Bridge and Tailpiece Upgrades

[jestremera]

I'm looking to upgrade the bridge and tailpiece on my 2017 Custom (gold hardware). Creamtone or Faber (or something else) and why? Thanks for your help

 

[Rick]

I installed a Faber bridge and tailpiece on my LPs for aesthetic reasons. I wouldn't call it an "upgrade" really. You're going to get people here telling you two very different things about these expensive "upgrades":

• This expensive new bridge and tailpiece really brightened up my dull LP sound!

and

• This expensive new bridge and tailpiece really mellowed out my bright LP sound!

The truth is that unless you have a functional defect in your current setup, what you have
stock is just as good as Creamtone or Faber. I have no issues telling you that even though I've spent $400 on Faber parts for my current two LPs.

 

[jestremera]

I installed a Faber bridge and tailpiece on my LPs for aesthetic reasons. I wouldn't call it an "upgrade" really. You're going to get people here telling you two very different things about these expensive "upgrades":

• This expensive new bridge and tailpiece really brightened up my dull LP sound!

and

• This expensive new bridge and tailpiece really mellowed out my bright LP sound!

The truth is that unless you have a functional defect in your current setup, what you have
stock is just as good as Creamtone or Faber. I have no issues telling you that even though I've spent $400 on Faber parts for my current two LPs.

I appreciate the honesty

 

[HogmanA]

This is my LP with Faber bridge (ABR) fitted directly on to Nashville studs by sanding studs to fit in ABR.

The tailpiece and the studs are really light aluminium and also Faber I believe (I can't remember now, but fairly sure).
I changed the TP and studs first, and the difference it made was to move the resonance of the guitar higher. In effect reducing the low end boominess and giving more 'body' to the higher frequencies.
This can be interpreted 2 ways by different people. When the top end had less body with the old TP, the higher frequencies were 'shrill' and might be interpreted as an overly bright guitar by some.
By increasing the body of the higher notes, there is more treble available (and it is no longer shrill, but full) so the amps treble can be turned down but still getting the desired amount.

In contrast, I then put on the Faber bridge and there was much less of a difference - hardly any really. The sound was a little bit 'tighter', but very small change. Maybe if I changed the bushings to proper ABR (by doweling, or using Faber conversion studs) I might have noticed a bigger difference), but I'm happy with it as it is.

For my guitar, the TP absolutely made the biggest difference (and definite real world improvement), and this is completely in keeping with what you might expect from an engineering/ physics point of view, if not from an intuitive one.

FaberABR

• HogmanA
• Dec 19, 2017

 

[Platte City Paul]

I put Faber posts on both of my Les Pauls. I put them in myself and didn't screw up either guitar. The Mad Scientist factor was worth the effort. I felt the same way the first time I stuck a soldering iron into the '08 Trad.

On Edit: I took a chisel to the cavity of my Strat to get a bridge humbucker to fit. Talk about pucker factor, but MAN it was cool and worth it. And yes, a humbucker in a Strat does make a sonic difference.

Sonic differences are minimal, but the psychic difference was big. Electric guitars used to be these mysterious things that I didn't understand. Now I know the ins and outs, and they are all the more special to me because of it.

Are electric guitars tools? Yes, but they are the coolest &^%$ing tools in my tool box!

 

[DarrellV]

I recently went with a Guitar Fetish bridge to cure the buzzy nastiness I was getting from my stock Nashville.
Setting the intonation was a nightmare, and the slop in the screws and the fact it would move on its post bushings didn't help.

I wanted something more solid and better, not a more expensive copy of the same thing.

Cured everything! Had it intoned in 15 minutes and it stays there. Cleared out the buzz, nice clear as bell tonez now...

40 bucks!

