Leaderboard

I've said this more than once, I worked on peoples guitars as part of my income when I first quit my day job about 25 years ago. I worked on more guitars than I can count and I tried a ton of replacement parts. So to answer the OPs questions. 1. If there's no problem, why bother? Because IMNSHO many replacement bridges sound better, and to me look better. 2. I prefer the old hardware over replacements. I don't:) 3. I don't want to alter the instrument for the sake of its integrety. What Integrity? Heritage didn't pick all the parts because they were the best for instrument, they picked from suppliers that gave them a good deal. So why keep the integrity? You could always keep the old parts in the case! 4. Cost too much or too much hassle even though there are better options available. Faber offers 20% off sale on reasonable prices, on very good bridges and tails, and when changing strings it shouldn't take more than a half hour of your time to replace the bridge and that includes intonating it. As for Schaller roller bridges, I would take an intonated Bigsby bridge or TruArc bridge every time over a Schaller. In all my experience, and in Schaller's defense, I've never seen a ANY roller bridge that to me was worth using, they always robbed tone. And more than once they've cause vibrations and buzzing! As for stock Schaller hardware, if it sounds good, or more importantly if you like the sound, then why change it. Personally, I'm a vintage tone kind of player, and I think a proper ABR that is screwed directly into the body is the way to go with Heritage H150s for my TONE. And for that type of guitar H150/LesPaul, for me, it's the only way I go. For certain types of heavy music I think a bridge with more mass and weight might work better for sustain (at the cost of resonance), so I could see using the stock Schaller (but not a NAsville as they are hollow). In my case though, I don't care what comes on an H150, Schaller, Nashville, I immediately pull them off and put on a proper ABR, and NEVER once did the stock bridge sound as good as the bridge I replaced it with, which most of the time is FABER with screw-in inserts, and Tone loc bridge, with nickel plated brass saddles. Personally I think Heritage used Schallers and Nashvilles because it takes more time to correctly install a proper ABR. I remember the first time I swapped a Faber bridge and the deeper german steel inserts into my H150. It was awesome that guitar came alive!!! I that particular bridge into 1 Les Paul, 3 H150s, 2 Firebirds, 1 SG Classic, 1 Les Paul Special, and the only time the guitar didn't sound better was with the SG Classic. But a few weeks later, out of the clear blue I got a package from Larry at Faber and in it was a new bridge because he said they had a bad run of bridges, and that's what I put on that classic. Soon as I put the new one on, it sounded great! I hold NO stock part sacred! A lot of people like to keep things they way their guitar came from the factory, but me, if I think something is lacking, I immediately get to work on it. I don't suffer anything on a guitar that I can make sound or work better for me. I just bought my Holy Grail guitar, which originally sold for $10,000 when new, and most people would think it a travesty to work on an expensive guitar like that, but I already bought the pickups I want to hear it with and different value pots and caps. I LOVE the guitar's construction, the bridge and tailpiece on these lock down and are hand made to perfection, the look knocks me out, and frankly I've never played a guitar with a better neck shape, smoother feeling fretboard, or better fretwork, but I think the pickups that they chose to use in it aren't as good as other's I've used. So out comes the soldering iron. I make a living with my guitars, either playing live, or recording for people. Personally there are very few guitars that I've picked up and thought to myself I can't make this better FOR ME. I've swapped out some parts in my day that didn't work out, but I just kept on going till I found what I liked. Playing and recording is my living, modding guitars is more of a hobby/passion that works along with what I do for a living:)