Epiphone ES-335 - Bridge Upgrades - Guitar Review and Upgrade Series - Part 3

[@davidposer3732]

I just discovered this page a couple days ago. The content, personality, and detail is incredible. I wish he was my grandfather, teaching me the ol' tricks.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers David, thanks for the support and kind words 🙏😁…. in some ways I am exactly that! 🤣👍

[@sirvicemanone]

Beautiful comment, heartily agree.

[@KRE808]

I've been anticipating this one and it did not disappoint. In fact, my disappointment at around the 20-minute mark when I realized there's no way in hell you'd be able to deal with the wiring loom this time around quickly turned to excitement that the rabbit hole has at least another episode of depth to it. You have in a few not-so-short videos quickly become my favorite guitar-related channel, and I watch way too many of them. Also feel I need to compliment you on your video editing/presentation skills. All these videos are top-notch in that regard as well.

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks man, really glad you are with us on this journey over to the dark side of guitar mods!... at this rate at least a couple more eps in this series so stay tuned! Cheers for the kind words and support you guys make it all worthwhile. 😎🎸👍

[@stevelankford7087]

I agree 100 percent, as I own two 339’s and a Traditional LesPaul what I learn in these episodes will help with those I’m sure.

[@rhythmofblues]

Latest (and last) fettle with my inspired by Gibson 335! I was never happy with how loose the bridge bolts were from new so.... replaced the bridge with a locking roller bridge to go with the trem, and more importantly, bought high quality adapter bolts (M8 to M4) which are a MUCH more snug fit. No more rattles from the bridge, no bridge rocking with trem use, MUCH better tuning stability and with the nowaxx pups and home made 50's loom, puts this guitar into a completely different category. Studio with it tomorrow and a possibility of Glasto 25.....this guitar will be no 1!! Thanks for the inspiration to do this.......and save a fortune on buying something of this quality from new.......and it's how I want it!

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

This is not entertainment. This is great entertainment, You guys are amazing!!!!

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks for the kind words and support that’s massively appreciated! 😎🎸👍

[@juliocesarcordovawilkins127]

I did that , hell yeah a pain in the ass replacing the electrinics, but I have upgraded all my dot from bone nut,wilkinson locking roller saddle,aluminum tail piece, solderless wiring harness with klller pots and electronics, seymour duncans 59's on the neck and pearly Gates on the bridge it is my go to guitar always. I bought used for 250 and the upgrades are totally worth doing. A pro tip, when you set the pots back start with the Jack, then the pots and switch at the end

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Julio! 👍😎🎸

[@kevinfitzpatrick9537]

I installed tone pro bridge and tail piece, Schaller tuning pegs and a set of pearly gates, huge improvement in tone

[@dannytribble1186]

Good morning. Thanks for doing these upgrades so the rest of us dont have to. For myself they are very informative, interesting, and entertaining. You are answering the questions of what works, what dont , fhe cost , and if we should upgrade or buy a better grade of guitar right from the start. Different types of people have different tastes and different expectations from their guitars. I personally like p90 pickups which a lot of people dislike. Each to their own I say. What pleases me might not sound good to you. Keep up the good work , cause some of us are paying attention and learning from what you are doing. I am really enjoying these videos. It does seem that you guys putting in the money effort and time don't get any thanks or money for the hard work you're doing.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Danny, your comments, support, and kind words are really appreciated man!

[@TheNeonMuppet]

Who’s dislikes p90s? Same people who don’t like pizza? Go figure ;)

[@DaringDan]

I've said it before but love how deep in the weeds you get on this stuff. Brilliant.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man... I may have got I too deep this time! 😂👍🎸

[@mickertyable]

It's so interesting to hear your opinion on the nylon bridges. I think you are right that it is totally subjective. I love the tone of the nylon saddles; it's what I installed on my Epiphone casino and I couldn't go back to the original bridge. Nylon saddles seemed to take away the "brittle" sound I couldn't get on with. Love this series.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man! 😎🎸👍

[@hogie1259]

Just found your channel today . Don’t know how I’ve missed it. Been binge watching your vids all day. Excellent channel and production quality!

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Hogie, that’s great to hear glad you found us man... thanks for the kind words! 😎🎸👍

[@vincentlichtveld5693]

I just did an upgrade with the Faber locking bridge (with the titanium saddles) and tailpiece, including the bushings and studs, based on your review... and NIGHT AND DAY difference ! The guitar suddenly sings like a lark on steroids... sustain is at least two times longer and the overall tone is way more resonant. For once, I need to dial down the tone as it gets bright ! Thank you for this review. I would have never thought the difference would have been so big... You inspired me to go this route and no regrets at all !

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Vincent, I know I didn't believe it would make a difference until I heard it myself. Enjoy! 😎👍

[@vincentlichtveld5693]

@@theguitaristas Am going to continue the updates... wiring loom, pickups, nut and tuners... Will keep you posted on my findings.

[@depassiago6273]

Completed the bridge and tailpiece upgrades today and did a complete set up. Major improvement. The bridge was very tight to get on but after some diligence, the piece went on. My Blueberry Burst is brand new and the action was high out of the box with the tension a little higher than I preferred as well. During set up, I rounded out the pickups as they were flat from the factory. A few burs to file down and it’s playing like a dream now. I’m happy with the pickups for now but will definitely upgrade the wiring harness (though not sure of the where I’ll get that yet). Thank you very much for your videos and the inspiration to complete these modifications.

[@theguitaristas]

Good work! 😎👍

[@yvandewever6518]

Again a nice and educative review as usual. Always enjoying your outro's as well. Thanks

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Yvan!