20180407_090225

• DarrellV
• Apr 7, 2018

20180407_090144

• DarrellV
• Apr 7, 2018

You can see all the deetz here if you like starting around the bottom of the page..

http://www.mylespaul.com/threads/the-2017-shaw-revival-my-82-car-standard-2-shaws-and-1-notta-shawatol.403157/page-8

 

[MovinginSloMo]

Guitar fetish you say? Love their pickups, have not tried their hardware.. hmm

 

[Mustard Caps]

I had an LP type 59 Burst made 5 years ago, and used a Pigtail going by some old recommendations from MLP and couldn't be happier with it. Really well made, and is rock solid. They make both lightweight high tensile strength Aluminum/Gold, or Nickel Plated, and Zinc/Gold/or Nickel Plated Bridges.
I used the complete assembly. Studs/Bushings/Posts/Thumb Wheels, and Zinc/Nickel

 

[Slater529]

I went with the Faber NSWKIT which required tapping the bridge post holes. I was a little nervous about doing the installation myself, but it proved to be a lot easier than I imagined. I can't really say it made a very noticeable difference in tone... maybe a little better clarity on the bass strings.

What DID make a big improvement (a huge improvement actually) was replacing the wiring harness. The stock Gibson volume pots were 279 and 282 ohms. I went with RS Superpots cherry picked to be 575+ ohms each. The difference was absolutely incredible... It really opened up the tone. Transformed my guitar from a tone turd to a keeper!

 

[Donal]

I went the creamtone route (after trying the Faber) primerily for looks. The Faber was technically ok but I wanted something aged.

The parts are excellent.

 

[RicOkc]

I used a locking bridge and locking tailpiece studs from these folks http://www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/

I'd compare their parts to Faber and cost a lot less.

 

[Rando375]

The parts are excellent.

 

[Jeremiah]

lots of Creamtone fans here

I personally choose whatever brand of aluminum tailpiece I run across, generally Gotoh. I then go for a Graphtech bridge, I like the look of them.

Neither one of these changes causes any audible difference to my ears, which have been abused by years of heavy metal and other loud music.

 

[jestremera]

I went the creamtone route (after trying the Faber) primerily for looks. The Faber was technically ok but I wanted something aged.

The parts are excellent.

I could stare at that pic all day

 

[DarrellV]

Guitar fetish you say? Love their pickups, have not tried their hardware.. hmm

Check out the link for more info....
I was not dissapointed. It is obviously not for those who want to keep a stock appearance.

MHO of the Nashville is similar to the Faber site's. Never realized HOW crappy till I put this on.....

I found a way to install this and keep everything reversible if ever needed, but when I PLAY it, the difference it has made to my ears and satisfaction in my sound are worth more than 40 bucks...

It's all a matter of what's more important to you...Personal choice.

 

[Roxy13]

I went with the Faber Nashville conversion kit that only required pulling the bushings for the bridge, not drilling and tapping. I'm very happy with it, but it is on the pricey side. I learned though that they have 20% off sales on holidays so bought mine over President's Day weekend.

 

[Christosterone]

@Donal is my life coach

-Chris

 

[scozz]

I changed out ALL the hardware on my 06 Studio. It came with gold hardware and I’m not a big fan of gold hardware. When I bought the guitar, it just played so great, I was willing to overlook the gold.

After a few years I finally made the change to nickel.

Gotoh nashville bridge, and Gotoh
aluminum tailpiece. I’m very happy with these, the bridge is well built, solid and intonates perfectly!

 

[ARandall]

Like most have said, the hardware is more of a side-grade than anything else. It is worth noting however, that the functionality of the contact to the guitar top of the Nashville bridge is poor. A lot of people have noticed significant change just with the improved contact point that a more solid bridge offers.....sometimes it can be startling.
The Tailpiece seems to offer the more consistent tonal shift statistically when going from the Zamak to Al. Zamak seems to have a more fuller sound with solid mid response whereas the Al tends to take it more into the feathery mids and more crisp area.

 

[jestremera]

I changed out ALL the hardware on my 06 Studio. It came with gold hardware and I’m not a big fan of gold hardware. When I bought the guitar, it just played so great, I was willing to overlook the gold.

After a few years I finally made the change to nickel.

Gotoh nashville bridge, and Gotoh
aluminum tailpiece. I’m very happy with these, the bridge is well built, solid and intonates perfectly!

Wow! It looks fantastic!