TonePros Bridge type for my H-140?

[TXLefty]

Hi Folks - my first post here! I have 2 fine Heritage guitars, and yes, I am a lefty as you might guess from my screen name

 

My H-140 is a 2nd edition, 2006 model. It has the older style bridge "top load" tailpiece - the funky looking one with the inserts that hold the ball end of the string (like the old Gibby fine tuner tailpiece, but without the fine tuners!) I wouldn't mind swapping this out, as well as the TOM bridge itself, with TonePros units. Which model is the one that fits? Are the tailpiece stud screws the same? I'd prefer not to have to replace the insert anchors, so I am hoping a replacement would just screw right in with no mods necessary.

 

Thanks!

[mars_hall]

A picture would help.

[tbonesullivan]

the threading on the studs used by the schaller hardware should be pretty standard, though I have no idea what the specs on it are.

[barrymclark]

...the funky looking one...

Them's fightin words!

[tbonesullivan]

I had my 535 put back to the funky looking thing, and I actually like it. Also the schaller hardware is made in Germany. You simply cannot get better made and more durable than schaller hardware. They may make some strange design choices, but they work.

 

Here's my 535 with the original hardware put back, and my H150CM with the original hardware, which is nashville style.

 

[TXLefty]

Here's a pic of my bridge:

 

Sorry Barry - no offense, but I've heard that comment from lots of guys that have seen my Heritage ("what the heck kinda bridge is THAT ugly thang?") .

 

I can see where the "top-load" ability is somewhat handy, but all the extra parts seem to me to lessen the coupling is this design. Plus both my tailpiece and bridge seem rather wobbly. But my main preference for the TonePros bridge & tailpieces is that they stay put when changing strings. I dislike how typical TOM bridges fall off - I've scratched a few tops that way! I am also curious to hear what difference the TonePros might make on my H-140.

 

tbone - Interesting you went back to the Schaller tailpiece on your 535. Are you saying that the "Nashville" model is the correct one to get to replace it? I see that TonePros offers a "Nashville" model. Or is that only for the 150CM?

 

Thanks guys!

[tbonesullivan]

"Nashville" is the style of bridge on the H-150. My 1999 H-535 has a Schaller Roller bridge and the Schaller tailpiece. Most likely your guitar came stock with a roller bridge, and someone swapped it out.

 

Back in the day (80s 90s) pretty much all Heritage guitars came with the Schaller Roller bridge, and those with a stop tail came with the "big ugly thing". You should be able to find tons of pics in the gallery of the old hardware. A lot of people changed to a nashville bridge and Gibson-style stop piece. My H-535 came with the original tailpiece in the box, but had crap hardware for the bridge and tailpiece. The bridge was some Grover nashville bridge, and the tailpiece was some cheap looking formerly gold POS that the PO claimed was vintage Gibson (which my guitar tech highly doubts). So I figured I'd just go back to how the guitar was when it was "stock". The previous owner had also removed the beautiful flamed maple bound/finished pickguard, so my assumption is just that they had no sense of aesthetics. With the roller bridge, the big tailpiece looks far less awkward.

 

These days most heritages come new with standard Nashville hardware. My H150CM is a 2005 model, so it would have probably come with nashville HW. Wolfe guitars orders all of their Heritage guitars with nashville hardware, and they are one of the biggest heritage dealers, if not the biggest.

[H]

Hi, I did the same swap out on my 535 recently. It seems your tailpiece is a Schaller while the bridge looks like a Nashville style.

 

I'd suggest you get in touch with Brian at Marquis Distribution - he was very helpful and was familiar with various Heritage models and the correct TonePros parts for them. One issue you may have is that it's difficult to get an 'aged' gold finish so you may end up with a mismatch with your pickup covers.

 

I hope this helps a bit.

