# Zimbloth's 8-String Ibanez 'Custom' Adventure (EMG to BKP Conversion!)



## zimbloth (Feb 7, 2009)

The Backstory

As many of you who know me or chat with me on AIM know, this is something that has been in the works for over 6 months. It was at that time I decided I'd like to give the RG8 another shot. I really liked how the RG8 played, but really hated how noisy, overly compressed, sterile, and dull the EMG 808s sound. I wanted to put my beloved Bare Knuckles in there, but due to EMG using their bass housings the BKP would not fit (assuming you wanted a clean look). 

The solution was to have a custom made pickguard made, but this wasn't an easy task either as no pickguard makers have templates for the 8-string yet, and certainly not with the unique configuration I wanted. Luckily, the other guitarist in my band Buddy who has a background in workshops, drew up a schematic which I then forwarded to the good people at Pickguard Paradise who took the specs and made me a sweet 'african marble' pickguard 

The Pickguard

The idea here was for the guard not only be made to fit the RG2228 and the Bare Knuckle, but I also wanted it to cover up the neck route, the 5-way selector switch, and the tone knob - just leaving the bridge and 1 volume. As I said it's their 'African Marble' and is extremely high quality. Buddy really did a great job with the schematic as it fits perfectly, and he REALLY went to great efforts to ensure the pickup route was clean and would be snug but also allow for easy adjustment. Bravo my friend, bravo 

The Pickup

The pickup I opted for here was the Bare Knuckle 'Cold Sweat' bridge model. This is a pickup that always is a huge winner in basswood Ibanez, and this is no exception. It's hard to even put into words how much better the guitar sounds now than with the hideous EMG808s. It has about the same output, but it sounds more powerful due to how much more definition, tightness, aggression and pure tone the Cold Sweat has. The low B and F# strings especially reap the benefits. It no longer sounds like a bland distorted bass, and now sounds fucking brutal, crisp, and yes my Bulbites, djenty. 

The low end is so focused and musical, with the EMGs it sounded very boomy and borderline muddy. It had this 'round' character that was so compressed it felt like it had no character. The Cold Sweat has amazing harmonics as well. The whole guitar honest to God sounds infinitely more 'alive' now. I'll try to make some clips soon for what its worth. 

The clean tones are much better too, which actually was the one thing I thought the EMG 808s did alright. The Cold Sweat is versatile and organic enough that I'm really not missing the neck pickup at all. A little roll down on the volume really fattens and sweetens it up nicely.

I can't express accurately how friggin ecstatic I am over the transformation of this guitar. I think it looks sleek and badass now, and it sounds better than I ever could have envisioned an Ibanez 8 sounding after 2 previous go-arounds with the RG2228.

Conclusion

Anyways, as you can tell I'm on cloud nine right now. The guitar plays amazing, and now sounds/looks amazing too. In my opinion anyways. This is exactly what I hoped for when I planned this out last year. Again, much thanks goes out to my bandmate Buddy and the guys at Pickguard Paradise. I'm still not even sure if 8-string is my thing, so who knows if I'll keep this long-term, but I had to give it a real chance with some decent pickups before knowing that. Hopefully it's a keeper 

EDIT: For sale.


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## HighGain510 (Feb 7, 2009)

Nicely done Nick, looks great.


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## guitarplayerone (Feb 7, 2009)

so what do you think of basswood as a tonewood for eights now that this one has a good pickup in it? (compared to others)


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## saffron shrimp (Feb 7, 2009)

That's sexy, in fact, it's almost as sexy as watching a girl eat watermelon while listening to Megadeth.


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## zimbloth (Feb 7, 2009)

saffron shrimp said:


> That's sexy, in fact, it's almost as sexy as watching a girl eat watermelon while listening to Megadeth.





HighGain510 said:


> Nicely done Nick, looks great.



Thanks Nick, Matt 



guitarplayerone said:


> so what do you think of basswood as a tonewood for eights now that this one has a good pickup in it? (compared to others)



Well I knew from my experience with the Cold Sweat in my RG2610E that this combo would be epic. This guitar sounds a lot better though. You have to keep in mind with the RG8, the maple plays a much bigger role in the tonal equation than on a super thin neck 6-string RG. 

