Picking a new guitar. Help! Please

[zxdbxz]

I am looking to upgrade from my Rg7321 (with crunch lab and liquifier pickups) to something a little better. I love Ibanez, I would buy a different brand but Ibanez is always my first choice. My budget is around $600 and I am definetly looking for hardtail. No trems. I also have the chance to buy an RGA7 body and work on that for only $250. Would the RGA7 really be much improvement? Or should I look for something different? Please help

[Scruffy1012]

The Rga7 won't be much of a improvement imo, i played both and i didn't feel there was any major difference, unless you want to use active pickups. What don't you like about the Rg7321 ? Personally i would reccomend you save your cash and buy something more higher quality Like something from the prestiege range etc.

[zxdbxz]

Thank you for the advice there isn't any thing specifically wrong with the Rg7321 I was just thinking of upgrading to one that is a little nicer I shall just save my money then

[kn1feparty]

Originally Posted by zxdbxz

Thank you for the advice there isn't any thing specifically wrong with the Rg7321 I was just thinking of upgrading to one that is a little nicer I shall just save my money then

You can always take that 7321 and put about half of your budget into making that a really nice guitar.

[kn1feparty]

I have a 7321 and an RGA7. They have the same exact neck, so from a playability standpoint they are nearly identical, but I love having the versatility of both actives in mahogany and passives in basswood. These MII Ibbys are really coming along in terms of quality, and for the money (I bought the RGA brand new for 500 and the 7321 used for 200) you'll be hard pressed to find a better instrument, IMO.

[All_¥our_Bass]

Change the pups in the 7321, you'll thank me later.

[bouVIP]

You could try the LTD MH-417. I've been in love with that guitar ever since I played it. I don't know if you're a big fan of EMG actives though.

[Levanther]

Originally Posted by kn1feparty

You can always take that 7321 and put about half of your budget into making that a really nice guitar.

+1
You could definitely take that guitar and get the frets redone and even sand down the body to do a swirled paint job on it.
If you take old faithful and put a lot of work into her she's definitely going to stay old faithful. I'd recommend taking your money and making an already decent guitar into a really great guitar.

[zxdbxz]

Thanks for the advice guys I guess that's what I will do. What should I do to make it better?

[zxdbxz]

Originally Posted by All_¥our_Bass

Change the pups in the 7321, you'll thank me later.

To what? I have DiMarzio Crunchlab and Liquifier in it now...

[Levanther]

You could experiment in going with even better pickups?
I would say experiment with getting a better nut on your guitar, maybe changing out the truss rod? It's all up to you and your budget. See what other people have done to there RG's honestly with these guitars the changes that can easily be made to them are endless. You can find people who make custom pick guards, everything.

[kn1feparty]

I'd say you're good with the CL/LF combo in that guitar if you like the tone you're getting out of it. There's a lot of hubub on this site about BKPs, but I don't think they are enough better than DiMarzios to justify the price tag. You can swap out your nut, saddles, tuners, knobs, straplocks, etc. Maybe even do a refinish on it if you don't care for the blah Ibanez black paint. It doesn't take much to really make it yours and something you will enjoy playing.

[7stringDemon]

RG7321 and RGA7 are the same guitar. Just with different pickups and body wood. Everything else is just cosmetic.

Used 2004 RG1527 Prestige. They go for about $450 to $600. I shouln't have to tell you that they're awesome

[zxdbxz]

I think I will just stick to upgrading this guitar I might refinish it idk yet though

[BabUShka]

Upgrade it and give it a new pair of pickups.
If you still dont liek the guitar, swap out the new pickups, put the old pickups back, sell it, buy new guitar, put your new pickups in it and enjoy.

My point: Once you buy a good set of pickups, you can stick to them for along time, its like an investing.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I say stay with the RG7321 and I agree with a pickup swap. Contact DiMarzio and see if you can get the CL/LF combo changed for something different.

Othewise, I say get an RG7621 or RG7421, preferably the 7621.