Yet another dead RGA8

[No2EMGs4Me]

I'm wondering if mahogany is the culprit here, it seems softer than basswood?

Also, anyone know of this happening to the RG2228's?

I ordered a RG2228 when they came out and this happened. It didn't even make it out of the shop...broke my heart when i heard that 'chunk'. Ibanez could give me a reasonable turnaround for a replacement so i ended up just getting my money back and i've been pretty bitter ever since. I want an 8 string so bad and i still really want that model but still worry cause theres a lot of guitar i can buy for that money

 

[guitar4tw]

Ibanez has messed up royally on these. They aren't "cheap" guitars, and even if they were, this shouldn't happen - a stupid design flaw that should never have left the drawing board.

Their fancy "innovation" of using a fixed edge bridge really came back to bite them in the ass. As so many other people in this thread has asked before, why not just use a hipshot bridge or something?

 

[PulpoxisxurxGOD]

Their fancy "innovation" of using a fixed edge bridge really came back to bite them in the ass. As so many other people in this thread has asked before, why not just use a hipshot bridge or something?

my thoughts exactly.

 

[paintkilz]

are you guys unlocking that screw before you adjust the action? itd seem a nobrainer that you changing the bridge height without undoing the screw would put alot of tension and strain on just that little screw barely sunk into the body.

 

[ndobrev]

Finally!@#$! Fixed and ready to

Lovely killswitch, heh.

 

[oniduder]

sorry to see this, this happened to me, and i therefore will probably never get another RGA8, damn shame, sorry again mate

 

[heilarkyguitar]

Yep imo the rg8 is a fail.

 

[Eric Christian]

Man, its threads like this that make me glad I signed up to this forum. I'm in the market for an 8 string and had first considered the Ibanez before I found the Agile and the Guerilla but after seeing these brand new RGA8's fall apart like this forget it.

Actually, I eat crow here. I took a chance on the RGA8 and I'm real pleased with it. You just need to be careful when you adjust the bridge up or down to adjust the screw accordingly. Now I'm saving up for a used RG2228.

 

[vansinn]

Man, its threads like this that make me glad I signed up to this forum. I'm in the market for an 8 string and had first considered the Ibanez before I found the Agile and the Guerilla but after seeing these brand new RGA8's fall apart like this forget it.

Then reading threads like this and the other ones, which details the exact nature of such problem and provides know-to-work solutions, will allow you to buy an RGA8, knowing exactly what to do immidiately:
Basically two minor fixes: Longer bolt in the nut, and drilling the bridge screw hole a bit deeper.

Put in another way.. which of these two situations would you prefer, when shopping a medium-priced guitar:
* one having know issues, but with fully documented cheap'n'easy fixes
* one seemingly/likely with no flaws, though seldom/unknown issues may occur, which may prove difficult to diagnose and remedy.

What I mean is that many medium-priced instruments do have 'something' - not at all saying flawless doesn't exist.

I don't mind known issues. I'm looking for a used ok RGA8, and will happily accept one with crack (so, PM me to get rid yer shizzle )

 

[Release_Rinzler]

Damn, I just ordered one of these things too. Very nervous about it now.

 

[Eric Christian]

Damn, I just ordered one of these things too. Very nervous about it now.

Don't be nervous. It will be fine. From what I gathered they improved the design and all the newer ones are fixed. I've had mine almost a week and its incredible. I've been playing it for hours every night and its simply the coolest guitar I've ever played. Once I get new pickups it will be dialed.

 

[Release_Rinzler]

Mine turned up in my store this morning on my shipment truck (helps to be a warehouse manager of sorts.) I was shocked it came in so quick. I was expecting a two week wait. So I inspected the bridge and found it to be right where I like it from the get go, so I left it alone. I did however notice a small crack in the finish. it was right in the upper left hand corner of the pickup route. Right where the body meets the neck. So I checked to see how bad it was. needless to say it fell off and turned the crack into a ship. oh well.

 

[heineken_fretwalker]

Don't be nervous. It will be fine. From what I gathered they improved the design and all the newer ones are fixed. I've had mine almost a week and its incredible. I've been playing it for hours every night and its simply the coolest guitar I've ever played. Once I get new pickups it will be dialed.

Yeah this problem was handled last year. You'll be fine!

 

[Release_Rinzler]

Yeah this problem was handled last year. You'll be fine!

Mine's actually a left over from last year. There were only two in our system. I don't really want to take the risk with mucking about with the bridge. Its actually as low as I need it to be so I'm pretty satisfied with it. I just need to get rid of those pickups and that stupid double A battery thing

 

[ndobrev]

Basically two minor fixes: Longer bolt in the nut,
and drilling the bridge screw hole a bit deeper.

Indeed, cheers

 

[engage757]

pretty sure that what you guys are referring to as mahogany is SAPELE. Mahogany is HONDURAN mahogany and is protected due to it becoming scarce I believe. I think most companies are using Sapele which is a similar hardwood.

 

[ATP]

I feel lucky to have my RGA8's body be Zebrawood.

 

[JamieB]

Anybody ever thought that people going trigger happy on there alan keys ???????

ive seen pictures of this and its always the alan key bolts that break things so anythought that its some noob with a new floyd rose fix bridge or am i been a bit harsh.

Ive got a RGA8 its awsome had 3 months now no problems tbh the pickups arent great at all but the build is excellent.

 

[gunshow86de]

^

They'd have no reason to tighten that particular bolt, since it's a fixed bridge.

Regardless, it was a flaw in the design of that part of the bridge. Your's is likely from a more recent batch; Ibanez addressed the issue relatively quickly (this thread is also like 11 months old).

From the first page (this guy knows his shit);

I have repaired two first run RG2228's a couple of years ago with the lifting levelling stud, and I discovered that it's not anything to do with the wood itself, but rather the screw being longer than the channel in the body holding the brass anchor. So what happens, depending on how you're setting up your bridge (which, yes, there's a correct way), if you start screwing the hex levelling screw downwards into the body, it continues down and through the brass anchor (which is really a threaded sleeve with retaining tangs on the outside) and bottoming out inside the body at the base of the channel, thereby breaking the tang's hold on the wood and lifting the brass anchor up and out of the body. I corrected this by removing the bridge, drilling the hole deeper into the body for screw adjustability clearance, reseating and gluing the anchor into the body, reinstall the bridge, and bingo - full adjustability farther downwards and a much stronger connection into the body.
I haven't seen any since, but this was what Ive found in my repairshop. Ibanez just didn't drill the holes deep enough.

 

[TIBrent]

Once Ibanez decides to spend a little more time on the bridge design & maybe release this bad boy in Alder...the problems will all go away
-Brent