Ended up getting an incredible deal on a completely original late ‘50s-early ‘60s stopbar tailpiece and ABR-1 bridge. I have to say that it made a world of difference to my tone both amped and unplugged. There’s really no denying the impact that having the right hardware makes on your sound.
So I'm currently building another LP, and came here to get some more insight in choosing a tailpiece for it, and I think I'm going to go with the Kluson. After seeing just how nerdy you are about LP's (that is a compliment for anyone wondering), I thought maybe you, or someone you could refer me to, might be able to help me with something. It's basically done, and ready for finishing, aside from doing the secondary control cavity route, the angled one that helps the inside match the contour of the top. For the past three weeks, I've put it on hold, while scouring the web for a template for that route. I'm trying to make this one as vintage correct as possible. I've reached out to some people on the my Les Paul forum, and heard back from no one. I generally make my own templates, but I've even looked at pre-made sets, and none have a component for that part. Basically, all I need is a digital file that I could print out to scale, and use to create the template. Might you, someone you know, or anyone reading this be able to help me out here? It would be appreciated beyond words. Sorry this was so long, and thank you to all who took the time to read it.
Four Uncles guys want to do that but its thousands of dollars to make the molds and identify the exact aluminum content and any impurities you see in all those old crude metals. It won't be soon.
Faber doesn't sell them by itself, you have to buy a whole kit setup that gets a little expensive. The "bounce" test will give you a guide to compare any replica out there. Some "replicas" are too expensive to just try out.
What’s the deal with the casting seams on the reverse of the tailpiece. Some people say that all 1950’s/early 60’s tailpieces should have the short seam “skinny-wide-skinny” seam. But most of the example here have a wide seam. Did they vary? What’s your opinion?
Those were a stash of tailpieces someone sent to me to check out, I got to keep one for myself. Some of them were chrome plated, but I suspect they were older stock plated later on. There's no definitive information on how to date any of these, and as usual there's people saying things they don't know to be factual, "forum experts." What clearly stands out is that all the vintage ones have the same kind of ring to them, and nobody has accurately duplicated them as far as sound and materials. Four Uncles has plans to do that, but it will be some time before they can afford to do so.
Sir, i just want to thank you for all those informational videos, and i would like to know if, since this video is old, the Klusons still the better replica, cause i was going to buy fabers tailpiece
I have an unplated Faber, its 24 grams, so clearly its not accurrate. I have not tried it yet because of the weight and dont want to waste a set of strings. I don't think anyone has yet made an accurrate replica so far......
Some of the newer Gibson tailpieces aren't bad, but I only saw that several years ago. I like the Klusons, but I'm hearing they are now heavier? Unfortunately you just have to buy something and hope it does good on your guitar. Then you have to trash a set of strings every time you try a different one. You might even try a later tailpiece like early 60's, they might be great but then they are chrome plated, so they don't show aging hardly at all.
@@SDPickups yes, they inform 35g on their website thats why i was asking, i ended buying the faber... i mean, i dont even have a Gibson to start with, i've an epiphone standard 11', im sure it will be a great improvement, i made sure every material was as you specified, now to the harness...
Its easy. D and G poles the highest. A and B a little lower than D/G, E and E the lowest. Its a radius arc. Set it up as a low radius arc, then move the arc up higher in unison and you should get more warmth in bridge position. Keep neck poles all down flat to make the slug coil dominate for best clarity. You can also turn the neck pickup around to get even a bit more clarity. This all may not work with Duncans, etc. etc. because none of any modern buckers are close to real PAF's. Mine are.
Thank you for your video treatise. At the opposite end, Vintage Kluson tuner posts are nickel as oppsed to steel on most replicas. I reckon it also adds to the magical tone on vintage instruments.
No, haven't tried one. If they weigh the same amount they should be identical. I'm not aware they changed anything later until after Les Pauls stopped being made. I do know in the early 70's they changed to heavy pot metal, which weigh a LOT.
I only have the one they used from 2004 and its a Kluson, identical casting marks. I would suspect they are still Kluson. Kluson are American made, and only cost about $25 and are the closest I've found so far to originals. Faber is sort of close but darker sounding.
