# Modded RGA8 & Meshuggah content inside.



## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

So I got my RGA8 back the day before yesterday from Dylan over at Daemoness guitars, fresh with new pickups installed (Bareknuckle Cold Sweats) with the pickup rings from Dave at Frets On The Net and a lovely setup as well.

Also I have had the mini switch replaced with a coil tap (apparently the original mini switch was attached to some kind of active circuit board for the EQ change facility it had, which also needed to be replaced), and this is pretty awesome.

So I am planning on recording a clip, and also uploading a video demoing this guitar properly, along with some other covers of stuff, when I get them done I will upload them here. Until then, here's an obligatory Meshuggah cover, albeit with a twist. 


















Please excuse the sloppy playing in this.

For those which this matters, it was recorded via my ENGL Invader direct into logic using impulses.

I've just recorded a clip, just me playing a clean singular chord in each of the pickup selector positions, and also with the coil tap, and the ends on a little cover of something fun and heavy.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/791394/RGA8 Clip 01.mp3

The order of the positions is as so:
- Bridge position
- Bridge position w/ coil tap
- Middle position
- Middle position w/ coil tapped neck pickup & humbucking bridge pickup
- Middle position w/ full coil tap
- Neck position
- Neck position w/coil tap

Apologies for the kind of shoddy sound on this, I spent about a minute mixing it and not a lot of time finding the distortion sound either.


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## CrushingAnvil (Mar 29, 2010)

Cool mang.


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## NMK2L (Mar 29, 2010)

"Please excuse the sloppy playing in this."
Sorry but you've played it perfectly! Really nice tone too, congrats


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## Evil7 (Mar 29, 2010)

You have a Great memory! You play this style well.


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## MaksMed (Mar 29, 2010)

hahah sloppy, you awesome


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## BrainArt (Mar 29, 2010)

I saw this in my youtube subscription box. I upped the horns and deemed it true.


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## Lasik124 (Mar 29, 2010)

Very cool! And same goes for the video!!!

I love me some Meshuggah


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## freepower (Mar 29, 2010)

Great playing and happy NGD.

Just a quick question though - who's that trying to sleep at 0:45?


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## vampiregenocide (Mar 29, 2010)

Flawless bro


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

freepower said:


> Just a quick question though - who's that trying to sleep at 0:45?



Hahahaha, that's my girlfriend, lazy lass that she is.

Glad you all like it guys. The clips will be a couple of days, but I'll be sure to do something that covers everything.


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## loktide (Mar 29, 2010)

nice 

what gauges are you using?


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

a set of D'addario 10 - 52s for the standard 6 strings, and a 60 for the low B, an 80 for the F#.

This isn't the tuning I have it set up in, the tuning I use it for in Red Seas Fire is E A E A D G B E, and also I'm a bassist masquerading as a guitarist, which is why I like the thicker strings.


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## simonXsludge (Mar 29, 2010)

good stuff. wanna see some photos with the pick up rings and such. 

thumbs up for straws pulled at random. and fuuuck, i can't wait for my new RGA8 body...


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## loktide (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> a set of D'addario 10 - 52s for the standard 6 strings, and a 60 for the low B, an 80 for the F#.
> 
> This isn't the tuning I have it set up in, the tuning I use it for in Red Seas Fire is E A E A D G B E, and also I'm a bassist masquerading as a guitarist, which is why I like the thicker strings.



except the .52 to .30 strings, i wouldn't consider it _that _thick. 

your color choice for the coldsweats is also pure win


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## freepower (Mar 29, 2010)

> Hahahaha, that's my girlfriend, lazy lass that she is.





I hope you weren't recording all this at like 2am. 



PeteyG said:


> a set of D'addario 10 - 52s for the standard 6 strings, and a 60 for the low B, an 80 for the F#.
> 
> This isn't the tuning I have it set up in, the tuning I use it for in Red Seas Fire is E A E A D G B E, and also I'm a bassist masquerading as a guitarist, which is why I like the thicker strings.



Didn't realise you were a ninja bassist, I've always liked your guitar playing. 

I'm just wondering, do you have some connection with Martin Goulding?


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## TimothyLeary (Mar 29, 2010)

5:45 = orgasm

nice playing, thanks for this!


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

freepower said:


> I hope you weren't recording all this at like 2am.



Haha, nope, it was about 8 in the evening.



freepower said:


> Didn't realise you were a ninja bassist, I've always liked your guitar playing.
> 
> I'm just wondering, do you have some connection with Martin Goulding?



Awesome, well thanks man  Erm, I've never met the guy or spoken with him, but Nolly is pretty good mates with him and has the occasional lesson with him. I'm a big fan of him though, he is absolutely flawless and super talented/knowledgeable.


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

Hurrah for daylight and my girlfriend owning a good digital SLR.


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## freepower (Mar 29, 2010)

> Awesome, well thanks man Erm, I've never met the guy or spoken with him, but Nolly is pretty good mates with him and has the occasional lesson with him. I'm a big fan of him though, he is absolutely flawless and super talented/knowledgeable.