[Hfan]

Hi Folks - my first post here! I have 2 fine Heritage guitars, and yes, I am a lefty as you might guess from my screen name

 

My H-140 is a 2nd edition, 2006 model. It has the older style bridge "top load" tailpiece - the funky looking one with the inserts that hold the ball end of the string (like the old Gibby fine tuner tailpiece, but without the fine tuners!) I wouldn't mind swapping this out, as well as the TOM bridge itself, with TonePros units. Which model is the one that fits? Are the tailpiece stud screws the same? I'd prefer not to have to replace the insert anchors, so I am hoping a replacement would just screw right in with no mods necessary.

 

Thanks!

 

TX, welcome to the forum. This subject has had many previous threads here regarding Schaller vs tone pros or other brands as well. I recently purchased a used Heritage with the schaller roller bridge (not what you have) and I've found a lot of info here, even the part #'s you need. Sorry I don't have links, try the advanced search feature here and you will find lots of details.

[H]

I'm going to do this on an H-170CM with gold hardware I've got coming shortly. The part number for that guitar is LPGM04-G, that's for a gold locking tailpiece and locking bridge with pre-notched saddles. It 'could' be the same part number for yours but please check first.

[TXLefty]

I'm going to do this on an H-170CM with gold hardware I've got coming shortly. The part number for that guitar is LPGM04-G, that's for a gold locking tailpiece and locking bridge with pre-notched saddles. It 'could' be the same part number for yours but please check first.

 

 

Thanks H - my H-140 is actually all chrome hardware, not gold (see the pic in my previous post). The pickup covers are actually not very aged either - everything still looks pretty much new. The previous owner told me he never changed any hardware, so perhaps it came stock with the Nashville (and not the roller) bridge? Anyway, none of this bridge stuff is too big a deal, so I don't want it to sound like I am extremely unhappy with anything on the guitar. Just mostly curious to try swapping some things to see what kind of difference they make. Some of us just like to tweak!

[H]

I did look at the pic but still got it wrong I think it must be the gold top reflecting off the chrome hardware that made me think that.

 

I'm a tweaker too This Schaller/TonePros thing really splits opinions here. I think the Schaller stuff is well made but ugly. Take a look at Faber bridges and tailpieces too - they use a different locking mechanism and I've got that setup on my LP. Very nice stuff but pricey.

 

I notice the dot on your pickup selector switch - HRW pickups in there I guess How do they sound?

[TXLefty]

Hi H,

 

Yeah, I guess the pics don't clearly show the chrome!

 

I am actually on the fence about the HRWs. I know lots of guys love them here, but they seem a bit "edgy" to me in this guitar - especially the bridge pup. I am not sure how much of that is the guitar. I know this 140 is acoustically not quite as warm as an LP, likely due to the lighter body mass, so that could be part of it. I have some custom wound Duncans that I really like and are a bit warmer, and more of the classic PAF vibe. I might try them in this guitar for comparison. By the way, what exactly are the HRWs - alnico, ceramic?? I mostly like the sound of the neck pup. I do love the way this guitar plays though, and the lighter weight is nice on the shoulder (as compared to an LP).

 

 

 

I did look at the pic but still got it wrong I think it must be the gold top reflecting off the chrome hardware that made me think that.

 

I'm a tweaker too This Schaller/TonePros thing really splits opinions here. I think the Schaller stuff is well made but ugly. Take a look at Faber bridges and tailpieces too - they use a different locking mechanism and I've got that setup on my LP. Very nice stuff but pricey.

 

I notice the dot on your pickup selector switch - HRW pickups in there I guess How do they sound?

[barrymclark]

Here's a pic of my bridge:

 

Sorry Barry - no offense, but I've heard that comment from lots of guys that have seen my Heritage ("what the heck kinda bridge is THAT ugly thang?") .

 

I can see where the "top-load" ability is somewhat handy, but all the extra parts seem to me to lessen the coupling is this design. Plus both my tailpiece and bridge seem rather wobbly. But my main preference for the TonePros bridge & tailpieces is that they stay put when changing strings. I dislike how typical TOM bridges fall off - I've scratched a few tops that way! I am also curious to hear what difference the TonePros might make on my H-140.

