USRG30 Resurrection

Darkstar · #1 10-12-2003, 03:26 PM

Hello all! I am new to this forum and just wanted to share my story and recent project.

I have been an Ibanez owner for 11 years. I bought my first and only Ibanez, a Lazer-Blue RG565, in 1992. This was the guitar I learned how to play on and grew to love. Over the years I eventually strayed away by adding a Jackson Soloist and ESP Custom SRC-7 7-string. However, I always returned to my ol' Ibanez from time to time. I guess something about your first real professional-grade guitar just never allows you to let go

After 11 years I decided it was time to return to where my journey began and add a new Ibanez to the family. There are many good, new Ibanez models out there. However, I wanted something special with a unique history, design, and/or purpose. I have known about the PBC-made USRG series since they hit the market back in late '93, infact I desperitely wanted one back in the mid 90's, but like most college students in those days I couldn't come up with the $1,700.

Well, I figured now is the time to fulfill this dream and I just bought a used 1995 USRG30TP earlier this week. Let me tell you... this baby needed some love in the worst way. I got it for a great price (just under $400). The part that blows is that the previous owner didn't care for this fine guitar at all. It spent most of its final year(s) in storage. Worst off, it looked like it was stored in a humidor. The corrosion on the metal parts (frets, bridge, pickups, etc.) combined with the moisture damage on the fingerboard was enough to make any true guitar owner cry.

The one positive side was that the finish on the body and headstock was virtually mint (only some funky residue and a few minor scratches). Nothing the good ol' Meguiars (Fender) Instrument Care Kit couldn't restore. After I decided that it was in a restorable condition, I bought it and brought it home. My only saving grace was that my wife likes purple, so she wasn't upset. She still didn't understand why I needed another guitar, but 'tis the nature of the beast.

Yesterday, with all the advise I found on Jemsite.com

, I completely disassembled the guitar then meticulously cleaned and polished the body, frets, and hardware. I disassembled the LoPro Edge, soaked it in WD-40, and scrubbed all the rust and stipple off of each part. I finished up by cleaning and soaking the fingerboard with linseed oil for about an hour. I may purchase a replacement bridge due to the CosmoBlack powder coat being 40% worn off, but it still looks much better than it did before I cleaned it.

I am so pleased with the way it turned out that I just have to share it with all of you. Here are the before and after pics.

BEFORE

Note the funk dulling the finish, corrosion on the pickup & potentiometer hardware, and crud in the pickup cavities.

You can see the corrosion on the frets and moisture damage on the fingerboard.

AFTER

Nice and shiny!

It took over 2 hours to bring this fingerboard back to life.

All finished, set up, and ready to rock!

Gresh · #2 10-12-2003, 03:53 PM

Looks great...You'll probably appreciate the guitar more now that you've broken it down to brass tacks as it were, and spent some good ole fashioned elbow grease on it. I love working on things.

Just spent a few hours setting up my recently acquired Petrucci P4, good fretboard treatment, nut shims removed, truss rod readjusted, action adjusted...plays much better than before and not nearly as stiff.

Working on things, making them your own is just a whole lot of fun, no matter how long it takes.

Nice work on the USA Custom, enjoy it.

Darkstar · #3 10-12-2003, 04:56 PM

Thanks!

I have never played a USRG before I finished this one. I was very amazed by the texture of the tone and resination. The Tension-Free neck is really cool! I can feel the resination vibrating in the neck as I play and the string tension is not bad at all. I still have some tweaking to do. I used D'Addario .010-.046's on it, but even with the bridge posts almost all the way down and the spring tension tightened so the LoPro saddles are level, the action seems a bit high at the 24th fret (about 3mm). I think I may restring it with a lighter gauge.

Chris

JayRobIBZ · #4 10-12-2003, 05:39 PM

Try a thin wedge under the trem side of the neck rout, then pop your neck back in. It will change the angle of the neck slightly therefore allowing you to have adequate adjustment for perfect action.

zEr0 · #5 10-12-2003, 05:40 PM

Beautiful guitar. Congratulations!!!

JayRobIBZ · #6 10-12-2003, 05:44 PM

I forgot to mention. This should help you out. http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/grunge_6.htm

Scott 74 · #7 10-12-2003, 10:56 PM

Thats awesome! Good job on getting it all cleaned up. Looks great!

Darkstar · #8 10-12-2003, 11:30 PM

Thanks for the positive comments guys! ;-)

JayRobIBZ, great suggestion. I will do that on my next string change in a few weeks.

Chris

Ibateur · #9 10-13-2003, 04:14 AM

You missed some rust...

Kidding. Its beautiful... Good work!

Did you change the electronics, or just clean them out?

Darkstar · #10 10-13-2003, 05:00 AM

Just cleaned them out. The pickups still have a good strong magnetic field, so I didn't want to replace them if I didn't need to. I only needed to troubleshoot the jack because of a loose connection. Aside from that the electronics are in great shape.

Chris

gkelm · #11 10-13-2003, 10:59 AM

Nice score and great cleanup job...what a feeling, eh? Looks great under all teh crud...in very nice shape! Had a green one a while back but sold it to find and amber one. Just recently picked up a purple lovely myself (couldn't wait!)...was fortunate to find one in hear mint condition.

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/gkelm

Greg

Ibateur · #12 10-13-2003, 11:15 AM

Those tops are just plain awesome!

Those other guitars on your album site, GAAAAAAAAASSSSSSsssss.

Darkstar · #13 10-14-2003, 01:32 AM

GKLEM, awesome collection! Here is a group shot of mine. My Charvel RR is not pictured because it is an ugly duckling, bright orange ( I do not know what possessed me to buy it in that color, then again I bought it in the early '90s when colors were still pushing the envelope of obserdity ).

I think I am gong to like hanging out in this forum. So far you guys have been great!

Chris

From left to right: USRG30TP, Soloist SL-2, and RG565 (mod: scalloped frets 20-24). In front is the flagship of my collection, an ESP Custom HSC-7 (27-inch scale-length 7-string).

darren wilson · #14 10-14-2003, 01:57 AM

Greg, that's some INSANE quilt on your USRG30! Sweet. Ibanez needs to use more quilts like that instead of flame maple everywhere.

Darkstar: Cool collection! Those RG565s with the body-matching dots are really cool. And i just love the Stephen Carpenter 7-strings. I'm really tempted to get one of the new ones, but they're mighty pricey for Korean-built guitars. But the new EMG 81-7 pickups probably sound wicked.

Darkstar · #15 10-14-2003, 02:13 AM

Thanks Bro!

It's too bad ESP cancelled the Japan Custom Shop SC 7-string a year or so ago. It is one sick, dark sounding, kick you in the b*lls guitar! With the maple neck-thru alder body she has a nice tonal balance. Mine has the Seymour Duncan pickups which kick huge butt!

For the most part, the current LDT 607-b seems to be pretty good. I have read a lot of positive reviews. Like you mentioned, it is quite pricey given the fact that it is Korean-built. Because of that, I think the Ibanez 7's may be a better option for that price range. However, as I am sure you know, you should test drive the 607-b and some Ibanez 7-strings to make an educated decision that best suits you.

Chris