Ah, okay, I've got a little confused at some point then! 

Those pickups + natural light on the gloss make that my favourite RGA8 and fave pics of one yet.


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## Innerside (Mar 29, 2010)

Awesome pics !! 
Congrats for this beast !!
Great playing too !


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## FearFactoryDBCR (Mar 29, 2010)

Looks great man. Well done

What tuning did you play this in? F#?

Seems a little higher pitched than the usual Meshuggah tuning

Altogether a great vid though ;D


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

FearFactoryDBCR said:


> Looks great man. Well done
> 
> What tuning did you play this in? F#?
> 
> Seems a little higher pitched than the usual Meshuggah tuning



Good ears on you there man, they constantly go between a couple of tunings throughout the songs I was playing in the video, and seeing how I therefore had to pitchshift some of them anyway, I just did them all up to F# so that I didn't have to re-tune the guitar.


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## vampiregenocide (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> Hurrah for daylight and my girlfriend owning a good digital SLR.


 
Oh dude... This has taken a load off my mind. I want BKPs with conversion rings if I get an RGA8, however I wasn't sure how it'd look. How easy was it to get done?
I think I'm going to go with a warpig or painkiller in the bridge and a coldsweat in the neck.


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

vampiregenocide said:


> Oh dude... This has taken a load off my mind. I want BKPs with conversion rings if I get an RGA8, however I wasn't sure how it'd look. How easy was it to get done?
> I think I'm going to go with a warpig or painkiller in the bridge and a coldsweat in the neck.



Well the one issue was with that, I had to have some routing done because the stock neck pickup is tight up to the neck of the guitar, the route had to be moved back a bit towards the bridge so that the pickup could fit in with the ring around it. I know that Dave at FOTN can make the pickup rings with a little bit cut out at the top, but I don't know if this will solve the issue enough.


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## FearFactoryDBCR (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> Good ears on you there man, they constantly go between a couple of tunings throughout the songs I was playing in the video, and seeing how I therefore had to pitchshift some of them anyway, I just did them all up to F# so that I didn't have to re-tune the guitar.


 
Makes sense, really digging the playing man.

Btw have you had problems with your EQ switch? Mine broke on my RGA7 and no sound was coming out've it. I sent the guitar away almost 2 weeks ago and i still haven't got a new RGA7 or my repaired one back. Which has had a huge impact on my gigs and band practice since i've had to use friends guitars, which are always 6 strings :/


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## vampiregenocide (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> Well the one issue was with that, I had to have some routing done because the stock neck pickup is tight up to the neck of the guitar, the route had to be moved back a bit towards the bridge so that the pickup could fit in with the ring around it. I know that Dave at FOTN can make the pickup rings with a little bit cut out at the top, but I don't know if this will solve the issue enough.


 
Hmm fair dooze, I think someone got the cut version on their Schecter. Think that one might be worth trying?


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

FearFactoryDBCR said:


> Btw have you had problems with your EQ switch? Mine broke on my RGA7 and no sound was coming out've it. I sent the guitar away almost 2 weeks ago and i still haven't got a new RGA7 or my repaired one back. Which has had a huge impact on my gigs and band practice since i've had to use friends guitars, which are always 6 strings :/



I haven't had any issues no, I never used it and have since had it swapped out for an actual mini switch to use as a coil split (the stock ones are attached to an active circuit board it seems).



vampiregenocide said:


> Hmm fair dooze, I think someone got the cut version on their Schecter. Think that one might be worth trying?



Yeah definitely could be worth a try, I quite like the rings being there in their full glory if you get me, haha.


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## vampiregenocide (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> Yeah definitely could be worth a try, I quite like the rings being there in their full glory if you get me, haha.


 
Ha ha yeah I get you. Hmm...


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## simonXsludge (Mar 29, 2010)

so i finally get to see some photos with the pick up rings. can't really get into the look, they just look a little too massive to me. i'd prefer those plastic covers someone modded his passive swopped RG2228 with.

anyways, good job on all that. enjoy it!


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## jsousa (Mar 29, 2010)

pretty cool man!


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## Customisbetter (Mar 29, 2010)

EPIC


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## Randy (Mar 29, 2010)

Looks great with both those pickups and the rings. Well done, sir. 

Great video, as well.


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## chaosxcomplex (Mar 29, 2010)

<---Hasn't read the thread yet...head still bobbing*****

Is this the "standard tuning" for an 8? F#BEADGbe I believe?
I'm looking into getting one and I like to clarify every time someone is rockin' out on one...


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## Scarpie (Mar 29, 2010)

not only is the guitar uber hot with the mods. but that video was awesomely entertaining. thanks for posting


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

chaosxcomplex said:


> <---Hasn't read the thread yet...head still bobbing*****
> 
> Is this the "standard tuning" for an 8? F#BEADGbe I believe?
> I'm looking into getting one and I like to clarify every time someone is rockin' out on one...



Yeah it is standard tuning for an 8 string in this vid, the songs themselves aren't actually tuned to that, I just pitch shifted them to the right key.