Was this recorded thru the mic of the camera? If so, doesn't that change how the the sound from the amp was captured? The camera had the same position on the vintage and the kluson, while on the gotoh, it was farther and angled a bit differently.
These are higher frequencies and what you hear is what you hear in person. Camera has a pretty good mic. Generally, yeah you have to be careful about how close or far away, but doesn't really change with these frequencies.
Its the Black Beauty set, which is an exact clone of two '59 PAF's I rebuilt legs for, I did a video on that and a followup video when I dialed in the neck pickup better.
I just got a very light Faber Hybridge wrap around for my SG Jr and man what a difference So much more sustain and resonant The original was causing a sitar effect mainly on the G string Great demo
Amazing work sir always helpful and all the effort you made to bring tones to life mean so much to every tone seeker , can you get one regarding the nut materials as I got 59 junior original everything and I can hear difference between it and any new 6/6 material , will be great to share 👍
To do that I'd have to buy a vintage guitar=$$$$$$, LOL. I do know that they did use that kind of nylon, but does it change from aging, is one question. Then, since its installed on a vintage instrument, the acoustics of the guitar itself would be involved from instrument to instrument, so it'd probably be difficult to tell what we're actually listening to. The best test would be the "bounce" test. If I could find a vintage Gibson nut by itself I could do that test on camera, as I also bought one of the replicas, to test against. Good idea.
I probably should have said "earlier," earlier than the later ones shown in the video. As for anything gold in hardware, gold easily wears off completely with use.
Hi Dave, I own a R8 from 2008 and the alu tail piece is 45 grams compared to 32 grams which is more ‘normal’ for alu. As you said, it’s probably kluson, but was surprised about the weight. Do you think a kluson 32 grams version would change my tone a lot? Thanks!! BR Marcus
45 grams is way too heavy. Never seen a vintage one or new one aluminum that heavy. Weird. A kluson would brighten things up if thats what you want, plus its more historically accurate than 45 grams.
@@SDPickups Thanks Dave - yes it’s wierd - will check the scale to be sure. Actually I ordered a Faber tailpiecebut if you say that the kluson is better, I will order that one instead!
I had a tone freak friend who has been swapping out tailpieces in his Gibson R8 and many said he was crazy for changing the already-stock aluminum tailpiece. This was around the early 2000s when the Internet was not yet teeming with information like this. He said he has tried Gibson Aluminum, Gotoh, and eventually tried out Tonepros and Kluson reissues. He said the Gotohs were the fattest -sounding and my friends were all smirking... but he was damn right. For me, if money was not a problem, vintage is the way to go. But I would use Klusons because they are closer. But Gotohs are a class of their own. They sound like a better version of zinc.
The Gotoh I had I tossed out. Compared to the vintage and Kluson, it was just dead sounding. None of these are zinc, they are all aluminum, like the originals. The zinc ones are used on junk cheap guitars, dull sounding.
I didn't know they had one. They have some good parts there, but some of them also don't quite make it as vintage correct materials or geometric copies. I'll check it out.
I went and looked at what Philly sells, they have one that is CNC carved out of aluminum, that would be the wrong way to go for vintage sound, as originals were CAST aluminum. Big difference. Very expensive too. The other one they sell in a group with studs, bolts, and an ABR1 is obviously made by Kluson or whomever Kluson is using to cast their tailpieces. I can tell by the stud anchors in the group are the same as Kluson. So, no difference.
Yeah they are bright, if the bridge is not right they sound all different ways. In my guitars and they are both different I tried a bunch, faber bridge was no good. Took it away from the les paul sound, it took awhile to figure all the hardware that belongs together. Without the right bridge nothing sounds right! Until I put in the pigtail bridge. Once I put that in I actually experienced the les paul distinguished character as opposed to some humbucking guitar! Everything Dave tells you is pretty much right and faber does increase a deep mid ir even bassiness but it does not work well with other parts of brass makeup your guitar starts taking on a chime multiplied because of it and a rubbery midrange which is annoying in the neck! Once I put the Pig in i had to try the brass again, and for the first time it became a Real Les Paul tone. Worth every penny! I actually had to take off the thumbwheels and put any other material but brass because the guitar took on a rickenbacher tone! I was getting irritated about a year into the faber, then I listened to dave playing acoustically with the 62 patent and other bridges and when I heard the faber I thought, there it is, and I was correct to think that it was time to change it, took it off quick. Wow! I never really heard les paul 100% it was hybrid sounding before. I actually had put back on the zinc tailpiece just for laughs, but when it sounded better I knew I had a dilemma and must start over. The bridge is KEY
Not sure which part of the video you are referring to, but yes I set my pole pieces the way Gibson set them before they shipped out the guitars. The pole pieces are set in a radius arc, and the slots are angled 45 degrees. However, on the neck pickup its best to put them all down flat to get the best clarity, with slots still at 45 degrees. I'll be going over this in Part 4, and demonstrate how to control that way.