While basswood is not one of my favorite tonewoods, with pickups voiced perfectly for them like the Cold Sweat, Miracle Man, etc, it sounds amazing. Unfortunately the pickups usually associated with basswood IMO are unflattering and meh, which why is a lot of people hate them. The Cold Sweat has the tight bass, superb attack/clarity, and balanced midrange voicing that compliments basswood/maple really well.

I couldn't be happier


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## yellowv (Feb 7, 2009)

That is so fucking epic it gets no less than 4 Commandos


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## yellowv (Feb 7, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> Well I knew from my experience with the Cold Sweat in my RG2610E that this combo would be epic.




You mean MY RG2610E????


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## TomAwesome (Feb 7, 2009)

Sexy!


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## zimbloth (Feb 7, 2009)

yellowv said:


> That is so fucking epic it gets no less than 4 Commandos





yellowv said:


> You mean MY RG2610E????







TomAwesome said:


> Sexy!


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## OzoneJunkie (Feb 7, 2009)

"I wanted to put my beloved Bare Knuckles in there, but due to EMG using their bass housings the BKP would not fit (assuming you wanted a clean look)."

Supposing you didn't care about a clean look - will the BKP pups fit, without routing?

Thinking about an RG2228, with BKP replacement myself...


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## zimbloth (Feb 7, 2009)

OzoneJunkie said:


> "I wanted to put my beloved Bare Knuckles in there, but due to EMG using their bass housings the BKP would not fit (assuming you wanted a clean look)."
> 
> Supposing you didn't care about a clean look - will the BKP pups fit, without routing?
> 
> Thinking about an RG2228, with BKP replacement myself...



Yeah they'll fit technically, you could use foam or whatever Dendro did to his RG8. I personally think that looks quite awful though, but if you only care about the sound and not the looks, that's a viable option for sure


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## somn (Feb 7, 2009)

Nice mod man


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## fateofthorns666 (Feb 7, 2009)

very nice work


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## Zepp88 (Feb 7, 2009)

That's freakin' slick man


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## zimbloth (Feb 7, 2009)

somn said:


> Nice mod man





fateofthorns666 said:


> very nice work





Zepp88 said:


> That's freakin' slick man



Thanks guys


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## Anthony (Feb 8, 2009)

yellowv said:


> That is so fucking epic it gets no less than 4 Commandos



I fucking love you


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## hypermagic (Feb 8, 2009)

Dead sexy, especially that guard.


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## yellowv (Feb 8, 2009)

Anthony said:


> I fucking love you



I do what I can man


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## OzoneJunkie (Feb 8, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> Yeah they'll fit technically, you could use foam or whatever Dendro did to his RG8. I personally think that looks quite awful though, but if you only care about the sound and not the looks, that's a viable option for sure



Ah, so the EMGs are smaller. Yeah, have to figure something out 

Nice job though, looks great.


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## yellowv (Feb 8, 2009)

OzoneJunkie said:


> Ah, so the EMGs are smaller. Yeah, have to figure something out
> 
> Nice job though, looks great.



No the EMG's are wider.


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

yellowv said:


> No the EMG's are wider.



Right.


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## kmanick (Feb 8, 2009)

Very cool Nick!
I didn't realize you still had this guitar. for some reason 
I thought you had moved it a while back.
I've got to hear a coldsweat bridge pickup.
If it's anywhere near as good as the neck version it must smoke


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

kmanick said:


> Very cool Nick!
> I didn't realize you still had this guitar. for some reason
> I thought you had moved it a while back.
> I've got to hear a coldsweat bridge pickup.
> If it's anywhere near as good as the neck version it must smoke



You're welcome to check it out whenever Nick. The CS bridge is different than the neck (for one its ceramic), but it's pretty sweet in its own right


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## wannabguitarist (Feb 8, 2009)

The guard looks great with the Galaxy Black (right?) paint


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## cyril v (Feb 8, 2009)

feel like making some simple demo sound clips!??


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## OzoneJunkie (Feb 8, 2009)

yellowv said:


> No the EMG's are wider.



Wow. I'm an idiot. Should have said that the EMGs are bigger.

crack is bad, mmkay


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## Daemoniac (Feb 8, 2009)

That... looks... epic...

And not "The Chronicles of Narnia; im really a childrens book but lets put some massive battle scenes" epic, im talking "My name is Peter Jackson and i will bludgeon you to death with trilogies of 3-hour long epic tales and battles" epic...


