Return of the Native: another '52 with Glaser/Urban tailpiece

blauserk · Jan 6, 2011

It took over two years, but I finally got my '52 back from having some repairs made. In the process, I had a Glaser/Urban tailpiece put on it. Boy, what a transformation! It's in place rock solid and plays as well as any Les Paul I've ever played.

This not only saved this guitar from a neck reset (although I probably would've just gone with Kim's shaved ABR/trapeze solution); it also saved the original frets. I was seriously thinking of a refret, but the guitar sets up so nicely with the new bridge that it's eminently playable even with these little things.

As I indicated in the thread on Ed A's '53 (http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140780), I've been looking for such a solution for a couple of years. Very pleased that it is finally a reality.

Thumbs up. Spread the word! No need to butcher your '52s anymore to make 'em playable!

Before:

After:

MWR · Jan 6, 2011

Awesome! The price of these guitars are going to go up with this increased playability. :jim

buyusfear · Jan 6, 2011

Nice!

Super jealous

Texas Blues · Jan 7, 2011

That's downright gorgeous! Pet it heavily and often.

DonP · Jan 7, 2011

blauserk said:
It took over two years, but I finally got my '52 back from having some repairs made.

?

What took two year?

MapleFlame · Jan 7, 2011

As Arnold would say in a Austrian voice, "It's Funtaztic"

blauserk · Jan 7, 2011

DonP said:
?

What took two year?

Turning this:

into, well, something better than that. Also filled and touched up the four holes drilled in the top left by people putting on various ABR-1-type tailpieces. (Look under the trapeze bar in the first photo.)

surfreak · Jan 7, 2011

Indeed the new tailpiece now makes it playable, but what about intonation?

access · Jan 7, 2011

surfreak said:
Indeed the new tailpiece now makes it playable, but what about intonation?

I had often wondered about this as well.

Also does it feel 'rickenbackery' with the shallow neck angle?

I haven't had the opportunity to play a stocker pre-53 before.

SuperReal · Jan 7, 2011

That looks like a fine guitar! And the bridge/tailpiece is cool....wish somebody had figured that out a long time ago.

I have a '52. Without a doubt, the best sounding and playing solidbody I've ever had. I had my neck reset because the guitar was getting refinished anyway, but played it a lot before. Nothing at all wrong with the shallow neck angle, as long as it has the right bridge. In no way has it ever resembled a Rickenbacker!

I would imagine the intonation accuracy would be about the same as a stoptail? That's plenty good for me....

buyusfear · Jan 7, 2011

surfreak said:
Indeed the new tailpiece now makes it playable, but what about intonation?

If you look closely, the bridge is actually shaped and has a ridge much like an acoustic guitars saddle.
intonations should be balls on.

access said:
I had often wondered about this as well.

Also does it feel 'rickenbackery' with the shallow neck angle?

I haven't had the opportunity to play a stocker pre-53 before.

The neck angle hasn't changed, nor has the action, just the manor in which the strings are loaded.

I would assume that the guitar feels just as slinky or tight as all other trap goldtops, with similar neck angles?

zorglub! · Jan 7, 2011

Is this a trend that Keith Urban has started, or was anybody else using it before him?

buyusfear · Jan 7, 2011

zorglub! said:
Is this a trend that Keith Urban has started, or was anybody else using it before him?

The first time I ever saw that bridge being used was when i posted this video several years back.http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140190&highlight=keith+urban+trapeze

Back then, I wasn't even aware of the mod until it was pointed out to me.

And then Kim chimed in and informed us that Jo was the one who had done the mod.

Ever since, it has been referred to as the Keith urban/glasier mod.

Now, I have never seen anyone discuss this mod prior to this discovery; however, some claim that they have been doing this to guitars for years. So Who's to say.
Keith was the first to show that this mod could hold it's own at a mainstream level.

JIMI55LP · Jan 8, 2011

TW has posted photos of a friends 52' with the original bar setback and a smaller forward mounted aluminium bar with string grooves and adjustable feet for years now to show non intrusive reversable conversion is possible, and I believe it was before the Glazer bar was made for Urban. I do like the Joe Glazer bar most since it has the groove along top for proper intonation, very smart design for an easy reversable conversion!

butcher · Jan 9, 2011

zorglub! said:
Is this a trend that Keith Urban has started, or was anybody else using it before him?

I made a brass one in 2002:

another brass one in 2005:

an aluminum one in 2009:

and one made from an original steel bridge in 2010:

blauserk · Jan 9, 2011

surfreak said:
Indeed the new tailpiece now makes it playable, but what about intonation?

It sounds great; no perceptible issues to my ear. On an electronic tuner, the the low E and A are a few "cents" flat at the 12th fret (which doesn't bother me much; I mostly play the skinnier strings in the upper register). But all the other strings are spot on.

zorglub! · Jan 9, 2011

Very cool work, butcher.

Tom Wittrock · Jan 9, 2011

There was a replacement tailpiece for 52 GTs made back in the 80's if I recall correctly. :ganz

And the one my friend had made was adjustable for height, and each string had an adjustable saddle.
Much more complicated than the Glaser one, but with more options.

butcher · Jan 9, 2011

zorglub! said:
Very cool work, butcher.

Thanks zorglub!
These bridges look a bit unrefined, but they are very effective, and combined with the trapeze and the solid mounted p90s produce a tone that in my opinion comes closest to what Lester William Polsfuss was seeking.
(And they're very playable).

zorglub! · Jan 10, 2011

butcher said:
Thanks zorglub!
These bridges look a bit unrefined, but they are very effective, and combined with the trapeze and the solid mounted p90s produce a tone that in my opinion comes closest to what Lester William Polsfuss was seeking.
(And they're very playable).

wow, you have been a member for more than 7 years and you only have 9 posts... that's a whole new definition for lurker :wow

Return of the Native: another '52 with Glaser/Urban tailpiece

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