NGD: Ibanez UV777620 (7620 neck with UV777 body)

[Kawaii Besu]

Yeah, I made that model number up. Technically, it should be more like an Ibanez RG7650 because it's an HSH with a pickguard and some other nerdy Ibanez shit. But I digress, here is my sorta Frankenstein-ish late-90s Ibanez RG7 acquisition. Apparently, the original neck of the UV777P broke and then the previous seller decided to strap on a 7620 neck and then repaint it into a gold sparkly beast.

































The neck is pristine af! You wouldn't think this is from a '98 7620 at all.

The neck is a bit thicker than I expected. I have an RGMS7 and I think this neck is at least a good 1mm thicker than that one. But it has a really nice contour to it, kind of like my RG560 neck but thicker and in 7 string form; it's very comfortable.

When I first got it, I thought that there was something wrong with the Lo Pro Edge. It was inconsistently going horribly sharp and horribly flat when I pull up or divebomb respectively. Turns out it was just the tremolo binding to small bit of pickguard at the corner of the trem route. What unlikely scenario! It's about as stable as the Edge on my RG560 as you would expect. A little less fluttery, but I think that's to be expected with a 7 string locking trem.

Although there's one thing that's 'problematic' - the bass side stud has a stuck locking set screw. Fortunately, it's only barely sticking out so lowering the action isn't much of a problem. it's just that I wouldn't be able to lock down the bass side of the trem. I have tried spraying copious WD40 into it. I also tried heating it with a soldering iron. It's pretty stuck in there. Fortunately, the stud itself seems solid enough that it doesn't interfere with the tuning stability. But does anyone have any ideas as to how to free up that stuck set screw or am I pretty much screwed (pun intended)?

That aside, I'm really happy with it. It's definitely gonna have a close battle with my 560 down the line in terms of most played guitar.

 

[Crungy]

Congrats on receiving that mystery guitar! Well, not so mysterious now that you learned some of the back story.

What is your impression of the quality of the gold top and binding work? It looks really good in the pictures to me.

 

[Kawaii Besu]

Congrats on receiving that mystery guitar! Well, not so mysterious now that you learned some of the back story.

What is your impression of the quality of the gold top and binding work? It looks really good in the pictures to me.

Thank you! The mysteries kind of make this guitar even better IMHO.

It's so much better in person! The gold just sparkles for days especially in good lighting. The binding seems like the original on the UV777s, but the refinisher did an amazing job masking the binding off!

 

[odibrom]

The guitar kind of looks cool, if it plays well, then just use it.

Regarding that stuck set screw, does it move in any direction or it just doesn't move more in one? I think they come out by the stud's bottom... and you can buy those locking studs, contact your closest Ibanez dealer.

 

[Kawaii Besu]

The guitar kind of looks cool, if it plays well, then just use it.

Regarding that stuck set screw, does it move in any direction or it just doesn't move more in one? I think they come out by the stud's bottom... and you can buy those locking studs, contact your closest Ibanez dealer.

They don't budge either way. I know you should loosen the main stud before you loosen the set screw, but it seems to not do anything. I could even move the entire stud with a 1.5mm allen wrench if the strings are off.

Welp, fingers crossed my local Ibanez dealer has those parts.

It seems to not affect anything tuning stability wise and it plays really well so that's all that matters indeed!

 

[odibrom]

Do the following:
1 - dive bomb and lock the trem in that position with a 9v battery underneath it
2 - with the strings completely slack and without tension, remove the neck
3 - release the trem's dive bomb lock, let it sit back in its cavity
4 - open the trem's back cavity and release its springs
5 - remove the trem with the strings still on. Remember the neck is already taken of the guitar.

Now you have full access to the studs, tension free. Carefully hammer the stud from the bottom so to try to break the stuckness...? also, inject some WD40 from the bottom as well.

Last but not least, you're using a metric key, right?

 

[Kawaii Besu]

Do the following:
1 - dive bomb and lock the trem in that position with a 9v battery underneath it
2 - with the strings completely slack and without tension, remove the neck
3 - release the trem's dive bomb lock, let it sit back in its cavity
4 - open the trem's back cavity and release its springs
5 - remove the trem with the strings still on. Remember the neck is already taken of the guitar.

Now you have full access to the studs, tension free. Carefully hammer the stud from the bottom so to try to break the stuckness...? also, inject some WD40 from the bottom as well.

Last but not least, you're using a metric key, right?

