Upgraded Faber TOM on ya Heritage H150?

[hopkinwfg]

Hi people ! Just wanna ask has anybody changed their Nashville or Nashville like TOM to an ABR-1 with Aber conversion kit? 

 

It sort of requires the procedure on taking out the bushing that's being installed originally on most H150 I believe.... and using the Faber conversion bridge mount to be installed by tapping into the H150 body cavity... 

 

Just wonder which Faber conversion kit I be looking at if I intent to tap in the Faber conversion bridge mount and be able to snug fit a Gibson ABR-1 TOM bridge without any problem ? 

[bobmeyrick]

I did this on my H150 VSB and it was a straightforward job. I used the Faber ABR-1 bridge which came with the kit (ABRN), and Faber make three different ABR-style bridges. The Gibson ABR-1 night not fit because of slight diferences in dimensions of post holes and post spacing.

This link is helpful - Which ABR-1 style bridge is right for my guitar?

[rockabilly69]

There are two different insert kits. The push-in iNsert bushings are a very easy replacement (they now come in bell brass and german steel), and I have done many of them for myself and never had a problem. The BSWkit is the one that requires tapping a slightly larger hole, and that job took a little more patience but that is my favorite insert. I love that the insert is screwed in to the body like real ABR posts. My favorite Faber ABR is the tone-lock, and this one is the one that works best for Heritage guitars (but you also need to order the inserts)...

https://faberusa.com/product-category/faber-bridges/faber-tone-lock-bridge/gibson-heritage/nashville-heritage/

 

[Gtwibs]

My 150 had the Schaller bridge setup and I ordered the BSWkit but my tech wasn't comfortable performing the tap (frankly, I'm not sure I was comfortable with the idea either) so I ordered the #3051 posts that screw directly in with the E-Z kit. Larry was super helpful if you or your tech have any questions.

[bolero]

This is good info, thx. For now I have a Gotoh ABR-1 on the existing studs, which works well. But someday I'll get around to trying this out.

[Steiner]

I went through Faber's website for 6 months before emailing to find what I wanted.  I was immediately bothered by the $15 fee for unslotted bridges.  The reply was a web address to a bridge.  Not entirely what I inquired about but I could make it work.  When I got the piece it wasn't what I wanted, not even close so, I returned it.

I've subsequently purchased a Callaham bridge and love everything it does except they don't come in gold.  I'll keep the Callaham but am looking at KMS for a gold one.

These bridges, though expen$ive, go a long way to cutting down the ghost notes.

Are there other brand bridges out there that are precision machined?

[hopkinwfg]

8 hours ago, rockabilly69 said:

There are two different insert kits. The push-in iNsert bushings are a very easy replacement (they now come in bell brass and german steel), and I have done many of them for myself and never had a problem. The BSWkit is the one that requires tapping a slightly larger hole, and that job took a little more patience but that is my favorite insert. I love that the insert is screwed in to the body like real ABR posts. My favorite Faber ABR is the tone-lock, and this one is the one that works best for Heritage guitars (but you also need to order the inserts)...

https://faberusa.com/product-category/faber-bridges/faber-tone-lock-bridge/gibson-heritage/nashville-heritage/

 

Thanks for the details you shared with us on your Heritage H150... I have checked and really think the ABRH by Faber isn't a direct replacement for the Gibson ABR-1 ? I also like the screw in studs you mentioned BSWkit and I would like to go with the recommendation you detailed out... I also standby on your views about the BSWkit would be better as its a screwed in compared to those tapped in.... 

I wonder the BSWkit is supposed to be the direct replacement for Nashville type bridge bushing, much as the H150 TOM style stud does it have the same size as the Nashville mounting stud ? 

[ESchmidt]

So for the pinnacle bridge to be replaced with an abr1, do you just need standard Nashville to abr1 conversion posts? Or is there more going on than meets the eye with those new pinnacle bridges?

[Kuz]

14 hours ago, ESchmidt said:

So for the pinnacle bridge to be replaced with an abr1, do you just need standard Nashville to abr1 conversion posts? Or is there more going on than meets the eye with those new pinnacle bridges?

I can only speak for the locking Faber ABR bridge (I use the locking Faber ABR bridges and locking Stoptails on all my guitars).  The Faber locking bridge will fit over the larger than normal Pinnacle bridge posts that Heritage uses for the Pinnacle bridge.  You can then use the locking top Pinnacle bridge screws that screw on to the posts to lock the Faber bridge.  You will also have to use the Heritage provided thumb wheels with the Faber bridge because the posts are larger and use the proprietary larger thumb wheels and bridge post locking screws.  But the Faber locking ABR bridge will work just fine.  The Heritage aluminum tailpiece is really good and will work with the Faber locking stoptail studs.  

In my opinion the Faber hardware is better looking like an ABR-1 and the strings won't hit the back of the bridge to the tailpiece like on the pinnacle.  Combined with the locking Faber tailpiece studs and your tailpiece is very close to the body and not jacked up a centimeter of the top.  I love the Faber hardware.  Vintage looking and using the vintage metals yet discretely locks the hardware down tight. 

[ESchmidt]

8 minutes ago, Kuz said:

I can only speak for the locking Faber ABR bridge (I use the locking Faber ABR bridges and locking Stoptails on all my guitars).  The Faber locking bridge will fit over the larger than normal Pinnacle bridge posts that Heritage uses for the Pinnacle bridge.  You can then use the locking top Pinnacle bridge screws that screw on to the posts to lock the Faber bridge.  You will also have to use the Heritage provided thumb wheels with the Faber bridge because the posts are larger and use the proprietary larger thumb wheels and bridge post locking screws.  But the Faber locking ABR bridge will work just fine.  The Heritage aluminum tailpiece is really good and will work with the Faber locking stoptail studs.  

In my opinion the Faber hardware is better looking like an ABR-1 and the strings won't hit the back of the bridge to the tailpiece like on the pinnacle.  Combined with the locking Faber tailpiece studs and your tailpiece is very close to the body and not jacked up a centimeter of the top.  I love the Faber hardware.  Vintage looking and using the vintage metals yet discretely locks the hardware down tight. 

Thank you for the insight! I really would like to get that tailpiece lower and closer to the body. It is way off the deck with the stock hardware and setup. I’m hoping an abr1 would be thinner than the stock bridge and I would be able to lower the tailpiece a bit without having the strings hit the back of the bridge. 

[bolero]

I use high stoptails as an excuse to topwrap the strings

[lwilliams]

I have done the Faber upgrade to several Gibson and Heritage guitars.   I have done the "full upgrade" pulling the studs out of the body and installing the replacements.  I have done the NSWkit where I simply unscrewed the posts and screwed in the Faber posts to the existing studs.    I have done a couple on new Gibsons where the Faber just dropped onto the existing posts.   They ALL sound the same to me.  So, unless you want the different look, I can't say you will hear any difference between one upgrade and another.

I just did the Faber upgrade on my H-535 this week.  I chose the ABRN and conversion posts....ABRN "E - Z".   Looks good and sounds great.

This link will show you the three Faber choices you have.

https://faberusa.com/product-category/faber-bridges/abr-59/abrn-bridges/abrn-bridge-with-conversion-bridge-posts/