How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

[DiscipleOfThePit]

Ok, so I got my Ibanez RG570 back today having had a '59 fitted in the neck and a TB-6 in the bridge. I have the same bridge pick up in my Jackson KVX10 and it sounds great but the bridge on my Ibanez doesn't.

It's not really a lack of output... it's just so God damn 'twangy' or something.

I've heard Ibanez guitars do sound thin... is my guitar just a piece of ****?

[Breaking the law]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

Hmm.. What about the pot and cap values.. are they the same as in your Jackson?
Is the setup correct? My Rg470 has always sounded cool..

[DiscipleOfThePit]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

Hmm.. What about the pot and cap values.. are they the same as in your Jackson?
Is the setup correct? My Rg470 has always sounded cool..

All the pots on both guitars are stock.

I'm guessing they're both 500k.

[ArtieToo]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I learned, just recently, the difference that a guitar can make. The Patriot and Predator in my sig are the same guitar except for the bridge and nut. The pair of 59's were in the Patriot. They were harsh and shrill. I lifted the entire pickguard assembly out, and moved it to the Predator - which means everything stayed the same: pots, wires, jacks, caps . . . everything.

The difference was profound. The 59's in Predator are smooth and "bluesy". Its become my favorite axe.

[Davey]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

you set the height properly?

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I have an RG570, and had a Distortion in the bridge... twangy was definitely not the way I'd describe it.

Do all 5 positions on the switch sound different? Pop off the plate, and make sure the red & white wires on both pickups are soldered together. If they're not, you basically have 3 single coil pickups

[ArtieToo]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

If they're not, you basically have 3 single coil pickups

Actually, if the red and white aren't connected together, you have 4 spools of wire.

(There would be no sound at all.)

[tone4days]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

yeah, +1 on wondering about pup height ... getting it dialed in is so often overlooked .. it is not as easy as just measuring .. it's a listenin' thang

getting my C5 dialed in correctly for my ibanez took a while, but once done, the difference is profound

good luck
t4d

[DiscipleOfThePit]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I've got the pick ups as high as they can go without having the strings catch on the pole pieces.

I also get a lot of buzzing from the pickups.

It's mainly the lack of bass that puzzles me.

[tone4days]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

hmmm, "too high" can be a problem just as much as "too low" .. maybe back them off a half-turn at a time to see if you can fatten up the high end ...

are you sure that you have the grounds secure too? shouldnt be buzzing ...

good luck
t4d

[Rich_S]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

Did the tech who installed them know what he was doing? From the symptoms it sounds like they're wired up either: 1) single coil or 2) both coils, but out of phase. I'm betting on #2; having them out of phase would kill the low end (and most of the rest of the signal) and DOUBLE the hum.

Check the wiring you got against the SD installation diagrams, which must be around here somewhere....

[DiscipleOfThePit]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I know **** all about wiring.

I took the back plate off but I don't know my arse from my elbow when it comes to wiring.

I did notice that all but one of the little nodule things on the five way switch had wires soldered to them.

[Rich_S]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

Look here:

Link to schematic

It's pretty close. The important thing to look at is the cable coming from each humbucker. The red + white should be soldered together, but not to anything else (assuming no coil tap switches, etc.) The black probably goes to the switch. The green should be grounded, usually soldered to a poteniometer can. If the green & red (or black & white) are swapped you have a phase problem.

[DiscipleOfThePit]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I think I'm just going to go in tomorrow and show the tech the schematics thing and see if it's the same.

It hums more than the single coil on my Ibanez.

[Rich_S]

Re: How Come My Ibanez Still Sounds Like A Strat!?

I think I'm just going to go in tomorrow and show the tech the schematics thing and see if it's the same.

Good idea.

It hums more than the single coil on my Ibanez.

I rest my case - the coils are out of phase.