Edge, so I knew it was a go.
stratoskier

Nimbus Rodus · #7 11-10-2002, 11:23 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys! I understood from the outset that it would be cheaper to buy the guitar upfront, but knowing me....

Soon the pickups would come out, and DiMarzio's or Seymour's would be going in! I don't want to refinish the body, but I'll see if I can track down someone with an Edge to put in. I'm not a huge whammy bar guy (used to be...) but I do want the thing to stay in tune and sound good.

Thanks, I'll keep you updated! Right now I'm leaning towards the routing option. Are the TRS trems really that bad?

John

By the way, anyone have any parts laying around?!

BZ Beetle · #8 11-11-2002, 07:26 PM

i would keep everything as is, and get yourself an edge trem. if it needs a little routing it needs a little routing. from there you can decide if you want to keep the body or have it sanded, or sand/rout it yourself

remember the 470 is japanese made, so its not AS hit or miss as the korean bodies. it might just work with minimal sanding. if not, the TRS isnt an entirely bad trem if you dont do alot of trem work. just make sure its a double locker!

spacenuke · #9 11-11-2002, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimbus Rodus

I'm not a huge whammy bar guy (used to be...) but I do want the thing to stay in tune and sound good.

have you considered filling the trem cavity in and converting it to a hardtail?

Nimbus Rodus · #10 11-11-2002, 09:05 PM

More good feedback, thanks guys! I do have a TRS on the way, (got it cheap, now I'm concerned!) and I'll put it in until I make a final decision. I suppose I can go down to a local GC and measure an Edge trem to see what it would take to fit it in.

I do still use the bar, not as much as a Van Halen or Satriani would, but I do grab ahold fairly more often playing than not. I guess I want it to work when I do, even though it may only be for a couple licks in a song.

We'll see what happens when the first trem comes. Now I need to decide on pickups. I'm kind of leaning towards DiMarzios right now (maybe an Evolution set, or an Evolution in the bridge and a PAF Pro in the neck. I have a HS-2 for the middle, but I need to scrounge up a black cover somewhere.

One question for the RG experts: Are both humbucker bezels flat, or is the bridge angled?

Thanks,

John

Nimbus Rodus · #11 11-17-2002, 12:00 AM

For those who responded back: I acquired a new Japanese-made RG550 body in black (with P/G, and a new Edge trem. Today I picked up DiMarzio pickups, a bridge Tone Zone, mid HS-2, and a PAF Pro for the neck. I'm going to use 500k pots, and a maple board neck. I have a new Japanese black 470 body and a used TRS bridge now to unload. If the Edge fits the 470, I may get another neck and go for two! If not, I can sell the extra parts. When done, I'll have about $500 invested....

Pricey but should be fun!!