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## CrushingAnvil (Feb 8, 2009)

woah that looks great man - If I were modifying an RG2228 I would have administered the Universe 8 string look


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

cyril v said:


> feel like making some simple demo sound clips!??



Sure, sometime soon my recording gear isn't here atm.



wannabguitarist said:


> The guard looks great with the Galaxy Black (right?) paint





Demoniac said:


> That... looks... epic...
> 
> And not "The Chronicles of Narnia; im really a childrens book but lets put some massive battle scenes" epic, im talking "My name is Peter Jackson and i will bludgeon you to death with trilogies of 3-hour long epic tales and battles" epic...




Haha thanks


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## Scali (Feb 8, 2009)

Is there a reason why you still kept the pickup direct-mounted to the body, rather than having it suspended from the pickguard?
I would think it's easier to adjust when it's suspended from the pickguard, and it might look even cleaner, because you can't see the 'ears' of the pickup.


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## Apophis (Feb 8, 2009)

great mod, to be hones I like it now more than in original


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## Stengah_2012 (Feb 8, 2009)

Apophis said:


> great mod, to be hones I like it now more than in original





That thing is awesome Zimbloth, great job/idea. We need sound clips!!


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## nikt (Feb 8, 2009)

damn cool

clean work as well.


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 8, 2009)

it looks 10 times more awesome now, man!

sell the 808s on ebay, and tadaah, you might even have a little profit from the operation! 

now, tell me about the cold sweats... i have a basswood 7 string with a 28.6" scale coming up, and i have plans to change the Evo 7 out with a BKP... i think bulb&#180;s sounds were awesomeness incarnate, i love meshuggah&#180;s sound, and i generally prefer a high mid focus rather than a low mid focus. i plan on tuning to f# and drop E, and need tons of clarity and tightness and all that jazz, and i really wanna hear the timbre of the string, ya know?

i had my mind set on the painkiller, based on the descriptions people gave about it, but now that you&#180;re going on about cold sweat+basswood=win, would you say it&#180;s right for my taste too?

people said i shouldn&#180;t get the evo 7 for a basswood guitar, because of the high mid bump the combo would produce, but i always loved it to death... i generally boost the high mids and treble anyways, so having some of it already in the guitar would allow me to boost things a little less 

also, if i want the same general results from my alder-body baritone, would painkiller be okay with that? (in alder, i mean?)


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## Decipher (Feb 8, 2009)

Wow that looks really good Nick! I would love to hear how it sounds.

And on a side note, IMO this might be a cool addition to your store. Make a couple of pickguards to keep in stock and it could help people with their choices as far as pickup replacements or, the option that it can be done and post those pics on your website!


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## phaeded0ut (Feb 8, 2009)

Decipher said:


> Wow that looks really good Nick! I would love to hear how it sounds.
> 
> And on a side note, IMO this might be a cool addition to your store. Make a couple of pickguards to keep in stock and it could help people with their choices as far as pickup replacements or, the option that it can be done and post those pics on your website!




Have to completely agree with Decipher on this one! The extra pickguards would probably be a big help to other folks on these forums and possibly others that would be able to use your site to purchase something to keep the leg-work down on their end of the spectrum. 

Really think that the guitar looks much better now, than it did previously. Many thanks for the close-ups on the bridge system, too. Somewhat amazed that they went with a locking system at least on the bridge and didn't go for string-through instead...


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## JakeRI (Feb 8, 2009)

looks good. as i was looking at the pictures i thought it was funny, i used to think the RG2888 necks were huge, but after having one for a while it looks no stranger then and RG 6 string


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

MF_Kitten said:


> it looks 10 times more awesome now, man!
> 
> sell the 808s on ebay, and tadaah, you might even have a little profit from the operation!



Thanks dude. Yeah I could sell the EMG808s on eBay but honestly I think so little of them I'd feel bad. Who knows though, if someone wants them for a custom build and for think they sound good, I could part with them for cheap.



Apophis said:


> great mod, to be hones I like it now more than in original



Thanks man, me too 



MF_Kitten said:


> now, tell me about the cold sweats... i have a basswood 7 string with a 28.6" scale coming up, and i have plans to change the Evo 7 out with a BKP... i think bulb&#180;s sounds were awesomeness incarnate, i love meshuggah&#180;s sound, and i generally prefer a high mid focus rather than a low mid focus. i plan on tuning to f# and drop E, and need tons of clarity and tightness and all that jazz, and i really wanna hear the timbre of the string, ya know?
> 
> i had my mind set on the painkiller, based on the descriptions people gave about it, but now that you&#180;re going on about cold sweat+basswood=win, would you say it&#180;s right for my taste too?
> 
> ...



