# Basic Mods for RG7421 :)



## Zeko6335 (Oct 12, 2014)

Ok... Well I have a RG7421 MIT 

And as all entry level guitars... even though this is a good one, is basically... meh... 

So what possible mods can I do? Eg, playability, pickups (drifting towards BKP Hawks), anything else

I play mainly djent (yea, dont kill me) and prog metal... and polyphia stuff (happy shred :3 )
Also run through a 6505+ combo


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 12, 2014)

Pickups are usually the first step. I also find the best possible thing to do to a guitar before toughing anything is set it up, assuming yours hasn't been already. 

With my RG7321 I'm hell bent on putting a mahogany body on it (ordering one soon). Also putting a Hipshot on it.


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## TKOA-Dex (Oct 12, 2014)

I have an RG7321 but it's very similar. Tricked mine out and I feel like I have a damn LACs! (not really, but you get the point, I love it a lot)

Heres what She's got:
- Dimarzio Air Norton 7 in the bridge
- Dimarzio PAF7 in the neck
- Upgraded output jack
- 500k volume and tone pots
- 5 way switch configuration
- White 3 ply pickguard
- White tuner buttons
- Black Speed knobs
- Dimarzio Cliplock strap

The thing is a beastly guitar now and I love it to death! However, if you want to actually go further than that, something I have wanted to do is either give it a cool paint job (Like a JPM or JEM or something), or replace the hardware and bridge with like&#8230; Gold hardware.


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## VSK Guitars (Oct 12, 2014)

With a lower/mid production model Ibanez the first mod I'd do is a fret level/crown/polish. They never do a good job on the frets, some are better than others, but they almost always need work to be great.

Next I would strip the gloss from the back of the neck and do a Danish Oil finish. Love a slick DO finish on a neck.

Now it's time for the pickups of your choice. Ibanez uses some of the worst OEM pickups out there...

After those mods you should have a monster shred machine... 

Then when you have it playing and sounding like a beast, strip it all apart and swirl it


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## HUGH JAYNUS (Oct 12, 2014)

If on a budget,
Dimarzio Illuminator set,
Hipshot saddles (fit right in and only cost $40 shipped directly from Hipshot)
replace pots with 500k pots

If no budget, take TKOA-Dex post, plus the saddles, and BKPs.

The Hipshot saddles make a HUGE difference


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## TKOA-Dex (Oct 12, 2014)

METAL_WIZARD said:


> If on a budget,
> Dimarzio Illuminator set,
> Hipshot saddles (fit right in and only cost $40 shipped directly from Hipshot)
> replace pots with 500k pots
> ...



I myself may need to go order some hipshot saddles then. 

I also plan to put BKPs in my XTP707FX ^^


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## HUGH JAYNUS (Oct 12, 2014)

Do it! they sound a little better, feel amazing, look sexy, and really help the tuning stability. i also had their locking tuners on mine. made it play miles above the price i paid/amount i put in it


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## Zeko6335 (Oct 13, 2014)

Yo... well... a few things. Basically you have what I plan to do. So I have a white RG6421, planning on a Tortise Shell pickguard, White tuner buttons and rest of the tuner to be gold. Dimarzio Crunchlab/lf or BKP... sooo where did you get the pickguard and tuners?


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## Zeko6335 (Oct 13, 2014)

Yep  Might just replace teh whole bridge... any good budget options? And your strap locks...? Um....


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## TKOA-Dex (Oct 13, 2014)

Zeko6335 said:


> Yo... well... a few things. Basically you have what I plan to do. So I have a white RG6421, planning on a Tortise Shell pickguard, White tuner buttons and rest of the tuner to be gold. Dimarzio Crunchlab/lf or BKP... sooo where did you get the pickguard and tuners?



The tuners I did myself. Stripped the paint off of them and refinished white, but I am sure you could find some. 

Pickguard I got of ebay from pearle guitars. 

Happy hunting!


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## Sumsar (Oct 13, 2014)

METAL_WIZARD said:


> [...]
> Hipshot saddles (fit right in and only cost $40 shipped directly from Hipshot)
> [...]
> The Hipshot saddles make a HUGE difference



How do you order just the saddles from hipshot? i can't find it on their website, can only find full bridges, which cost a lot more.


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## Aso (Oct 13, 2014)

Zeko6335 said:


> Yep  Might just replace teh whole bridge... any good budget options? And your strap locks...? Um....



You can get a replacement Hipshot Bridge for about 100 bucks. I ordered one for my 99 RG7421 about a month ago but haven't installed it yet. Waiting for my custom shop SD El Diablo to show up so I can swap pickups at the same time.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Oct 13, 2014)

I started a major overhaul of my RG7321 a while back that included pickups, buckethead style killswitch, hipshopt bridge conversion, cutting a monkey grip into the body and a re finish to a different color. 

I started a thread on it too. I havn't finished it yet but I will when I get more practice on doing paint jobs. >>> THREAD HERE


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## Aso (Oct 13, 2014)

Sumsar said:


> How do you order just the saddles from hipshot? i can't find it on their website, can only find full bridges, which cost a lot more.



You'll have to call hipshot to order the saddles. Don't think they will take the order through email.


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## wat (Oct 13, 2014)

Can you use those hipshot saddles on a gibraltar?


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