Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

[BlueSnMettle]

Hey everybody,

I'm looking to make some upgrades to my '01 LP Std.(Honeyburst). Everything is stock except for the Antiquities I installed last year. I love this guitar, so I'd like to set it up with the finest appointments. I'd like to hear your suggestions for every and anything you'd do to improve on the original parts. Please include your personal experiences with different styles or composition of specific parts. Thank you.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Hey Darrin, How ya doin' buddy? I'll tell you: all I'd do is make sure the pots are quality 500K CTS and the tone caps .02 Orange Drops (I'd do the 50's mod when you install them: just solder the tone cap to the middle terminal of the volume pot instead of to the input) and then I'd install an aluminum featherweight talipiece. Unless you have a problem with your existing tuning heads that's all I'd do. Let me know if I can help. Lew

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

1. CTS 500K pots (I prefer audios)
2. Get a bunch of sprague orange drop caps, they are cheap. 0.015, 0.022, 0.033 and 0.047 values are the standard ones. I ended up with 0.033 in the bridge and 0.022 in the neck. I have paper'n oil caps too, but did not notice a difference between those expensive ones and the orange drops. BUT I think I hear a difference between ceramic disks and the orange drops .
3. Wire them a la 50's.
4. Get an aluminuum tailpiece. And you might wanna wrap your strings around the tailpiece for additional sustain.
5. Definitely an optional thing: I love historic bridge pickup rings, I mean those tall ones. With the shorter (those on standards) the pickup kinda sticks out too much you know. But Gibson CS is the only place that I am aware doing this, thus, it's pricey. 27 frigging dollars. Yeah I paid that! :banghead:

B

 

[theodie]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Hey Darrin, How ya doin' buddy? I'll tell you: all I'd do is make sure the pots are quality 500K CTS and the tone caps .02 Orange Drops (I'd do the 50's mod when you install them: just solder the tone cap to the middle terminal of the volume pot instead of to the input) and then I'd install an aluminum featherweight talipiece. Unless you have a problem with your exosting tuneing heads that's all I'd do. Let me know if I can help. Lew

Lew, I am curious about the aluminum featherweight talipiece. What advantages does it offer? Also, would you happen to have any 500K CTS audio taper pots in stock?

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Hey Darrin, How ya doin' buddy? I'll tell you: all I'd do is make sure the pots are quality 500K CTS and the tone caps .02 Orange Drops (I'd do the 50's mod when you install them: just solder the tone cap to the middle terminal of the volume pot instead of to the input) and then I'd install an aluminum featherweight talipiece. Unless you have a problem with your exosting tuneing heads that's all I'd do. Let me know if I can help. Lew

lew said it all but i still like my wiring the stock way, it felt like i wasn't rolling much off with the 50's mod. I would love to put a feather weight tail piece on my bluesbird, so i would recomment you do the same. ornage drops work very well and also some good pots. i would not change the tuners unless you have a problem with yours, i like the vintage style tuners on my guitars, i think the lack of mass adds to the sound, more traditional and vintage like.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Lew, doc, jonesey,

Thanks guys, appreciate the great advice. You guys supplied confirmation on a few things and also gave me new food for thought. Anybody have a preference for tuners, over the stock Grovers. Also, the nut on this guitar seems (to my eyes anyway) to be cut a little thin & deep per string. Any suggestions for replacement. Thanks

Peace,

Darrin

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Darrin -

For the nut I like either bone or Ivory. I have a link to a site for that that I'll come back and insert. As for tuners...if your's has Grovers the only thing I like better are the 18:1 locking Grovers. They look just like the standard Grovers, have the same foot print and make string changes a snap.

The bridge change and a new nut will make the most tonal difference. Everyone else has hit all the biggies.

Here's the link. I'll put ivory on my LP when I get it.