The base metal is Zamak, which is zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper. Mostly its zinc. The plating is nickel and copper under that, a very tiny amount most don't notice.
@@SDPickups Thank you for your reply. I asked because Faber is selling a tail piece that does not have nickel plating. It looks liked aged nickel, very matte and not shinny. I wonder what was the reason.
Also would be more than grateful if you talk about dialling PAF to the right height and sweet spot , I know it’s different always but would love to know your approach ? Thank you 😊
Actually I have planned on doing that, because it really is important in dialing a sweet spot. I have my own method based on how Gibson set up the height and pole screw adjustments in a specific way. If you are subscribed, you'll eventually see me do that video, thanks for reminding me.
SDPickups thank you billion for sharing your great knowledge and experience of course I am big fan of your work and watching your updates , that will be great video and will open up many eyes and ears on how to get the best power and air from pickup specially in my case as I use zero pedals just my volume knob on 25 watt Fargen Kt66 plexi type of amp
Dave you glorious bastard! Still not dead?! When are you going to make me some PAFs I can afford? I got you fried chicken at 3am .. I walked your dog (twice) .. and let's not talk about that time you ate 6 nuclear enchiladas and threw your back out. Who was there for you, eh?! I was. Dammit.
No, I didn't. I was sent a bag of vintage tailpieces and only had a week to look at them. So, during the pressure to get a video made while they were there, it went unnoticed. Good point, but too late now. These videos take weeks to do, usually done in panic mode, LOL.
the alu tail gives a airier and lighter, brighter overtone, not as round compact as the new hardware. i prefer the vintage tone and parts....i'm changing mine now....
Just wondering how the tailpiece is making any difference since the bridge is where the energy is transfered to the body. Virtually nothing transfers thru the tailpiece. I hear a difference in your attacking the strings but no difference from the tailpiece.
Well you're wrong there. The difference between say a pot metal on cheaper guitars and aluminum is startling. If you watch the video again, I did say that the Gibson and the Kluson are THE EXACT SAME tailpiece. Just that Gibson charges you $200 for a $20 part, both are made by Kluson. Others make tailpieces, like Faber, but its a little darker than the Kluson, I think Mojo makes one now, I bet its a Kluson too, LOL. The GOTOH in the video, you heard how dark it sounds in the bounce test. Well, it does that same darkness when its on your guitar, I threw mine away, they truly suck.
@@SDPickups , Most of your comparisons I can mostly agree do make some tonal differences all tho which is better is very subjective all except the tailpiece. I've done to many comparisons myself and watched too many reputable videos and there just isn't enough if any energy thru that piece to have any tonal effect. Even if you want to consider the dampening effect the tailpiece has on the body it's too minimal to hear. In the bridge yes the alloy's will effect the tone. I've found tho the pickups (not neccisarilly PAF's), which is kind of a joke cause PAF's varied soooo much back then there really is no "PAF" tone. Plus modern day pickups can be built to sound like any old pickup if you find a particular "PAF" that you like. And YES the WOOD of a guitar makes more difference than many today want to admit. Not just type but how it was cured and the fact that 60 yr old wood is going to dry more over the years plus the vibration from playing has an effect on how the resins align and dry. That's why PRS's sound so good, he knows how to prepare the wood. I'll concede I guess on the saddles. I know the brass used is slightly different than today's alloy's but I coulda sworn I'd seen old ones that had sharper edges.