Scarpie said:


> not only is the guitar uber hot with the mods. but that video was awesomely entertaining. thanks for posting



Thank!


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## Daggorath (Mar 29, 2010)

Both of the Ibanez 8s and a whole host of other models are ruined by that bridge. Has all the negatives of a floating bridge with non of the advatages (having a tremolo -.-).

The bridge on the RGA7 looks nice.


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## chaosxcomplex (Mar 29, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Both of the Ibanez 8s and a whole host of other models are ruined by that bridge. Has all the negatives of a floating bridge with non of the advatages (having a tremolo -.-).
> 
> The bridge on the RGA7 looks nice.



I thought it was solid like a hard tail, but with all the _advantages_ of a floater, like fine tuning and a locking nut. The only disadvantage I can think of (without playing the guitar) is the chunk of wood removed for it, which is a negligible fact, IMO.


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## technomancer (Mar 29, 2010)

chaosxcomplex said:


> I thought it was solid like a hard tail, but with all the _advantages_ of a floater, like fine tuning and a locking nut. The only disadvantage I can think of (without playing the guitar) is the chunk of wood removed for it, which is a negligible fact, IMO.



Exactly, and the wood removed is no more than any other fixed bridge since it's top-mounted with two bolts 

Nice playing Petey


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## PeteyG (Mar 29, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Both of the Ibanez 8s and a whole host of other models are ruined by that bridge. Has all the negatives of a floating bridge with non of the advatages (having a tremolo -.-).
> 
> The bridge on the RGA7 looks nice.



Well as the owner of 2 Jacksons with floating bridges (the only other electric guitars I own) I have to say that the bridge and nut system on the RGA8 is brilliant. It has absolute tuning stability, as in I can go days without picking it up having moved between different buildings and environments, and it will still be in perfect tuning as I left it. And as for what I'm missing out on, I certainly don't miss pissing around with having to retune every string when one goes out a bit.


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## Giamatti (Mar 29, 2010)

Duuuuuude. This is sick as fuck. Video is spot on man, favourite Ibanez 8 to date by a long way.


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## chaosxcomplex (Mar 29, 2010)

PeteyG said:


> Well as the owner of 2 Jacksons with floating bridges (the only other electric guitars I own) I have to say that the bridge and nut system on the RGA8 is brilliant. It has absolute tuning stability, as in I can go days without picking it up having moved between different buildings and environments, and it will still be in perfect tuning as I left it. And as for what I'm missing out on, I certainly don't miss pissing around with having to retune every string when one goes out a bit.



...and now that you're done recording that video, you can go ahead and send that monster my way. I'll PM you my address.


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## Winspear (Mar 29, 2010)

Great playing dude, awesome tone. Good job on the transposed mashup backing track, too


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## Bungle (Mar 29, 2010)

Awesome playing and love the black/green pickups dude.


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## hypermagic (Mar 30, 2010)

YES! Amazing, Pete, that straws pulled at random solo gave me goosebumps.


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## MF_Kitten (Mar 30, 2010)

awesome vid, awesome guitar 

looks much nicer with the passives, and the green bobbins really makes it pop


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## PeteyG (Mar 30, 2010)

I've just recorded a clip, just me playing a clean singular chord in each of the pickup selector positions, and also with the coil tap, and the ends on a little cover of something fun and heavy.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/791394/RGA8 Clip 01.mp3

The order of the positions is as so:
- Bridge position
- Bridge position w/ coil tap
- Middle position
- Middle position w/ coil tapped neck pickup & humbucking bridge pickup
- Middle position w/ full coil tap
- Neck position
- Neck position w/coil tap

Apologies for the kind of shoddy sound on this, I spent about a minute mixing it and not a lot of time finding the distortion sound either.


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## xchristopherx (Mar 30, 2010)

honestly, i was working at GC a couple years ago when the ibanez 8 strings started coming in, and being a bass player, i was almost insulted. but i cant get enough of these things lately. built like tanks, look killer. the green one that the dudes from after the burial has is so dope. imma wait for some used ones to pop up. 

also, good riffage sir.


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## BigBaldIan (Mar 30, 2010)

Snarly as fuck mate!


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## zimbloth (Mar 30, 2010)

Very nice, glad the colored BKP 8s are working out for yaz!


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## Absaloms Axe (Mar 31, 2010)

just a short question:
how is it wired?
did you use the coilsplit for one pickup and an push/pull-pot for the other one and left the 3-way-switch? or is it alternatively?


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## PeteyG (Mar 31, 2010)

Absaloms Axe said:


> just a short question:
> how is it wired?
> did you use the coilsplit for one pickup and an push/pull-pot for the other one and left the 3-way-switch? or is it alternatively?



Sorry I should have clarified that the Coilsplit switch is a 3 way, one position has both pickups humbucking, middle position is just the neck split, and then the final position is both split.


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## Gitte (Mar 31, 2010)

totally love that engl/ibanez sound!! congrats!!!


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## s_k_mullins (Mar 31, 2010)

Guitar looks awesome! And the vid sounds damn good


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