[@danvr41]

Thanks

[@theguitaristas]

🌟 Thanks that's appreciated! 😁👍

[@henryhunter5026]

Once again the upgrades you’ve carried out have made significant improvements on the sound of the guitar, although it seems a bit expensive to someone on a limited income the improvements can be carried out over a period of time thus spreading the costs. Looking forward to the next episode! I find that working on the electronics of a semi acoustic an absolute pain, it’s a bit like making one of those ship in a bottle ornaments that were popular years ago. Despite all the articles I’ve read and KZbin videos I’ve watched it never goes smoothly for me, I’ve yet to be defeated but it’s come close at times.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Henry... the ship in bottle analogy is so bang on! 😂👍🎸

[@robertweldon7909]

3/1/2022 Something I've learned, to my surprise, both from you and another You Tube channel, I can't recall just which one, is that everything, literally, everything effects the way a guitar sounds, from the tuning pegs to the wood, to the electrics to the strings and even the wood on the finger board, just everything. Additionally 2 supposedly similar guitars instead each has a unique sound and personality. I could hardly believe what the other You Tube channel said, even after hearing the differences. It seems that you could take a 3 grand Gibson ES 335 and spend another grand on it before it really sounded good, and then take its mate, produced next, right out of the case and it would sound super. It's still hard to believe. Great series. ;-)

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Robert, yes seems everything makes a difference and the more I learn about it the less certain I am about anything! 😎👍

[@troyspencer712]

love your videos man, you are top of the watchlist for me and am happy I found your vids. Keep up the good works I have your Cool wall video as one of my youtube favs of the year.

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks man, you know that's really appreciated and I'm glad you found me!...reminds me I must follow up with cool wall 2 soon!

[@kennyjohnson336]

Well, its definitely sounding better than it did out of the box. Your preview of changing the electronics is why I never bought an Epiphone DOT all these years despite always wanting an inexpensive semi. Another excellent video and series.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Kenny!

[@ScknCelik]

You've turned that guitar into 'the bluest blues'! Keep up with good work and thanks for your time! Cheers

[@theguitaristas]

😄👍 thanks man that’s appreciated!

[@RavenMadd9]

love your honesty ..bought one interested in upgrading a beauty but lifeless beast ...subscribed to your channel....your honesty did it

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man that’s appreciated....have fun! 😆👍🎸

[@RavenMadd9]

​@theguitaristas late up date ..changed everything.....put in Seth Lover pickups the beast kicks ass.....again thank yee

[@andrewjameswyng7919]

Enjoying this Upgrade. The Guitar sounds great. 120 quid well spent. A 'Custom Shop' 335. Very Nice.

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Andrew!

[@johnwalsh3826]

Great video, love the channel, can’t wait for next episode, I tried to swap out the pickups and wiring on my old 2009 epiphone Sheraton last weekend how hard ca it be…… holy moly dude spent the whole weekend at it starting on Friday evening,wife, cat or kids weren’t on speaking terms with me by Sunday evening, so Monday I dropped the guitar and parts to my local guitar shop and collected it yesterday and it sounds great, the shop changed me 80 euro for the work, please don’t edit out the swearing and hissy fits, 😂😂😂

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers John, that’s really funny and with the experience still fresh in my mind I can fully picture you that weekend! 🤣 don’t worry it will be difficult to present this next episode without including my frustrations! 😎🎸👍

[@benallmark9671]

Lol

[@savbalac5143]

The Faber bridge has "starter" slots and needs filing - this isn't mentioned in the video or by GluedToMusic. Also, the intonation screw for the D string was very tight - so tight it couldn't be intonated properly. So I threw the Faber bridge away. I kept the aluminium Faber tailpiece, which is lighter than the Epiphone. I recorded my 339 before the changes and I'll see if the tailpiece made a difference.

[@theguitaristas]

All new bridges need the slots creating... just string it up with an old set of strings and gently tap them where they lie with a small hammer to create a gentle slot and it's all that's needed. You probably cross threaded the D and threw away a perfectly good bridge.

[@savbalac5143]

@@theguitaristas I used a flat screwdriver for intonation - most were tight but movable, but the D was so hard to turn it stripped very easily (and therefore couldn't be moved again)!

[@savbalac5143]

@@theguitaristas I used a triangular file and a set of nut files to file the saddle slots.

[@theguitaristas]

@@savbalac5143 Yes, that's not necessary you only need to make a small dent and the string tension will do the rest.

[@danvr41]

Do you use a radius gauge to assess that all of the string heights are correct and follow the fretboard radius, after filing ? Sorry if a dumb question. My strings on stock bridge has a high G which I find surprisingly troublesome. Absolutely Brilliant series thank you. I have ordered the tailpiece, contemplating how difficult the new bridge setup would be. Loving this guitar (same as yours)

[@wadesummers4102]

You're scaring me! I'm about to undertake a wiring harness change on my Casino. For my 335, I removed the old one and expanded the holes but let the skilled hands of the tech at our local shop install the new one. I've practiced soldering using the old stuff from the 335 and watched some vids of people threading the harness in and feel I can handle it. Just hoping the skills I've learned over 30+ years of maintaining and repairing my racing bicycles translates to a wiring harness change!

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Wade! don't be scared, but be prepared to be very patient! And I may have made a few mistakes which you could learn from if you can wait until next week...

[@wadesummers4102]

@@theguitaristas Harness hasn't arrived yet so there's time. I was thinking patience is the key. Concept is simple enough, so I feel people think, how long could it take? Takes a long time...

[@theguitaristas]

I’ve done it once now and need to do it all again to change pickups next week so by the end of that I shall have hopefully perfected a foolproof method or will have torn all my hair out. Either way stay tuned it should be worth watching! 😁🎸👍

[@activese]

Hi, wow thank you very much indeed, for mentioning me, just a humble comment, trying to help, and Colin my name is Patrick. Take care.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Patrick, your very welcome and your comment did really help me think about what I was doing so it was really appreciated! 😎🎸👍

[@markwebster8743]

Loving these videos. The changes are noticeable but what I like the most is noticing the difference of what each component can make. Some great playing there also :-)

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Mark, thanks for the kind words and support... glad you are liking this stuff!

[@anthonymichael3029]

A couple years back I picked up an Epi 335 pro - chosen because the construction was 3 ply, more similar to the Gibson. The biggest change I made to it aside from the bridge pickup was to sand all the poly off with low grit sandpaper. Made a huge difference and seemed to wake the guitar way up. Not saying that’s anything to try, but it was quite a difference maker!

[@glennlilley8608]

Funny that, I stripped my then 10yr old Grant flying V 35yrs ago to use as a test bed for what I thought were clever ideas, it definitely seemed to wake up, but I couldn't swear to it Someone must have done a comparison by now surely?