Well, the Cold Sweat and Miracle Man have been the models that in my experience installing pickups for customers/myself have produced the best results in basswood. The Painkiller, ceramic Nailbomb, and others can work well too... but for an 8-string I really think the CS is the way to go. The reason for this is the CS has such insane tightness and definition, and it while it is still high-output, it is lower output than all the other ceramic BKPs and this is a very good thing for the low B/F#. 

Given what you're looking for, I'd say the CS would definitely be the way to go over the MM. The MM is mostly low-mids, the CS is more balanced with more high mids than lows. It has great pick attack and roar, super articulate. Again, the clarity with this pickup cannot be overstated. It's still pretty ballsy too.

Yes, the Painkiller is more along the lines of the Evolution and has that big-time high-midrange snarl. It can work, but I usually find that pickup sounds best in mahogany and to be honest, I haven't had great results w/ the PK with super thick gauges like what the F# requires. The Cold Sweat stays crisper and tighter. In fact, when discussing the 8-string w/ Tim originally he recommended the Black Dog model, which is a medium-output pickup with supreme note definition and growl.

I can get you any pickup you want, but I strongly recommend the Cold Sweat bridge for your 8-string build. 

Regarding your alder guitar, I think the PK would be much too bright in that. For alder I highly recommend the Holydiver, Nailbomb, Warpig or Miracle Man.



Decipher said:


> Wow that looks really good Nick! I would love to hear how it sounds.
> 
> And on a side note, IMO this might be a cool addition to your store. Make a couple of pickguards to keep in stock and it could help people with their choices as far as pickup replacements or, the option that it can be done and post those pics on your website!





phaeded0ut said:


> Have to completely agree with Decipher on this one! The extra pickguards would probably be a big help to other folks on these forums and possibly others that would be able to use your site to purchase something to keep the leg-work down on their end of the spectrum.
> 
> Really think that the guitar looks much better now, than it did previously. Many thanks for the close-ups on the bridge system, too. Somewhat amazed that they went with a locking system at least on the bridge and didn't go for string-through instead...



That's a good idea guys. I can certainly do similar mods for other guys and do the legwork for them. If anyone wants to do a similar thing to their guitar, feel free to get in touch and we can discuss it. Certainly the pickguard material I opted for is not the only option.



Scali said:


> Is there a reason why you still kept the pickup direct-mounted to the body, rather than having it suspended from the pickguard?
> I would think it's easier to adjust when it's suspended from the pickguard, and it might look even cleaner, because you can't see the 'ears' of the pickup.



Because I had installed the BKP long before the pickguard was ready and I didn't really care. I think it looks fine and it adjusts perfectly well.


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## JoshuaLogan (Feb 8, 2009)

Cool idea but no neck pickup = instant fail


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## Rick (Feb 8, 2009)

That looks fucking killer, Nick.


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

JoshuaLogan said:


> Cool idea but no neck pickup = instant fail



Well, for me I just wanted a riffing machine and I barely ever use the neck pickup anyways (live anyways). I thought it would look cooler this way. I love the neck tones I get in some of my guitars but this feels right to me 

I could always get another pickguard with the neck slot opened up too, this is hardly permanent


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## Seedawakener (Feb 8, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> You're welcome to check it out whenever Nick. The CS bridge is different than the neck (for one its ceramic), but it's pretty sweet in its own right



Is the Cold Sweat bridge always ceramic? I just ordered one and had no idea in that case!

EDIT: NVM! Found out for myself! The guitar looks absolutely bitching though!  I'd love to test an 8 string like that out, but unfortunately I'll have to live with the RG 2228's with the worst possible setup and dead strings that you find in the stores here in Stockholm.


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

Seedawakener said:


> Is the Cold Sweat bridge always ceramic? I just ordered one and had no idea in that case!
> 
> EDIT: NVM! Found out for myself! The guitar looks absolutely bitching though!  I'd love to test an 8 string like that out, but unfortunately I'll have to live with the RG 2228's with the worst possible setup and dead strings that you find in the stores here in Stockholm.



Yes the Cold Sweat bridge is always ceramic. All their neck models are alnico 5.


