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.

 

[Chris Pile]

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. :nervous:

 

[GuitarStv]

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

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