[@JohnShalamskas]

Poly finish is really durable but I agree with your observation on the tone suck.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

You must be commended yet again for your assiduous pursuit of the best tone. Never less than entertaining. I couldn't sleep at night knowing I had a guitar with nylon saddles. Lord knows Gibson are perfectly capable of getting things horribly wrong and nylon saddles just 'feel' like a terrible idea. For me (and I did a vdeo on this very subject a couple of months ago) top wrapping is all about avoiding the stress of strings leaning on the back of the bridge, causing it to ultimately collapse. I raised the stop tail on my Les Paul a bit and it didn't seem to make a difference, but I was thinking of other things when I did it so I will definitely top wrap at next string change. My SG definitely sounds better with the stop tail screwed down tight and top wrapped rather than raised a bit. Due to a happy quirk of geometry my Tokai 335-a-like has the stop tail screwed down tight and the strings don't touch the back of the bridge so I don't need to even think about that one :-)

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Paul, this subject really is a bit of a dark art eh!?... not even sure how I ended up on this path but it's good to find out more about this stuff in my usual 'trial and error' (mostly error) way. I do get the top wrap for clearance reason, and that does seem necessary on Nashville style bridges... as far as tone and extra slinkiness I guess the jury's out so let's do some tests! I do think I need to be aware of where the line is between what's interesting and what's extremely dull... so please let me know if you think I stray too close! Take care mate :)

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@theguitaristas I felt I might be bending a bit sharp after first top wrapping but on consideration I think that was a combination of my imagination and a self-fulfilling prophecy. On consideration I suspect that the difference in tension is negligible. Who knows? Hahahaha

[@theguitaristas]

@@PaulMcCaffreyfmac Well Joe B is adamant that it makes 11's feel like 10's... I'm not sure how we will test that theory though!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@theguitaristas Maybe I was overbending then.... but "11s like 10s"? I would say definitely not.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

@@theguitaristas I've just googled "Scientific testing of top wrapping on Les Pauls" and gave up after reading three posts. There is a lot of stuff that doesn't pass even the most basic 'common sense' test. I think we're all at a big party in the dark, bumping into walls and one another. Hahahahahahaha.....

[@ivarjanson54]

What a wholesome community this is!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Ivar, and you are most welcome!

[@je1279]

Very helpful series. Factory bridge on my Epiphone Les Paul Modern was terrible so I replaced it with a TonePros bridge and tailpiece kit. Not a bad way to spend $75 and that was the only portion of the guitar that was lacking in my opinion.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, and it makes a big difference doesn't it! :)

[@garyp5522]

I have been watching since part 1. I thought about something just before you said it. Possibly you and I are going for different sounds. Granted everything you have done to this guitar has made it sound better. My opinion is when you installed the nylon bridge that made the biggest difference for the sound I was looking for. So I did not know where to put this part in, here goes. I liked the sound of the Emily Wolfe Guitar. Basically the same semi hollow body. And when you installed the nylon bridge the first thing I thought that we are now approaching Emily Wolfe Sound. These are just my opinions. Your videos are the best and I am looking forward to part 4 Thanks

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Gary, I did briefly compare the Emily Wolfe Sheraton and the 335 side by side in part one but cut it out in the edit (too long!)... but you are right the Sheraton sounded better and more articulate etc. I also liked the Nylon Saddle bridge and it was a totally different path which I did't take on this occasion, but will do another time as I agree it sounded pretty cool! Thanks for your support man!

[@garyp5522]

@@theguitaristas I will be around to watch them all. Your videos are great

[@John-hi2yi]

Great job & looking forward to the full story. Lovely playing at the end, thank you.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers John!

[@OldeDog_NewTricks]

Honestly it sounds really good right here. I heard when he first got it and I thought it was terrible. I have the same guitar, and I just stared at mine angrily when I heard it the first time 😂

[@ahealey80]

Thank you for all your videos on guitars. I'm on my way too upgrading my epiphone es 355 limited edition, ive got the Tailpiece and just ordered the nylon saddle bridge. Peace and muzic love. Muzic Al 🎸 🎸 🎸 🎸 🎸 🎸

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, thanks for the support I hope this series is proving useful...some of these things really work! :)

[@ahealey80]

@@theguitaristas It's helped alot, I was was thinking a couple of months back, on how to make my epiphone es-335 sound more warm and lest tinny then I found your channel. I emailed glued to music and mentioned I found your website via your channel 😀. You might get a freebie 😉. Keep up the good work. Muzic Al

[@theguitaristas]

@@ahealey80 Cheers man! 😎👍

[@ToddTheJoker]

Another interesting episode, looking forward to the next! Stay Safe!

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Todd, you too!

[@johnny.musician]

Enjoying this journey. Quite inspirational although I’m such a crap solderer I hesitate at that point. Looking forward to the next episode; I really can hear the improvement already…it’s a Lazarus project.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers John... join us next week believe me soldering is the least of your worries! 😂👍🎸

[@Edward1312]

Changing pickups and wiring on semi acoustic ES335 style guitars like this is notoriously difficult so I wouldnt personally consider trying. Hats off to you for giving it a go. You made the right call though as its better to try this out on an Epiphone than risk it first time on a £2k plus Gibson!

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Tony, that’s assuming I ever finish the job of course... 😂👍🎸

[@micheltremblay4774]

A melodic solo seldom go for a thousand notes per minute and YOU are very melodic in your play. These updates did bring out the better Epi 335 all this time hiding in plain sight but there is still some gains left in it. Going for Part 4. Thanks and take care.

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Michel that’s appreciated... see you on the other side! 😆👍

[@DennisAlvarezMusic]

I found this interesting because I've been going down a very similar rabbit hole with an LTD 401EC L.P. style guitar. I went with Gotoh bridge and tail pieces, humbucker size P-90's (Seymour Duncan Fat Cats). I now need to order better pots (Bourns)and switch (Switchcraft). I haven't heard it with the Fat Cats yet, but the bridge and tailpiece has certainly made an improvement. Cheers!

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Dennis, its amazing to discover how much difference these hardware mods can make eh?... that also reminds me I have a set of those Phat Cats waiting to go into something.

[@DennisAlvarezMusic]

@@theguitaristas They're calling out to you. :-)

[@theguitaristas]

@@DennisAlvarezMusic I think I am going to put them in a squire bullet mustang... could be killer!