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## lobee (Feb 8, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> Yes the Cold Sweat bridge is always ceramic. All their neck models are alnico 5.


Except the Painkiller neck!


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## Decipher (Feb 8, 2009)

One thing I would like to ask is about the direct mount vs. using the pickguard? Was that your personal preference? I still think it looks cool as shit, but generally with pickguards the pickups mount to the pickguard.


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## Abaddon (Feb 8, 2009)

OzoneJunkie said:


> "I wanted to put my beloved Bare Knuckles in there, but due to EMG using their bass housings the BKP would not fit (assuming you wanted a clean look)."
> 
> Supposing you didn't care about a clean look - will the BKP pups fit, without routing?
> 
> Thinking about an RG2228, with BKP replacement myself...



Hey All, Bud from Nemecide here,
For the record, i had to actually do some modifications to the pickup ears to make it fit. The ears originally go down then out like an "L". i had to flatten them out straight off the sides and grind the ears down the the right width. Then you have to drill a new hole in the ears that lines up with the original screw holes in the body. Plus, i had to grind down the pickup poles on the bottom of the pup so there is room for adjustment up and down in the Ibanez' always-shallow pup cavity. 



Scali said:


> Is there a reason why you still kept the pickup direct-mounted to the body, rather than having it suspended from the pickguard?
> I would think it's easier to adjust when it's suspended from the pickguard, and it might look even cleaner, because you can't see the 'ears' of the pickup.



The way it is now actually was a more practical answer at the time. Adjustment is just as easy as it would normally be. Plus this lets you swap the pup out MUCH easier (that is IF you want).

GOTM anyone?


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

Abaddon said:


> Hey All, Bud from Nemecide here,
> For the record, i had to actually do some modifications to the pickup ears to make it fit. The ears originally go down then out like an "L". i had to flatten them out straight off the sides and grind the ears down the the right width. Then you have to drill a new hole in the ears that lines up with the original screw holes in the body. Plus, i had to grind down the pickup poles on the bottom of the pup so there is room for adjustment up and down in the Ibanez' always-shallow pup cavity.
> 
> 
> ...



Ah, hey there Buddy  Good info.

GOTM unfortunately can only be 7-strings, but I doubt this would win anyways despite how badass it is 



lobee said:


> Except the Painkiller neck!



As far as I know the PK neck is alnico too, I'll ask him next time we talk.


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## lobee (Feb 8, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> As far as I know the PK neck is alnico too, I'll ask him next time we talk.


No need dude, I got it from the man himself here: Cold Sweat neck: Ceramic vs Alnico


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

lobee said:


> No need dude, I got it from the man himself here: Cold Sweat neck: Ceramic vs Alnico



Oh wow, the PK neck sounds pretty sweet in my RGA121. I figured it was alnico like the rest. It's not as fluid or warm as some of the others but well balanced and articulate.


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## lobee (Feb 8, 2009)

Tim's a genius bastard. I was registered to the BKP forum before I was a member here so I have it worked out which pickups I want in which guitars. I've been slowly trying to BKP my main guitars as cash allows and I'm almost done!


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## zimbloth (Feb 8, 2009)

lobee said:


> Tim's a genius bastard. I was registered to the BKP forum before I was a member here so I have it worked out which pickups I want in which guitars. I've been slowly trying to BKP my main guitars as cash allows and I'm almost done!



Yeah me too. Tim is a very good resource. I don't always agree with him about which pickups work best for the situation because we're into different kinds of music, but usually he's spot on


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## bulb (Feb 8, 2009)

Nice one Zim!
I must say im surprised to see you go for a cold sweat, especially based off of the last few comments i saw you make about them, but im sure now that you have one you can see why Nolly and I opted for them in our Blackmachines!!


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## zimbloth (Feb 9, 2009)

bulb said:


> Nice one Zim!
> I must say im surprised to see you go for a cold sweat, especially based off of the last few comments i saw you make about them, but im sure now that you have one you can see why Nolly and I opted for them in our Blackmachines!!



Thanks Mischa! I don't recall saying anything bad about the Cold Sweat before though. I had one in my old Ibanez RG2610E Prestige and had nothing but good things to say about them. The only thing I may have said was that I like the mid-range heavy models like the Warpig and Painkiller more, but the CS in the right guitar is sick as hell  

The CS8 in this 8-string definitely sounds brutal and huge, much better than the RG2610E. I think it's all that extra maple in the neck perhaps or the sheer mass of the thing.