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/index.htm

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

thanks for that link jeff, i have been trying to remember who had the link to that site. I want to put a new saddle on my martin.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Darrin -

For the nut I like either bone or Ivory. I have a link to a site for that that I'll come back and insert. As for tuners...if your's has Grovers the only thing I like better are the 18:1 locking Grovers. They look just like the standard Grovers, have the same foot print and make string changes a snap.

The bridge change and a new nut will make the most tonal difference. Everyone else has hit all the biggies.

Here's the link. I'll put ivory on my LP when I get it.

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/index.htm

Thanks Jeff.
I wondered if Grover made locking for LPs. Appreciate the link also, I'll probably get a saddle for my acoustic & a new nut for the LP. Cool.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[orbiter]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

the only downside I've found w/ the self locking Grovers is that it changes (reduces) the angle of the strings from the nut to the post's .. which in turn changes the tension of the strings ... it's a small change .. but I really notice it ...

I wish they'd make em stagger'd in height .. so the D and G strings wouldnt stand so tall.. on the flipside .. they stay in tune .. are 18:1 .... turn smoothly ... all the things you want from a solid tuner... plus super fast string swaps ...

 

[papersoul]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

What does the 50's mod do to the tone? I agree with the Aluminum tailpiece. I wonder if it would be worth it to upgrade the bridge also?? I prefer 300k volume pots for more warmth.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Hey Darrin, How ya doin' buddy? I'll tell you: all I'd do is make sure the pots are quality 500K CTS and the tone caps .02 Orange Drops (I'd do the 50's mod when you install them: just solder the tone cap to the middle terminal of the volume pot instead of to the input) and then I'd install an aluminum featherweight talipiece. Unless you have a problem with your existing tuning heads that's all I'd do. Let me know if I can help. Lew

Lwe, I took my LP back to stock recently but then went a head and installed the aluminum tailpiece. I am about to install some new CTS audio taper pots. They are 500k tone and 300k volume since I find I like this guitar with this set up. I also have two .022 Hovland caps. Is it okay to use these or should I go with Orange drops? I hear that Hovlands can make things bright even on 10!

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

I know Allparts is one, but is there anywhere else to get those Grover locking 18:1 tuners? Allparts had them for $80. Not sure if that's good or not.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

I know Allparts is one, but is there anywhere else to get those Grover locking 18:1 tuners? Allparts had them for $80. Not sure if that's good or not.

Stew Mac does them for under $50. Don't get them from Allparts, you'll get screwed. :burnout:

 

[papersoul]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Lew, what if I rarely use the tone and volme knobs and I like how my guitar sounds with the current pots/caps? Any reason to change? I did change the aluminum tail though.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Lew? Bro?

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

get a good fret dressing job on your lp bluesnmettle. It will really make the guitar feel very special.

 

[NT02]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

This is a cool thread. I've ordered an electronic upgrade kit wtih 500 CTS pots & Hovland caps, and am interested in replacing the nut and pickups in my stock 02 LP Classic. I think about replacing the tuners, but have had no problems staying in tune, no matter how hard I play, so probably won't. What does an aluminum tail piece do for tone?

 

[papersoul]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

I don't know if it would be that big a difference replacing the nut. The stock nut is pretty good corian. If the guitar stays in tune, forget about it! If it aint broken....

As far as the aluminum tail.....it will make the guitar more alive, acoustic, round off some of the harsh highs in some LPs.......there are difference of opinions on this subject.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Thoughts for upgrading LP Std.? (not pups)

Hi Guys, I've been out of town since monday morning. Got back last night. Regarding the 50's mod, it helps to retain highs when you reduce the volume of guitar...when you trun the pot down to halfway, it helps keep the guitar from losing highs and sounding muddy. Regarding tone capacitors: I hear no substancial diff between Hovlands and Sprague Orange Drops! If there is any diff at all it is so subtle as to be unnoticable to most players. I'd just go with Sprague .02 Orange Drops and forget about the Hovlands.

I think the guys who swear they are hearing a big difference are fooling themselves. Power of suggestion kind of stuff.