Great video, Dave! The vintage one seems richer in overtones to me. You got great tones out of all three though. Cheers Johan
Thanks Johan, always enjoy your many great videos too.
Ended up getting an incredible deal on a completely original late ‘50s-early ‘60s stopbar tailpiece and ABR-1 bridge. I have to say that it made a world of difference to my tone both amped and unplugged. There’s really no denying the impact that having the right hardware makes on your sound.
YEP! Once you do these things you become a believer. Great buy!
So I'm currently building another LP, and came here to get some more insight in choosing a tailpiece for it, and I think I'm going to go with the Kluson. After seeing just how nerdy you are about LP's (that is a compliment for anyone wondering), I thought maybe you, or someone you could refer me to, might be able to help me with something. It's basically done, and ready for finishing, aside from doing the secondary control cavity route, the angled one that helps the inside match the contour of the top. For the past three weeks, I've put it on hold, while scouring the web for a template for that route. I'm trying to make this one as vintage correct as possible. I've reached out to some people on the my Les Paul forum, and heard back from no one. I generally make my own templates, but I've even looked at pre-made sets, and none have a component for that part. Basically, all I need is a digital file that I could print out to scale, and use to create the template. Might you, someone you know, or anyone reading this be able to help me out here? It would be appreciated beyond words. Sorry this was so long, and thank you to all who took the time to read it.
That would be hard to find, but maybe someone knows. Good luck.
The one with the little Allen screws is for a wraparound bridge. Those screws are for adjusting intonation.👍
Dave thanks again for an informative video ! I always learn something useful !
Very welcome
Dave are you selling tailpieces now? Christmas is coming and I am going to put on my list. Thx
Four Uncles guys want to do that but its thousands of dollars to make the molds and identify the exact aluminum content and any impurities you see in all those old crude metals. It won't be soon.
Great stuff Dave ! really first time anyone did such comparison !! Have you tried the Fab
er tailpieces as well ?
Faber doesn't sell them by itself, you have to buy a whole kit setup that gets a little expensive. The "bounce" test will give you a guide to compare any replica out there. Some "replicas" are too expensive to just try out.
@@SDPickups Yes faber do them for around £50
@@maltyne1 I don't see it on the USA website unless you buy the bridge and posts as a package sale.
Have YOU? Let me know what you think of them. BTW, just shipped your 59 spec Collector Set, will email you tracking.
@@SDPickups thank you Dave ! Listen I bought a kit from Faber and should receive anytime, will let you know as I test it.
What’s the deal with the casting seams on the reverse of the tailpiece. Some people say that all 1950’s/early 60’s tailpieces should have the short seam “skinny-wide-skinny” seam. But most of the example here have a wide seam. Did they vary? What’s your opinion?
Those were a stash of tailpieces someone sent to me to check out, I got to keep one for myself. Some of them were chrome plated, but I suspect they were older stock plated later on. There's no definitive information on how to date any of these, and as usual there's people saying things they don't know to be factual, "forum experts." What clearly stands out is that all the vintage ones have the same kind of ring to them, and nobody has accurately duplicated them as far as sound and materials. Four Uncles has plans to do that, but it will be some time before they can afford to do so.
Sir, i just want to thank you for all those informational videos, and i would like to know if, since this video is old, the Klusons still the better replica, cause i was going to buy fabers tailpiece
I have an unplated Faber, its 24 grams, so clearly its not accurrate. I have not tried it yet because of the weight and dont want to waste a set of strings. I don't think anyone has yet made an accurrate replica so far......
@@SDPickups So wich would you say comes closest ?
Some of the newer Gibson tailpieces aren't bad, but I only saw that several years ago. I like the Klusons, but I'm hearing they are now heavier? Unfortunately you just have to buy something and hope it does good on your guitar. Then you have to trash a set of strings every time you try a different one. You might even try a later tailpiece like early 60's, they might be great but then they are chrome plated, so they don't show aging hardly at all.
@@SDPickups yes, they inform 35g on their website thats why i was asking, i ended buying the faber... i mean, i dont even have a Gibson to start with, i've an epiphone standard 11', im sure it will be a great improvement, i made sure every material was as you specified, now to the harness...
