Pots, Bridges, and tuning pegs...

[Closed Eye]

I've got an Ltd Viper-100 (http://espguitars.com/ltd_viper.htm but with the satin-y green army paint job they no longer offer) a JB in the bridge and am going to stick a '59 or a jazz in the neck, but until then I figure I'll replace the tone/volume pots, bridge, and tuning pegs from factory (the pots are stratchy, the tuners are good but a little slippery, and I swear there's a problem with my bridge) to a little more "professional grade" material and was wondering:

1. What kind of pots? I know the JB works well w/ 250k pots, but what brand?

2. Tuning pegs: Gotoh? Grover? Sperzal? Something else?

3. Bridge: I was thinking the Tonepros...but I'm not too sure...

Any suggestions concerning these aftermarket mods?

(I asked a similar question on the previous SD board...but the previous SD board ain't in service anymore...)

Thanks.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pots, Bridges, and tuning pegs...

CTS pots, Tonepros bridge, and a good set of locking tuners will do wonders for that guitar. Sperzel, Schaller, and Grover all make good locking tuners, it's mostly a matter of personal preference. I've used Schallers and Grovers with excellent results. I would recommend getting whatever brand fits without modification, although I happily drilled new screw holes in the headstock of my Hamer so that I could use a set of Grover locking tuners. If your guitar has a particularly thick headstock, go with Grovers. I originally tried to put Schallers on my Hamer, only to find that the tuning posts weren't long enough.

Ryan

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Pots, Bridges, and tuning pegs...

I've always wondered how locking tuners work; so, how do they work? In some pictures, it seems like there isn't any string hole in them...what up with that?

EDIT: Oh yeah, and how do I know if my guitar has "large posts" or "small posts"...those are the options for the tonepro's bridge sets..

EDIT2: Where can I buy CTS pots? I found the bridge and the tuner parts, but not the pots...

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pots, Bridges, and tuning pegs...

Almost any parts reseller sells CTS pots and switches. Lew has them, John at Blackrose Customs has them, and Guitar Electronics has them, just to name a few

As far as the Tonepros posts, I would email their customer service and ask. I think most foreign guitars use metric posts, but I don't know for sure.

Most locking tuners have a thumbwheel on the back of the tuner, although the Grovers have an internal locking mechanism, which is nice if you want to keep a stock look. You align the posts so that the hole is facing down towards the bridge. Then you pull the string tight through the hole and tighten the thumbwheel to lock the string in place. Then it just takes a few turns of the tuning peg before the strings are at pitch. When done properly, the strings are locked solidly in place, and there is no wrapping of the string around the post. This makes it much faster and easier to change strings.

Ryan

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Pots, Bridges, and tuning pegs...

Hey, thanks again!