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Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 08:57 AM

I just bought a used Ibanez rg350ex for 220$ with a roland cube 30x for 200$.

I have no idea about electric guitars and I tried to tune the high E string and I didn't see the locking nut that holds the strings. So i broke the top part of the string. I still don't know what to do to tune this thing. Is there any list of things I should to tune it myself ?

Thanks!

Posted by: MickeM Mar 2 2009, 09:07 AM

Check out the video Ivan made on the subject
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/misc-lessons/guitar-tuning-tutorial/

Then you also have the "problem" with a floating tremolo that you should carefully adjust so that it sits in level with the top of your guitar.
The strings will pull the tremolo upwards. Inside your guitar there are springs and a couple of screws that work as the opposite force which will pull the tremolo downwards.
If you use normal tuning (EBGDAE) you can only adjust the force that pulls downwards i.e by adding and removing springs and
- screwing the screws that holds the spring claw inwards to increase the force and pull the tremolo down
- unscrewing the same screws to decrease the force and release the tremolo and allow it to raise

It's always a hassle to set the tremolo the very first time. When you get the hang of it it'll be quicker.

Posted by: ZakkWylde Mar 2 2009, 09:12 AM

First of all: Great choice of starter gear! It's good guitar and a great amp you got yourself!!!

The Ibanez has a tremolo, which isn't the easiest to maintain, especially for someone new to electric guitars...
Restringing, tuning and setting up a tremolo canbe very frustrating for someone who hasn't done it before so spare yourself from that frustrating work!
Get the guitar to a shop or guitar tech and ask him for a guitar setup and you can watch him how he does it, shouldn't cost too much. The tech will restring the broken high e, set the floating trem right, tune the guitar and then lock the nut.

The great thing about a Tremolo guitar is that it stays in tune forever (if you don't punish the guitar too hard)

Posted by: 29a Mar 2 2009, 01:06 PM

Does it? As far as I know guitars with tremolo do have more tuning problems than the fixed ones.

Anyway as Zakk said, you should really get somebody to help you. Tuning an electric guitar with tremolo is a pain. And if you do it wrong it will go out of tune all the time.

Jonas

Posted by: Xuestor Mar 2 2009, 04:24 PM

LOCKING tremolos are superior in tuning stability. But regular tremolos can be a bit difficult to keep in tune for a long period of time. When my JEM was setup properly, it held the tuning EXACTLY, for about 1.5 months, then it was time for a string change.

Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 04:38 PM

Thanks a lot guys. I went to the shop and the technician wasn't there so I'm taking it there tommorow.


Again thanks !

Posted by: Joruus Mar 2 2009, 05:20 PM

I broke my high E-string too the first time i got my ibanez and forgot it has the lock

When the lock is on, you can use the finetuners that are on the back of the bridge.
You only need to remove the lock if your tuning is off alot or when changing strings.
With my RG350dx i only needed to tune a little bit every few weeks (only using the finetuners),
so you should be fine for a while after the setup

Posted by: ZakkWylde Mar 2 2009, 05:24 PM

IF you have a great quality locking tremolo and IF it's set up properly, you don't have to worry about tuning it. My Ibanez hasn't been tuned for 2 months and it's still perfectly in tune even though I divebomb A LOT!

Posted by: 29a Mar 2 2009, 06:00 PM

2 Months? Without adjusting the fine tuners? That would be wicked I couldn't get my S-Series to stay in tune for more than a few days without adjusting the fine tuners and stretching the strings

- Jonas

Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 06:45 PM

I forgot to tell you guys that this guitar is used and it doesn't have a whammy bar (is broken) They had few guitars

left. I'm living in a country where there aren't that many guitar shops. Thank god I found this technician today,

otherwise I would have to do it myself.


Does that affect the playability of the guitar?

I have another guitar (acoustic) and I just bought this electric guitar because of this great website!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Mar 2 2009, 06:55 PM

As far as I know that can't be an RG350EX then!
This is:-


Check behind the Headstock to see what model it is!!!


Although, you say it has a Locking Nut so it must have a Floyd Rose fitted, no?

Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 06:57 PM

Yes the same model. The whammy is broken. (my mistake)

Posted by: Sensible Jones Mar 2 2009, 07:02 PM

If the Floyd is Broken/Damaged then that will need looking at as well!!! Or is it just that the Arm is missing?

Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 07:26 PM

I think it's just that the arm is missing but I'm not sure. Here are two pictures attached.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Mar 2 2009, 08:11 PM

Yeah, looks like just that Arm's missing!

OK, you'll need to replace that broken string. to do this you'll have to slacken the Screw on the Lock-nut that's clamping that string. You don't need to take the screw right out, just loosen it enough to remove the old string. Remove the old string and replace with a new one and loosen the tuning Screw on the Tremolo. Bring it up to tune and then stretch it. Do this a few times, once it's holding tune you can re-tighten the Lock Nut. To tune the other strings just use the fine Tuners on the Tremolo. If they are too far out of pitch then loosen the fine Tuners, loosen the Lock Nut and use the Main Tuners on the Headstock. Same as I explained for tuning that new string!

Posted by: q8gust Mar 2 2009, 08:18 PM

Alright ! Thanks! You got me worried for an hour

Hopefully tomorrow I'll check for the strings.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 2 2009, 11:32 PM

If you are beginning with electric guitars with whammy, another good option is to go to a guitar tech to do a proper setup. This does not cost much, and can save you a lot of hassle. Also you can politely ask the guy to let you watch how he does the setup, so you can learn. This can save you a lot of headache.

Posted by: q8gust Mar 3 2009, 12:19 PM

I just replaced the strings in the shop and I found out that I had a whammy bar in the box from the beginning. lol

Posted by: Sensible Jones Mar 3 2009, 12:34 PM

Good news!!!