V: 11:03 15:08
G: 12:50 18:16
K: 13:55 23:04
The Kluson is pretty close!
Yeah for sure. Its what I use on all mine now. But definitely the original is the best sounding one for sure.
I just want to clarify that the bridge said to be early 50's isn't a wraparound with the set screws that you would find on a late 53 to 56 Les Paul.
Yeah, I didn't say that correctly, I should have said it was an earlier tailpiece.
Thanks Dave I have been waiting for this video. That was a real eye opener removing the adjustment screws on the original.
Please explain pole piece radius arc and how to apply it? Thanks.
Its easy. D and G poles the highest. A and B a little lower than D/G, E and E the lowest. Its a radius arc. Set it up as a low radius arc, then move the arc up higher in unison and you should get more warmth in bridge position. Keep neck poles all down flat to make the slug coil dominate for best clarity. You can also turn the neck pickup around to get even a bit more clarity. This all may not work with Duncans, etc. etc. because none of any modern buckers are close to real PAF's. Mine are.
@@SDPickups
Cool. What makes your pups unique to other pups?
Thank you for your video treatise. At the opposite end, Vintage Kluson tuner posts are nickel as oppsed to steel on most replicas. I reckon it also adds to the magical tone on vintage instruments.
Nickel is not a hardware metal, you can't make parts out of it because its extremely soft metal. Its just used for plating steel.
SDPickups You are right I meant nickel plated brass posts
Really Good video
Have you ever tried the 60s Gibson Tailpiece? Is it as good as the 50s one?
Thank you
No, haven't tried one. If they weigh the same amount they should be identical. I'm not aware they changed anything later until after Les Pauls stopped being made. I do know in the early 70's they changed to heavy pot metal, which weigh a LOT.
Great video . What about the gibson “advanced plating” aluminium tailpiece?
I only have the one they used from 2004 and its a Kluson, identical casting marks. I would suspect they are still Kluson. Kluson are American made, and only cost about $25 and are the closest I've found so far to originals. Faber is sort of close but darker sounding.
Was this recorded thru the mic of the camera? If so, doesn't that change how the the sound from the amp was captured? The camera had the same position on the vintage and the kluson, while on the gotoh, it was farther and angled a bit differently.
These are higher frequencies and what you hear is what you hear in person. Camera has a pretty good mic. Generally, yeah you have to be careful about how close or far away, but doesn't really change with these frequencies.
I'm really surprised at how much difference there is between the bridges even though they are made from the same material. Great video.
Thats just it, I don't think they are the same material.
Great video Dave....what pickups you running in there. Thanks! Brent
Its the Black Beauty set, which is an exact clone of two '59 PAF's I rebuilt legs for, I did a video on that and a followup video when I dialed in the neck pickup better.
SDPickups sounds great Dave
I just got a very light Faber Hybridge wrap around for my SG Jr and man what a difference So much more sustain and resonant The original was causing a sitar effect mainly on the G string Great demo
So you got the one with half the titanium saddles? How was the effect of those?
Amazing work sir always helpful and all the effort you made to bring tones to life mean so much to every tone seeker , can you get one regarding the nut materials as I got 59 junior original everything and I can hear difference between it and any new 6/6 material , will be great to share 👍
To do that I'd have to buy a vintage guitar=$$$$$$, LOL. I do know that they did use that kind of nylon, but does it change from aging, is one question. Then, since its installed on a vintage instrument, the acoustics of the guitar itself would be involved from instrument to instrument, so it'd probably be difficult to tell what we're actually listening to. The best test would be the "bounce" test. If I could find a vintage Gibson nut by itself I could do that test on camera, as I also bought one of the replicas, to test against. Good idea.
@@SDPickups I recently put a bone nut to my ES 335. Really make the instrument sound better
Enjoyed it and learned a few things. Thanks!
In your video you say some of the tail pieces are early 50's. What Gibson used used a tail piece that wasn't gold in the early 50's.
I probably should have said "earlier," earlier than the later ones shown in the video. As for anything gold in hardware, gold easily wears off completely with use.
how does the kluson compare tofaber tailpiece?
The Faber is a little darker sounding.
