pwrmac7600 Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Number 2 goes in for upgrades, this being my favorite Les Paul in my collection, my 2000 standard in burgundy wine, it has a nice flame top even though you can't tell from the crappy low light iPad photo. All correct parts ordered by myself directly. Should be a no brainier since they are all direct drop in parts, with the exception of the nut, of which he did an amazing job on the last nut install. I know you all think I am crazy for using the same tech, but like I said I have faith!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 What would it take for you to switch techs? Breaking the thing in half!!!! [flapper] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 If anyone can recommend someone in the central nj are a I am open to suggestions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 New TonePros (US Thread) and Tusq nut on the way should have them monday. The tech called me friday and told me they located another guitar in the system and they are having it sent to the store, should take a few days for them to get it. By then my standard should be done, I will post pics and report back when I pick up. Then the new ones stays for try number 2. After that number 3 goes in. I just put the Pick guard, top hats, and original strap buttons back on the bastard child today readying it for return. Such as shame because it does play amazing... Almost sad to see her go, but I just couldn't live with myself playing a Les Paul with a metric bridge on it. Even if no one else noticed, I would always know her dirty little secret. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 So tell me what you guys think, I don't like the blank truss rod covers on my Trad Pros so I was thinking of getting these custom cut. opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 1406422789[/url]' post='1545911']Nice, add "metric" to it an it is a winner winner chicken dinner. Lol very funny... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 NJ Guitar and Bass Center, in Edison. They do good work on others guitars, I've never had them do anything for me. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 NJ Guitar and Bass Center, in Edison. They do good work on others guitars, I've never had them do anything for me. rct Thanks, I'll have to check em out, I'll start small with a setup and work up my trust with them. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 Yeah I absolutely could it was more of a convenience thing. Since the guitar was going to be apart anyway I just figured bang it all out in one shot. I could do everything but the nut myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 Man I would. Save some cash and know it will be done right. I used to do all my own setups too, but then i got lazy about it. I was actually a guitar tech for a few bands back in the day, nobody big, but setups were my thing. i never really got into fret replacing or nuts replacement or anything like that. just electronics, and set ups were my thing. the basic stuff. I actually reminded myself today about Mandolin Brothers in SI, NY, the only problem is their turn around time is so long because they are so busy, but I KNOW their guys are all the best in the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 So, I went and played my new Traditional Pro today, It came in this morning. Plays nice for not being set up at all, and the top has much more flame than the original one. The new one is a 2014 as opposed to the old one which was a 2013. The fretboard is quite a bit lighter, but played very nice. Unplugged the guitar seemed much louder than the other one, plugged in it sounded great. should sound even better once my BurstBucker 3 is swapped into it. The weight is about the same. the neck seemed very straight, thank god. so over all I am happy with the replacement, I should have it back from upgrades hopefully by the end of the week. He was working on my standard when i got there. bridge was on, tailpiece was on, he was working on the nut, then he said he was going to cleanup the board because it was filthy, and then he said he would give me a call tomorrow to let me know it was done, so I should be picking that one up on thursday, if my work schedule works out. So pictures to come!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 So I got my Standard back, she plays AMAZING. The tone pros bridge and locking tailpiece studs, along with the Graphtech Tusq nut and Saddles, all compliment each other well. I definitely feel and hear a difference in the way the tone resonates through the entire guitar now. and yes there is a noticeable sustain improvement. sorry for the crappy low light pics, I am using my phone, and I don't like to take pictures of my guitars outside because I live in an apartment complex, I don't need everyone knowing the dollars worth of guitars I have sitting in my apartment. on a side note, this obviously isn't the infamous metric bridge debacle, that one comes home next week in the form of it's replacement. 2000 Les Paul Standard, in Burgundy Wine, BurstBucker 1&2 The top actually has a nice flame to it, but you wouldn't know it from these pictures. New Tusq Nut New TonePros locking Bridge and Locking Tailpiece Studs I had the bridge purposely installed reversed, because I like my Intonation screws towards the tailpiece although I know this bridge is meant to have them front facing towards the pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesh Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Dude...I've just taken time out while at work to read through this. It was horrifying to read that your regular tech bastardised your axe that way. Personally I'm horrified by the idea of cutting into an LP for any reason. But I'm glad that the store have agreed to replace the one you fell out of love with; I'd ask for the same as they always mean something special to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 1407156675[/url]' post='1549025']Dude...I've just taken time out while at work to read through this. It was horrifying to read that your regular tech bastardised your axe that way. Personally I'm horrified by the idea of cutting into an LP for any reason. But I'm glad that the store have agreed to replace the one you fell out of love with; I'd ask for the same as they always mean something special to you. Yes and thankfully it was not painful at all to get them to replace, it was an immediate yes to my request. And I went and played the replacement the other day and it plays just as nice as the original one did. And the top has much flame in it than the original one too, so maybe it was meant to be?