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 9, 2009)

i cant&#180; wait to see if i&#180;ll get money for pickups soon 

i will probably get a ceramic warpig and a cold sweat, based on your advice


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## GazPots (Feb 9, 2009)

Very nice. 

Infact i will probably pm you for info in obtaining a pickguard with the passive rg2228 layout (2 pots).

The only thing im a bit concerned about is screwing the guard onto the body which is obviously non reversable. 


Any cheat options to hold it on and not have to screw it down/mod the guitar from stock?




Also requesting day light shots Zim so we can see that badass looking pickguard in beter light.


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## zimbloth (Feb 9, 2009)

GazPots said:


> Very nice.
> 
> Infact i will probably pm you for info in obtaining a pickguard with the passive rg2228 layout (2 pots).
> 
> ...



Sounds good dude 

It's not reversible but you can always use a different type of guard using the same template if you just decide you want a different look. For example you can get all kinds of marbles, acrylics, mirrors, etc.

Day pics forthcoming


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 9, 2009)

i don&#180;t see why anyone would want to reverse this 

combine this with deandroaspis&#180; 30 inch conversion neck for the 2228, and suddenly you&#180;re starting to get some serious modding capabilities...


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## GazPots (Feb 9, 2009)

I own a RG550 and i love its pickguard look so it's not that much of a step from that guitar really.


I'm just a big pussy when it comes to taking a drill to my gutiar.


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## zimbloth (Feb 9, 2009)

GazPots said:


> I own a RG550 and i love its pickguard look so it's not that much of a step from that guitar really.
> 
> 
> I'm just a big pussy when it comes to taking a drill to my gutiar.



It's pretty easy. You just line up the guard with the holes. Then you take the pickguard screw, and match it up to a drillbit with similar thickness, and tape it off so its easy to see how deep you should go, drill, install screws and you're done 

I'd be happy to help along the way if you need it.



MF_Kitten said:


> i don&#180;t see why anyone would want to reverse this



Yeah really


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 9, 2009)

i saw someone on here add a pickguard to an rg 7321 for decoration only, using double-sided tape. not a very secure option though, and serves no purpose.

i say drill it despite your fears, you won&#180;t regret it. if it looks ugly, get a new pickguard


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## GazPots (Feb 9, 2009)

Well i was thinking of direct mounting bkp's in the cavity and somehow attatching the pickguard to those screws which should somehow allow it to be attatched while not messing with the rest of the guitar.


At any rate i can't stop looking at the pics on page one. 


Damn you Zim. Something about seeing that many polepieces is awesome.


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 9, 2009)

i don&#180;t think it would work if you only attached it where the pickups are, since the sides of the pickguard would probably lift up from not being attached.

i don&#180;t know any better options than either screwing it in, or using double-sided tape.


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## Ruins (Feb 9, 2009)

@Zimbloth
good job man. at first look i disliked it but then looking at it again and again i must say it looks great!
looking forward for your soundclips 



GazPots said:


> Very nice.
> The only thing im a bit concerned about is screwing the guard onto the body which is obviously non reversable.
> 
> 
> ...








yes you can try using the double sided tape. you can get them in any hardware store.
this thing is strong enough to hold your pickupguard attached to your guitar even with 10 pickups on it.

do it at your own risk though. i have never tried this my self but from my experience with this tape is that its gummy like material even though it glues very hard to the surface it is relatively easy to remove it as well.
well it requires some force to scratch it off the best part about it though when you do scratch it off it tends to roll so it makes the job easier.


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## ShadyDavey (Feb 9, 2009)

I normally don't like guitars with pickguards but that is beyond awesome - very, very nice indeed. +1 on waiting to hear it


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## zimbloth (Feb 9, 2009)

Ruins said:


> @Zimbloth
> good job man. at first look i disliked it but then looking at it again and again i must say it looks great!
> looking forward for your soundclips





ShadyDavey said:


> I normally don't like guitars with pickguards but that is beyond awesome - very, very nice indeed. +1 on waiting to hear it



Same here guys, never been a pickguard guy which is why I went with something different. I really don't like the stock look of the RG8 but I'm really happy with it now. I just hope I can get used to playing the damn thing, with my short fingers its a crampfest but it sounds amazing


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 9, 2009)

Ruins said:


> this thing is strong enough to hold your pickupguard attached to your guitar even with 10 pickups on it.



if it lasts under lots of movement, then that sounds like a good candidate for "reversible surgery"


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## Panterica (Feb 9, 2009)

you r such a pimp, i love that rg now


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## 7 Dying Trees (Feb 9, 2009)

That looks absolutely awesome! Really good look, makes me want to get one and do it, although I'd require a neck pickup 

Still, nice job man!