Hi Dave, I own a R8 from 2008 and the alu tail piece is 45 grams compared to 32 grams which is more ‘normal’ for alu. As you said, it’s probably kluson, but was surprised about the weight. Do you think a kluson 32 grams version would change my tone a lot? Thanks!!
BR Marcus
45 grams is way too heavy. Never seen a vintage one or new one aluminum that heavy. Weird. A kluson would brighten things up if thats what you want, plus its more historically accurate than 45 grams.
@@SDPickups Thanks Dave - yes it’s wierd - will check the scale to be sure. Actually I ordered a Faber tailpiecebut if you say that the kluson is better, I will order that one instead!
I had a tone freak friend who has been swapping out tailpieces in his Gibson R8 and many said he was crazy for changing the already-stock aluminum tailpiece. This was around the early 2000s when the Internet was not yet teeming with information like this.
He said he has tried Gibson Aluminum, Gotoh, and eventually tried out Tonepros and Kluson reissues. He said the Gotohs were the fattest -sounding and my friends were all smirking... but he was damn right.
For me, if money was not a problem, vintage is the way to go. But I would use Klusons because they are closer. But Gotohs are a class of their own. They sound like a better version of zinc.
The Gotoh I had I tossed out. Compared to the vintage and Kluson, it was just dead sounding. None of these are zinc, they are all aluminum, like the originals. The zinc ones are used on junk cheap guitars, dull sounding.
Have you tried philadelphia luthier abr-1 & Aluminum tailpiece? The fabers been the closest ive tried. Kluson n gotoh are pretty bright
I didn't know they had one. They have some good parts there, but some of them also don't quite make it as vintage correct materials or geometric copies. I'll check it out.
I went and looked at what Philly sells, they have one that is CNC carved out of aluminum, that would be the wrong way to go for vintage sound, as originals were CAST aluminum. Big difference. Very expensive too. The other one they sell in a group with studs, bolts, and an ABR1 is obviously made by Kluson or whomever Kluson is using to cast their tailpieces. I can tell by the stud anchors in the group are the same as Kluson. So, no difference.
Yeah they are bright, if the bridge is not right they sound all different ways. In my guitars and they are both different I tried a bunch, faber bridge was no good. Took it away from the les paul sound, it took awhile to figure all the hardware that belongs together. Without the right bridge nothing sounds right! Until I put in the pigtail bridge. Once I put that in I actually experienced the les paul distinguished character as opposed to some humbucking guitar! Everything Dave tells you is pretty much right and faber does increase a deep mid ir even bassiness but it does not work well with other parts of brass makeup your guitar starts taking on a chime multiplied because of it and a rubbery midrange which is annoying in the neck! Once I put the Pig in i had to try the brass again, and for the first time it became a Real Les Paul tone. Worth every penny! I actually had to take off the thumbwheels and put any other material but brass because the guitar took on a rickenbacher tone! I was getting irritated about a year into the faber, then I listened to dave playing acoustically with the 62 patent and other bridges and when I heard the faber I thought, there it is, and I was correct to think that it was time to change it, took it off quick. Wow! I never really heard les paul 100% it was hybrid sounding before. I actually had put back on the zinc tailpiece just for laughs, but when it sounded better I knew I had a dilemma and must start over. The bridge is KEY
Did you adjust the pole pieces in your pick-ups or they came that way?
Not sure which part of the video you are referring to, but yes I set my pole pieces the way Gibson set them before they shipped out the guitars. The pole pieces are set in a radius arc, and the slots are angled 45 degrees. However, on the neck pickup its best to put them all down flat to get the best clarity, with slots still at 45 degrees. I'll be going over this in Part 4, and demonstrate how to control that way.
Does the vintage ABR-1 have nickel? Or it's pure alu?
The base metal is Zamak, which is zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper. Mostly its zinc. The plating is nickel and copper under that, a very tiny amount most don't notice.
@@SDPickups Thank you for your reply.
I asked because Faber is selling a tail piece that does not have nickel plating. It looks liked aged nickel, very matte and not shinny. I wonder what was the reason.
Great comparison! I too tried the gotoh and had the same results, just hated it... will probably try the Kluson next 👍🏽
Kluson is a tad brighter than real vintage. Faber's is between Kluson and vintage. Kluson is the real winner so far.