[@dromoli]

Another great honest video. Nice playing as well. Cheers.

[@gustafrenstrom8549]

It sounded amazing in that outro jam.

[@frankcarter6427]

anther grand video fella - eager to see what the new wiring does. we tried good quality p/ups in various guitars and we couldn't tell much difference between them - I'm sceptical the other lecky components will make a difference but wait with 'bated breath.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, likewise I've quite often swapped pups in that past and not noticed a whole lot of difference... thinking that the electronics are not quite as important as the hardware that creates the vibration which makes sense I suppose? Anyway I'm quite surprised how much gain we've had tinkering with that stuff so far so it's already a win!

[@frankcarter6427]

@@theguitaristas yeah, and , for us obsessives, it makes great watching, x

[@joshualafountain8554]

Just have to say thank you for your honesty. Love the content, really enjoy your "science" 😂. Keep up the good work.

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks for support that’s appreciated! 😎🎸👍

[@KeithFinnie]

You may wish to check whether the nylon saddles opened the string ground path through the bridge. Easy to check with a multimeter. A temporary wire clipped between the bridge & tailpiece would allow a quick restoration of ground path allowing a proper sound check & frequency distribution graph.

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Keith, that’s way to scientific for me at this stage of the journey I’m afraid! Good to think about though. The Spectrum Analyser was added in post production anyway so I can’t imagine grounding would play any part in what we were looking at, which was a direct frequency analysis of what we were hearing? Cheers for comment man that’s appreciated! 😎🎸👍

[@paulbullard4293]

Great video again fantastic content , if your doing the loom plastic piping that fits over the tone and volume controls is the only way to go

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Paul, having completed the first run I can see why that would work... definitely on the agenda for when I do it all again to change the pickups!

[@theguitaristas]

@Mark Seymour Nice, that's a great idea cheers Mark

[@stevelankford7087]

I must be a dummy, I can’t imagine that. But on the Jack I get👍

[@davidkerr1971]

Thanks for sharing another great video, really enjoyed it. I always need a bit of guitar therapy to get through the day lol. The guitar is really coming to life, the new bridge really adds to the tone, There wasn't much between the two bridges but I prefer the first one, as it had a little extra sauce than the nylon one. Thanks for sharing really looking forward to the next one. Stuck the Faber tailpiece on to my Epi Les Paul 59, good call man, the guitar sounds amazing, thanks for the heads up. Take care.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers David, good to hear my 'experiments' are proving useful! I agree, as you saw I chose bridge 1 but the nylon one definitely has a certain something about it too so I'm looking forward to trying that on something else. Take care and happy tinkering!

[@edwardsmith9801]

Love all the video's & your playing. Keep up the great content.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man thanks for the kind words! 😎👍🎸

[@davidmazur2280]

Thanks for your perspective on things you show on your channel :-)

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers David that’s really appreciated 😎👍

[@sirvicemanone]

Here I am again late to a cool party. The new pickups really sounded fantastic and reminded me alot of George Harrison's and perhaps glen Campbell's sound. Regardless of what you paid for that guitar , it looks beautiful and sounds wonderful although 8m sure your fingers on the fretboard had much to do with that. Cheers!

[@antonia4722]

Hiya! (I dont know your name!) Another great video! I really enjoy these nerdery series that you are doing. Its so interesting to see and hear the changes made. Its not so surprising really as a lighter end plate allows more resonance. I couldnt believe the difference to my Fender acoustic when I replaced the nut and saddle with bone and tweaked the truss rod. It changed it from a mediocre 41 year old to a bright beautifully playable teenager! Wish I'd done that 41 years ago! I cant say that I like the idea of the nylon saddle. It gave it a slightly muddy tone..a definite down-grade. Never been that much of a fan of F holes..much prefer the look of a solid..but then I have never played one soooo.... You do make it sound nice though. Really looking forward to the next episode. Pick-ups I hope. Ive been slowly and happily working my way through your back catalogue of videos and can honestly say that yours is the best Guitar review channel on KZbin. I really like your style of presenting and the fact that you give honest, no nonsense(well, just a little but thats under the umbrella of nerdery so fully acceptable!) reviews free of sponsorship and bribery. You talk my language (fellow Essexonian maybe?) in a way that I find very entertaining. Thank you. Also, I have noticed over your videos that you are a little dismissive of your ability to play Guitar. If you compare yourself with other KZbin creators who have only just been born then you will never be happy with it. They haven't had the north of 60 years of joint abuse that we have. Physical, and if anything like myself, chemical and botanical abuse takes its toll ( Aaah...those were the days. Too bloody old now!:o) ). You play beautifully! I would happily sit and listen to your looping for much longer than the end jam and often feel disappointed when it ends. I really like your style and have picked up some really nice little riffs just from watching you play. Again..thank you. You are a very good Guitarist-a! :o) xx

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Antonia! I'm so glad you are sticking with this all this nonsense and enjoying the upgrade stuff.... I guess I'm still experimenting to see what goes well and I'm pleased that it's looking like I can carry on fiddling around with things for the sake of your (and my) entertainment! I guess like most players I'm always critical of my own abilities as there is always someone way better than us... but I think I'm getting a bit more comfortable listening to what I do now and hopefully this whole thing is improving my playing too. Thanks again for all the kind words and support its really appreciated, and you nailed the accent... of course I'm from Essex! are you too?? I never know if I'm talking to someone around the corner or in another corner of the world as this youtube reaches far and wide and apparently us guitaristas are bloody everywhere! Thanks again, it's Colin btw and I'm very pleased to meet you! x

[@antonia4722]

@@theguitaristas Hi Colin! 🤗 Very pleased to meet you too! Yes..I was born in Essex but after living all over the place..I now find myself in the wilds of Suffolk. Will be here for the foreseeable methinks but I do miss Essex. It always feels like home when I have occasion to return. I think it's the earthiness of the people..I think. I've played Guitar on and off for many years but rekindled my love of playing about a year ago and am now bloody obsessed! Hence my avid viewing of your channel. I think Guitars are like motorbikes..once in your system they never leave! Keep up the great work Colin..you are doing really great stuff and I feel sure you will move from strength to strength! 😊xx

[@taylor12elementvb]

To my ears the 335 sounds cleaner and more articulate with the changes made so far. in the first vid it didn't sound very resonant right out of the box (to your ears does it sound more resonant to you unplugged now?). Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. Can't wait for the next vid. Cheers again from Canada.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, yes its definitely very different, more articulate and resonant unplugged... it's very noticeable. Thanks for support!