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## Lakeflower (Feb 9, 2009)

Cool.  Looks way better without those Emgs IMO.


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 9, 2009)

That thing looks positively gorgeous. If and when I get an RG2228 I'd definately love to get it setup like that, though with a different coloured scratchplate.

How much did it all cost if you don't mind my asking?


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## AeonSolus (Feb 9, 2009)

Just..... Is that actual marble?


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## Ruins (Feb 9, 2009)

MF_Kitten said:


> if it lasts under lots of movement, then that sounds like a good candidate for "reversible surgery"


sure will. at work i use it to glue sandpaper to some planner for wet sending and buffing. so far it took every abuse i did to it.


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## zimbloth (Feb 9, 2009)

7 Dying Trees said:


> That looks absolutely awesome! Really good look, makes me want to get one and do it, although I'd require a neck pickup
> 
> Still, nice job man!



Thanks James. I decided to go with the bridge only setup for looks mainly, but also since I didn't know of the 8-string was my thing I only wanted to commit to buying one BKP 8-string pickup 



Lakeflower said:


> Cool.  Looks way better without those Emgs IMO.







vampiregenocide said:


> That thing looks positively gorgeous. If and when I get an RG2228 I'd definately love to get it setup like that, though with a different coloured scratchplate.



Thanks man. Yeah I could get it any kind of color/material now that they have my schematic on file. 



AeonSolus said:


> Just..... Is that actual marble?



I'm not even really sure. I doubt it.



Ruins said:


> sure will. at work i use it to glue sandpaper to some planner for wet sending and buffing. so far it took every abuse i did to it.



If you know you don't want the EMGs anymore, then there's no need to even worry about reversing it. You can always just get a different pickguard material/layout. If you're keeping the 808s then there's no reason to bother, and I think most would agree pickup rings would look hideous with this.


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## Abaddon (Feb 9, 2009)

Just a couple things,

-its definitely not real marble, too light. Its some kind of plastic. It's pretty unique though, you can see some transparency at the tips when you hold it up the the light.

-double sided tape would probably work i guess, but the longer it stays on there, the harder the glue will become to get off should you want to "reverse the look" It could get messy. I would either commit to screws or not bother. How many guitars out there have removable cosmetic pick guards that don't cover routing? You can use your imagination (or photoshop) to tell if you're gonna like the look of it. Also, volume and tone knobs will _help_ keep it in place if you're looking for alternate solutions to screws.


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## GazPots (Feb 10, 2009)

Nice point on the volume and tone knobs holding it in place.


Im assuming since the rg2228 is back routed the volume pot on Zim's is just poking through the pickguard and not actually attatched to it?


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## 7deadlysins666 (Feb 10, 2009)

Wow, I didn't see this until now. Looks great. I've been in a RG w/ Pickguard mood the past few days, so this 8 is awesome! I personally would've went with a different color, but the black still looks great. Pickguard Paradise made this? Cool, if I ever get a 2228 then I'll know where to go to get a pickguard and do basically exactly what you did, but probably a white or pearloid guard. 

Looks very awesome!


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## Sroth Saraiel (Feb 10, 2009)

7deadlysins666 said:


> Wow, I didn't see this until now. Looks great. I've been in a RG w/ Pickguard mood the past few days, so this 8 is awesome! I personally would've went with a different color, but the black still looks great. Pickguard Paradise made this? Cool, if I ever get a 2228 then I'll know where to go to get a pickguard and do basically exactly what you did, but probably a white or pearloid guard.
> 
> Looks very awesome!



I would do a honey or sunburst to the guitar and a dark red/brown pearloid pick guard!!

SWEEEEETTT!!


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## zimbloth (Feb 10, 2009)

Hey guys, I've actually decided I'm going to be putting this up for sale soon so if anyone is interested send me a PM or something. I'm blown away by the tone, look, and feel of the thing, but I have fairly small hands/short fingers and I've been getting these sharp pains in my left hand after playing this thing for a while. If anyone has normal sized hands or above they'd be fine. I think the 8-strings are just not going to work out for me 

If anyone wants a different pickguard on there, they have my schematic in their computer now so you'd be welcome to get your own if the african marble isn't your thing.


