rockabilly69 Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 That looks great, actually way better than before. So what is your opinion of the new Lollars? And did you change out the bridge hardware before you swapped pickups, if so, any tonal change? How did the install go, any problems popping out the old inserts (bridge and tailpiece?)
darkphader Posted February 18, 2015 Author Posted February 18, 2015 Did the whole thing at once. I already knew I liked the Lollars as I have them on another guitar. I also replaced the pots and caps, all in one fell swoop. I knew that I was going to use the currently installed strings to mark the saddle slot positions by hammering them and figured they wouldn't be much good after that and as I was already committed to the total change decided against trying to find every little difference between steps and restringing every time. Removing the bridge inserts was a piece of cake as well as installing the BSWKIT, using a tap into wood is easy and it was my first time. I did purchase a 3 piece tap set to assist success as starting with the taper tap insured proper alignment. The tailpiece inserts were not replaced (there are no replacements that come with the kit), nor do I think there's a need to do so. I also made sure to order non-pre-notched saddles as it was clear from examining the previous hardware (adjustable roller bridge) that the alignment between the neck and the bridge was not exact. Looking carefully you will notice the string notches are all shifted to low side and not dead center in the saddles. The main thing that surprised me was the measured values of the pots that were in the instrument. One volume pot was 500k, the other 250k, and the two tone pots were both about 80k which may have the largest factor in why it sounded on the dark side to me. They're all new at 500k now and there's a lot more detail in the sound. The only thing I would have changed is ordering the kit with the HYBRIDge option - titanium saddles for the wound strings, as I use pure nickel wound strings and feel they might have a bit more zing if not sitting on brass. At some point I will probably change those wound saddles to titanium.
rockabilly69 Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 Did the whole thing at once. I already knew I liked the Lollars as I have them on another guitar. I also replaced the pots and caps, all in one fell swoop. I knew that I was going to use the currently installed strings to mark the saddle slot positions by hammering them and figured they wouldn't be much good after that and as I was already committed to the total change decided against trying to find every little difference between steps and restringing every time. Removing the bridge inserts was a piece of cake as well as installing the BSWKIT, using a tap into wood is easy and it was my first time. I did purchase a 3 piece tap set to assist success as starting with the taper tap insured proper alignment. The tailpiece inserts were not replaced (there are no replacements that come with the kit), nor do I think there's a need to do so. I also made sure to order non-pre-notched saddles as it was clear from examining the previous hardware (adjustable roller bridge) that the alignment between the neck and the bridge was not exact. Looking carefully you will notice the string notches are all shifted to low side and not dead center in the saddles. The main thing that surprised me was the measured values of the pots that were in the instrument. One volume pot was 500k, the other 250k, and the two tone pots were both about 80k which may have the largest factor in why it sounded on the dark side to me. They're all new at 500k now and there's a lot more detail in the sound. The only thing I would have changed is ordering the kit with the HYBRIDge option - titanium saddles for the wound strings, as I use pure nickel wound strings and feel they might have a bit more zing if not sitting on brass. At some point I will probably change those wound saddles to titanium. glad to hear everything went good, I specifically recommend the Faber bridges a lot around this place. So I was hoping that you could explain to people that are planning to change their bridge a little bit about his tone different you got from the ABR and the new inserts. The reason I asked about the tailpiece inserts was that in your original post you said one was high and one was low so I thought you might be wanting to swap those out, but either way I see that you got it straightened out. Before you go changing out the saddles on the Faber bridge, try maximum performance strings by Pyramid, they sound great with the Faber ABRs! They are the ones in the green pack. I have Fabers on four of my guitars, two H150s, one Firebird, and one Les Paul special. And, I always buy the unslotted saddles. I see that on your guitar you just made it with the G saddle all the way back against the rear of the bridge so that it would intonate.
darkphader Posted February 18, 2015 Author Posted February 18, 2015 glad to hear everything went good, I specifically recommend the Faber bridges a lot around this place. So I was hoping that you could explain to people that are that are planning to change their bridge a little bit about his tone different you got from the ABR and the new inserts. The reason I asked about the tailpiece inserts was that in your original post you said one was high and one was low so I thought you might be wanting to swap those out, but either way I see that you got it straightened out. I knocked the high insert down a bit and brought the low insert up so that the Faber bushings met them. As to tone changes, again I didn't check at each stage, but my guess is that the pot changes had the most effect, the pickups the next most, and lastly the bridge/tailpiece change which was mostly done for visual aesthetic reasons. If one likes the looks of the Schaller roller system, and doesn't mind that their bridge and tailpiece fall off without tensioned strings, then I see no sonic reason to swap it out, although some way of keeping the rollers from self-adjusting to undesired positions (locktite, nail polish, etc.) should be employed.
rockabilly69 Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 I knocked the high insert down a bit and brought the low insert up so that the Faber bushings met them. As to tone changes, again I didn't check at each stage, but my guess is that the pot changes had the most effect, the pickups the next most, and lastly the bridge/tailpiece change which was mostly done for visual aesthetic reasons. If one likes the looks of the Schaller roller system, and doesn't mind that their bridge and tailpiece fall off without tensioned strings, then I see no sonic reason to swap it out, although some way of keeping the rollers from self-adjusting to undesired positions (locktite, nail polish, etc.) should be employed. I'm glad you got you guitar sounding the way you like! So what about that G string is it intonating perfectly? That saddle is as far back as it can go. Looks like you got lucky there! I had Lollar Imperials in my Teye LaLlama and they were really nice sounding pickups. I agree 80 ohm pots would be like blankets over your pickup tone! As for the tone change from bridges it is not an aesthetic only decision, as I've replaced at least 10 Nashville bridges to Faber ABR's in the last few years (and have always changed the inserts, and what I have found is that the change in tone depends on the guitar). Some changes were huge, some not, and in one case I actually preferred the Nashville (Gibson SG Classic), until I got a call from Larry Corsa telling me he got a bad bunch of ABR's. He sent me a new ABR and it sounded great. So I can tell you without doubt that a bridge change from a Schaller to a ABR could make a significant change, especially if the inserts are changed and/or dowelled. Everyone of these guitars benefited from the Faber! Firebird LP Special Heritage H150 Heritage H150 USA Standard Plus LP
darkphader Posted February 18, 2015 Author Posted February 18, 2015 I'm glad you got you guitar sounding the way you like! So what about that G string is it intonating perfectly? That saddle is as far back as it can go. Looks like you got lucky there! I had Lollar Imperials in my Teye LaLlama and they were really nice sounding pickups. Yes, the G saddle is at the limit but it's perfect, however I could easily create more room by flipping it around so no real problem there.
rockabilly69 Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 Yes, the G saddle is at the limit but it's perfect, however I could easily create more room by flipping it around so no real problem there. That's great! It looked like it was already turned in that position, but I had a hard time seeing in the picture:) You should post some clips of how it sounds so people can hear those Lollars!
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