 

tbone - Interesting you went back to the Schaller tailpiece on your 535. Are you saying that the "Nashville" model is the correct one to get to replace it? I see that TonePros offers a "Nashville" model. Or is that only for the 150CM?

 

Thanks guys!

That's the one! I was just playin with ya.

 

It is all in personal taste. Some people look at individual parts of the guitar, others the whole picture and some don't even care either way. I am somewhere between the latter.

 

My response to those who don't like that or the headstock or whatever it is I am playing is... "Then, we both know what you won't be buying for your next guitar, don't we?"

 

Although anything you do the guitar will have some tonal effect even if unnoticable to the human ear, I would say what you will likely experience is longer sustain. If that is what you want, you are heading the right direction. Whether or not that is 'better' tone...well, that is an argument that can go longer than the headstock threads! haha.

[yngwie308]

I have Gotoh Nashvilles and Gibson style tailpieces on my Gary Moore Heritages, I couldn't deal with all the tone/vibration/mass issues with a tailpiece that the biggest asset of was the ability to drop the strings in from the top... and as far as the roller bridge saddles, why I would need to alter the spacing of my stings and have anot solidly connected bridge saddle, I could not comprehend. I decided against ABR-1's with these guitars, the weight of them alone, ect.

I have never regretted it once and traded my old bridges and tailpieces to J.K.Lutherie at a vintage guitar show for a biography of Peter Green, great deal for me!!

True shortly after I did these changes, Heritage started offering the option of the Gibson style hardware.

yngwie308

[barrymclark]

I couldn't deal with all the tone/vibration/mass issues with a tailpiece that the biggest asset of was the ability to drop the strings in from the top...

What tone/vibration/mass issues? I am thinking there was just something wrong with yours as I have never encountered an 'issue'. The tailpiece alone would have little to do with the tone of the instrument beyond the splitting hairs point. What kind of vibration were you experiencing and what mass issue?

 

I am not trying to convince you or anyone else that you are wrong about anything, I am honestly curious as your post sounds like there might honestly be a problem and not just an aesthetic preference.

 

My Schaller bridge and tailpieces are solid as rocks.

[yngwie308]

What tone/vibration/mass issues? I am thinking there was just something wrong with yours as I have never encountered an 'issue'. The tailpiece alone would have little to do with the tone of the instrument beyond the splitting hairs point. What kind of vibration were you experiencing and what mass issue?

 

I am not trying to convince you or anyone else that you are wrong about anything, I am honestly curious as your post sounds like there might honestly be a problem and not just an aesthetic preference.

 

My Schaller bridge and tailpieces are solid as rocks.

The whole design I just didn't care for, the weight of the tailpiece, which is critical by the way in a Gibson, ect.

I did have buzzing if the strings with the roller bridge saddles, so they were gone.

yngwie308

[yngwie308]

What tone/vibration/mass issues? I am thinking there was just something wrong with yours as I have never encountered an 'issue'. The tailpiece alone would have little to do with the tone of the instrument beyond the splitting hairs point. What kind of vibration were you experiencing and what mass issue?

 

I am not trying to convince you or anyone else that you are wrong about anything, I am honestly curious as your post sounds like there might honestly be a problem and not just an aesthetic preference.

 

My Schaller bridge and tailpieces are solid as rocks.

The whole design I just didn't care for, the weight of the tailpiece, which is critical by the way in a Gibson, ect.

I did have buzzing if the strings with the roller bridge saddles, so they were gone.

Think about how these days people are going with Tone Pros locking tailpieces, ect. A roller bridge saddle has tolerances and isn't a knifes edge over the string as is a ABR-1, Nashville, so there already is a difference in the vibration of the stings reaching the body/pickups.

Aesthetically they were ugly too..

yngwie308