Ibanez JPM90HAM Model Problem... - I tried e-mailing them, b

[Spiral Acid]

I bought this model in '98, and have had quite a few problems with it. I just don't know how to fix the guitar, and neither does anyone around here, cos' I've taken it to numerous "workshops", and no one seems to have a clue. Maybe I can get some help here.

Here are the problems:

The Neck: It's got a swelling in the region of the 6th to 7th fret, and this can't be straightened out with and truss rod alignment... Believe me, I've tried.

The Neck-Body Joint: There's a major problem with the neck angle being shifted even though I tighten it as hard as I can. The cavity seems to be larger than usual, so the neck can shift out of place with just a slight nudge.

The Bridge: There was an intonation problem initially, but that's been solved. Now the problem is that the bridge isn't stable. If I push the bar down, the notes STAY flat. If I pull the bar up, the note STAY sharp. The only way I've managed to settle this, is to flutter the trem after I've pulled or pushed it, and this seems to work, but still isn't 100% precise.

The fretboard: Any note I bend from the 15th fret upwards will have a false harmonic induced by the close proximity of the strings. Allow me to clarify, that my action isn't low at all. It's moderately high, yet this happens. If I raise the action anymore, I might as well start using a slide and play lap steel on it... I've tried to straighten out the truss rod, or give it a slight bow, and it still doesen't work.

This is a 90th Anniversary guitar, and I was appalled to see such major problems with it. The biggest pain for the whole situation is that I can't seem to find a solution for these issues, and Ibanez doesn't seem to have a very effective customer service. I mail a legitimate problem about one of their high end guitars, and I don't even get a response. All I get is the computer generated e-mail saying that it's been received, and will be carefully read... But I'm still in Limbo here... It's a great guitar, and I really don't want to have to put it away when my 1077XL arrives... But seeing that these problems can't be solved, I might have to do so, so that I can preserve the guitar in it's current state, and hopefully one day hand it down to my kids in a still playable condition...

One thing to note though, Singapore has 80% humidity, and I don't know what to do about that...

[Rich]

You're not getting a responce because you're emailing the American distrbutor (if you used the email link on ibanez.com) You're in Singapore and the American distributor obviously has no responsibility to a guitar sold in Singapore. Unfortunately I don't believe there is ANY warranty in Singapore, even if there was it would be 2 years out of date. Bottom line, what you need is a luthier. The sweeling in the board can be planed out, or if it's not that extreme a fret grind will usually work. Sandpaper in the neck pocket will stop the neck from moving. Your tuning problems could be lots of things and the best place to start is the tech section right here on Jemsite.


(Edited by Rich at 5:22 am on May 31, 2001)

[Spiral Acid]

Yeah, but unfortunately I've not been able to find a really good luthier... Not even in this region... And I don't want to take this to some guy who does these things based on trial and error...

I think the swelling isn't a wood issue, as it wasn't like this when I first got it... But it might be due to the humidity... Someone suggested I pack it away for 6 months with tons of silica gel, and that might help remove the swelling...

What grade sandpaper should I use???

Thanks, Rich...

[Rich]

In the neck pocket? 220's fine. 80% humidity's not good for anything wood You could always have the neck shipped to someone in the States, or there has to be SOMEone in all Asia qualified to fix you up.

[Spiral Acid]

Yeah... I don't mind shipping it to the states, but I'm not even sure if it's worth the guy's trouble... hahahaha I'f I can fix it on my own first, then that's fine...

220s you say??? ok, then how should I fit it in? sandy edge in or out???

[Rich]

Doesn't really matter, i'd use it as a neck ship up against the neck pup. You can also use window screen, anything that will give a little 'grip' in the pocket.

[jemsite]

Rich's suggestion of a thin metal screen is probably the best idea given the ease of installation. For a buck or two it would be well worth the effort to try at home... glen

[Spiral Acid]

Won't the sandpaper used as a screen cause the sustain to be reduced significantly?

And erm... guys, I just bought an RG1077XL... great guitar, but It's baritone neck... its that ok for normal tuning?

[jemsite]

sustain should not suffer, as it's a bolt-on to begin with. The XLs are ok for std tuning, although you will have a bit more string tension. Reports are that it's acceptable but i have not yet played one... glen

[Spiral Acid]

I've managed to tune my axe to standard tuning, and yes the tension is higher, but it's better that way... the low A initially felt too floppy... However, with that being said, won't the neck have a higher chance of being warped? and you mean to say that it should have been tuned to A in the firstplace rather than B????

[Rich]

In the US the XL's are shipped in standard tuning. Might be diferent for Singapore, or the dealer may have set it up that way. XL questions should be addressed on one the the XL threads in 'Other 7 String" section but standard tuning will in no way hurt your XL.

[Spiral Acid]

Hey! Thanks Rich! And I'll post my stuff on the XL in the other threads from now on... thanks so much... By the way, which part is the neck pup? The block at the end of the neck right?

[Rich]

Sorry, my bad American slang, pup = pickup. You'll have to raise the trem after as you're basically adding more neck shim, which it probably needs anyway.

[Rich]

If there isn't any neck shim in it now, use a piece of screen the size of a neck shim, about 9 x 28mm.

[Spiral Acid]

Quote: from Rich on 3:58 am on June 5, 2001
If there isn't any neck shim in it now, use a piece of screen the size of a neck shim, about 9 x 28mm.

That small??? where's that going to fit???