Schaller Hardware

[doggy1972]

Well I thought we could clarify this. I am not a troll hehehe

[GuitArtMan]

You need to clarify which Schaller hardware you're talking about.  I'm not a troll either...  ;D

[les paulverizer]

Schaller are a German company, and ve all no 'ow zeriouzly zhey take zheir job (arbeit macht frei.....sorry I couldn't resist my lil' "war joke"...... ;D).

Anyway, I replaced the tremolo unit on my Strat with one of theirs and I have to say it is superb; stable, solid, it even improved the overall tone 8), overtones and sustain on that particular guitar something that my tech himself noticed straigth away!

When it comes to the other hardware, I know that they build stuff for a lot of other companies and the quality is second to none, only thing, I'm not overly keen on their pick up's (not bad at all, playable for sure but very mediocre and nondescriptive) and also the roller bridge and tailpiece that came standard on my H150; it's overcomplicated and I'll be fittin' a Tone Pro's unit asap

[aeklette]

Shalller is top quality stuff, like most things coming from Germany, but they lack the mojo.

No vibe, no charm, no personality.

[doggy1972]

Sorry. I should have been more specific. I meant the hardware standard on Heritage guitars. Both the roller bridge and the stoptail. I suppose the main bone of contention is the roller bridge so, I think this poll really pertains to this.

[les paulverizer]

Shalller is top quality stuff, like most things coming from Germany, but they lack the mojo.

No vibe, no charm, no personality.

 

Exactly! 8) Sometimes you can't put your finger to what it is but you're a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y right.

It's the same with Paul Geek Smith guitars.......

[tulk1]

How do you know if you have Shaller equip'd guitars? It's never been an issue with me on what hardware was on my guitars.

 

However, that slam on PRS guitars .... tsk tsk. 

[Windstring]

Hi there, I have indicated in an earlier post that I like the Schaller hardware on Heritage guitars, and I stick to that belief. It is solid, ergonomic and works well. I have never had the urge to modify it (or anything else) on any of my Heritage guitars. And, parenthetically, I have a coiled guitar lead made by Schaller that I purchased in 1973 that still works beautifully to this day - it has the clearest sound and lowest microphonics of any lead I have ever owned, and over the years, it has seen a lot of punishing abuse. Cheers.

[Kuz]

Guess what HRWs are?

 

BTW I own 4 PRS guitars and if you haven't tried them first hand you should. I believe MOJO comes from the player not the instrument (I think we all feel this way or we'd be buying that Gibby Sh*T! instead of Heritage)

[les paulverizer]

Guess what HRWs are?

 

BTW I own 4 PRS guitars and if you haven't tried them first hand you should. I believe MOJO comes from the player not the instrument (I think we all feel this way or we'd be buying that Gibby Sh*T! instead of Heritage)

 

You're "kinda" right, every player worth his salt knows that Tone is in the fingers, period..........but; certain instruments make you play a certain way and, as we can't define judt what "mojo" is, we definitely know when we feel it!

I tried few different guitars, played a PRS Custom 24 several times and thought it was a very good guitar indeed; played few more and......they were all very good guitars that sounded very good exactly the same!

Someone would call it "consistency", I call it.....I dunno... :-

All I know is that total efficiency (for a lack of better expression) and perfection have nothing to do with "mojo"; don't get me wrong, I settle for nothing but the best as much as possible in everything in life, and as soon as I picked my H150 and started playin' it suddenly a  devilish GRIN ;D 8) appeared on my face; now, that's what I call Mojo! and mine's workin'!

[Kuz]

You're "kinda" right, every player worth his salt knows that Tone is in the fingers, period..........but; certain instruments make you play a certain way and, as we can't define judt what "mojo" is, we definitely know when we feel it!

I tried few different guitars, played a PRS Custom 24 several times and thought it was a very good guitar indeed; played few more and......they were all very good guitars that sounded very good exactly the same!

