Pimp my axe please

Guy-Onraet

Alright, I’ve had my Prestige Ibanez RGA for about 18 months. The neck is beautiful, it's light and the Gibraltar Plus bridge is comfortable and stable. The playability is great, I love the almost flat radius and the look is IMHO awesome (it's the violin finish).

However, all the electronics are original. So, the volume and tone pots are a bit scratchy, it's a bit noisy and I find the pick-ups a bit thin.

The body is mahogany with a maple top, the neck is maple with a rosewood board, pup configuration is H-H, bridge is fixed.

My main amp is a Laney Lionheart with three 12Ax7 pre-amp tubes and four EL84 power amp tubes.

I'm into Guthrie, Lane, Timmons, Greg Howe type tone, basically a Fusion tone with a rockier edge.

This is what I want to achieve with the mods:

Make the guitar noiseless.
Upgrade to better quality electronic parts.
Make the guitar sound fatter. (More strat with a humbucker than an LP though)

I'm looking for advice on:
Shielding - paint or tape?
Pots - what brand? what size? how many ohms?
Pickups - I'm leaning towards a SD Jazz in the front and I'm pretty sold on a Dimarzio Breed in the back, but suggestions are welcome.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

AlanRatcliffe

No time, so I'll be quick and come back with a longer reply tomorrow.

Shielding - copper tape
Pots - CTS. 500K. Logarithmic. 25mm. RS Kits are cool, especially with their low tolerance pots. Consider PRS type 5-way switching to give you two extra sounds.
Pickups - SD Jazz is fine, Breed I don't know - might be a bit hot for a fusion type tone. I'd think you might want something that could clean up better than a high output pickup. Either way, something a bit hotter and warmer than a PAF to suit the maple neck, which brightens up the attack over the typical LP-type neck and neck join.

Guy-Onraet

Cool, I eagerly await tomorrows full response ?

BTW, the switch is a 5-way. Back on full, both split (inside coils), both full, front split in parallel, front on full.

I asked Magnus Olsson - http://www.magnusolsson.com/index2.htm - what he uses and he said he loves the Breed in his RGA, but maybe it will be too hot. He also recommended the Jazz.

Guy-Onraet

Bump

anyone else got any suggestions while alan prepares his answer in full ?

arjunmenon

+1 with Alan on the copper shielding and the .500k pots...
'Bout the p/ups, good choice on the Duncan Jazz for the neck..but i'm not sure how the Breed would sit at the bridge.
Isn't the Breed ceramic based? And if i'm not mistaken, they're pretty powerful p/ups.
I'd probably look at a SD 59 as well for the bridge. Might be worth your while.

Cheers

AlanRatcliffe

Still ridiculously busy - one thing took too long and everything has cascaded...

...but all the important info is in my last post - I think. Any more specific q's?

Guy-Onraet

A few more questions:

Is the input jack worth changing?

The nut binds but it is cheap plastic, so what's the best (trem-nut, Tusq, etc) replacement and what size?

Who's the best for the job in CT?

AlanRatcliffe

The Ibanez jacks are always worth changing - they get very loose after a year or two. Get a Switchcraft and it'll be good for 5-10 years.
Trem Nut (or Black Tusq as they call it now). Size depends on your neck.
Foster v.d. Merwe 021 939-5259

Guy-Onraet

Alan Ratcliffe wrote The Ibanez jacks are always worth changing - they get very loose after a year or two. Get a Switchcraft and it'll be good for 5-10 years.

even on the Prestige line? ?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Trem Nut (or Black Tusq as they call it now). Size depends on your neck.

it's the standard Wizard Prestige neck

Scale 648mm/25.5"
a: Width at Nut 43mm
b: Thickness Last Fret 20mm
c: Thickness 1st Fret 18mm
d: Width Last Fret 58mm
Radius 430mm

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Foster v.d. Merwe 021 939-5259

kewl, thanks

AlanRatcliffe

The Jap stuff is better, but still not wonderful (unless they have changed to using Switchcraft in recent years - I'm a bit out of the loop).

Width is only one of the three measurements you need. If you're going to take it to someone like Foster, he can get the right part for you.

Guy-Onraet

awesome, thanks Alan