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 1407202974[/url]' post='1549239']OK so you changed out the bridge and tailpiece for the same bridge and tailpiece that someone drilled and tapped for set screws? Then you changed out a plastic nut for another plastic nut? Do you feel it changed anything? I see you added they're plastic saddles as well. I mean when I changed from a Nashville and Zinc Tailpiece to an ABR-1 and aluminum tailpiece there was a huge difference in tone and response of the whole guitar. Do you feel you also accomplished this? I changed out the bridge for tonepros locking bridge with graphtech saddles, and locking studs for the tailpiece. And yes a tusq xl nut as well. I do feel the guitar is much more resonant from having the locking studs on the tailpiece, the tailpiece studs to just lock in with set screws, it actually clamps down into the tailpiece. And yes the nut and saddles I feel have a different frequency response than the stock nut and saddles. The entire guitar resonates more. And I can actually feel a difference in the tone transferring from body to neck. I have used graph tech saddles for years on all of my guitars, and I like to frequency response they give. Much different than the steel saddles, that come stock. I have tried aluminum tailpieces before and did not care for the frequency response it added. It was a little bride for my taste. So to answer your questions, yes I feel it made a difference. My main reason for adding the tonepros locking bridge though was because I wanted a locking bridge so when I tear down the guitar the bridge doesn't move and lose my action settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 I got a call so I just posted what I had... Anyway I was just curious if you noticed a difference in the set screws and plastic change. I know they have some sort of teflon impregnated polymer . Do you play mostly clean or dirty? If dirty, is your dirty a modern saturated dirty or a classic clipping type gain? I ask this as I have looked at these hanging in the store and wondered what benefit there was besides holding the set up in place. Well on the bridge I honestly went with it just for the "holding things in place" factor. and it is hard for me to say if the bridge alone has changed the tone because I did the bridge and tailpiece studs as the same time. My feeling is that the tailpiece studs definitely made the biggest difference because unlike the bridge which just has set screws into the posts, the Locking tailpiece studs are actually 2 pieces that clamp top and bottom onto the tailpiece which i feel couples them all together better for tone transfer. Like I said I can definitely feel the tone resonate more from body to neck with this set up on. They seem to have opened the tonality up more on the guitar, not altering the tone, just opening it up more. As for the saddles, yes graphtech are impregnated with what used to be graphite, and is now some other type of chemical. I have used them for probably 20 years now on all of my guitars. They improve tuning stability, and my impression is that they warm the tone up. This is the first time I have decided to go with the tusq nuts, and I can honestly say that doing the saddles and the nuts together makes the largest impact. I don't like a brittle sizzly sound since my primary tone is metal distortion, and the graphtech's stuff really cuts that extreme high brittle sound right out of the tone. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't dull the sound, for me it just cuts out unwanted sizzle that I would normally EQ out of my tone anyway. I play dirty. using mostly classic tube gain. My main amp is a mesa boogie DC10 100Watt, it is not anything like the rectifier series. It is a much warmer, unsaturated distortion, but I do like to get most of my distortion from the preamp section rather than from the power section. So not exactly clipping tube distortion but not exactly a modern high gain monster like say a mark 5 or a ubershall, rectifier sound. But I do also use some more modern saturated distortion as well from time to time while recording, and these parts compliment both greatly. even clean tones are more open. It is hard to explain, but I really don't feel that it changed the "tone" or should I say "mojo" of the guitars that made me pick them when purchased. It just opened them up more and not in a flabby tone way. My tight chugs are still tight, it just opened it up now so when I play chords you hear each note ring out in the chord, and everything is more harmonious, with noticeable sustain improvement. The guitar just seems to breath better, if that makes sense. I hope this all makes sense because I am trying to find a clear way to put into words what I perceive sound wise. so some of it may sound repetitive and babbling. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwrmac7600 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Ok s I got the replacement Trad Pro II back today. Unbelievable guitar. Here is the original Trad Pro II that got butchered. And here is the replacement, I couldn't be happier. It actually plays a little nicer than the original one. The weight is about the same, and this one has much more flame. Ant the final touch, No Pickgaurd, and speeed knobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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