Ibanez RG370DX Overhaul | Part 1

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Visual Inspection and Preliminary Diagnosis

This ailing 2007 Ibanez RG370DX is currently at CA Guitar Repair for visual inspection and a preliminary diagnosis. Hats off to the owner for driving all the way here from his home in Rompin, a journey of nearly a hundred miles.

Ibanez RG350EXZ Restoration: Part Three

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Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Howdy folks :) This is the third and concluding post on a black Ibanez RG350EXZ that was sent in to be restored to gigworthiness. The guitar was strung with Ernie Ball RPS Slinkys (009-042) and set up. I must say that setting up the Edge Zero II double locking tremolo system was a relatively painless experience; thanks to the ZPS3Fe "counter-tension tuning stabilizer system." Turning a large knurled thumbwheel sure beats messing with screwdrivers and wooden blocks any day of the week. With that, I take my leave. Thanks for checking in, and do enjoy the pics :)

 

 

Ibanez RG350EXZ Restoration: Part One

Quick Links:    Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Folks, here's another fine example of how not to treat your guitar. It's an Indonesian-made Ibanez RG350EXZ, sent in for a major restoration. According to the Ibanez Wiki, this model was introduced in 2011 as a replacement for the RG350EX. Its main distinguishing feature is the Edge Zero II double locking tremolo system with the ZPS3Fe "counter-tension tuning stabilizer system." Here are some specs for your perusal:

Body: Basswood
Finish: BK (Black)
Neck: Wizard III/three-piece maple
Fretboard: Bound rosewood/24 jumbo frets/Sharktooth inlays
Neck Pickup: INF3 Humbucker
Middle Pickup: INFS3 Single-Coil
Bridge Pickup: INF4 Humbucker
Bridge: Edge Zero II/ZPS3Fe
Hardware Color: Cosmo Black
Pickguard: Aluminium

 

 

2007 Ibanez RG350EX Restoration

Thanks to Guitar Insite, I found out that this Ibanez RG350EX was a 2007. Which kind of explained why it came to me all rusty, cruddy; and very near death. The main features were a two-octave bound rosewood fretboard with jumbo frets and sharktooth inlays, Edge III double-locking tremolo, and HSH-configured Infinity pickups (neck: INF3, middle:INFS3, bridge: INF4).

Work done on this guitar involved hardware servicing, fretboard reconditioning, fret level and dress, replacing all knobs, screws and springs; and a complete rewire. I also installed new Alpha 500K pots, a five-way switch, tone cap, NYS229 jack and metal jack plate.

Ibanez RG370DXZ-BK

This Indonesian axe made its debut in 2011, and can be seen on page 26 of the Ibanez 2011 Full Line Catalog. Available colors were BK (Black), CA (Candy Apple), ROM (Roadster Orange Metallic), SLB (Starlight Blue), and WH (White). Sadly, Ibanez ceased production of the RG370DXZ "after 2014."

The guitar featured today is black, and so it's an RG370DXZ-BK.The basswood body is complemented by a 25.5" scale bolt-on 3 piece Wizard III maple neck. The bound rosewood fingerboard sports 24 jumbo frets, a 16" radius; and sharktooth pearloid inlays.

Pickups are an INF3 neck humbucker, INFS3 middle single coil, and INF4 bridge humbucker. I must say that I'm impressed by these pickups. Sweet and full when played clean, these pickups retain their clarity and bite when overdriven. What really takes the cake is that all three pickups' polepieces are height adjustable with a hex key. This means that you can fine tune each pickup's tonal balance and output to suit your needs.

The bridge is a rather rusty double-locking Edge-Zero II tremolo with a ZPS3Fe Zero Point System (see pic below). The ZPS is supposed to, when "correctly" adjusted, help keep the tremolo parallel to the body. This would save a lot of blood, sweat and tears when changing/tuning strings.

Well, as I found out while restringing this guitar with a set of 009s, all the ZPS does is prevent string tension from tilting the tremolo block forwards via a stop bar. This stop bar, however, cannot prevent tremolo spring tension from tilting the tremolo backwards, thereby causing your carefully-tuned strings to go sharp. And I mean really sharp.

In other words, you still have to block the tremolo the old-fashioned way when changing/tuning strings. So much for the ZPS3Fe. I do, however, appreciate the large knurled spring adjustment knob. This knob makes adjusting spring tension really easy. No need to waste time screwing (pun intended) with the spring claw.

The control cavity is adequately shielded with carbon paint and features a simple layout of master volume and tone controls fed by a  5-way blade switch. It's refreshing to see full-sized pots on this guitar. Kudos to Ibanez for ditching those dreadful minis that crap out when you least expect it.

Work done on this guitar included fret leveling/dressing, rust removal and lube job on the tremolo and other mechanical components, electronics check/service; and fretboard degunking/lemon oil treatment. That's about it, enjoy the pics.