The RG7 mods ultimate thread

[OneTwoThrill]

Dear 7 string lovers,

Do know if such a thread exists and please delete this one if so.

Many RG7 threads on this forum but mainly found NGDs or questioning.

On this one, I propose to mention all your modifications, upgrades, or finest tips to delight yourself.

I have just received a set of Dreamcatcher & Rainmaker I put on my RG7620.

Why swapping PU on that guitar?
- neck one : incredibly good one! Clear, accurate, precise and whatever. A real good pick up !
- bridge one : quite good in clean sound and splitted but too muddy for me on crunch / lead mode. The low B was messy.

Then, I decided to remove them for the latest Petrucci set. As a forever immature fan boy my choice was quite easy. I do not appreciate the crunchlab at all. I have ordered the latest JP set in full black finishing.

Really easy to swap Di Marzio with other Di Marzio. Same colors, same wiring.

I totally got what I dreamed of but I want to warn some potential buyers:
- great definition of the bridge. Far better than the stock one! More aggressive and really precise. Really cool for both chords or soloing. The low B is crystal clear even with lot of gain.
HELL YEAH this one is a killer pickup. I definitely love this one.
- more bassy when it is split with the neck one. But really cool sound.
- neck PU in parallel : bassy bassy and a bit bassier than the stock one. Good clean sound but I prefered the stock one.
- neck PU in series : really good PU. Super easy to noddle some licks. The definition of each note is really impressive. Up-down technique or sweep picking seem easier. I can hear each note with clarity. No more surprising bassy sound as I mentioned previously.

As a conclusion:
- Expensive set to import from the US, here in the EU.
- Super long delay to receive them. Mogar is not a good importer. Monopolistic position, they do what they want.
- F***g satisfaction to get them on my lovely RG7620 for prog metal, extreme metal or clean sounds (not better than the stock ones).

Photos or videos are non sense to me.
Black PU such as you can find everywhere.
A vid will not be pertinent to get a good grasp on sounds, dynamics and feelings.

 

[Shawn]

I have a 1998 RG7620 that I've had since 1998 as it was my first 7. In the past 26 years, it has been refinished twice in arctic ahite with DiMarzio Blazes from a PWH put in with a 3 way switch as well. Here are pics.

 

[OneTwoThrill]

Artic white : someday I will have one for a lower tuning. Whatever the 7’s model.
Yours is beautiful.

 

[Shawn]

Artic white : someday I will have one for a lower tuning. Whatever the 7’s model.
Yours is beautiful.

Yes. Arctic white.....I mistyped it and couldn't edit it. Thanks.

 

[OneTwoThrill]

I didn’t notice.
My dyslexia is sometimes pleasant.
Not heavy for me but I need to concentrate to find the mistake.
I guess nobody has noticed

 

[KentBrockman]

Dear 7 string lovers,

Do know if such a thread exists and please delete this one if so.

Many RG7 threads on this forum but mainly found NGDs or questioning.

On this one, I propose to mention all your modifications, upgrades, or finest tips to delight yourself.

I have just received a set of Dreamcatcher & Rainmaker I put on my RG7620.

Why swapping PU on that guitar?
- neck one : incredibly good one! Clear, accurate, precise and whatever. A real good pick up !
- bridge one : quite good in clean sound and splitted but too muddy for me on crunch / lead mode. The low B was messy.

Then, I decided to remove them for the latest Petrucci set. As a forever immature fan boy my choice was quite easy. I do not appreciate the crunchlab at all. I have ordered the latest JP set in full black finishing.

Really easy to swap Di Marzio with other Di Marzio. Same colors, same wiring.

I totally got what I dreamed of but I want to warn some potential buyers:
- great definition of the bridge. Far better than the stock one! More aggressive and really precise. Really cool for both chords or soloing. The low B is crystal clear even with lot of gain.
HELL YEAH this one is a killer pickup. I definitely love this one.
- more bassy when it is split with the neck one. But really cool sound.
- neck PU in parallel : bassy bassy and a bit bassier than the stock one. Good clean sound but I prefered the stock one.
- neck PU in series : really good PU. Super easy to noddle some licks. The definition of each note is really impressive. Up-down technique or sweep picking seem easier. I can hear each note with clarity. No more surprising bassy sound as I mentioned previously.