[@cliveburgess4128]

Still curious to hear the epiphone 59 pickups in it, to see if they are the silver bullet? could be, or maybe something else they did, because that les paul still gets me how good it sounded.

[@theguitaristas]

I going to put them into the 50s goldtop and that should tell us something... if it was a bit easier I’d also try them in this 335 but for my experience so far I think I shall pass on that. Cheers Clive! 😎🎸👍

[@cliveburgess4128]

@@theguitaristas I didn't think about wiring in the body, your'e right no fun, look forward to putting them in the gold top, that will be fun to hear the result, thanks.

[@nickwebb9290]

I have an earlyish Korean Epi ES335, maple neck too, it’s probably based on the Gibson 70’s model they produced. Anyway, acoustically it sounds better than a Gibson I used some time back and now it has Gibson Burstbucker Pros installed it’s absolutely fabulous So yes, spent a bit extra money on it but by crikey I have an excellent 335. Your take on this is really good and interesting, love the effort you put it 👍

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Nick! 😎👍🎸

[@ditchgator1]

So glad your conducting these mods. So helpful😎👍 Wonder if nylon saddles would work better with flatwounds? Great work😎👍 Have accomplished replacement wiring/pots/ cap(s) before on a 335, and... An access plate should be standard in my opinion🤣 😎👍❤🖖 Love brother

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Richard! 😂👍🎸

[@gerryloughran1676]

Cool would be well happy at this stage … Earl Slick guitars big user of brass… can be troublesome as it’s a very soft metal but it sings !… looking forward to the wiring loom install on a 335 .. hope you like fishing !

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Gerry.... could you see my face and how happy I looked at the end after a spell of fishing? 😤

[@nigelthomasse6869]

Love the video’s!! Thinking about buying one for a while now

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Nigel... the GAS will win so just give in you know it makes sense! :)

[@yngveellingsen3471]

Huh... This is funny. I installed a push/pull coil splitting harness and Epiphone probuckers in my Dot yesterday and changed the entire Tune-o-matic while I was at it to remedy what I felt was a woolly tone. Then I found this video first thing this morning. Personally I think the probuckers were a much better match for this guitar. And the split coils sound amazing. My only grief is that the harness I used was pre wired for a Les Paul (I couldn't stomach installing it in my Gibson Les Paul Studio, though), and some of the wires are crossing the F-hole. I don't like that look, so I've ordered parts to wire my own Jimmy Page style harness that'll loop around the F-hole. I'm going down this rabbit hole to the very end, I fear. I'll be following you on your journey too, from now on. Love your videos, I hit the subscribe button just minutes after stumbling upon this just now. Brilliant!

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Man... and you finished it in a day??? :) Nice one dude!!... thanks for comment and sub that's appreciated!

[@yngveellingsen3471]

@@theguitaristas It took a lot of hours, to be fair. The Probuckers have those small five pin connectors, so except for the grounding to bridge and desoldering the old pickups, the process was solder free. But the whole pulling-stuff-through-the -f-hole-using-pieces-of-string nearly did my head in. I got stuff tangled and had to redo already installed pots quite a few times. The next time, I'm going to do my planning a bit better. I really want to test that Jimmy Page style wiring on this guitar.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

I was pretty excited to go with faber until…i saw the prices have doubled on the hardware since this video was uploaded. So sad…thanks for the video!

[@theguitaristas]

Wow really I shall check that out they were a bit pricey to start with!

[@davidcudlip6587]

I like to use surgical tubing pushed over the pot splines for pulling pots back into the hole positions. Strings seem to tangle around and worry me about breaking.

[@theguitaristas]

I finally got to that in part 5… 😆

[@Sammywhat]

I liked the nylon saddles, and think they would probably make a Casino sound a bit smoother. The P90s are typically brighter than humbuckers. As a jazzer, the nylons weren't bad. But I think you could get the same relative response by turning the tone pots down a bit. I would be interested to know if you "felt" anything under your fingers differently between nickel/brass and nylon. Another enjoyable episode!! Thank you, kindly, sir! 🎸✌😎

[@theguitaristas]

I think they would be great on the right guitar and context. Actually I do have some that came on my Les Paul Custom '68 reissue and it sounds beauty! Thanks for checking in dude!

[@jasonwhitaker2430]

so i changed the the tail piece and the bridge for a Reso max bridge system and what a difference.. not as muddy acoustic but still a dull electric. iv bought the Montys wiring loom and just deciding what pups to buy? Before i changed the bridge i did have problems with it staying in tune but thats all good now. Looking forward to the next vid (hoping to get some tips on the installment of the loom lol)

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Jason, that's good stuff... definitely hang out for next week and hopefully it will save you a while lot of pain! Just recorded some stuff with the Monty's installed and it sounds sweeeeet!!

[@jasonwhitaker2430]

Colin..is it worth changing the pickups?

[@theguitaristas]

I meant the montys wiring loom.... pickups going in next week so still to find out!

[@magesticpenguin2184]

Love this so much Colin!!! I’ve got the cherry on the way and cannot wait!! Please keep these videos going man, very entertaining and from one guitar brother to another keep on rocking bro!!! 🙂🤘

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Sam, hope you love it dude... ours is sounding pretty damn good now I must say!!

[@stephanematis]

My curiosity leads me to check on all things that sound apocryphal in the guitar world, and the adjustable pole piece story nudged me to the often quoted Seth Lover on the PAF humbucker he is famous for. Here is a common quote on the matter : "He had a working model by 1955, with an undrilled cover and flat slugs, but Seth was persuaded to incorporate adjustable pole pieces on one coil simply to give Gibson’s sales guys something more to talk about. Seth later maintained they were technically unnecessary, and that he configured them with the neck slugs facing the fingerboard and the bridge slugs facing the bridge purely for decorative reasons." I think he is a trustworthy source :) So YMMV on mucking with pole-pieces.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Stephane, yes that’s right I recall that story from somewhere! 👌 makes you wonder… 😎👍

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

Very interesting series of videos. If you were going to buy a semi- hollow guitar that is affordable then what would you recommend. I don’t really want to modify it so what do you recommend right out of the box? I value your opinion as you have played so many guitars and worked on them . Thanks.

