1981 les paul bridge replacement

[dlmorley]

This is a great sounding LP as is, BUT I was thinking of trying out a new bridge and tailpiece to see if I can get any improvements. Any idea what would be a good replacement?
ABM seem to make an aged nickel tailpiece but no actual bridge.
Also, does anyone do plastic saddles like on the ABR-1 for this style of bridge (or a replacement bridge with plastic saddles)?
So, any thoughts?
Thx!

 

[ultra]

You could check out Faber bridges at www.cvguitars.com

What you have is a Nashville bridge on Nashville posts. Faber make an ABR type bridge that retrofits onto Nashville studs. From memory, they have aged nickel bridges and lightweight tailpieces with locking stud posts

 

[dlmorley]

thx ultra :salude

 

[DonP]

Callaham (sp?) make a steel bridge with refit post.

Pigtail has aluminum.

Start reading up, newbie LOL!

You obviously spend too much time playing guitars instead of reading about them in forums LOL!

 

[dlmorley]

Callaham (sp?) make a steel bridge with refit post.

Pigtail has aluminum.

Start reading up, newbie LOL!

You obviously spend too much time playing guitars instead of reading about them in forums LOL!

Indeed! :applaude
ps: is Gibson better than Epiphone or should I just get a PRS?

You do mention something though... Aluminium or Steel?

 

[zombiwoof]

First of all, you probably have a Schaller (German) Nashville bridge on your guitar (Gibson is now using a lower quality PingWorks Nashville on the production guitars). There are various replacement saddles you can try on your present bridge if you want, graphite, tusq, etc). You can also get an ABR style bridge that will fit on those posts (Allparts Tunematic, or Faber ABR). If you want to go all the way and convert it to a standard ABR bridge you'd have to replace the Nashville bushings with either Faber or Callaham conversion posts, or use wood plugs and ABR posts. It all depends on whether you want to do mods to your guitar or not.

Al

 

[lp_junkie]

Indeed! :applaude
ps: is Gibson better than Epiphone or should I just get a PRS?

You do mention something though... Aluminium or Steel?

Go with Fender, after all Beck and Clapton dropped those horrible Les Pauls for the Strat and we all know EC is God.

 

[dlmorley]

we all know EC is God.

Elvis Costello? Eddie Cochran?

 

[dlmorley]

First of all, you probably have a Schaller (German) Nashville bridge on your guitar (Gibson is now using a lower quality PingWorks Nashville on the production guitars). There are various replacement saddles you can try on your present bridge if you want, graphite, tusq, etc). You can also get an ABR style bridge that will fit on those posts (Allparts Tunematic, or Faber ABR). If you want to go all the way and convert it to a standard ABR bridge you'd have to replace the Nashville bushings with either Faber or Callaham conversion posts, or use wood plugs and ABR posts. It all depends on whether you want to do mods to your guitar or not.

Al

Yes it is a Schaller. I'll probably start with a lightweight tailpiece before I touch the Bridge..

 

[VintageWoodWorkshop]

the lightweight aluminum tailpiece should be an improvement. IMO the bridge conversion will let you really hear the wood...

 

[zombiwoof]

Personally, even though an '81 isn't really considered vintage, I'd think twice about doing non-reversible mods to it (like drilling and plugging). I'd suggest just trying out a replacement bridge that fits on the stock posts instead. The Schaller Nashville is much better than the Ping Nashvilles they are using now, there are some guys that prefer it to an ABR bridge. You said it's a great sounding LP, if so why mess with it?.

Just my opinion.

Al

 

[dlmorley]

I certainly wouldn't do anything irreversible! No way!
As said, just want to try a different bridge and tailpiece

 

[zombiwoof]

You may or may not like the change to a lightweight tailpiece. It seems to depend on the guitar and the player's own idea of how he wants the guitar to sound. It is certainly worth a try, though. You can get a Gotoh aluminum tailpiece for $25-30, and they are well-made. You can always upgrade to a more expensive and vintage-correct (or aged) one if you like the sound.

Al