Someone would call it "consistency", I call it.....I dunno... :-

All I know is that total efficiency (for a lack of better expression) and perfection have nothing to do with "mojo"; don't get me wrong, I settle for nothing but the best as much as possible in everything in life, and as soon as I picked my H150 and started playin' it suddenly a  devilish GRIN ;D 8) appeared on my face; now, that's what I call Mojo! and mine's workin'!

 

Don't get me wrong this is a Heritage site and I'm thrill with this place. No yelling and screaming, no primma donnas. But I will say one last thing about PRS guitars. They don't sound all the same. But this is a common myth. If you play a LP or 150 then the last PRS guitar you would want to play is a Cu24. The Cu24 is too bright & metal sounding. The Cu22 is much warmer and more vintage. The new 245 is very very close to an LP sound with PAF pickups. The problem with PRS (IMO) is they marketed the wrong way, toward the Nu-metal crowd. They have Santana, but not everyone likes Sanatana or his tone ( the tone is more the Mesa Boogie amp ). PRS are also usually identified with Mesa Dual rectifiers and I personally HATE the Mesa tone- again the Nu-metal thing.

I would say with the PRS guitars I own they are more refined, articulate, & defined. I would say they give me a Robben Ford or Larry Carlton type tone through my amp (I am no way saying I even approach their playing). So they don't sound like the more vintage Otis Rush 355 tone (thus why I have a 555).

To sum up, I thin PRS is like Heritage. PRS is clearly better quality, playability, looks, and I think TONE than Gibby, so I have bought my solid bodies from PRS ( and yes I play the blues with a PRS). Heritage is clearly supperior to Gibby so I have my Arch Tops & Semi-hollows from Heritage. It's not really a matter of better price or value. I think PRS & Heritage are just superior builds. :)

 

P.S. And to totally contrdict myself, my next guitar will be the solid body Heritage 150 goldtop with p-90s (always wanted a playable 52 gold top with p-90s) ;D

[les paulverizer]

What I meant is that within the same model they alldo  sound the same, just like a lot of even high end Japanese guitars, I just can't find that.....Mojo, but I agree with you with the marketin' and Triple Rectifier thing.

Let's keep pluggin' in, wailin' n' grinnin' anyway/anyhowmy friends  cuz that's what keeps all of us goin'! ;D

[Kuz]

What I meant is that within the same model they alldo  sound the same, just like a lot of even high end Japanese guitars, I just can't find that.....Mojo, but I agree with you with the marketin' and Triple Rectifier thing.

Let's keep pluggin' in, wailin' n' grinnin' anyway/anyhowmy friends  cuz that's what keeps all of us goin'! ;D

 

Ok sorry Les Pauverizer, I understand your statement now. No hard feelings I think you make a valid case. I would call the same tone from the same model guitar to guitar = consistency.  i am not  afraid to order a PRS before playing it because of consistency. I have played several of the same model PRS and some tonal differences do happen. but this is very rare. I would also call this consotency between the same model PRS guitar, the PRS tone. Some like it, others don't. With the right amp & pedal the PRS guitars each with there own tone do it for me. Heritages do it for me as well.

 

Good conversation

[aeklette]

OK, I started something here...

Putting PRS up against Heritage wasn't my intention. I play both, and I like both, but they are different. I can't say that one is superior to another. I also play my '83 Squire Tele and like that a lot too. But it's completely different from the two I mentioned, and it inspires my playing in a different way. I feel the ame way about my '79 Hagstrom Swede, about my 78 Ibanez 2635 etc etc...