[@michaelgarvey2148]

Just found your channel & loving it . I have bought a Harley Benton 35 [ 335 copy] & i am new to guitars so starting off slowly . I am interested to see if some of your upgrades will be doable on a HB as i improve my playing & i am gaining so much knowledge from your channel . Your jams are fantastic & thank you for time & effort .

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Michael, glad you found us and good luck with your guitar playing journey! Great to hear you already have a taste for some ‘modifications’ this is a brilliant hobby and hours of fun (and sometimes frustration!) lie ahead of you. Thanks for the kind words and support! 😎👍

[@tedrenard472]

Hi. On all of the different bridges, install them with old strings, give each string a gentle tap with a hammer to mark where it passes over the saddle when you're happy with the string position, then file a small slot in that position. It is incorrect to assume that just because saddles are nylon they don't need a mark. Some nylons are extremely resistant to wear, and won't form their own slot even after a lot of playing in. Paul Reed Smith is only partially correct re the nylon saddle bridges, they all have their uses. If you have overly bright or harsh pickups, try a nylon saddle bridge first and try lowering the pickups slightly. It could save you investing in a hugely expensive pickup upgrade.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Ted, good intel thanks man! 😎👍

[@maltherb]

Would love to see you fit a Bigsby trem to this guitar 😍

[@OzoneFlyer]

Great video yet again. On my epiphone I use Gotoh nashville bridges they are around £30 and don't use a silly piece of wire that can sometime cause buzz like the epiphone bridges. Would love to see some reviews on amp's as you have some many behind you lol. And maybe talk about amp's you would or wouldn't like to own.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers James, must get hold of some Gotoh hardware for future projects! I love the tube amps as you can see... still trying to decide if I should go there, or stick with guitars. I shall add your vote to the 'do it' pile!

[@derekcoulombe372]

Really hope you pick up that Gretsch G5622 to compare. I would like to know your opinion on the gretsch straight out of the box.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Derek, an excuse to by another guitar??...it's certainly tempting!... ;)

[@derekcoulombe372]

@@theguitaristas For research of course….

[@theguitaristas]

👍😜

[@JohnShalamskas]

I have a 2014 Gretsch 5420T that I added 3 treble bleed circuits to, one on each volume pot. That made a huge improvement in usability with overdrive pedals. If you would have used slightly longer pieces of tubing on the pots, and some twine or floss for the switch, you could have saved a lot of effort by leaving the twine or tubing attached until reassembly.

[@birdman316]

another part in the books! awesome! theres a sweet censtar semi hollow body guitar im looking at but put off a bit about the fiddly pot locations....not that id ever change em on purpouse but should something go wrong ya gotta go in lol! and it seems like the location of the jack in what seems like a brittle area of the guitar...not sure bro....maybe you can steer me in the right direction like you did with SG guitars? thanks to you i now have 4 diffrent variations of SG models haha! youre right they are comfy and sweeet!

[@theguitaristas]

Part 5 is what you need! 😁👍

[@troyspencer712]

I tried to get on with a 335 and or its clones a few times and its just too wide for me to play comfortably. Most recently the Sire Larry Carlton, H7. The only change I personally could do to it is to turn it into a 339. Id like to see you compare one of these to a gretsch or ibanez comparable. Have my eye on the Ibanez AF95 and AS93, the 93 especially as its semi hollow and smaller form.

[@frankcarter6427]

me too, my stumpy little arms struggle , tho I do play a ginormous j200 copy (sigma - ace) without problems - never thought of that before.

[@ImLeuff]

As big and bulky 335s are, I am so used to seeing that shape that 339s look completely wrong to me. Just goes to show it's all personal taste.

[@che2335]

That binding thickness looks good. The Gibson LP has thicker binding than Epi counterparts which really makes the tops pop to my eye. I wonder if the Epi Slash models are thicker than standards?

[@Fawkes1978]

How about experimenting with top wrapping the strings. Your new Faber tailpiece with that beautifully rounded top seems to be made just for that! (13:40, Seems I was too hasty!) Also, That tone on your play out jam! I've already been trying to steal some of those juicy licks!

[@victorbeebe8372]

Aloha and mahalo for the video. Enjoyed it much. Always interested in improvements. I know next project will be challenging.

[@theguitaristas]

Yes man you saw it... the top wrap test and debate is coming! Thanks for kind words... those licks of mine are all recycled so very happy to pass on! :)

[@theguitaristas]

@@victorbeebe8372 Cheers Victor and welcome to you as always!... yes challenging project is one way of describing it! :)

[@tc-music545]

Great Stuff! Been thinking of getting aged Faber bridge & tailpiece for my Les Paul, So this video is the 'wake up and get it done' push I needed. Keep up the good work man! BTW, Is that a Laney Cub Supertop 15w head & 2 x12 cab behind that spotlight?

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers man, yes definitely worth making this change I reckon, and easy to reverse if you don’t prefer the sound... but there will be a difference! Yep that’s the Laney... really nice little tube amp I need to use it on something soon! 😎🎸👍

[@stevelankford7087]

Glad to see part 3, and I’m already looking forward to part 4. I am considering the Aluminum tail piece. I mentioned before that I added a wide solid nickel bridge, but I’m thinking the tail piece may work well also. I’m curious about the outcome of the wiring harness. But did I miss something on the pickup height adjustment or was it just pole piece adjustment. I’ll have go back. I still have this buzz on my low E that still frustrates me, I’m pretty sure it’s mainly from the 7th to the 17th. I think I need a fret rocker to locate the exact fret.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Steve, I don't think you missed anything I sketched over the pickup adjustment a bit but plan to go into it in detail when I change the pups in this one... I think that's gonna be part 5!

[@stevelankford7087]

You the man, Cheers brother!🍻

[@stevelankford7087]

I really love the hugeness of the 335 and the 50’s neck. So I want it to be the best I can make it!

[@davidkornblatt851]

Replace the frets with super jumbos and then replace nut with graphtech and then replace machine heads with Grover gold lockers!

