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Original message:31 days 13 hours 7 minutes ago
+ 1  
Member: shanejohnson2002

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OK I've talked about it, and now I'm going to take the plunge and do it. I'm going to buy an RG2EX1 on Wednesday online.

I just need a cheap but good guitar for Iraq to use for my project build while I'm there, and I think this one fits the bill. I already have one of the pickups (d activator bridge) coming in the mail. I swiped it off the 'bay for about 30 bucks. I'm tempted to try to install everything here, but that would take away the fun of trying to build it over there.

I don't own a hardtail RG right now, but I'm so burnt out on locking trems it's not funny. I also need to concentrate more on my picking technique, and less on whammy bar theatrics. I'd rather have a wilkinson-equipped guitar, but the closest thing Ibanez currently sells is the SA series, and the SAS32 (the one I want out of that series) is 499 USD. This guitar is 299, and it's very popular so I think it will retain a decent resale value if I ever choose to sell it when I get back, especially with all the top-end parts I'll be dropping on it. I'm so excited I can hardly wait.

To actually do the work, I'll need:

Soldering Iron (I'll have one issued to me as part of my job)
Multi-meter (same story as the iron)
Dremel (I'm assuming I can bring it over there...)
Dremel drill press
Dremel router attachment
Multi-tool (Again, an issue item for my career)
Strobe Tuner

Sigh...more and more money and I haven't even left yet. But I am bound an determined to do this thing!
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Reply:31 days 10 hours 37 minutes ago
Member: Danno
    + 2  
1997
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Sounds like a fun project!
What's the dremel and all going to be used for?
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Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion--- TooL
Reply:31 days 4 hours 38 minutes ago
Member: dcunning30
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It's a small project drill type device you can attach routing bits, sanding bits, etc. If you do small scale woodworking projects, a dremel is indespensable!
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Reply:31 days 49 minutes ago
Member: Danno
    + 1  
1997
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Um, I know what it is silly. Just not exactly to what purpose he was going to put it...
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Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion--- TooL
Reply:31 days 5 hours 20 minutes ago
Member: Fred Kraus
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"What's the dremel and all going to be used for?"

Why, for dremelling, of course 8-)
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"The cruelest lies are often told in silence" -Robert Lewis Stevenson
Reply:31 days 4 hours 31 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG
    + 1  
2019
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Cheap guitar project sounds like fun to do while away. To me it doesn't seem like more than two afternoons' worth of work but I didn't read the original thread so I'm probably missing stuff (considering you mention dremels and routers for a guitar with two humbuckers already, so I assume there's more than a pickup swap)
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Reply:31 days 2 hours 13 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002
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It's really only a couple of hours worth of work. The time factor comes into play due to the fact that I'll be overseas, and every package will have to be screened coming in-country, then screened again because I'll be on a military base. Add to that just the normal shipping time for getting things there (I refuse to pay overnight :-P) and it can take a while.

I plan on stretching it out as long as possible though. I intend to do electronics first, then the hardware, then the pickguard last. Hopefully by the time it's done, it'll be time for my R&R ;)

The dremel is more for the electronics, and they are awesome for drilling mounting holes for a pickguard, tuners, etc. The pots will be no problem, as I can get long-shaft pots that will go through the existing holes *and* the pickguard, but the switch will have to be routed out to be flush.
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Reply:30 days 23 hours 46 minutes ago
Member: Fred Kraus
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It might be cool if everybody in your unit signed it on the back with a white sharpie and then you could lacquer it.
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"The cruelest lies are often told in silence" -Robert Lewis Stevenson
Reply:30 days 23 hours 32 minutes ago
Member: dcunning30
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That's an excellent idea!
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Reply:30 days 22 hours 56 minutes ago
Member: Fred Kraus
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Imagine the feelings that would come back when you look at such an item 20-25 years down the road.
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"The cruelest lies are often told in silence" -Robert Lewis Stevenson
Reply:30 days 22 hours 49 minutes ago
Member: dcunning30
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That's EXACTLY what I was thinking!
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Reply:30 days 21 hours 42 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002
    + 3  
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You know, depending on what all happens over there, that may be the best idea I've heard about this whole thing!

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Reply:30 days 21 hours 5 minutes ago
Member: Fred Kraus
    0  
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Then if you happen to see one of the guys in your unit years and years from now, you can show them the guitar and say, "remember when you signed this?" They'd probably be "Oh man, I forgot all about that." It's amazing to see the things that you wrote, no matter how little, after twenty years. I wouldn't be surprised if half the guys in your unit would want to buy that guitar off of you.
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"The cruelest lies are often told in silence" -Robert Lewis Stevenson
Reply:30 days 21 hours 10 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG
    + 3  
2019
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Ah, I see.


So you're adding a guard? I removed the entire wooden top of the electronics cavity when I installed the guard on mine (short shafts, short levers) and now I have full access to it from both sides (top and back). Can be handy depending on the operation.

Have fun and be safe!
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Reply:27 days 15 hours 16 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002
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1778
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Yeah...I'm a little skiddish on the idea of removing a lot of wood. EVH did that to an old Ibanez Destroyer and completely ruined it :-P I figure a square inch or so for the switch shouldn't hurt much.

At any rate, the guitar has now been ordered. I can't wait to at least try it out, and to pull out the micrometer and start logging some measurements on it. I still don't know if the Gotoh bridge will directly replace the old one, but it looks so incredibly similar that I'm holding out hope.
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