Yamaha RGX-110

tachycardia23

Hiya all,

This is my first thread (apart from a classified) and I'm looking to clean up and refurbish this cool early low-end Yamaha RGX-110.

https://goo.gl/photos/GWwSCnkrMmpzcrh27

The serial number says it's 1986 Made in Taiwan. Nothing fancy but it was cheap and I really like its 1980s shredder looks. It gives me a "first guitar" type vibe. I hope I can learn some shredding 80s riffs to do it justice!

I've obtained an EMG HZ H4 from Funkfingers. That should give it some oomph. The original pickup works fine, I'm just after the sound and looks of the EMG.

Ordered a bunch of cheap black hardware to give it the full goth treatment.

One of the pics is of the nut which looks to have moved, leaving a wee gap. I've not taken the strings off yet as I'm still playing with it before the other parts arrive. Can I safely glue it back in as is?

Funkfingers

The EMG website only has schematic diagrams for the current, fully Solderless version of the H4 humbucker. 

One advantage of the semi-Solderless pickup that you have purchased is the option to introduce mode switching of the relationship between its two coils. (Series/single/parallel.)

The colour code is:
Red = hot
Black
White
Green = ground
Bare = shield ground

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Regarding the hardware, did you measure the vibrato bridge before ordering its replacement? The spacing of the six screws on which the vibrato pivots may not comply to the typical dimensions found on aftermarket replacement parts.

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If you are very lucky, the current position of the original nut is because it is in the process of coming unglued. In your position, I would be tempted to take this opportunity to upgrade to a nut of superior material.

If you are unlucky, the nut that you see has already be re-glued by somebody who got it wrong but used very strong adhesive.

Either way, tap the nut off. Clean the surfaces that will be in contact with the nut. i.e. The end of the fingerboard the face of the headstock. Masking tape is your friend. Re-attach with as little Superglue as you can.

tachycardia23

Thanks so much for your help. I know this is not the most exciting project for most so I am very grateful for your interest.

I have wired pickups before. 2 singles on a cheap telecaster. I was glad to see that the HZ you supplied wasn't fully solderless! Thanks again for the wiring scheme, very helpful indeed.

I didn't measure the screw spacing and now, I realise I should have considered that. It was very cheap but then the one it's replacing is certainly not a high-quality item either. Here's hoping. I am tempted to do away with the trem entirely as I don't really care for it but it's in keeping with my vision of its 1980s hair metal heritage, so I'll see what I can do. Obviously don't want to spend a lot of money as this is about as cheap as guitars get!

The nut has what seems a rather severe angle for the Low E string to reach the tuning peg. I wonder if it was this that has caused it to come loose.

Overall the guitar doesn't look like it's had an easy life. Certainly been dropped a few times judging by the damage.

Funkfingers

In my opinion, your project is crammed full of useful learning experiences. 

Yamaha uses that same vibrato on another charity shop stalwart, the SE110. The fulcrum screw spacing, centre to centre, is 52mm. The obvious weak point of that bridge is its skinny zinc sustain block. 

If, as I suspect, the control cavity of the RGX-110 runs the full distance from the volume pot to the output jack socket, you have room to add either a tone control or a mode switch for the humbucker. If the cavity is deep enough, a push-pull pot could simultaneously provide treble roll off and mode switching functions. 

Another suggestion for increased Metal fun would be a Kill Switch pot.