[@markdalton293]

I have brass saddles on a few of my guitars and they are much brighter

[@robertgallagher2226]

I heard a little Alvin Lee there in the beginning and end. 👍🏼😁

[@theguitaristas]

You got it!... same shape and colour guitar so where I else would I go for inspiration! Cheers dude.

[@JimmerSD]

Sorry to report that these parts do not fit my late model Epiphone ES-335 Figured IG. While the posts are correct the hole spacing does not line up correctly, I actually purchased them from the company that you linked to in order to get it right.

[@theguitaristas]

I think it’s likely you bought the wrong parts… there are many variations so it’s easy to do.

[@JimmerSD]

@@theguitaristas More information: When I originally tried to install the new bridge I found that one of the the 8mm>4mm adapters would not insert completely into the bridge. When I measure it with a digital caliper I found that it was 4.13mm, while the other measured 4.03. I contacted gluedtomusic about this and they told me to start down the return path. Since they are in UK and I am in US I didn't want to take the time or effort with a $20 dollar part. So I put the post in a drill press and used sand paper to reduce the larger of the posts to fit. That only took a couple hundredths mm and sandpaper worked fine for this. This allowed the post to insert completely. But when I tried to install the bridge on the guitar, I found that it wouldn't fit without some force. There was an alignment problem I gave up in disgust assuming the bridge was wrong. I went back and did some more research to find out if this was potentially the problem, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of variation in bridges for off shore Epiphones. Later that day I decided to reduce the diameter of both posts to the spec. So I put each back in the drill press and reduced both to 4.00. The bridge slid easily into place and now sounds great!. The posts have been manufactured with too much nickel plate and it was causing alignment problems with the bridge.

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

Colin, this has been a great series of videos. I am in the market to a semi- hollow guitar. Something affordable. After all the guitars you have played and modified what would you recommend. I’m not really into the modding stuff so what can you suggest that’s good right out of the box? Thanks

[@theguitaristas]

I’d look at a Sheraton or Riviera… it the Shinichi Ubakata ES355 I just reviewed is 🔥

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

@ thanks Colin. What do you think about the Ibanez art core series?

[@theguitaristas]

@@Patrick-k8o6s Not tried one

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

@Hey Colin , they look great I haven’t tried them either. Most of the music stores where I live don’t carry them. I live in a small town on Vancouver Island B.C. Canada. I have to rely heavily on reviews so your channel is great for me. Thanks for what you do. Cheers Patrick

[@LiveMusicCT]

digging the series. but wondering why the guitar sounds out of tune when you're playing your chord progression/theme. Is the nut height dialed in? Things sound a little sharp on the G B high E. not critiquing just thinking out loud.

[@theguitaristas]

That’s interesting I had another listen (to the intro) and it just sounds like a nice minor and melancholy laid back vibe to me personally 🤷‍♂️

[@lucretiabanks8334]

Have an ES 335. It will not stay in tune and I'm thinking of changing the bridge in hopes to fix that problem.

[@theguitaristas]

Change the nut first… that will be the problem 😎👍

[@anthonys8561]

Can you please give your assessment of a guitar from a UK manufacturer. The Tanglewood TBS 59. A Gibson ES 335 look alike. I have owned one for a couple of years. Buying it used. I like it. Was wondering what your opinion is ? Thank you. Anthony

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Anthony, I haven’t tried that yet but will look out for it!

[@anthonys8561]

Thank you so much. It's difficult getting info on this guitar 🎸

[@biglog6402]

Excellent video. I’m definitely going to replace the bridge and studs on my Epi 59 with the nickel/brass one. My only query, did you replace the thumbwheels with nickel/brass ones and that Gibson stop bar stud you put a link to, does it just screw into the existing bushing? Need to check as I’m going to purchase some first.

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Man, the links I put are exactly the parts I used... nothing more and nothing less, so it will all work. I haven't changed any of the bushings yet but will try the on the next project probably. I think you will find this worthwhile, but it's all easily reversible if not and you can flog it off or use it as an excise to buy another 'project' guitar ;) Let me know how you get on!

[@biglog6402]

@@theguitaristas thanks for that. I’m not bothering replacing the bushings but I will replace everything else. Certainly makes a big difference in my opinion.

[@garyp5522]

I also can not imagine all the work that must go into a video like this. The editing must be very tedious. Thanks

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Gary, thanks for support man... it's very satisfying though and for some reason I actually love editing!

[@alexisschrodinger75]

I think you would enjoy a song named "En Los brazos de la fiebre", from the Spanish band "Heroes del silencio", your intro has a kinda vibe!

[@theguitaristas]

Yes I checked that, nice one! ... I guess we are all inspired but the same people I just wish I could still fit into the leather trousers! :)

[@SidBonkers51]

I own a beautiful to look at USA built Peavey Generation series3 and I love it except it sounds so bright to the point of brittleness, I cant find any replacement pickups that will drop in, it has no pick guard, a tele style bridge pickup and quite thin s/c middle and neck pickups. Nylon saddles could be a simple fix to cure its brightness.

[@theguitaristas]

Hey Sid, reckon that could definitely work! 👍😎🎸

[@vkelly1975]

I changed my hardware on my 2014 Gibson Sg with light aluminium tailpiece,posts and Callaghan bridge and got Gibson custom buckers from R9 it’s an amazing guitar a lot of the Gibson hardware is not great but after spending €2k on the Gibson I also did the same to Gibson Les Paul standard from 2008 . Gibson have finally started to use better hardware

[@dougmccutcheon8570]

Nice work. Sat down for one as I have just acquired a Gibson ES 335 custom. Ended up sitting for 3 , especially as mine has the vinyl bridge (with grooves) . Thanks again. Can you tell me what the sound spectrum software was that you used???

[@dougmccutcheon8570]

Plus I like you test pattern, so just learning that now.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Doug, hope some of the stuff was useful! I used a free plugin called SPAN spectrum analyser.... should be easy enough to find and I believe it works with a variety of audio software Protools, Logic, etc. Have fun with that 335!

[@dougmccutcheon8570]

@@theguitaristas thank you

[@seanoakes3525]

I’m going to have a Tone Pros Tailpiece and a Monty’s or House of Tone hand made loom installed on mine

[@theguitaristas]

Nice one Sean... that's gonna wake it up!