[skydog]

The main thing I have noticed about this forum is that everyone seems free to speak their mind (respectfully of course) w/o fear of being called a "Troll". I've been on several other forums and if you dare bring up anything of controversy; new/vintage, NOS/relic, etc. you're branded a troll for not going along with the mainstream line of thinking on that particular forum. That being said, I've never played a PRS so I know nothing about them. But with regard to the OP, I bought a 535 several years ago, unplayed, and was fully expecting to replace the existing Schaller bridge w/ TonePros or equivalent. But when I got the guitar, I didn't notice enough of a difference to worry about, so I left it. The ability to adjust the strings left to right seemed an added bonus. And that is one I wish I never would have let go, but this GAS is a terrible addiction!

[Windstring]

...I bought a 535 several years ago, unplayed, and was fully expecting to replace the existing Schaller bridge w/ TonePros or equivalent. But when I got the guitar, I didn't notice enough of a difference to worry about, so I left it.

 

Skydog, you and I are in complete agreement! I think the Schaller hardware is fine. I sometimes wish more of the Heritage guitars came with the Schaller tuners too, since they work really well. While this site is certainly a place where people should feel free to discuss alternatives, I sometimes wonder about the tendency to modify guitars: one of these days, our Heritage instruments will become truly collectable (perhaps that day is not too distant?) and most "true collectors" prefer "original unmodified" instruments. At least, the changing of bridges and tailpieces is generally a fully reversible activity; however, the changing of pickups, tuners, etc becomes more difficult to undo without leaving some traces. Happily, I find that my Heritage guitars have always been great in their original unmolested form, which is more than I can say for some other marques I have owned. Cheers.

[PacerX]

I'll be replacing my bridge and tailpiece with TonePros, the tuning keys are now locking Grovers, and the Schaller pickups were yanked out very, very early into my ownership of the guitar.

 

That doesn't leave much Schaller on my Heritage anymore.

[doggy1972]

This is a great response to this thread. Thanks. I think opinion suggests that, the Schaller stuff although, of very good quality does not have the feel of the old gibson hardware. Maybe its that Heritage players tend to get blooded on Les Paul type guits and, as such they require the feel of this type of hardware. Im an old Strat player and never really played pauls that extensively. Maybe thats why I like the trebbly side to the Golden 50s. If Schaller had made the roller bridge with non adjustable string spacings I think it would be more popular. As for the tail piece , I could not hazzard a guess why this is not in favour with some. Guess it may just the gibson feel thing again.

[les paulverizer]

This is a great response to this thread. Thanks. I think opinion suggests that, the Schaller stuff although, of very good quality does not have the feel of the old gibson hardware. Maybe its that Heritage players tend to get blooded on Les Paul type guits and, as such they require the feel of this type of hardware. Im an old Strat player and never really played pauls that extensively. Maybe thats why I like the trebbly side to the Golden 50s. If Schaller had made the roller bridge with non adjustable string spacings I think it would be more popular. As for the tail piece , I could not hazzard a guess why this is not in favour with some. Guess it may just the gibson feel thing again.

I don't think itz stricly a feel thing; the Schaller tailpiece is unnecesseraly complicated; too many movin' parts for nothin'! ???

It reminds me of the Gibson TP6, or whatever it was called.... :-

What the heck...

[dharmafool]

I have the Schaller roller bridge and tail on my 535 and almost talked myself into converting over to a Pigtail ABR-1 and aluminum stoptail, Pigtail hardened studs and bushings, the works. All those parts cost a bundle, but dig, the Schaller and Pigtail goods are not a straight swap. I would have to fill the existing holes at the bridge and tail, then drill new ones spaced slightly farther apart. Yikes!  I don't like the goofy looks of the Schaller parts, but I can't knock their overall quality, so I keep it all stock because the guitar does sound quite good.

[slider313]

Schaller is top quality hardware. I think the roller bridge is a great unit. The stop tail however is a bit of an eyesore. I did replace both on my 140CM but I could have been happy with just the stop tail. The Schaller pickups sound pretty good and very close, tone wise, to my Duncan '59's. The Duncans just seem to have a bit more note seperation and clarity. As for their tuning machines, they are among the very best and I agree Heritage should be using these over Grovers.