As a conclusion:
- Expensive set to import from the US, here in the EU.
- Super long delay to receive them. Mogar is not a good importer. Monopolistic position, they do what they want.
- F***g satisfaction to get them on my lovely RG7620 for prog metal, extreme metal or clean sounds (not better than the stock ones).

Photos or videos are non sense to me.
Black PU such as you can find everywhere.
A vid will not be pertinent to get a good grasp on sounds, dynamics and feelings.

Nice! I put the Dreamcatcher and Rainmaker 7 set (white) in my RG1527.

I also think Dimarzio needs to ship their pickups with the foam risers that have springs in them. I manage to rip mine to pieces when switching out stock Ibanez pickups

 

[OneTwoThrill]

White PU : this post needs pics !
;-)

My black ones have poor interest

 

[KentBrockman]

White PU : this post needs pics !
;-)

My black ones have poor interest

I like them - there is something clean about how it looks.

Anyway, here’s my Royal Blue RG1527. The previous owner abused the crap out of it. He didn’t even put the case in a box so the case (which I have since sold) came with cracks in it. Big dent on the forearm contour too. The bridge looked ugly so I replaced it completely. He had Seymour Duncan Blackouts in them and I replaced them with the Dimarzio Dreamcatcher and Rainmaker 7 set.

 

[Shawn]

White pickups = especially with Royal Blue.

 

[Yul Brynner]

I like them - there is something clean about how it looks.

Anyway, here’s my Royal Blue RG1527. The previous owner abused the crap out of it. He didn’t even put the case in a box so the case (which I have since sold) came with cracks in it. Big dent on the forearm contour too. The bridge looked ugly so I replaced it completely. He had Seymour Duncan Blackouts in them and I replaced them with the Dimarzio Dreamcatcher and Rainmaker 7 set.

View attachment 140749

Jesus. People who don't have the common sense to protect and preserve the hard case with some kind of covering just don't deserve to have nice guitars.

 

[Yul Brynner]

White PU : this post needs pics !
;-)

My black ones have poor interest

View attachment 140746


View attachment 140747


View attachment 140748

NOOOOO!!!!!1

The matt black pickups with the black screws look awesome! It makes me miss my RG7620s so much

 

[gasolinedreams]

Here's mine. Previous owner put a D Sonic in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck. Haven't had it long enough to decide if I want to do anything to it, but given my history it is likely at some point.

 

[xzacx]

I'd love to participate in this thread, but I think black 7620s with the one-piece neck and stock pickups is the best RG7—or RG in general—ever made, so I have nothing to add. I'm going to enjoy following though.

 

[Shawn]

I'd love to participate in this thread, but I think black 7620s with the one-piece neck and stock pickups is the best RG7—or RG in general—ever made, so I have nothing to add. I'm going to enjoy following though.

I wish I would've kept mine stock but am happy with the way it came out. I should also note that mine has an F97 serial#. Also, I really miss my GN, I've owned 3 of them but the last one I had which is pictured with my post was the best one I had. It was flawless for a 2000. Oh well, you win some and you lose some. I'm just glad I kept my arctic white one. My first 7 so it'll always stay with me.

 

[odibrom]

I have a few to show... let me get my image data bank... most of you already know them,

Let's start with my RG8, originally boring black...

This is what its first wiring job did, I've changed it last year (I think) for something similar to what the next guitar has...

I might redo its paint job when I feel like so, so far, it works... and I don't use it much, so, I don't really care...

... nest is my MIJ workhorse RG7421, I think this one is from '99... only the wood, truss rod and bridge baseplate are still original. saddles, pickups, nut tuners, frets, paint job and electronics are obviously modifications.


... and here's what these controls do... with a D-Sonic installed at the time i took this photo. Regarding the RG8, there's actually a TONE switch (no tone, mid and heavy tone effect).



