Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 'Lazarus' 59 Les Paul Standard Owners Thread

[rbraad68]

That is hard to understand. Were they smuggling something in the neck pockets?
Anyhoo, someone wanted to see the pocket:

I was looking at the Faber #3060-0 ABRM Bridge “Plus” Gloss Nickel, that would be the only thing I would want to upgrade. It is an excellent guitar, I'm impressed.

Nope they wern't smuggling anything lol They call that a long neck tenon thats a good thing....

 

[rbraad68]

just a head's-up as bridge/tailpiece discussions are going on Faber Memorial Day sale, 20% off. It may be a good time to upgrade your Epi's.

Considering pulling the trigger to upgrade my 59, but I just received a new amp yesterday and kind of on wallet-lock at the moment.

I had planned on getting another kit in nickel and an extra abr bridge but as things go "life" has stepped in and i am going to miss out this deal...

 

[FrankClarke]

There is a YouTube channel called SDPickups who sell handmade ABR-1 replicas for $500, he says the closest to the sound of a '50s ABR-1 he has found is the Faber ABRH. ABRM is the metric version, so I think I'll spend a little extra on the Faber.
I'll get an Al tailpiece, the Faber TP-59 looks like it would work although it isn't cheap I can combine shipping with the ABRM.
There is nothing wrong with the Epi bridge, I was just looking for something closer to a '59 bridge, since the woodwork on the Lazarus is as close to a '59 as I can get for under a grand. So the Faber hardware will give me as close as I can get to a $1000 '59 LP.

Any thoughts?

 

[rbraad68]

You can do really good and alot cheaper with faber. you want the kit that replaces you studs and bushings over to the imperial conversion studs. I will get you a link hold on...

nickel shiny they are running a labor day sale 20% off for the next 5 days..

Buy #5024 MASTER KIT “E-Z” - Gloss Nickel: A Complete Faber Tone Lock Kit

Get #5024 MASTER KIT “E-Z” In Gloss Nickel - Online Guitar Parts from FaberUSA. Our best sustain & tone enhancing products can now be ordered in one convenient “Master Kit,” at a 5% discount over buying the parts separately! Order best guitar parts with " No Sales Tax" and "Hassle-Free Returns".

faberusa.com

aged nickel

Buy #5025 MASTER KIT “E-Z” - Aged Nickel: A Complete Faber Tone Lock Kit

Get #5025 MASTER KIT “E-Z” In Aged Nickel - Online Guitar Parts from FaberUSA. Our best sustain & tone enhancing products can now be ordered in one convenient “Master Kit,” at a 5% discount over buying the parts separately! Order best guitar parts with " No Sales Tax" and "Hassle-Free Returns".

faberusa.com

Bellow is a pic of the faber master kit i bought. Make sure you get the kit with the e-serts..

good luck man.

 

[FrankClarke]

You can do really good and alot cheaper with faber. you want the kit that replaces you studs and bushings over to the imperial conversion studs. I will get you a link hold on...
good luck man.

Thanks! I might substitute the ABR bridge for the tone lock, otherwise I'll do as you suggest while the sale is on.

 

[rbraad68]

Thanks! I might substitute the ABR bridge for the tone lock, otherwise I'll do as you suggest while the sale is on.

The bridge you get with the kit is an abr just with the lock pieces. I think you will be happy with to be honest.... Here are few pics of the guitars i have done. once you convert the studs over you can use what ever bridge you want.. Good luck man post pis!!

 

[FrankClarke]

The bridge you get with the kit is an abr just with the lock pieces. I think you will be happy with to be honest.... Here are few pics of the guitars i have done. once you convert the studs over you can use what ever bridge you want.. Good luck man post pis!!

Will do, thanks for the help!

 

[rbraad68]

Will do, thanks for the help!

No problem man .. post pics...

 

[fry]

As rbraad68 said, the stock hardware is fine.

