Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

japa.eletric.guitar

japa.eletric.guitar

New member
hello folks,

recently I bought a RG3770FZ Prestige. By the research I did before buying, the price I've paid, and it technical specifications, I expected more of it, but I confess I was disappointed a bit with the pickups (they are not seymour duncan), more specifically, in position 2 and 4 as follows:

In these positions, with drive, they do not have that hot and rich sound (fullbodied) without losing the strat characteristics, like the Suhr's for example. The tune is very skinny and treble.

With the clean sound, besides the skinny and treble tune, the volume is very disproportionate (lower), when compared with the positions 1 and 5.

the guitar body is mahogany back and flamed maple top. Maple neck with rosewood fretboard.

I had a PRS with these same woods specifications and with a seymour duncan set (JB and Jazz) and I liked much the tone and balance of that set

I know I can not compare a PRS with a Ibanez, because they have constructions different and scale lenght different, but I mean the tone and balance of those pickups. this is what I am seeking, but now, with a HSH configuration.

I cant solve my problem with the current pickup set, so i thought...

could I solve my problem (skinny tone, treble tone and lower volume in positions 2 and 4) by changing my pickups to a set of seymour duncan like: JB (TB-4) on the bridge, SSL-1 (or other) in the middle, and the Jazz in the neck?

thanks a lot for your help.
Japa
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Welcome Japa

yes you can solve many of life's problems with a pickup change.

I personally would try different pots,caps and pup height before going to the trouble of the pickup change.
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Thank you kramersteen, change the pickups would be an extreme act, in last case. I'd like to solve these problems without changing them, and i accept help for this. The potentiometers are apha it, but is not specified if are 250k or 500k, they only have the brand. photos attached

I will very down the two humbuckers to see if cause significant changes. currently they are about 3-4 mm away from the strings.

thanks

IMG_20140815_015109085.jpgIMG_20140815_015152557.jpgIMG_20140815_015247755.jpg
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Nice guitar btw ibane make some great stuff.

The volume differences are to be expected from the single to humbucker switching.

So let me get this straight you like the sounds of the tone zone and Norton by themselves but you dont like them when they are mixed with the single coil in pos 2 and 4? Do you like the sound of the middle on its own?

Maybe you're chasing a higher output pickup for the middle that will match the bridge and neck better?
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Yes, this guitar has incredible playability.

Yes, I like Air Norton and The Tone Zone, they are very cool pickups, but in position 2 and 4 (mixed with the single coil called true velvet, lower gain), the sound is disproportionate, without balance, both in treble, as in volume (lower) and body (skinny sound).

In the ibanez forum I asked about the possibility of installing a high gain pickup in the middle, but got the following response:

"the high output single coil can cause problems with the sustain it needs to be overwound to Achieve higher volumes Which generates a lot more string pull (two humbucker coils wired in series double the volume without doubling the magnetic field). This was the notorious problem with one of the Ibanez S series They released a few years ago with a very high output middle pickup. Also, even with a high output coil middle, the 2 and 4 positions will still only have one coil of the humbucker wired in 'parallel' with the middle single coil, not 'serially', so your still going to see a drop in volume. "
 
Last edited:
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Ok so maybe **** the single coil off and get a single coil sized humbucker for the middle?
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

With 3 pickups configuration, I prefer using standard 3 way switch. I use middle pickup as a blend pickup (prefer bridge -neck sound than middle pickup sound on its own). Just change the tone knob as vol knob for middle pickup so it can blend with any selected position at will. Or use stacked vol and tone pot/knob if you still want to have tone control. The blend sound is not as quacky as standard 5 way switch but fuller and no volume drop like you usually get with H-S-H. Just an idea.
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

japa.eletric.guitar said:
Yes, this guitar has incredible playability.

Yes, I like Air Norton and The Tone Zone, they are very cool pickups, but in position 2 and 4 (mixed with the single coil called true velvet, lower gain), the sound is disproportionate, without balance, both in treble, as in volume (lower) and body (skinny sound).

In the ibanez forum I asked about the possibility of installing a high gain pickup in the middle, but got the following response:

"the high output single coil can cause problems with the sustain it needs to be overwound to Achieve higher volumes Which generates a lot more string pull (two humbucker coils wired in series double the volume without doubling the magnetic field). This was the notorious problem with one of the Ibanez S series They released a few years ago with a very high output middle pickup. Also, even with a high output coil middle, the 2 and 4 positions will still only have one coil of the humbucker wired in 'parallel' with the middle single coil, not 'serially', so your still going to see a drop in volume. "
Click to expand...

I would expect a volume drop in both postion 2 & 4 . It's more likely deigned to do so,to get a lower output for chord work and that quak. IMO those guys in IBBY forum are also probably very right about putting a high gain middle single coil. I am not realy sure but I think a rail type pup has less string pull.
I like Elelpe idea of a blend pot.
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Is the blend idea is like this video?

I will search for rail type pup video demos too....

If someone have another ideas...

Thanks for now
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

elelpe said:
Yes. Rails pickup is a good idea but usually they have higher output. If you want more quack, low output pickup in the middle is the way to go.
Click to expand...

yes, I would like to preserve the classic strat sound, with the quack, and my current middle pickup is low gain. Would a different wiring diagram (5 way switch) could solve this problem?

I have a fender am deluxe HSS, and she does not have this problem in position 2.

Thanks
 
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

japa.eletric.guitar said:
yes, I would like to preserve the classic strat sound, with the quack, and my current middle pickup is low gain. Would a different wiring diagram (5 way switch) could solve this problem?

I have a fender am deluxe HSS, and she does not have this problem in position 2.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I still think a humbucker in the middle but maybe add a push pull pot so you can split it into a single? The possibilities are endless really it just can get expensive trying them. You could even tap the neck into a single too then it would essentially be a bit like your HSS strat. Well sort of :beerchug:

My sabre has HHH, you can split the neck and middle into singles. it works a treat for me.
 
Last edited:
Re: Ibanez RG3770FZ Prestige - problem with pickups in position 2 and 4

Sounds to me that your middle pickup is out of phase with the humbuckers

My Ibanez rg4 did that
I swapped to a set of Carvin S22 pickups with a Fender vintage noiseless in the middle

Sounded thin when combined with the Carvin pickup

The Carvin is north start
While the Fender is south start

Its.the direction of the wind around the magnet

The fender being a stacked humbucking single
I couldn't reverse it so I reversed the Carvins

*(Sent from my durned phone!)*
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top