Worth upgrading the bridge in my Gibson?

[Rex_Rocker]

So I have a Gibson Les Paul Tribute. It comes with a lightweight aluminum API Nashville bridge. Don't know what the saddles are made of. It's not giving me any trouble, but, back when I had my LTD and my Epiphone, I replaced their bridges with Graphtech Resomax Tune O's and noticed a HUGE difference.

This bridge is different, though. On paper, it's already a good metal, so I don't know if I would notice that big of an upgrade.

What do you guys think? Upgrade it or leave it? I definitely want the guitar to sound the best it can (it already is a beast, but maybe it can be even better?). But I'm not sure if the bridge will make a difference.

[jeremy]

i pretty much leave things unless its an issue

[GuitarStv]

I upgraded the bridge on my Epiphone Dot from whatever pot metal was on it to a Tonepros and noticed a difference. It was acoustically louder, sustain was better, and recordings seemed to have a little more bass afterwards. So yeah, bridge material can change things.

In your case though you've got a well made bridge there already . . . so it wouldn't be an upgrade as much as a sideways movement. Going to a heavier bridge than aluminum might add some lows and increase sustain a little bit. It's in the ear of the listener whether or not this is better though.

[ICTGoober]

It's not giving me any trouble

You answered your own question.

[Mincer]

Yeah, I don't replace stuff unless it is an issue, either. It is easy to fall into a trap of just making sideways steps and spending lots of money on a quest.

[formula73]

I’d say leave it be.

[eclecticsynergy]

I concur - unless it's giving you trouble, I probably wouldn't bother.
Then again, I've upgraded perfectly good tailpieces just for an extra bit of air in the tone.
For me, on two Epiphones, the Resomax bridges made a noticeable difference too.

[Masta' C]

Going from the lightweight aluminum bridge to something like a Resomax isn't going to be like going from the cast-zinc Epi bridge to a Resomax...I wouldn't waste the money, personally

[uOpt]

The curiosity would kill me if I didn't also try a non-aluminium bridge on there.

[beaubrummels]

You already have the bridge most players replace theirs with. At some point, if you don't have an obvious problem to fix, upgrades start to get silly.

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I think I'm just going to leave it.

I would like to try a Callaham since it's steel, but they're out of stock.

Oh, well.

[NegativeEase]

I say slowly replace everything until it becomes a full philosophical debate on if the original guitar still exists.

[GuitarStv]

I say slowly replace everything until it becomes a full philosophical debate on if the original guitar still exists.

My Epiphone dot has the original wood left on it (although the fingerboard has been reshaped). Nothing else was there when I bought it.