Bridge replacement for Epi 335.

[alderbody]

i'm planning to install a Gotoh bridge and tailpiece
on my Epiphone 335 Ltd.

Are they worth it or should i save my money and buy
the original ABR-1 or the tone-pros?

Something else worth checking out?

Would a "feather weight" stop bar overbrighten the tone?

How about the switch? Has anyone tried the one warmoth sells?

Any alternatives to switchcraft?

WCR crossroads are on the way along with RS electronics upgrade kit...

thanks

[hipfan]

I have one of Steve Rowan's (Pigtail Music) aluminum tailpieces on my Korean Washburn 335 copy, and I like it a lot. It seems to do nice things for the tone of that guitar, without any over-brightening at all. The tone is smooth and punchy.

I would say skip the Gotoh replacement tailpiece, as it's likely to be just more of the same as what's on your guitar right now (unless I'm missing something?). I would go for the aluminum tailpiece - maybe from RS Guitarworks. Theirs is cheaper than Pigtail's or Gibson's, but a great piece nonetheless. The Pigtail tailpiece is much more "vintage correct," but that probably isn't a concern with your Epiphone.

I like the Tonepros bridges too, but I couldn't find one to fit the goofy bridge post dimensions of this Washburn, unfortunately.

Good luck with the upgrades!

[JimiB]

the Gotoh bridge is a good move, its much better than the stock one.

[alderbody]

i want a bridge that can make my strings intonate correctly.

the original cannot do that, plus it's loosing the gold plating really fast.
Besides, i prefer chrome.

All the gold stuff will be gone soon.

for the time, i have one for and one against the gotoh...

...thanks anyway!

[JimiB]

I am for the bridge as it has far more travel than the original which I needed to intonate my dot. The Gotoh lightweight aluminum tailpiece is lighter (more resonant) than the stock tail piece. For $12 more this one is probably even lighter and better
http://www.rsguitarworks.net/catalog...products_id=70

[hipfan]

Originally posted by alderbody
for the time, i have one for and one against the gotoh...

...thanks anyway!

Now, my no-buy Gotoh comments only applied to the *tailpiece*, not the bridge. I agree with JimiB that the Gotoh *bridge* might be a good addition. I would get that, and then an aluminum tailpiece such as the RS version that JimiB linked in his last post.

[John Phillips]

Originally posted by alderbody
i want a bridge that can make my strings intonate correctly.

Turn the lower three saddles round the right way.

Every single guitar that comes out of Korea seems to have this basic mistake - they do it on purpose, for some reason. Not only does it often make the D string impossible to intonate, it causes string breakage. The vertical sides of the saddles should face the fingerboard.

You have to pop the little wire off, take the saddles out, turn the saddle round on the screws and refit them - two minutes tops. I've never come across one single Epi that won't intonate properly after that.

(Carefully smoothing out the grooves can be needed to stop the breakage issue too.)

I know you want to change it anyway, I just thought I'd mention that for reference. And because the three backwards saddles are a pet peeve of mine . Those two minutes really get annoying when you have to do it on every single Korean guitar you set up.

[alderbody]

john, i wanted to do this "two minute" trick but as you guessed, i want to change the bridge anyway.
this trick is indeed the only way to intonate this guitar.

the problem with the RS tailpiece is that they don't supply the studs as well,
so in my case, i have to find crome studs.

does anyone know where i could only buy the studs for a t/p?

i think the gotoh bridge is a winner... Is it a dead - on replacement on Epis?
Has anyone ever done such a swap?

how about the switch? warmoth sells one for $10.50 but i don't think it's a switchcraft. I emailed them and they only wrote this: "switch Kraft"...

is it a 'wannabe-switchcraft' brand?... has anyone tried this?

As for the tuning keys i think i'll go for Grover rotomatic. I believe they'll fit.

thanks guys!!!

[alderbody]

i finally found all i needed from warmoth and stew-mac.


now waiting for them to show up!...

thanks!