Millie hardware swap?

[PunkKitty]

This is my Millie:

 

 

I love everything about this guitar. The neck is perfect for me. But I'm not a fan of gold hardware. It oxidizes too quickly and ends up looking cheap in my opinion. So I'm thinking of a hardware swap. I'd keep the Seths that are in there. I would put on nickel covers.

 

I don't want to buy just any old hardware for this. It's a very special guitar to me. I want good quality hardware. I was going to start with locking Grovers because I really like them. But I might go with Sperzels since I have a set at home.

 

I was thinking of a Tone Pros bridge and tailpiece. Are there a better ones that I should consider?

 

Price is an issue. I want to keep my total costs under $300. Swapping the pickup covers for nickel covers instead of buying new pickups will save some money. What other suggestions do you have?

[big bob]

I am not a fan of the gold hardware either, but on this guitar I think it looks nice, I actually like the gold better when it has that old played patina. I would loose the covers on the seaths and go uncovered, it would let you keep the gold with out being too gold!

[Redsand]

I think Big Bob's on to something.....do those Seth's absolutely need to be covered? Might be a cheap 1st option.

 

.......and Happy Birthday!!!

[MartyGrass]

I have TonePros on a few guitars. The bridges and TPs are good quality. I have used the services of their tech guys twice, and they were prompt and helpful.

 

Despite that, I would use Gibson, Gotoh, Schaller, or anything comparable if it were cheaper. In other words I'd not go out of my way to screw down the parts with an Allen wrench. I believe that's just hype.

 

I'd be tempted to put in locking tuners. No big deal either way, but they are handy.

 

That's a beautiful guitar. The maple is too close to gold. I'd switch to nickel and maybe even consider black. The amber hats should also go if you want to add more accents to the appearance.

[Millennium Maestro]

Don't put on sperzels, you will see the grover screw hole and also have to put another hole in each tuners position... Locking grovers are nice or use a set of Klusons which will retrofit and look clean.

 

With tonepros, you can use either metric or standard (Metric will require putting new inserts in for the tailpiece.... Tonepro are an obvious best upgrade!

 

Removing or changing the covers will still leave gold screws unless you have the screws to part from another Duncan and also... Under those covers could be one or two zebras, 1 or 2 Black, 1 or 2 crèmes and there can be logos or no logos. IF WHEN YOU REMOVE A COVER YOU HAVE A CREME NECK PUP, CALL ME!! I WANT IT

 

Or you can just sell the defective guitar to me!

[H]

Or give the covers a rub with Brasso; the plating is very thin and it will be nickel underneath.

 

Bridge and tailpiece options are Faber, TonePros, Gotoh and perhaps a couple of others. Our resident tinkerer, Rockabilly69, rates the Faber items very highly. You can buy them through CV Guitars in the US: http://www.cvgshop.com/faq.php?cID=1

[TalismanRich]

I've always liked the gold hardware, don't care as much for the gold tophats. I know Brent hates the speed knobs, but for me they work on MOST guitars. There are a few that look better to me with tophats. That's just a matter of personal taste.

 

I do like the looks of a Kluson, especially on unbound headstocks. For a bound headstock, I can go either way.

 

As for uncovering the Seths, I wouldn't do it on that guitar. I would go black pickup rings and black speed knobs.

[Spectrum13]

The gold plate on my Millie is almost silver. I find the Duncan gold easy to polish off. The Gibson Grovers with nickle tulips are a drop in replacement for about $60.00.

I'm with h on the Faber locking ABR1 and stoptail at like $170. I would change the knobs too. Truss rod screws, strap locks, switch tip and toggle plus and RS kit. 25% over budget but you're done.

[H]

Some more bridge/tailpiece info:

 

Heritages use a Metric bridge and an Imperial tailpiece. For Gotoh get the GE101 and GE103 set. For Tonepros get the LPNM04 set (T3BP bridge, T1ZS tailpiece). The N in the code means Nickel, so ensure you know the code for any other finish before you order!

 

Another option for the tuners is to buy the knobs for Grover Imperials and fit them in place of the kidney-shaped knobs of the Rotomatics. I did this on my Eagle.

 

[PunkKitty]

I ordered a set of Tone Pros LPNM04 and a set of Grover tulip tuners. I should have them next week. It cost me less than I expected. Now I have to order covers and screws for the pickups.

[HANGAR18]

Once I was going to swap out all the gold hardware on a H157 with chrome hardware but gave up on the idea once I realized just how much gold there was to deal with.

[Guest HRB853370]

Once I was going to swap out all the gold hardware on a H157 with chrome hardware but gave up on the idea once I realized just how much gold there was to deal with.

Plus the price of gold is rising-good investment value

[rockabilly69]

I totally agree with junking the gold hardware. I don't like it on player guitars as it just plain wears out too fast, and for me, it's too much bling.

As for replacement hardware, I like the tonepros tuners that you went with. And I would go with a nickel unaged Faber ToneLoc ABR Bridge

and new inserts for the body which are much better than the stock inserts Heritage uses. I'd also go with the Faber nickel lightweight tailpiece.

and new steel studs. I think your guitar is going to look great with nickel stuff! For the Faber replacement stuff talk to Larry at CVguitars and

he will tell you what you need. He knows how to put together a good guitar. His Manalishi guitars are one of the best LP type guitar values

on the market and more than rival guitars costing twice as much! He got his start on his guitars by modifying some of the cheaper Gibson

Faded LPs and he really turned those guitars into something special.

[holyroller]

I like it just the way it is.

[Beagle216]

I am with you on the gold being overkill on this guitar. This is one of my favorites I have seen on the forum. It is just so beautiful. The nickel hardware is going to take away less from the beautiful wood. I only like gold hardware on flat top acoustics cause its literally only the tuners. Good call, cannot wait to see photos when you finish!

[bolero]

that is a really nice millie!!

[Blunote]

I'd lean toward chrome, maybe black hardware, black rings and knobs (I like speed knobs on mine just fine).

 

Gold hardware on a natural, amber of VSB finish doesn't particularly do it for me either.

 

Just get it the way you want it. That's a fine guitar you should keep as part of your permanent collection.

 

Can't wait to see the final result.

[HANGAR18]

Probably worth nothing... if you loose the gold hardware, the guitar will likely be yours forever since a buyer on the used market may prefer the original gold hardware.

The resale value of the guitar may become depreciated below a normal used value equal to the cost of parts and labor to restore it back to how it came from the factory.

[Blunote]

Probably worth nothing... if you loose the gold hardware, the guitar will likely be yours forever since a buyer on the used market may prefer the original gold hardware.

The resale value of the guitar may become depreciated below a normal used value equal to the cost of parts and labor to restore it back to how it came from the factory.

That might be true with a Gibson or some other brand collectors fawn over, but Heritage is generally accepted as a custom shop. It's expected that Heritage Guitars will be customized or changed from their original delivered state. The cork sniffers who care about that definition of "authentic" aren't going to look at Heritages as an investment.

[Trouble]

I have TonePros on a few guitars. The bridges and TPs are good quality. I have used the services of their tech guys twice, and they were prompt and helpful.

 

Despite that, I would use Gibson, Gotoh, Schaller, or anything comparable if it were cheaper. In other words I'd not go out of my way to screw down the parts with an Allen wrench. I believe that's just hype.

 

 

It's nice to have the locking bridge/tailpiece during re strings, but other than that I agree a don't believe the effect tone at all. I tend to to prefer nickel hardware but the gold looks fine on that guitar, and honestly, you can't see it while your playing it. Well, I can't see it while I'm playing but I could lose a few pounds!