[@CaryDepartmentofWorks]

Loving this series. In part as I am in the process of fixing up an old Yamaha sg that is be lying unloved for over a decade. Quick bridge question, do you think that nickel covered brass sounds a lot better than nickel covered steel? Do you think the original bridge that came with the guitar was steel?

[@theguitaristas]

Nice guitar that Cary!… I don’t know what the original would have been but nickel covered brass or just brass saddles is the way to go I reckon.

[@stevengood6434]

The brass saddles are the best sound

[@rob_in_stowmarket_uk]

Not keen on the tone generation from the nylon saddles… the spectrum analyser shows the degradation compared to the nickel plated brass. I think if there was any advantage in them Gibson, themselves, would still be using them. But everything else, so far 👍👍 Definitely considering these mods on my Sunburst example although, in truth, it does seem a tad more ‘lively’ acoustically than your Cherry version in ‘pt. 1’.

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Rob! 😎🎸👍

[@kennywally]

This is great. I just ordered the Epiphone ES 335 in CHerry red and I'd love to tinker around like this. Where do I buy these parts in the States ??

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Ken, nice one, it has the basis of a great guitar as you can hopefully here. These particular parts were all made by Faber Germany so maybe contact them in the first instance?

[@reddottx]

I imagine the nylon would sound better playing some jazz chords. They smooth out the high frequencies which may be too piercing for that style.

[@dannytribble1186]

I almost forgot, the reason for developing humbuckers was because of the noise made by single coil pickups hum of course and feedback. Hum can be avoided by a dummy or extra coil for each pickup. This takes up space, and looks ugly if added on the outside of the guitar. A noise gate on the amp can also help. For me a good quality p90 is the way to go this was the tones that were wanted , just delivered without the hum and noise p90s are known for. Everyone have a great day!

[@theguitaristas]

I love P90's... my favourite pickup full stop and I don't even care about the noise, hey its rock n roll!!

[@dannytribble1186]

@@theguitaristas Thank you for replying to my comments. In the past I would comment with how I felt about different guitars ,amps , playing styles etc. Now days I'm careful about what I say, I've never been disrespectful but there are some people who are real assholes on KZbin. I'm not speaking about you or anyone commenting on your videos. That's been 6 months ago, but it still smarts if you know what I mean. In this day and time its like 80% of everyone is bashing their neighbor , or friends or everyone they know. I'm not that way. I speak truthfully but respectfully. I'm not gonna blow smoke. If I say it I mean it. And if I say something good about someone I think they deserve it. So anyway most channel hosts don't reply, not ever . I have recieved replies from Tim Pierce, Chris Buck to name a couple besides you of course. I dont think you guys making videos have a great deal of extra time , thats the way I see it, and is my opinion valuable? It is to me .

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Danny, your opinion is definitely important to me dude and at the moment I am still able (time-wise) to read and reply to almost everything. I expect it will get harder if the channel grows so apologies in advance if I fail to acknowledge or reply to you at any time in the future! I gotta say at the moment most everyone is being really kind and supportive... but I expect that will change eventually 😂 This guitar crowd really is a great community and I’m proud to be a small part of it. thanks again and keep rocking! 😎👍🎸

[@dannytribble1186]

@@theguitaristas I value your opinion, if I haven't mentioned it before I apologize. I was just kidding about "does my opinion matter". I think we all value our own opinions, and we should , least we lose our self respect. I think that with the quality and thoughtful approach you're putting into your videos the sky is the limit. It wont happen overnight, but it will happen. You one day will have hundreds of thousands of subscribers , and I will definitely be one of them.😀

[@bennyjones1597]

Sounds really awesome to me what kind of amplifier are you using

[@theguitaristas]

Cheers Benny... signal chain info in the description box! 😎🎸

[@Harmonizerrr]

Night and day difference. Your face at 22:01 says it all.

[@theguitaristas]

😀

[@arthurwalls9091]

I wonder , just how much of a difference in sound would be made if you had included a Schaller Roller Bridge ...? It could have possibly not only cured a couple of ills by "1" not only improving sound but also , "2" negating any thought of needing to overwrap the tailpiece to reduce the tension which some think plagues this Bridge/ Tailpiece set up, resulting in string breakage at the saddle ......The roller saddles reduce string breakage by spreading the contact point out over the curve of the radius of the rollers reducing the sharp contact points of the regular type saddles........As for those Nylon saddles , I fully agree with you about them being more appropriate on a type guitar that is much more BRITTLE , Much as the STRATOCASTER & TELECASTER guitars are ...Could help them tone down that inherent PLINKYNESS they suffer from ... Thanks ...Keep up the great work , I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos / tutorials ..👋

[@theguitaristas]

Thanks Arthur, I've never actually considered a roller bridge on guitar without a tremelo, but as you suggest it could work... will try to test that out at some point!

[@arthurwalls9091]

@@theguitaristas I saw it added to a Les Paul a while back , the matching tail-piece & roller bridge as a set & it seemed to make a couple differences ... Schaller does make quality parts & components ...... Also , I prefer Grover turning pegs over most other but , an equal or at least close second would be SCHALLER ... Of all the mods I have seen done I've seen a lot of Schaller or Grover components put on guitars , but , NEVER have I seen THEM Taken Off & REPLACED Unless they were Damaged in some way ......Thanks for getting back to me so quickly , I really appreciate that .............. B.T.W. I have an Epiphone 335 , a mid 70's Black & Gold Gibson Les Paul Custom ( which I bought new ) a 2018 Silverburst Epiphone Les Paul Pro - Top , & a TV Yellow Epiphone Les Paul Special II .....Of course all acquired over a long spanse of time & the luck of finding some great deals & being to the right place at the right time & lucky enuff to have the money in my pocket to seal the deal ......👌👌👍👍👋👋🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@scottdavidson6066]

The steel ones definitely ring out more-greater reverberation.

[@scottdavidson6066]

Meant nickel/brass-not steel.

[@theguitaristas]

@@scottdavidson6066 Yes... noticeable improvement I didn't really expect to hear!

[@scottdavidson6066]

I just ordered a Gotoh bridge & tailpiece from Stew Mac for about $80 with tax and shipping. Going into my ‘07 Epi Les Paul Custom.