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## chimp_spanner (Feb 10, 2009)

Sounds like you need a fanned fret! I love what you've done with this guitar. If I was in a position to I'd go for it as a second 8 if I could. Jealous of whoever ends up with this!


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## Abaddon (Feb 10, 2009)

GazPots said:


> Nice point on the volume and tone knobs holding it in place.
> 
> 
> Im assuming since the rg2228 is back routed the volume pot on Zim's is just poking through the pickguard and not actually attatched to it?



Yup, it _will_ help keep it in place.



zimbloth said:


> Hey guys, I've actually decided I'm going to be putting this up for sale soon so if anyone is interested send me a PM or something. I'm blown away by the tone, look, and feel of the thing, but I have fairly small hands/short fingers and I've been getting these sharp pains in my left hand after playing this thing for a while. If anyone has normal sized hands or above they'd be fine. I think the 8-strings are just not going to work out for me
> 
> If anyone wants a different pickguard on there, they have my schematic in their computer now so you'd be welcome to get your own if the african marble isn't your thing.


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## ShawnFjellstad (Feb 10, 2009)

that's _too_ clean.


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## zimbloth (Feb 10, 2009)

Abaddon said:


>



Don't worry Buddy I'll give you a cut


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## WarriorOfMetal (Feb 10, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> Hey guys, I've actually decided I'm going to be putting this up for sale soon so if anyone is interested send me a PM or something. I'm blown away by the tone, look, and feel of the thing, but I have fairly small hands/short fingers and I've been getting these sharp pains in my left hand after playing this thing for a while. If anyone has normal sized hands or above they'd be fine. I think the 8-strings are just not going to work out for me
> 
> If anyone wants a different pickguard on there, they have my schematic in their computer now so you'd be welcome to get your own if the african marble isn't your thing.



I obviously can't afford it, and probably wouldn't like the neck profile anyway, but I'd be interested to check it out sometime before you get rid of it, if possible. I was playing Josh's Agile 8 the other night, and I want to compare scale lengths.


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## zimbloth (Feb 10, 2009)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> I obviously can't afford it, and probably wouldn't like the neck profile anyway, but I'd be interested to check it out sometime before you get rid of it, if possible. I was playing Josh's Agile 8 the other night, and I want to compare scale lengths.



Yeah no problem man, I doubt it will sell fast so you can check it out. I'll probably be there on Saturday if you're around


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## WarriorOfMetal (Feb 10, 2009)

Cool, I'll let you know. As of now, no plans for Saturday, though.


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## zimbloth (Feb 10, 2009)

As promised, it's up for sale. Just trying to get back what I put into it (less actually), not a penny more.


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## sol niger 333 (Feb 11, 2009)

That thing is pure class


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## Harry (Feb 11, 2009)

Woa, that looks sweet dude, nice


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## Stealthdjentstic (Feb 11, 2009)

Sweet


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## Krauthammer (Feb 12, 2009)

Looks really nice. How is the bareknuckle? Everyone seems to rave about them. diggin' that pickguard too


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## zimbloth (Feb 12, 2009)

Krauthammer said:


> Looks really nice. How is the bareknuckle? Everyone seems to rave about them. diggin' that pickguard too



It's great man. I discussed my feelings on the pickup in detail in the original post. It's very snappy, tight, defined and aggressive but lots of balls and depth as well. The lead tones and cleans are excellent too, great harmonics.

I wish I could send everyone who uses a DiMarzio Blaze one of these as I think it would blow their mind. It's a great fit for basswood (among others).


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## ffcwoods (Mar 24, 2011)

Sorry I know this thread is old but I just stumbled onto it. I have a question.... I'm guessing you grounded this to the bridge somehow... but exactly what route did you take? I'm thinking about doing this to my 2228 & wanted to know exactly how you went about it. Spending this much on a guitar I sure don't wanna fuck it up. Lol


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## SNAAIK8 (Mar 24, 2011)

Soo sick dude!! Planning on selling it anytime soon? Or anyone on here getting rid of an Ibanez or Agile Septor(camo preferrably) w/ bridge pickup and single volume knob??


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