Purchased this new guitar today

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Grudge
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Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

RG550, yellow. For $999. I like that it weighs less than my soon to be sold off Gibson 2013 LPJ.

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M.Bison
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by M.Bison »

:xx: RG550's are great guitars. This is the reissue, right? I'd like to try one sometime, see how it compares.
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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Yes reissue. I just bought it yesterday so haven't played it much, all I can say is that looks-wise, this was the guitar I always wanted since I first started playing, back in 2006 or something.

Just a few days ago, I was in a store to get a cheap winder. I thought I'd just browse around in the guitar section and saw what suspiciously looked like an RG550. A couple days later I read this was reissued and couldn't believe my luck. I just went back to the store and bought it straight away, what they had on the wall.
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jawn galliano
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by jawn galliano »

oh hell yeah, RG550 is one of my favorites. awesome choice :xx:
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

dope

post a vid
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shadowalk
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

RG550 :xx:
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

There was a fixed bridge version with two humbuckers in the Genesis reissue version. Shame Ibanez stopped selling them. :tear:
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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I'll play over the weekend and record a video.
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

i've never played a 550 but my 1995 570 is probably my favorite guitar right now`
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

How do I string and tune this fucking thing.
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

have you ever stringed a floyd rose before?
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

you are in for a long night if this is your first time - the video below is one of the best on youtube for explaining how to do it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9iy_V-Duoc
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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zim wrote:have you ever stringed a floyd rose before?
No. I'm watching videos to see how to do it. Seems complicated. I'll check out your video too.
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

Some say the strings should be changed one at a time. Others say put a block under the floating bridge. Which method is better?
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

i don't bother with the one at a time method, i always use some kind of block and take all the strings off

the trick is to learn how to balance the string tension with the spring tension. don't forget to stretch your strings as well.
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jawn galliano
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by jawn galliano »

i am a one at a time kinda hard-on bearer, even on my fixed bridge guitars :dizzy:
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shadowalk
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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Zim your video did help me to string it, I used the block method, but I must have missed a step because now I can't get the guitar in tune. As soon as I'm done tuning a couple of strings and do the rest, the previous ones go out of tune. I thought I did the stretching but must have done it wrong or something. I read about this and it's a frequent issue but I'm confused because it's complicated. I need help.
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by User »

lucky i am here! to tell you i have no fucking clue
more metal
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

The Ultimate wrote:Zim your video did help me to string it, I used the block method, but I must have missed a step because now I can't get the guitar in tune. As soon as I'm done tuning a couple of strings and do the rest, the previous ones go out of tune. I thought I did the stretching but must have done it wrong or something. I read about this and it's a frequent issue but I'm confused because it's complicated. I need help.
is your trem laying flush with the body of the guitar? it should be parallel with the guitar body like this
Image

sometimes you have to repeat the tuning process a few times with the block until its flush with the guitar. you have to balance the string/spring tension a few times until its right. also don't forget to lock the nut when you're done and then fine tune. before i lock the nut, i detune just a little bit because the pressure of the locks will cause the strings to go a little sharp. after you lock you can adjust with the fine tuners.

it takes time to learn, it will be frustrating at first
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shadowalk
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

The solution is really simple actually.

Get a fixed-bridge guitar :judge:
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

zim wrote:
The Ultimate wrote:Zim your video did help me to string it, I used the block method, but I must have missed a step because now I can't get the guitar in tune. As soon as I'm done tuning a couple of strings and do the rest, the previous ones go out of tune. I thought I did the stretching but must have done it wrong or something. I read about this and it's a frequent issue but I'm confused because it's complicated. I need help.
is your trem laying flush with the body of the guitar? it should be parallel with the guitar body like this
Image

sometimes you have to repeat the tuning process a few times with the block until its flush with the guitar. you have to balance the string/spring tension a few times until its right. also don't forget to lock the nut when you're done and then fine tune. before i lock the nut, i detune just a little bit because the pressure of the locks will cause the strings to go a little sharp. after you lock you can adjust with the fine tuners.

it takes time to learn, it will be frustrating at first
From reading this I think I understand where I messed up. I'll give it another try.
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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shadowalk wrote:The solution is really simple actually.

Get a fixed-bridge guitar :judge:
learn the floating bridge tremolo setup and wank away like a real man :judge:
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Lavabug »

RG550's are cool.

