Yet another dead RGA8

[Neil]

Surely if this has never happened to a RG2228, then in comparison it isnt overpriced...


Anyway, I wonder if there is a training fuckup with the indo workers and they arent installing the bridge correctly?

What we need is someone to strip the finish on their RGA8 and have a good look at it

 

[AVH]

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.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

Mahogany is harder than Basswood I believe, but as has already been mentioned the RG2228 despite being Basswood is a higher quality guitar and the RGA8 is probably a cheap piece of Mahogany not to mention will have lower production quality.

 

[Stengah]

This happened to the first one out of the box at my local music store as well

 

[jymellis]

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.

 

[Sepultorture]

they seriously need to get that new hipshot style bridge on there

 

[troyguitar]

The thing costs $800 - that is not cheap at all... writing off issues as if it's a $99 Squier is just ridiculous.

 

[alvaro]

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.

Thank you for taking the time to explain that. Reading it i also think in a 2nd alterative, maybe faster: you could also saw the screw to make it shorter than the brass anchor length, do you think this could work fine too?

 

[loktide]

The thing costs $800 - that is not cheap at all... writing off issues as if it's a $99 Squier is just ridiculous.

+1

i hope ibanez addresses this issue on the next production run

 

[AVH]

Thank you for taking the time to explain that. Reading it i also think in a 2nd alterative, maybe faster: you could also saw the screw to make it shorter than the brass anchor length, do you think this could work fine too?

Yes it's possible, I had thought of that as well, but the amount of upward travel is small, only about 1/4 to 3/8" or so if I remember correctly, and that could be a major problem in the future for you (or the next owner) should you want to raise the action or shim the neck to change the angle, thus needing to raise the whole bridge and suddenly run out of thread. Oops. Could've used that extra 1/4" or so of thread in that case.

 

[Crescent2k6]

Wow thank you so much for the explanation. Just returned it today and got all my money back with no hassles so at least that worked out. I'm considering buying an agile with the money I got back.

 

[Ben.Last]

I don't think it's always been a case of end user mishap though. I know at least one of the guys who had the issue said it was busted when he first took the guitar out of the box.

 

[Variant]

It's because the Fixed Edge so desperately wants to be a real fucking tremolo that this keeps happening.

 

[WarriorOfMetal]

Wow thank you so much for the explanation. Just returned it today and got all my money back with no hassles so at least that worked out. I'm considering buying an agile with the money I got back.

I still say you should go for the Schecter

 

[Crescent2k6]

Oh hey man lol. I'm really considering it. Agiles are looking pretty sweet though for the price.

 

[WarriorOfMetal]

Yeah, from what you said, the Agile could conceivably be more your thing anyway...flatter, thinner neck and all that. The longer scale threw me off a bit when I've tried them, as well.

 

[viesczy]

Warrior,
You're saying that the Agile 8s have a thinner neck than the Ibby 8? My 7 string Agile has a table leg of a neck compared to my 2 Ibby 7s.

Derek

 

[AVH]

Warrior,
You're saying that the Agile 8s have a thinner neck than the Ibby 8? My 7 string Agile has a table leg of a neck compared to my 2 Ibby 7s.

Derek

Check my Interceptor 830 review farther down, I compare it directly with an RG2228....it's definitely thinner than any Schecter or LTD, and almost as thin as the Ibby's in the center of the neck, except it has 'shoulders' in the profile carve that make it feel chunkier nearer the edges. Also sometimes referred to as a 'boat' profile, as opposed to Ibanez's oval 'Wizard' type.

 

[viesczy]

Check my Interceptor 830 review farther down, I compare it directly with an RG2228....it's definitely thinner than any Schecter or LTD, and almost as thin as the Ibby's in the center of the neck, except it has 'shoulders' in the profile carve that make it feel chunkier nearer the edges. Also sometimes referred to as a 'boat' profile, as opposed to Ibanez's oval 'Wizard' type.

Dendroaspis
I am on that review! Now my 8 string ideas have been tipped on their ear!

BTW great name... Mambas don't enough love!

Derek

 

[AVH]

Dendroaspis
I am on that review! Now my 8 string ideas have been tipped on their ear!

BTW great name... Mambas don't enough love!

Derek

Good!
Yeah, I used to work with all four species, and bred polylepis & viridis. You into herps?