Pls help: Jackson or Ibanez?

[RoadKing]

Originally Posted by METALKIRK

To RoadKing: how long would it take you to say tune your guitar from say, Ghost Reveries tuning to standard tuning? if it had a floydrose + locking system?

With practice (learning just how far you need to adjust the tension springs on the tremolo is the part that takes some time), you should be able to do it in no more than about 5-10 minutes, provided you have a decent tuner (Boss TU-2, baby!). Once you've done it a few times, you'll pretty much know how many turns it takes on the tremolo tension screws to pull it off. Once you do, adjust the tension screws first, then do the actual tuning. (You may still have to fine-tune the tension screws just a little bit after tuning, if you're as anal about it as I am, anyway! lol) Remember before you start tuning, though, to set the travel on the fine tuners to about the halfway point, giving you the most room to fine-tune either flat or sharp. Also, if you're changing strings, always remember to stretch them thoroughly before locking anything down!

Just curious, but what guitar do you have now?

[Carta's]

With a guitar with a locking system, will there be problems if you change the tuning for example from standard to 2 steps down with 09's or 10's string gauge?

[Lightbulb Sun]

Originally Posted by Carta's

With a guitar with a locking system, will there be problems if you change the tuning for example from standard to 2 steps down with 09's or 10's string gauge?

And changing the gauges is a pain too.

[METALKIRK]

To Roadking: The guitar i have at the mo is my very first guitar, its a cheap Fender Squier Strat, i havent upgarded for about 10 years! so now im in two minds as to whether to get a DKMG Dinky(with floys rose + locking) or a DKMGT Dinky(just normal), ideally id buy them both of course i dont change tunings much or use the tremolo a HUGE amount but it would be nice to have the facilities for when i do want to use them, its just frustrating that i cant have the best of both worlds in a way ;(

[RoadKing]

Originally Posted by METALKIRK

To Roadking: The guitar i have at the mo is my very first guitar, its a cheap Fender Squier Strat, i havent upgarded for about 10 years! so now im in two minds as to whether to get a DKMG Dinky(with floys rose + locking) or a DKMGT Dinky(just normal), ideally id buy them both of course i dont change tunings much or use the tremolo a HUGE amount but it would be nice to have the facilities for when i do want to use them, its just frustrating that i cant have the best of both worlds in a way ;(

What kind of condition is your Strat in? Even the cheap Squiers can be turned into suprisingly nice guitars with a little modification. You could install a Tremol-No for about $65, which can be used to turn the tremolo on (allowing you to use it) or off (essentially turning the guitar into a fixed-bridge axe), then maybe add a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails or Rio Grande Railgunner single-coil sized humbucker for another $75 and have a pretty nice second guitar you could use for different tunings. If you wanted to go really nuts with it, you could just drop in a whole new pickup/electronics/pickguard assembly for between $250 - $300 and really jazz that sucker up. I have a good friend who is a PHENOMENAL guitarist that only uses Squiers live modified with the EMG David Gilmour drop-in pickup assembly after having some drunken jackass in a bar knock a PA speaker over onto his prized '60s Gibson ES-335 one night! (I'd have kicked that guy's ass for him had I been there!) Hell, you can even buy an aftermarket neck from a company like Warmoth that will bolt right on and look just like a Strat neck, but with a Jackson fretboard radius if you want for about $150 - $200 while we're at it!

I guess what I would recommend, and please, follow your own heart on this one, is that if your Strat is in decent shape, without any serious problems (warped neck, etc.), maybe drop a little money into it and make it your alternative for different tunings, and buy the Floyd-equipped axe. If your Strat is pretty much just shot, though, and it might be a while before you can buy another backup, I'd probably go with the fixed bridge version.

As to Carta's question about the string gauges, changing gauges will also change the tension on the bridge, and you will need to re-level the bridge if you do so. Also, if you're going way down to C or something, you may have some issues with lighter gauge strings. If you play in one of the lower keys often, you would probably want to set up a guitar for it, with heavier gauge strings. Bear in mind, though, that if you change gauges, it will affect your intonation, and the guitar really should be re-intonated and completely setup for it.

[Ozzloaf]

Well my friend paints Jackson guitars so (in order to help him) I'm obligated to suggest them over Ibanez. I do have an Ibanez bass that I'm quite happy with though.

[RoadKing]

Originally Posted by Ozzloaf

Well my friend paints Jackson guitars so (in order to help him) I'm obligated to suggest them over Ibanez. I do have an Ibanez bass that I'm quite happy with though.

Sweet paint job! Does your buddy actually work for Jackson?

[METALKIRK]

Thanks Roadking thats very helpful! whats currently wrong with my Squier is that the volume knob crackles and can sometimes go completely and i have to fiddle with it for awhile (maybe a loose wire?) and also the toggle switch has the same issues; apart from it being a bit dirty its ok are these issues things that are easily repairable?

[RoadKing]

Originally Posted by METALKIRK

Thanks Roadking thats very helpful! whats currently wrong with my Squier is that the volume knob crackles and can sometimes go completely and i have to fiddle with it for awhile (maybe a loose wire?) and also the toggle switch has the same issues; apart from it being a bit dirty its ok are these issues things that are easily repairable?

If it's just a matter of being dirty, you could try first using a little canned air to blow the area out around the switches & knobs, then if that doesn't work, you can try spraying the switch area with electrical contact cleaner, which you should be able to purchase at any electronics specialty store. For the volume knob, it would be best to take the strings off the guitar, then remove the pickguard/pickup/wiring assembly and spray a little contact cleaner into the pots themselves while turning the knobs on the other side of the pickguard. (You shouldn't need to disconnect any wires, just remove the screws securing the pickguard assembly to the body and lift it up. This would also be a good time to make sure all electrical/wiring contacts are good.) If you're still having issues, and you feel comfortable with a soldering iron, pots and switches are pretty cheap and easy to replace. If you're not comfortable wielding a soldering iron, you should be able to get a tech to help you out for not a whole lot of money.

The biggest problem with cheaper guitars like the Squier is the more low-end electronic components and pickups they use, which is why the drop-in replacement assemblies have become so popular.

Good luck!

[Necropeth]

Originally Posted by Carta's

With a guitar with a locking system, will there be problems if you change the tuning for example from standard to 2 steps down with 09's or 10's string gauge?

If you have a floyd rose, and you tune down or up, your bridge will move and it's an absolute bitch setting it up to perfect hight and all. (Gotta have the floating bridge level with the saddles.)

And also @ Lightbulb Sun : No it isn't lol. Just like putting on any other string.

[Lightbulb Sun]

I meant a dramatic change. For instance, changing my extra lights (9-42's) to a much heavier gauge (enter whatever you want here).
And I still haven't found out what's up with my Floyd Rose.....