Ibanez RGR321EX- new mics?

[updog]

Hey, I don't know much about guitars, I just own this one and play some riffs with it occasionally.

Just changed the strings to my Ibanez RGR321EX which seems to have a good general concensus about it as a kind of budget guitar. A few questions suddently rose into my mind:

Would it be worth it to change at least the bridge pickup to something better, for example an EMG 81? This guitar is basically a good/okay instrument, and I don't really feel like I need much bells and whistles in a guitar, just record some metal or rock riffs with it.

I've read nothing but good comments about this guitar on the internet, and some people actually liked it so much they changed EMG's or Warpigs on it. What do you guys think? Also, would it help keeping tune if I changed the saddle/whateverthefuckthatpartiscalledinenglish to a better one?

Also, another question; I noticed there's a problem with it, when I don't actually play a note but just tap a note with my finger, I can hear two different notes which don't really go together. Are these kind of things called intonation problems?

And; when I try to play something from the lower strings (I can't really play any solos but anyway) I notice the note which I'm playing keeps resonating in the guitar even when I mute the played string with my fingers. When I mute ALL six strings with my fingers, the note finally stops. What the hell is that?

Hope you guys can clarify a bit Maybe I can fix it, make it a fairly good instrument and finally get at least a little better at playing guitar

 

[FIXXXER]

mics!?

you mean pickups right!?

 

[Lazzari]

EMG 85 if the body of ur guitar is basswood... 81 if is mahogany...

 

[updog]

mics!?

you mean pickups right!?

Yeah, sorry

They're just called mics in the finnish language, I forgot

 

[updog]

EMG 85 if the body of ur guitar is basswood... 81 if is mahogany...

Looks like it's basswood. It's worse than mahogany isn't it?

 

[Rex Rocker]

I like the 85 in the bridge myself.

 

[updog]

I like the 85 in the bridge myself.

You have the same Ibanez?

Then I have another stupid question since I don't know anything, are the INF1 and INF2 stock pickups active or passive? I always thought they're active, but I'm no longer sure.

I checked inside it, and there were two things that could have been batteries but then again they probably were just the inside parts of the volume and tone knobs.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Nope, I have an Ibanez SZ.

The INF's are passive. They look like EMG's because they have the black cover on those, but they're passive.


Yeah, I think those things you're seing are the pots . If you go with EMG's, you'll have to replace those, but EMG's come with their own pots.

 

[updog]

Nope, I have an Ibanez SZ.

The INF's are passive. They look like EMG's because they have the black cover on those, but they're passive.


Yeah, I think those things you're seing are the pots . If you go with EMG's, you'll have to replace those, but EMG's come with their own pots.

Is that very hard? Someone just told me I probably shouldn't excange passive to active pickups myself, but I could try, or then hire a professional.

You can't use both an active and a passive pickup in one guitar, right? Then I'd have to take both INFs off...

 

[Rex Rocker]

Yes, you can use both, but you run into some issues in the middle position of the switch if you do.

I did it myself. It was (and still is) a pain in the ass. I still have some wiring issues with mine. Most people will tell you it's not hard, but I didn't really have a good experience with mine. I'm very impatient. I wish I would've practiced with another guitar first. That being said tho... honestly, it's not as hard as I'm making it out to be. It's a bit tricky, but if you practice a bit before to get used to the soldering iron and such, it's not as bad.

 

[updog]

Thanks for the info, I'll have to look into it.


I'm also thinking about DiMarzio D-Activators, does anyone have an opinion on those? They're supposed to be passive pickups with high output, and sound like EMG's...

 

[Lazzari]

D activators SUCK BIG TIME imho... They are supposed to be like emgs... But they dont sound like them at all

 

[updog]

D activators SUCK BIG TIME imho... They are supposed to be like emgs... But they dont sound like them at all

People seem to have VERY mixed opinions on those... Some people like them a lot and say they sound exactly like EMGs, and some say what you said.

I guess I wouldn't want to compromise, they aren't really much cheaper than EMGs anyway.

 

[updog]

Are there any passive pickups that would work well for metal?

 

[Lazzari]

What type of sound are u looking for ?

 

[viva_360]

Try Dimarzio X2N or maybe even Seymour Duncan Blackouts ...

 

[Rex Rocker]

Before the EMG 85, I had a DiMarzio Super Distortion in there. Worked quite well for metal.

 

[updog]

What type of sound are u looking for ?

Powerful, as close as it gets to EMG. Just looking for an easier solution for a better sound, instead of getting an EMG. Or maybe I'll get someone to install the EMG for me.

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll check 'em out!

 

[Rex Rocker]

Dude, EMG's aren't really any harder to install than any other pickup.

ESPECIALLY now that they all come with the solderless joints. That would make them actually MUCH easier than any other pickup.

Mine were still the old soldered system, tho.



And matter of fact, I can think of several passives that have a higher output than EMG's. EMG's are high-output, alright, but I think it's a common misconception that just because they're actives, they're automatically higher-output than anything out there.

Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure the old Super Distortion I had in my guitar before was hotter than both the 85 and 81 that have been there at some point... and that pickup isn't even the hottest pickup that DiMarzio makes.

That being said, tho... I like my EMG's just fine, blistering-high-output or not.

 

[exzem]

I have the same guitar, Ibanez RG321EX with EMG:s (89 in the neck, 81 in the bridge). Sounds clearer than the original pickups, I like it. All songs except for one in my soundclick page (check signature) are recorded with that guitar+pickups.

If you are planning to solder them yourself (and you suck at soldering like me ^^), don't do the same mistake as I did to buy the cheapest soldering iron you can get. It will be much much easier if you buy a more expensive one, you don't have to get a very advanced one, just avoid the really cheap ones

If you didn't know EMG 89 is basically the 85 but with a EMG single coil in it, so you can have both sounds with a coil tap pot. Tbh I don't like the 85 sound of it at least not in the neck, sounds too muddy for me.

I would probably go for 2 EMG 81TW:s(split version of 81) if I got the chance to replace my pickups for something else.

89:s and 81TW:s are a bit harder to solder (and a bit more expensive), but if you get it right it's worth it for the added tonal possibilites imo. If you are just planning to play chug chug metalz stuff an 81 will do it for sure.