Modifying a Guitar

[Break Zero]

Ok, So once they are released, I plan on picking up an ESP/ltd. F400FM. I just have questions about possibly modifications I may make, and hopefully someone more knowledgeable will answer

1. Its a Tune-o-matic/String-thru-body. I've only played a string-thru-body a few times before, but I find I like Tune-o-matic/stop tailpiece the best. What are the differences, pros, and cons bewteen String-thru and Stop tailpiece, and if Stoptail is better, is it possible to modify the guitar to add a stop tailpiece, and is it worth it?

2. It comes with two EMG 81s. I plan on keeping the Bridge 81 as I like the sound, but will probably change the neck pickup. I like the sound of the EMG 85 in the neck, but the EMG 60 has started to intrest me. I was also intrigued by the EMG 89, which sounds like a combo of an SA and an 85. Anyone with experience in EMGs possibly give some imput as to which would be a good neck pickup? I play plenty of types of music, but mostly Metal (meh, go figure...), specificly Thrash and some stuff along the lines of Black Sabbath and 80's Queensryche. So fast and heavy, sometimes sludgey, and sometimes clean and soft.

3. It has Grover tuners. Worth changing to Sprezels?

Thank you for your time

 

[Bryant]

I could make something up that sounds pretty fascinating about the differences between thru-body and fixed bridge, but to be honest, I see no difference less it's harder to string up a string-thru, there are more holes in the body in the string-thru which might reduce just a bit of the acoustic properties of the guitar and on the fixed bridge, you don't get to see as much of the paint and body of the guitar.

Bryant

 

[Break Zero]

Hmm. Anyone else with imput?

 

[Pita Bread]

Instead of spending all that money on upgrades, why don't you just save up some cash and buy a REAL ESP... not the LTD things?

 

[Break Zero]

Instead of spending all that money on upgrades, why don't you just save up some cash and buy a REAL ESP... not the LTD things?

Cause thats another 1000 bucks right there. This altogether would probably be 1/2 that and just as good.

 

[Iced In Flames]

A string thru bridge adds more tone and a lot more sustain than a standard fixed bridge.

 

[Sunbane]

What are the differences, pros, and cons bewteen String-thru and Stop tailpiece, and if Stoptail is better, is it possible to modify the guitar to add a stop tailpiece, and is it worth it?

I agree with Bryant, that the tonal differences would probably be too small to notice. String-through just seems more "hip" these days, and manufacturers claim all sorts of outrageous things to make them sell. You'll see claims like "more sustain", "fatter tone", etc all the time. Last time I checked, nobody accused Gibson Les Pauls of lacking either sustain or tone for instance. I think the type of neck joint, the type of scale length and the density/structure of the wood has a bigger impact on tone/sustain than the type of string retainer used.

Stringing up a string-thru (as opposed to a stop bar) can be somewhat problematic if you're in a hurry though. Y'see, the string ferrules in the top often have quite a small hole in them, so you'll have to fiddle around with the string for a bit to get it through. This is usually a non-issue for gigging artists, because they have a backup guitar ready in case they break a string onstage.

I like string-through myself, although it's mostly because of the neat look. By all means, when you get the guitar, give it a chance for a while and see if you like it. If you find that you hate the string-thru, then by all means, slap a stopbar on it. Btw, the smartest/quickest hardtail construction I've seen, is the Ibanez stopbar - the one with the string slots in it.

Anyone with experience in EMGs possibly give some imput as to which would be a good neck pickup?

Pretty much any EMG will be a good neck pickup - it's all down to what sound you prefer. I actually kinda like the sound of a bright pickup in the neck, but right now I use an old 58 (with an 85 in the bridge). Whatever floats your boat man... =)

Unless I'm mistaken, the 60 is a bright pickup, like the 81, but maybe with a bit lower output (I have yet to try one, so I can't say for sure). If you like the 85, chances are you won't like the 60 as much. The 89 is a splittable version of the 85, so you'll get more variety out of it - but you'd have to use it with a push/pull pot or drill a hole for a mini switch.

3. It has Grover tuners. Worth changing to Sprezels?

Again, it's down to what you prefer. Grover does make good machine heads, so I'd suggest keeping them on until you know whether you like them or not.

'bane

 

[Break Zero]

The 89 is a splittable version of the 85, so you'll get more variety out of it - but you'd have to use it with a push/pull pot or drill a hole for a mini switch.

'bane

I suspected as much. Would a push/pull pot or a mini switch some with the pickup or do I have to find that seperate

 

[Niklas]

i have a LTD bass, no faults with it at all, best purchase ever, and it's very REAL!!

