Will 7-String humbuckers fit without modification?

[DimeZakk]

As you know or might not know, Ibanez is releasing the RGA 427 DSH:

http://meinldistribution.com/fileadmin/medien/Kat_PRL2010/Ibanez_Katalog_E_2010.pdf

This is the 2010 Ibanez catalogue, you can find the RGA 427 on the 3rd page...

Now this guitar is the closest thing to Chris Brodericks Custom RGA's without actually ordering a Custom. Although it is terribly high priced at ~2000Euros it has Ibanez active pickups!!! Not even EMG707s or Duncan Blackouts but Ibanez cheapo pickups!! The same ones that are on the 500Euro RGA on a 2k guitar!

I want that guitar and I want some Bareknuckles to go with it but afaik those active soap-bar pickups are larger than Tim's handwound wonders... Is it possible to mount some 7String bareknuckles directly into the active cavity or is additional woodwork or drilling new holes neccesarry?

[Keven]

Yes it's possible. i've successfully fit 7 string BKP in my emg 707 loaded schecter loomis 7 guitar. the only thing you gotta do is bend a little the legs. seymour duncan sells a 7 string pickup ring too that's fairly low profile and rather cheap, it can help make the job look better :D

[DimeZakk]

Can you give me a ling for that mounting ring?

Also I hope that the new upcoming 7String-pickupcovers will use up a little of the open space on each side of the pickup...

[Keven]

I bought them from my local store so i'm afraid you'll have to go see any SD dealer and just order the pickup rings

FYI, i also got by using 6 string pickup rings, but had to carve them out a bit for the pickup to fit, though it laid nicely over the cavity of the active pickup. make sure you get long screws though as the holes for the pickup rings line up with the corners of the cavity so it's a long way down!

[Excruciator]

http://www.guitarpartsshop.co.uk/acatalog/7-String-Humbucker-Mounting-Ring-Set---Flat.html

^ That's where I got my 7 string pickup rings from. As far as I know, they're Duncan 7 string rings repackaged. I have mine covering 707 routes too, and it works fine, as long as you get long enough screws to reach the bottom of the pickup route, as the previous poster noted. Gently bending the pickup legs is also an easy enough job with some needle nosed pliers.

I should also note, you might have to drill a ground wire hole to the bridge on that guitar; I've had a couple of guitars (a BC Rich and an ESP) that came stock with EMG's which had no ground wire hole by default, since they (EMG's) shouldn't be grounded to the bridge. That's not to say it'll be the same on your Ibanez, however. I drilled them both out and put BKP's in both. It's only a 2 minute job with a dremel, and well worth it, but, as always, if you aren't confident, just take it to a tech, rather than make swiss cheese of your new guitar.

[Keven]

So True! i forgot to mention that! the ground wire thing is something that came into my mind as i was putting the strings back on the guitar :(