Incredible work. Thank you.
Thank you too!
Amazing video. Please do more like these :) I'd love to see comparisons of the Four Uncles too.
There are FOUR videos in the series "The Les Paul That Isn't" It has everthing you want to know and more.....th-cam.com/video/85IWlkPdO8A/w-d-xo.html
Also would be more than grateful if you talk about dialling PAF to the right height and sweet spot , I know it’s different always but would love to know your approach ? Thank you 😊
Actually I have planned on doing that, because it really is important in dialing a sweet spot. I have my own method based on how Gibson set up the height and pole screw adjustments in a specific way. If you are subscribed, you'll eventually see me do that video, thanks for reminding me.
SDPickups thank you billion for sharing your great knowledge and experience of course I am big fan of your work and watching your updates , that will be great video and will open up many eyes and ears on how to get the best power and air from pickup specially in my case as I use zero pedals just my volume knob on 25 watt Fargen Kt66 plexi type of amp
Awesome channel here. Thanks for sharing. Greetz. Carsten
Thanks, lots of information here, enjoy....
Dave you glorious bastard! Still not dead?! When are you going to make me some PAFs I can afford?
I got you fried chicken at 3am .. I walked your dog (twice) .. and let's not talk about that time you ate 6 nuclear enchiladas and threw your back out.
Who was there for you, eh?! I was. Dammit.
Remember are taking into account the curvature of those pieces?
No, I didn't. I was sent a bag of vintage tailpieces and only had a week to look at them. So, during the pressure to get a video made while they were there, it went unnoticed. Good point, but too late now. These videos take weeks to do, usually done in panic mode, LOL.
So if I wanted to get close but not buy original vintage would I buy?
Faber ABRH
@@SDPickups Thank you. When did the hardware change for the worse?
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
Somethings wrong with your scale. It shouldn't have a 2 gram discrepancy for no reason
Yes, thats why you see me measure them twice, the scale was a little sticky.
the alu tail gives a airier and lighter, brighter overtone, not as round compact as the new hardware. i prefer the vintage tone and parts....i'm changing mine now....
Very cool. Thank you! :)
Glad you liked it!
Kluson sounds closer to the original
Just wondering how the tailpiece is making any difference since the bridge is where the energy is transfered to the body. Virtually nothing transfers thru the tailpiece. I hear a difference in your attacking the strings but no difference from the tailpiece.
Well you're wrong there. The difference between say a pot metal on cheaper guitars and aluminum is startling. If you watch the video again, I did say that the Gibson and the Kluson are THE EXACT SAME tailpiece. Just that Gibson charges you $200 for a $20 part, both are made by Kluson. Others make tailpieces, like Faber, but its a little darker than the Kluson, I think Mojo makes one now, I bet its a Kluson too, LOL. The GOTOH in the video, you heard how dark it sounds in the bounce test. Well, it does that same darkness when its on your guitar, I threw mine away, they truly suck.
@@SDPickups , Most of your comparisons I can mostly agree do make some tonal differences all tho which is better is very subjective all except the tailpiece. I've done to many comparisons myself and watched too many reputable videos and there just isn't enough if any energy thru that piece to have any tonal effect. Even if you want to consider the dampening effect the tailpiece has on the body it's too minimal to hear. In the bridge yes the alloy's will effect the tone. I've found tho the pickups (not neccisarilly PAF's), which is kind of a joke cause PAF's varied soooo much back then there really is no "PAF" tone. Plus modern day pickups can be built to sound like any old pickup if you find a particular "PAF" that you like. And YES the WOOD of a guitar makes more difference than many today want to admit. Not just type but how it was cured and the fact that 60 yr old wood is going to dry more over the years plus the vibration from playing has an effect on how the resins align and dry. That's why PRS's sound so good, he knows how to prepare the wood. I'll concede I guess on the saddles. I know the brass used is slightly different than today's alloy's but I coulda sworn I'd seen old ones that had sharper edges.
@@SDPickups, Maybe it's just so many old LP's have had the saddles changed and that's what made me think they were just worn.
I've listened back 20 times and absolutely can hear zero difference lol
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