This past Christmas, I got a Visa gift card in the amount of $200 from a relative. I used it to buy one of these Faber kits for my Epiphone. I never would have spent $200 on this stuff otherwise, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger since was basically getting it for free. I enjoy tinkering with and modding guitars, so it was a fun project. I have to say, I could not tell any difference all, and probably would never do it again. If there was a difference, my ear didn’t catch it.

 

[pondcaster]

PSA: One listed at GC right now but it's blemished...$719.20

 

[USTTRM]

This past Christmas, I got a Visa gift card in the amount of $200 from a relative. I used it to buy one of these Faber kits for my Epiphone. I never would have spent $200 on this stuff otherwise, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger since was basically getting it for free. I enjoy tinkering with and modding guitars, so it was a fun project. I have to say, I could not tell any difference all, and probably would never do it again. If there was a difference, my ear didn’t catch it.

That’s quite interesting. I’ve swapped tail pieces to lighter ones but never the full Monty so to speak. Good feedback.

 

[rbraad68]

That’s quite interesting. I’ve swapped tail pieces to lighter ones but never the full Monty so to speak. Good feedback.

Swapping out to the faber system from the stock bridge system is an upgrade .. My first kit i bought for my ADB 59 with titanium saddles on the top 3 strings made a huge diff in my tone. I got the titanium saddles on 2 of my kits. Latley i have been getting the raw brass saddles. I think they do make a diff they are higher quality bridge pieces. The e-serts alone with other bridge pieces like a small whole bridge and a gotoh aluim tale pieces is another route you can go. Saving you a little money. Here is a pic of the faber bridge pieces with the raw brass saddles...

 

[Triponchas]

Everything sold out here in Australia, managed to get this used!

 

[rjwilson37]

Very nice, you got a sweet top on that one.

 

[rbraad68]

Have any of you guys noticed that ZZsounds and MF still have these listed and are taking Pre orders? Maybe they just left it up but I honestly don't think there are going to be anymore. What do you guys think??

 

[GS1]

So, I pre-ordered one from MF on February 1, assuming that they were already totally sold out and that there were not going to be any more produced, but figured what the heck, if it comes in, awesome, if not, I'm not out anything.

Well, I talked to MF last week, and they said that Epiphone told them they would be in at the beginning of August. If it comes in, I will post it up!

 

[rjwilson37]

I hope that is true for you.

I had a nice Gibson Custom ordered from GC that was in stock and ready for shipment, and after 2 weeks I called and asked where my guitar was. They said that it is being shipped. I called a week later and asked where my guitar was. They said it's on its way. I called a week later, and I got with a manager and after a half hour on the phone, they found that the guitar was actually never found and never shipped. They don't know what happened to it. So they had my 5k in hand for over a month for a guitar that they never actually physically had.

 

[GS1]

I hope that is true for you.

I had a nice Gibson Custom ordered from GC that was in stock and ready for shipment, and after 2 weeks I called and asked where my guitar was. They said that it is being shipped. I called a week later and asked where my guitar was. They said it's on its way. I called a week later, and I got with a manager and after a half hour on the phone, they found that the guitar was actually never found and never shipped. They don't know what happened to it. So they had my 5k in hand for over a month for a guitar that they never actually physically had.

Wow, I would not be thrilled to say the least. I do hope that they come through, but if not, I'm not out anything, let alone 5 grand! I am definitely not holding my breath though!

Don't they perform the final "set-up" and inspection in the US for these? If so, if it's due to arrive next week, I would think that it would already be here in the states, but who the heck knows.

 

[rjwilson37]

I did get my money back, but they got to play with my money for over a month for a guitar they never had to sell me.

 

[rbraad68]

I did get my money back, but they go to play with my money for over a month for a guitar they never had to sell me.

I had sweet water do that to me with a guitar. It was the exclusive color 59. I bet I waited 6 months before I gave up. I wound up just taking the SLASH for more money. I just wanted to be done with that place....