... and a mod I've wanted to make ever since the EdgePro bridge came out... PIEZOS to replicate the RG7CST and RG2027XVV. She now delivers 21 different sound combos between Piezos and Mags... She a reliable and work ready guitar with a fairly low price. Good quality for low money, ain't that great? This lady is an RG1527RB from 2009.


... and its back... The strap was painted by my daughter when she was10 or 11 years old (she's now 13)...



... and the guitars the previous one wanted to mimic... an RG2027XVV from 2000

... its back...


... and her tween sister..


... and its back...


... and this is it for now. In these last 3, the major mods were on the electronics with pickups and switching systems that elevate the number of combinations/sounds each guitar has. the RG7421 delivers 145 different piezo and pickup combos. The RG8 delivers the same amount of combination, but with the tone switch , the number or predefined sounds goes up 3x. These last 3 had 5 and 6 different sounds, and are now delivering 21 combinations each.

 

[Crungy]

Most of my RG's have at least one mod of some kind, mostly because it was modded before I bought it. My RGD7421 is untouched and I had an '06 7321 that was untouched as well. That one moved on for someone else to love.

Sorry about the cell phone pics lolz



Least modded:
RG1527, Hipshot pearl tuner buttons.


The rest have varying amounts of mods.

2000 Rg7420. I'm assuming someone swapped the neck because it's a 1998 on a 2000 body. Evo bridge pickup, custom made trem stopper, has strat knobs now.


RG7620: Aftermath bridge, Air Norton neck, TBX tone pot, cream strat knobs and selector tip.


RGA7: Blackouts, EMG PA2, and it has a different non original metal knob now.


RG7321: Tone Ninja locking tuners, EMG 707TWX-R, knobs from my old P bass and a custom pickguard I made. I will be refinishing it at some point and painting the underside of the pickguard.

 

[Ant78]

Here's my frankenstein RG7 I built and refinished in Midnight Purple a few years ago. Body is from an RG1527 and the neck is a one piece from an RG7620. I had to shim the sides of the neck pocket since it was 2mm too wide but it fit perfectly otherwise. It has a Crunch Lab in the bridge and a Liquefire in the neck, gold hardware, and a TESI killswitch. I've since replaced the Floyd Special with a Gotoh GE-1996t-7.

 

[ZXIIIT]

2010 RG7321 neck + 2015 GRG7221 Limited Edition Silverburst body.

Graphtech XL nut
Truss rod cover was added but not pictured
Neck was sanded down for extra comfort
Guyker chrome locking tuners
Dunlop Dual Design straploks
GM Hex 7 string pickup set (pickups are mounted to 2 upside pickup bases to create a DIY direct mount setup)
Kaish 3-way switch
Chrome knobs (tone pot not wired)
Bridge has new saddle screws that don't shred your palm
Pickup rings were removed

This is basically a DIY version of Head's Silverburst, awesome guitar but I'm parting with it for a different model.

 

[Crungy]

2010 RG7321 neck + 2015 GRG7221 Limited Edition Silverburst body.
View attachment 140779
Graphtech XL nut
Truss rod cover was added but not pictured
Neck was sanded down for extra comfort
Guyker chrome locking tuners
Dunlop Dual Design straploks
GM Hex 7 string pickup set (pickups are mounted to 2 upside pickup bases to create a DIY direct mount setup)
Kaish 3-way switch
Chrome knobs (tone pot not wired)
Bridge has new saddle screws that don't shred your palm
Pickup rings were removed

This is basically a DIY version of Head's Silverburst, awesome guitar but I'm parting with it for a different model.

I didn't realize that was a limited edition body, I thought you painted it.

 

[youshy]

... and a mod I've wanted to make ever since the EdgePro bridge came out... PIEZOS to replicate the RG7CST and RG2027XVV. She now delivers 21 different sound combos between Piezos and Mags... She a reliable and work ready guitar with a fairly low price. Good quality for low money, ain't that great? This lady is an RG1527RB from 2009.
View attachment 140756

... and its back... The strap was painted by my daughter when she was10 or 11 years old (she's now 13)...
View attachment 140757

oh my days, I've been thinking about this very thing (as in modding RG1527 into piezo) but I didn't know it was even possible! any guides/mods/parts recommendations you can share?