Upgrade Advice on LP

[ghosty999]

Just got this Richwood (pre-lawsuit) LP copy, offensively close to the real thing haha, sadly I don't have the bucks to get a real one so want to hot rod this one.

I've already upgraded the pickups, popped a Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 in the neck and a Kent Armstrong 6 Shooter in the bridge.

Going to set it up with one master volume and the rest disconnected as that's how I like it, so considering upgrading that pot, maybe the input.

I'm a super strat guy so any advice on other cheap upgrades I can do to get this thing playing as best it can?

 

[Dave L]

I thought that whole pre-lawsuit thing actually only was for Ibanez models from the mid 70s and that everything else mentioning the lawsuit is Ebay shenanigans, but I´m no expert on these things.

It sure looks nice, though, but one thing I´ve seen from time to time is wobbly tunamatics. How´s this one holding up?

 

[ghosty999]

I thought that whole pre-lawsuit thing actually only was for Ibanez models from the mid 70s and that everything else mentioning the lawsuit is Ebay shenanigans, but I´m no expert on these things.

It sure looks nice, though, but one thing I´ve seen from time to time is wobbly tunamatics. How´s this one holding up?

They had a second lawsuit for making their RE-129 too close to Les Pauls, hence why the new RE-129s have vastly different shapes....this is just hearsay though so could be wrong!

I actually haven't strung it up haha, that's tonights job, from sitting with it yesterday it seems a very solid built Korean geetar, Mahogany with set neck, for 90£ I couldn't complain

 

[mixn4him]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

 

[ghosty999]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

Would you recommend a Vanson Roller Saddle Bridge?

 

[mixn4him]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

Would you recommend a Vanson Roller Saddle Bridge?

Nah Tone Pro's, Callaham, Faber anyone will be a nice upgrade..

 

[ghosty999]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

Would you recommend a Vanson Roller Saddle Bridge?

Nah Tone Pro's, Callaham, Faber anyone will be a nice upgrade..

Will have a google! Cheers!

Is it worth bothering with the tuners?

 

[thenine]

Tone Pros locking.

 

[sg guy]

-I think your on the right path,.. 1 meg volume pot, by-pass tone controls, quality bridge & tail piece-(if its made in any of the ASIAN countries don't buy them, they buy all of our scrap metal, we send over old washing machines, and pot metal, they send it back as kia's and guitar parts)-

A bone or graphite but, locking tuners-

-Poof!!!-

-tone machine-

-I like brass,.. MASS=SUSTAIN






quote="mixn4him"]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

Would you recommend a Vanson Roller Saddle Bridge?

Nah Tone Pro's, Callaham, Faber anyone will be a nice upgrade..[/quote]

 

[glassjaw7]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

Would you recommend a Vanson Roller Saddle Bridge?

Nah Tone Pro's, Callaham, Faber anyone will be a nice upgrade..

Will have a google! Cheers!

Is it worth bothering with the tuners?

I installed locking grovers on my Studio and noticed an improvement in tuning stability.

 

[chunktone]

Bone nut, new bridge and tail piece as well. All pretty reasonable to do and will make a big tonal impact.

I would second this. Another upgrade I typically do is Planet Waves locking tuners. This helps with the tuning stability.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

My first thought was to leave the wiring alone but its your guitar.

There are many tonal characteristics to a LP that maybe you should explore befoer you wire it like a Fender.

 

[sixstringking713]

reverse wrap the tailpiece.. made a bigger difference than I expected on my gibbys

 

[ghosty999]

My first thought was to leave the wiring alone but its your guitar.

There are many tonal characteristics to a LP that maybe you should explore befoer you wire it like a Fender.

I don't use the tone knobs for what I play but I do do alot of volume rolling hence the need for a high quality master volume. I personally find I knob the other knobs when going for the volume so it's best they are disconected

 

[Speeddemon]

Tusq nut ('man-made ivory')
great for sustain, while keeping the original look.

I would only consider a brass nut if the overall guitar has a (too)dark tone.

Bridge: TonePros or Gotoh.
Tailpiece: aluminium maybe?

I went all-out on my two Les Paul Customs and even put in Tusq bridge-saddles. Sustain fer dayzzzz....

Push-pull (volume) potmeters to coil-split your humbuckers for more tones. Do know that the JB split sounds nice, but not all humbuckers have a good split sound.
My fav's for good humbucker tone AND a good split tone=
Seymour Duncan
-SH-14 Custom 5
-SH-16 Custom/59 Hybrid
-SH-12 Screamin' Demon

DiMarzio
-Norton
-Air Norton
-Breed Neck

 

[ghosty999]

Tusq nut ('man-made ivory')
great for sustain, while keeping the original look.

I would only consider a brass nut if the overall guitar has a (too)dark tone.

Bridge: TonePros or Gotoh.
Tailpiece: aluminium maybe?

I went all-out on my two Les Paul Customs and even put in Tusq bridge-saddles. Sustain fer dayzzzz....

Push-pull (volume) potmeters to coil-split your humbuckers for more tones. Do know that the JB split sounds nice, but not all humbuckers have a good split sound.
My fav's for good humbucker tone AND a good split tone=
Seymour Duncan
-SH-14 Custom 5
-SH-16 Custom/59 Hybrid
-SH-12 Screamin' Demon

DiMarzio
-Norton
-Air Norton
-Breed Neck

I like the look of those Tusqs, will grab some of them,

Not into coil splitting on the LP as I already have too many single coil strat guitars, just want master volume and 2 humbuckers for full shred \m/

 

[paulyc]

Maybe put a momentary kill button in one of the unused holes so you don't lose the ability to do the LP stutter ?

 

[ghosty999]

Maybe put a momentary kill button in one of the unused holes so you don't lose the ability to do the LP stutter ?

That's a killer idea!

 

[ghosty999]

Here she is as it stands:

 

[Purpleibby]

reverse wrap the tailpiece.. made a bigger difference than I expected on my gibbys

+1......just do it! Made a huge difference on my Les Paul as well. My Les slinkier/easier bending than my 92 RG now.....Plays/Sounds like a dream. Trust me, it works!