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Traditional vs R9 hardware

Nuul

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
12
I apologize if this is a double post, I swear I posted this thread once before but it never showed up in the list. Anyway, I'm going to do something stupid yet fun. I found a good deal on a LP Traditional of the non weighed relieved variety. As much as I love the R9s I dislike the price and I would prefer a different color. So, I thought I'd take a page from Fender's book and do an alternate timeline '59. I'm not going for historic, just getting 90% the way there on tone and also looking like it's been sitting in a case for a few years (age relic not wear).

What I'm looking at swapping out thus far:
  • PAF clones with warn covers (not sure on maker or output, I'm still looking into this)
  • Vintage spec pickup rings
  • Pointer knobs
  • Vintage spec pots/switch/caps
  • 50s style wiring

My question is if the hardware is really that different on an Rx? If so, how do I go about finding it?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
www.throbak.com makes the best pickups IMHO and they also have aged covers and aged hardware and wiring harnesss and could be very helpful to you in your quest .I myself use there Throbak MXV -SLE -101 Plus pickups and they are the best and very highly recommend Throbak
 

Nuul

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
12
Thanks, I didn't realize they made anything but pickups so I'll go check them out.
 

Arnold M.

Active member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
296
for pointers and knobs IMHO i believe the aged DMC's annihilates all others ... the color accuracy is uncanny ..
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
I don't know what Traditional model you're starting with, but the hardware on my Traditional was very different than a Historic. My guitar had a Nashville bridge on brass bushings and a zinc tailpiece on brass studs. I replaced the bridge and bushings with a Faber ABRN bridge and BSWKIT studs and the tailpiece and studs with a lightweight tailpiece and steel studs from RS Guitarworks. It sounds and looks great!

I was more focused on tone and didn't see the point in going too nuts with parts looking exactly the same as a vintage LP- the thick pinkish binding, inlays, color of the guitar's finish, etc... are different and I had no interest in changing them. The idea was to have a nice Les Paul for about $1.5k.
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
I did a huge makeover to a traditional:

Top refin:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...onal-quot-Makeover-quot&highlight=Traditional

Nickel hardware:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...dded-to-my-Traditional!&highlight=Traditional

Tinted clear coat:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...nal-(looks-like-Doris!)&highlight=Traditional

Headstock parts:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...etro-fit-on-Traditional&highlight=Traditional

I used simple conversion posts for the bridge. No point in messing with the bushings.

DMC covers are the most accurate.

Yeah, I recarved top and refinished (top only)
 
Last edited:

latestarter

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
I did a huge makeover to a traditional:

Top refin:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...onal-quot-Makeover-quot&highlight=Traditional

Nickel hardware:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...dded-to-my-Traditional!&highlight=Traditional

Tinted clear coat:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...nal-(looks-like-Doris!)&highlight=Traditional

Headstock parts:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...etro-fit-on-Traditional&highlight=Traditional

I used simple conversion posts for the bridge. No point in messing with the bushings.

DMC covers are the most accurate.

Yeah, I recarved top and refinished (top only)


I never saw this thread....well done Wilko! Looks great.

Tranditionals are great value and are a good base if you do want to mod.
 

Nuul

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
12
I did a huge makeover to a traditional:

Top refin:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...onal-quot-Makeover-quot&highlight=Traditional

Nickel hardware:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...dded-to-my-Traditional!&highlight=Traditional

Tinted clear coat:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...nal-(looks-like-Doris!)&highlight=Traditional

Headstock parts:
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...etro-fit-on-Traditional&highlight=Traditional

I used simple conversion posts for the bridge. No point in messing with the bushings.

DMC covers are the most accurate.

Yeah, I recarved top and refinished (top only)

:wow

You, sir, are an absolute madman. I would be terrified to attempt a recarve but I love the results you got. I'm doing pretty much exactly what you did aside from the carve. I need to look into the push in bushings, I hadn't gotten that far yet but I love the results on those. Do you have to have a specific type of tuner for that? I've only ever had the screw top variety. I had my eyes on the Kluson Revolution locking (I know it's not traditional but it's a quality of life thing) but if that's not possible I'll deal with string wrap in order to get that look...I love it.
 

CatManDoo88

Active member
Joined
Mar 3, 2019
Messages
156
Throbaks are good pickups, but I prefer OX4s myself. You can also pretty much get everything else on your list from Creamtone. They even sell wiring harnesses with vintages bumblebee caps. I've been really impressed with their stuff:
https://www.creamtone.com/
 
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