Routing for a blaze single coil

[Noodles]

I want a h-s-h setup in my rg7620 and I don't have the cash for a uv7bk so is it worth doing the routing for a single coil? Also can someone tell me if I would need to buy a new 5-way switch?

[ChrisReedSmith]

If you really love the sound a single coil gives you in the middle then sure its worth it. Is it worth it to me?? hell no. single coils have no place anywhere near my guitars, much less the middle position.(or the neck for that matter) But if you like it, Sure. Cost for routing? My GUESS is maybe around 40-60 dollars. Probably closer to the 40 range. My friend had a humbucker routed into his Fender and it cost him 60. But I think he got ripped off because he went to Guitar Center *(I know I know, what was he thinking...Well he already had taken it there before telling me).

As for the switch, I'm not sure about this so someone else is gonna have to help, BUT I would think it should be fine to add a single coil to, you just need to change the entire setup. I remember the RG7's have a "special" setup which was different from JEM/RG/UV's. Whatever it is now, I'm sure you could wire the switch to be 1-bridge/2-bridge single coil and middle single coil/ 3- middle single coil/ 4-neck single coil and middle single coil/ 5-neck

or you could wire it anyway you'd want. but if I ever had a h-s-h setup thats probably the wire i'd wire it.

chris

[Noodles]

Would I have to order a pickgaurd or could it be done without ruining the paint job? Also I plan on ordering a pickgaurd anyway so would it be better to mount it on the pickgaurd or direct mount it? The reason I asked about the 5-way is because is because after looking at Ibanez's wiring diagrams for the uv and the rg7 thats what I came up with. Just in case it will help I will provide links to the diagrams below.Thanks.

UV7
RG7

[jemsite]

with the rear-routed RG7620 you could get away with routing the middle pickup and drilling into the pickup cavity to run the wires. It should be no big deal, aside from the cosmetics in the new cavity there will be no paint. You could fill that with black paint or similar color.

A pickguard is another option. if you do that, it provides *ease of installing and more adjustability than a body mounted middle pickup.

Personally I would not hesitate to do this, given the sonic variations provided by the 2-1-2 pickup configuration. Good luck... glen

[Noodles]

Thanks for the help so far guys. Does anyone know the answer to the 5-way switch question?

[jemsite]

the current 5-way should work, but *order a new 5-way anyway. reason is you can burn out the original very easy if you're not good with soldering. Also for $5 i'd go with a new one for no other reason then preventitive maintenance... glen

[Scott of Actual Time]

sorry guys, the RG7620 switch may look like a standard 5 way switch from the outside, with two sets of 3 poles plus one common pole, but the connectivity of those poles when the switch is in the various positions is quite different from standard 5 way switches. *this switch is designed to give the decidedly non-standard coil cut options that the RG7620 has, including the neck HB in parallel. *without the wiring diagrams at my fingertips, i don't think it would give standard Strat type H/S/H switching.

you could use any standard Strat type 5 way to get standard 5 way switching, but i would recommend a Schaller Megaswitch (available at stewart macdonald guitar shop supply). *the Original Megaswitch gives standard Strat combinations in all positions except the middle, where it gives the birdge coil of the birdge HB + the neck coil of the neck HB, for a telecaster like, phased sounding sound.

i like that tele sound so much that i put the yamaha 5 way switch in my RG7620s, to replace the both HBs position with the tele sound. *i've got coil cut diagrams on my website if anyone is interested in that.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~sha3u/

good luck,

scott
sha3u@virginia.edu