RE-string Sunday: Ibanez SV

Another dead pot. This one looks rather pristine but don't let that fool you.

Was at Beez earlier today to get that fixed & fresh set of GHS 009s for this guitar. That's my last set from that 6-pack.

The pickups (Seymour Duncan, what else...): Full Shred (b)/ Quarter Pound Staggered (m)/ Jazz (n). I love how the high output single coil is able to keep up with the rest of the pack in terms of punch. Of course there's a bit of twang going since it's a single coil.

So here it is, my Ibanez SV5470. It's my first S-Series to feature a non-locking bridge/ nut as well as 24 frets. Along the way, I value my 22-fret models more because it tend to play more at the higher register than the 24. Still looking for good, used 22-fretters out there. 

Ibanez 2013: SV

I thought the Ibanez SVs were dead & buried but heck, no. They will be re-introduced in 2013, this SV5470 here, is one of them. It features a stunning quilted maple top & a line-up of EMGs. As if that wasn't enough highlight, it features a coil split switch (volume knob). Just a reminder that when the SVs debuted, they feature the SynchroniZR bridge & that's what you see here.

Won't be here

Ibanez's SV5470 is now a Japan-only model... :-(

Exposed

No, this is not a discussion of uncovered human anatomy but an area of concern that might hinder your pickup replacement efforts. The arrowed parts are the pickup's wire solder, located underneath the pickup proper. If these exposed parts come into contact with the cavity's shielding paint, it'd render the pickup dysfunctional & you'd thought there's a soldering anomaly. Experienced individuals like Beez would be able to troubleshoot such circumstances in this light. When no output was heard from my Duncan Quarter Pound pickup (Ibanez SV5470), Beez simply raised the pickup by a little bit; problem solved. I have since covered these parts with bits of masking tape.

Foam support

Direct mount pickups (such as the humbuckers in my Ibanez SV5470) are not spring mounted, in lieu of this, foams are used to prop the pickups up. Replacement pickups which would go into these cavities require such foams which aren't sold in any guitar shops, you have to make do with whatever foamy substitutes you can acquire. The material to be considered shouldn't be too soft, otherwise it won't spring the pickups up.

Duncanized: SV5470

The latest Duncanized guitar here: my Ibanez SV5470

The pickups in this guitar:

• Neck: Jazz
• Middle: Quarter Pound Staggered
• Bridge: Full Shred

 The obligatory push-pull coil split switch, of course.

Beez put in lots of effort & care for this guitar in view of its tapered body design. The control cavity is shallow & careful installment had to be observed so as not to short-circuit any contacts. Salute!

Thicker Duo

The Ibanez humbucker you see above belongs to my SV5470. It's the manufacturer's True-Duo model which is evidently thicker because it features a stacked magnet formation. As the humbucker was conceived to voice a split coil tone, the manufacturer made efforts for it to be silent in single coil mode so even in this non-humbucking mode, the pickup remains humbucking.

Neat inside

Ibanez's Prestige range of guitars represent the manufacturer's fine craftsmanship. However, cost cutting sloppiness are left in unseen places where owners have the least access for inspection. We sometimes hope the unseen aspects of our very costly piece of equipment live up to the classy external appearances which isn't always the case.

The SV5470 cavities here are proof of the manufacturer's extension of quality; there is neat application all round & we feel good knowing quality exists beyond the reaches of our general inspection.

3 in 5

The VLX91 5-way pickup selector you see above is taken off my Ibanez SV5470. It's a little different because effectively, when one flicks the lever from any of the humbucker-only selections, it will revert to the middle detent, in any other selector models, this would be our single-coil only (middle pickup) selection (HSH combo). One has to carefully select positions 2 & 4 with much controlled movements as the mechanics drive it to auto-position to the middle selection by operation.