Oh yeah, that's a good idea! Gonna do that when I do a restring. Although I don't remember much screw sticking out anyway.

Also yes, I'm using a real 1.5mm alllen key.

 

[trem licking]

try soaking the stud in a cup of penetrating oil for a day or 2. if nothing gets it unstuck, just buy another stud/stud set

 

[Shawn]

That actually look really cool. Congrats!

 

[Matt08642]

Do the following:
1 - dive bomb and lock the trem in that position with a 9v battery underneath it
2 - with the strings completely slack and without tension, remove the neck
3 - release the trem's dive bomb lock, let it sit back in its cavity
4 - open the trem's back cavity and release its springs
5 - remove the trem with the strings still on. Remember the neck is already taken of the guitar.

Now you have full access to the studs, tension free. Carefully hammer the stud from the bottom so to try to break the stuckness...? also, inject some WD40 from the bottom as well.

Last but not least, you're using a metric key, right?

LoPro 7 is really easy to take out if you just remove the springs, shouldn't even need to remove the neck. I just pull up as far as I can, pop the springs off, then the trem basically falls out.

They don't budge either way. I know you should loosen the main stud before you loosen the set screw, but it seems to not do anything. I could even move the entire stud with a 1.5mm allen wrench if the strings are off.

Welp, fingers crossed my local Ibanez dealer has those parts.

It seems to not affect anything tuning stability wise and it plays really well so that's all that matters indeed!

Rich at IbanezRules also sells those parts, I'd get them from him before anyone.

Also, that guitar looks great! Seems like the refinish was done really well, and I'm a sucker for sparkle finishes lol.

 

[odibrom]

LoPro 7 is really easy to take out if you just remove the springs, shouldn't even need to remove the neck. I just pull up as far as I can, pop the springs off, then the trem basically falls out.
(...)

yeah, but then you're removing the trem under string tension. If it works for you, go ahead, but I prefer to remove the string's tension before the springs', hence removing the neck. I think it is safer this way and nothing will slingshot anything...

 

[Kawaii Besu]

try soaking the stud in a cup of penetrating oil for a day or 2. if nothing gets it unstuck, just buy another stud/stud set

Trying this now. Fingers crossed!

This guitar needs thicker strings anyway so I don't mind waiting.

 

[Kawaii Besu]

It's been a day and the set screw still doesn't budge. I wonder if WD40 isn't enough for something like this.

I order some Blaster PB. Hope that does the trick. If not, I'll just wrap the stud in teflon tape for the time being until I could get my hands on brand new studs.

 

[Kawaii Besu]

Turns out my low B string detunes a bit when pulling up which then makes the higher strings go sharp. I've looked through Ibanez Rules and it turns out a lot of late-90s Edge and Lo Pro Edge tend to have thick knives that don't conform to the studs.

And...


It does look a bit too thick, no?

 

[Alsvartr]

Put an evertune and fishmans on it and make an Ibanez ken susi sig.

 

[odibrom]

Put an evertune and fishmans on it and make an Ibanez ken susi sig.

Sacrilege! Infidel!... 😁

 

[cardinal]

I'm not sure WD-40 is what you want. You'd need something like liquid wrench if there's rust/corrosion that's welded the set screw in place.

But the guitar looks absolutely awesome. Hope you get it sorted. At a minimum just a new stud from Rich at IbanezRules will get it fixed.

 

[trem licking]

Turns out my low B string detunes a bit when pulling up which then makes the higher strings go sharp. I've looked through Ibanez Rules and it turns out a lot of late-90s Edge and Lo Pro Edge tend to have thick knives that don't conform to the studs.

And...

View attachment 116800
It does look a bit too thick, no?

make sure your locking nut is tightened down well enough too, both at the pads AND where it mounts to the neck. if the nut slides around at all, it can create issues like this

 

[Kawaii Besu]

Seems like the locking stud wouldn't budge at all. Tried PB Blaster for a day. Got impatient and just added teflon tape to the stud.

I put new 10-59 D'addarios on it and it seems like letting the strings and trem settle for a few days kind of did the trick! It returns to pitch on dives perfectly while pull ups are just 5-6 cents sharp on the G string. It's every bit as solid as the Edge on my 1991 RG560! I would probably wait until the studs wear out for me to replace them despite the bass side stud with a stuck set screw.

Yeah, I really love this thing. I don't regret the trade and cash sacrifice for this so-called UV7620.