 

[Sunbane]

I suspected as much. Would a push/pull pot or a mini switch some with the pickup or do I have to find that seperate

Hmmm...I dunno. =/
I'd guess it should be included in the package, but I really have no idea. =/

 

[Indiooo]

Don't waste your money on locking tuners for a fixed bridge guitar. Or are you a fan of 455 step bends? You probably won't need the tuners.

 

[yabba]

Don't waste your money on locking tuners for a fixed bridge guitar. Or are you a fan of 455 step bends? You probably won't need the tuners.

actually I think the main benefit of locking tuners is that they make string changes much quicker and easier. There may be some slight benefit to tuning stability, but most of that is going to come from having the nut and bridge saddles set up properly, and actually putting the string on the tuner and tuning up correctly in the first place.

(that said, I think I'm gonna agree with Sunbane's sentiment and say get the guitar and play it for a while before you get all ready to change things, you may find you like it as it is)

 

[xenophobe]

I don't see how locking tuners will make string changes easier, only more difficult. Personally, I like sperzels, but they're only needed on guitars with a trem that don't have a locking nut. Basically, they're original use is for retrofitting on strats with v-trems that had no locking nuts.

As for string-thru vs stop bar? That's a tonal difference less than a neckthru vs bolt-on, which is also minimal at best. It's mainly just a cleaner look.

I know pots come with EMGs, with the 89, there's a good chance it comes with both a selector or push/pull. Since the pickup is designed with that in mind, I would assume that.

 

[Bryant]

2. It comes with two EMG 81s. I plan on keeping the Bridge 81 as I like the sound, but will probably change the neck pickup. I like the sound of the EMG 85 in the neck, but the EMG 60 has started to intrest me. I was also intrigued by the EMG 89, which sounds like a combo of an SA and an 85. Anyone with experience in EMGs possibly give some imput as to which would be a good neck pickup? I play plenty of types of music, but mostly Metal (meh, go figure...), specificly Thrash and some stuff along the lines of Black Sabbath and 80's Queensryche. So fast and heavy, sometimes sludgey, and sometimes clean and soft.

3. It has Grover tuners. Worth changing to Sprezels?

Thank you for your time

As far as pickup selection, I have argued with people until I was blue in the face, but some don't see it as a problem so they have that right:

That argument from my point is that a pickup CAN be "too hot." While I have several guitars and several pick-up combinations, I normally only use my neck pickup for a clean tone and I don't want my neck pickup overdriving my amp causing distortion. I ripped out a hot rail pickup from one of my guitars in favor of a "strat style" single coil because I always had to adjust my volume knob to keep it from distorting on my clean channel. That may not be a problem for people with seperate neck and bridge pickup volume knobs, but I hated having to stomp my channel selector/A-B box/effects or whatever I was using at the time to go from dirty to clean, while also having to tweak my volume knob and prepare to go into a different chord progression. Before you make any rash decisions, decide what you are going to be ploaying out of that neck pickup before you buy one.

With the Grovers, they make quality machine heads. Some of them are as fine as any Sprezels you can buy, but Grover also makes middle of the road tuning gear that may or may not be up to your specs. I have a dirt cheap Koerean Ibanez EX series guitar made in the early 80's still with stock tuners and I have never even dreamed about replacing them because I can play for about an hour before I hear it being a little off on stretched strings. If I were gigging with the guitar, I might upgrade so that I could drink a beer or two in between sets instead of standing on the stage looking goofy tuning up or running off in a corner to do it, but for my need, I could find something better to spend the money on.


Bryant

 

[yabba]

I don't see how locking tuners will make string changes easier, only more difficult.

I dunno, I've always found them much quicker to string up with. Just pull the string tight, lock it down and tune to pitch, none of that tedious winding to get several wraps of string around the post, etc.

(it might be just me )

 

[7 Dying Trees]

The 89 comes with a pushpull pot Fantastic pickup, gives you more optuions, always good

 

[Sex Machine]

the reason les pauls get so much sustain is the set neck design, first off, the mahogony used itself is amazing wood, and the set neck design allows the guitar to vibrate cleanly throughout the body as well as the neck. when you have a bolt on neck, the sound is mostly coming from the neck and the bridge, cause the vibration is interupted over the gap between the neck and body.

when you have a string thru body, it vibrates through the body a lot more, and if you have a bolt on neck, it will give the guitar a lot more sustain.


and all of this is why i fucking love the schecters c series. all neck thru or set neck, and string thru design, which is a set up for the gods. they sound so much better than most guitars.

the manufacturer is not telling you lies when they say string thru is better.

 

[Sunbane]