Tuning a floyd while it's floating/free to move is for suckers but it's what 99% of people are told to do and it takes forever. I have seen several otherwise respectable luthiers do it this way too and it drives me insane. Follow Ben Eller's guide for floyd setups on youtube, takes 5 minutes at best when you know what you're doing. I just take off all the strings and start from scratch especially if it's a new tuning + new string gauge and take the opportunity to put a little bit of chapstick on the baseplate pivot points and the studs, it makes a big difference.

TLDR:
1)block the sustain block on both sides so it can't move in any direction, with the baseplate parallel to the body like zim showed. You can use taped up coins, wooden shims as long as it's a very tight fit. You can also install a $10 "brass tremolo stopper" (see ebay) that'll do this for you for one of the sides (you only really need it on the spring claw side).

2) Tune to pitch with the headstock tuners and set the intonation if needed. Lock the nut + check again and do minor adjustments with the fine tuners if anything went sharp. Tighten the back springs a bit more than you think you need for the tremolo to stay balanced when you remove the blocks and allow it to move freely.

3) Remove the blocks and let the trem float, the trem will go sharp because of the extra tension you applied on the springs. Now in small quarter turn increments, relax the spring claw on both sides equally to tune your guitar back down into the correct pitch checking the tuner. You'll find a region where very quickly it will go from all strings out of tune, to 1-2 in tune, to 4-6 strings in tune. Be patient, do not touch the fine tuners, you will find the exact spot where all the strings are in tune (with rare exception) and the baseplate is flush with the body. The purpose is twofold: it stretches the new strings and breaks them in, and it's also easier to tune down into pitch than up into pitch in this manner.

Done. I do this on all of my guitars with trems and it always works, and my guitar stays in 100% tune for over a year with the same strings and regular use. Gigged with one with 8 month+ strings and didn't need to retune while my buddy with a tuneomatic bridge kept reaching for the headstock tuners between every song at a gig, with his 3-4 day old strings. I almost never have to touch the fine tuners when I pick up the guitar, that is the magic of double locking trems: the string *cannot* slip at either end but you have to do the setup right. The dividend is greater tuning stability than a regular fixed bridge guitar that doesn't lock.
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

Can you believe that the guitar has just been laying there for the last two months that I bought it, and I have been unable to tune it and therefore play it even once. I'll sit down this weekend to give it another try. I wish one of you could be physically present to show me how to do it.
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zim
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by zim »

maybe you aught to sell it and buy a fixed bridge or find a music store and see if they'll show you how

you could also disable the tremolo after you get it setup again and not have to deal with it
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shadowalk
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by shadowalk »

There is a fixed bridge version of that called the RG521. It's in the same Genesis series but without the hassle of a floating trem bridge.

Image

I'd sell that 550 and get this instead.
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vO)))id
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by vO)))id »

What lavabug said. :santa:
Uncle Ben. :xx:
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

zim wrote:or find a music store and see if they'll show you how
This was good advice. I called up the Sam Ash where I bought it and told them I was having trouble. They said they would tune it for me for free and in the process give me a crash course. Fantastic.
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M.Bison
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by M.Bison »

Good look Erny. Once you have done it a few times, it becomes second nature.

I'm gonna hijack the thread; on related notes, just got this guitar on a bit of a whim, cause I don't actually own any fixed bridge guitars and cause it is a steal for the price.

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/ ... -pre-owned

The EMG's alone are worth like £100 and the cosmetics don't bother me at all. Arriving on Monday. Never actually played an LTD I don't think.
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shadowalk
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

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M.Bison wrote:Good look Erny. Once you have done it a few times, it becomes second nature.

I'm gonna hijack the thread; on related notes, just got this guitar on a bit of a whim, cause I don't actually own any fixed bridge guitars and cause it is a steal for the price.

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/ ... -pre-owned

The EMG's alone are worth like £100 and the cosmetics don't bother me at all. Arriving on Monday. Never actually played an LTD I don't think.
Heh. I've always thought metal teles look cool. And it's always nice to see the face of tele purists whenever they see a tele with EMGs.
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Z's bouncy tits »

Guitarguitar is a good place.
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Grudge
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Re: Purchased this new guitar today

Post by Grudge »

So it is in tune now. The Sam Ash guitar tech said he'd do it for free, but I gave him $20 for his trouble.

Played it over the weekend, I am very, very pleased with it. It sounds great, it looks great as I'm playing it, and it stays in tune!
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