I said I wasn't going to buy any more cheap guitars.

[Hsb]

Glad it arrived, hope you are happy with yours as much as I was with my M-400

[nexion218]

That's a cool looking axe, congrats! Also, while you are taking apart the bridge to change the block, give a thought to replacing the saddles too. On the Special its all pot metal and no mater how careful you are when tightening the string lock screws, they will eventually give in. A set of OG saddles sets you back around 90 USD and with a brass block and steel saddles, you'll basically have a German equivalent unit as the baseplate is the same. That being said the Special saddles are dirt cheap, so you can just change them whenever need be. Rock on!

[Top-L]

That's a cool looking axe, congrats! Also, while you are taking apart the bridge to change the block, give a thought to replacing the saddles too. On the Special its all pot metal and no mater how careful you are when tightening the string lock screws, they will eventually give in. A set of OG saddles sets you back around 90 USD and with a brass block and steel saddles, you'll basically have a German equivalent unit as the baseplate is the same. That being said the Special saddles are dirt cheap, so you can just change them whenever need be. Rock on!

Thanks. I have a FRS on another guitar. Over five years, only one of the saddles broke. I bought a pack of replacements for 20 on ebay.

If one of these saddles breaks, I will have to buy another pack of saddles because its a different color.

Replacing all the saddles doesnt make sense for me, because if youre going to spend 90 + 20 for the OFR block, might as well just get a gotoh or 1000 on ebay.

[Top-L]

I wanted to hear how the M400 sounded after upgrading to an OFR tone block. The guitar has an aggressive tone with extended top. Acoustically, solo notes really cut, but it lacks warmth. It has good bass response, but the bass is not "tight" or bold, its more extended. I would say that the guitar has a "U" shaped EQ.

I think the Custom 5 is absolutely the wrong bridge pickup for this guitar. There are things about it I like, the cut and the overall tone, and how the pickup reacts to volume changes... BUT there is a hole in the mids that does not suit the guitar. Harmonics sound shrill and empty.

The custom 5 is a "crunchy" pickup with well defined notes. I suppose it could be pressed into service for metal rhythm, but its not what I would expect to find in a "metal" guitar. My thought is that its best suited for americana rock lead sounds, but its not my idea of what a modern lead guitar pickup should sound like (harmonics sound empty.) It needs something with more bass and mids. Going to have to put a dimarzio in here.

Otherwise, the guitar is nearly perfect.

[Top-L]

Evolution is in the bridge. (Had to round the base to fit in the rout.)

Much better! IDK why they ship a Custom 5 in a metal guitar. The Evolution is working well but I'd like something with more bass for this guitar. Maybe a Crunch Lab.

[Mincer]

Actually, there are a ton of metal players that dig the Custom 5.

[Top-L]

Actually, there are a ton of metal players that dig the Custom 5.

I guess that makes sense. It is scooped.

I always thought that with scooped sounds you would want a mid heavy guitar.

The evolution seems a good bit hotter.

[Mincer]

I guess that makes sense. It is scooped.

I always thought that with scooped sounds you would want a mid heavy guitar.

The evolution seems a good bit hotter.

See, I use my C5 with a really mid-heavy guitar, and it sounds 'normal' to me, although I don't play metal at all.

[Top-L]

I am ashamed to admit, that this guitar is starting to get on my nerves. The honeymoon is over.

Its physically perfect, but tonally its so different than my other guitars, I'm not sure I can make it work. It has lots of what I consider "upper midrange". The solo notes are very direct, very beamy. I hear the same thing from most other LTD m-400 and m-1000 demos online. Maybe I need something less metal. Or maybe a Tone Zone would balance it out?

[Top-L]

I like it again! Needed completely new amp settings, but its sounding good now.....

[Hsb]

Glad ya got the pickup situation figured out. Only issue Ive come across so far, and may be an easy fix, is on the A and D strings Im getting some wierd warble. Ive putting a piece of foam under the trem springs will help.

I dont recall the warble there before I shifted to 10s, may have to try putting 9s back on it if the foam trick doesnt work

[Top-L]

Glad ya got the pickup situation figured out. Only issue Ive come across so far, and may be an easy fix, is on the A and D strings Im getting some wierd warble. Ive putting a piece of foam under the trem springs will help.

I dont recall the warble there before I shifted to 10s, may have to try putting 9s back on it if the foam trick doesnt work

You can wrap the springs in electrical tape if that happens.

[Hsb]

I just put a piece of art foam under the springs helps a little bit. May have to play with it a lil bit. Ill try the electrical tape and switching back to 9s if absolutely necessary. Never had this issue with the only RG570 yrs ago but thats also a much better trem system also.

[Hsb]

After more playing on a clean channel, I think what I was hearing as a spring oscillation, is actually a ringing. Think I have either the neck to flat or trem a hair too low as each string will have a ring to it all the way up the neck. Nothing really frets out unless Im way up on the neck and do a bigger bend. Ill play with it more, right now Ill grab my Iceman and have at it.

[nexion218]

After more playing on a clean channel, I think what I was hearing as a spring oscillation, is actually a ringing. Think I have either the neck to flat or trem a hair too low as each string will have a ring to it all the way up the neck. Nothing really frets out unless Im way up on the neck and do a bigger bend. Ill play with it more, right now Ill grab my Iceman and have at it.

Try putting that piece of foam between the strings and headstock, right behind the nut.