Epiphone Hardware - Pros/Cons?

[Michael314]

Hey all. I'm new to the forum here. I've got an Epiphone Tom Delonge ES-333 model (was my first electric back in the day) that I have refinished and swapped the pickup (because there's only one) out on, and even though I've got other nicer guitars, this is my go-to for everything. There's just something about a 335 style guitar that just sounds - right. :)

 

And even though it only has a bridge pickup and one volume knob, with my whole crazy pedalboard setup, I can get about 80% of the tone's I need out of this guy.

 

But I've run into a "problem" so to speak with the guitar itself. The original Epi hardware. Or at least I think its the hardware... The only real mod I've done is replace the plastic nut with a bone nut which seemed to help the intonation and tone on the open strings quite a bit. But every once in a while I'll get a sound coming from the bridge area of the guitar that is less of a buzz sound and more like something is shaking. I wonder if this could be that the original Epi hardware is just crap and if I replace it it'll go away. The shaking sound only occurs when I'm strumming fairly hard or playing a riff on the middle D and G strings up farther towards the 10-12 fret area. And it's most noticeable with an overdrive pedal on. At least its the most audible when I have an overdrive on. I know it's not the overdrive because I have several other guitars that get solid use that I run through the same rig. And it only happens to this guitar. There tends to be an overtone or undertone of sorts that can actually be heard while playing solo with an overdrive on. If there's a full band playing it is not noticeable, but it also ends up in recordings. Which is pretty unacceptable.

 

So I guess my main question is this: does anyone know of an issue like this that they've heard of or experienced before? And do you think it is the hardware that is responsible for this? I'm also looking for good info on upgrading the hardware in itself if that's a step I should try and take.

 

Thanks for all the help ahead of time.

 

-Michael

 

[Michael314]

haha actually I LOVE the Dirty Fingers pup!! But only for high gain style playing. Which I'm no longer doing. I've traded out my half stack for combo amps. And fitting the guitar to my current style in music, which is less of the Blink-182 stuff. I actually put the Dirty Fingers in my Les Paul for a little while. Sounded great!

[stein]

Impossible to know from a description. I kinda feel these things can only be found in person.

 

If something is buzzing or vibrating physically, you can only find it by finding it on the guitar. But I wouldn't suspect the bridge just because it's the only thing you didn't replace.

 

Anyway, I think the thing to do is find out the cause, and THEN set on fixing it. As difficult as that might be. I would "replicate" it and keep doing it while listening intently to different parts, maybe see where it comes from. I might check the pup as well.

 

I don't consider this a real guess, but sometimes when a guy has the pup adjusted too high, when playing in upper registers the strings may actually touch or buzz on it.

[Michael314]

Thanks for the suggestion! Yeah you're probably spot on saying it needs to be looked at in person. It's just one of those weird things. And I actually like my pups fairly low in height, it's definitely something I'll check for, but I don't think offhand that that's what it is

[Twang Gang]

Seems odd that it only happens when using the overdrive pedal. If it was something rattling in the guitar itself it should do it even if not plugged in. It may be that the overdrive sound is coming back into the hollow body and causing something to vibrate? I would try to check inside the guitar with a dentist mirror and try to see if any of the nuts/washers etc holding the bridge or tailpiece are coming a little loose.