Heritage H535 with Sperzel locking tuners

[vinni]

Hi,

Played an H535 today....
Superb!!!!!

The only thing I did not like are the vintage style tuners.
I saw a H535 at Wolfs with sperzel locking tuners.
But these were factory-installed.

Now....
Is there anybody outthere that replace the orignals with sperrzels?

If so....no problems?....no additional holes?

Thanks,
Vinni

 

[vinni]

Ok....it's in da house!

But I still like to know about the locking tuners.

Vinni

 

[Jollyb]

Very Nice! Best of luck with it...........Kudos to you for buying a Real Vintage gibson and not some POS overpriced piece of lumber with the name Gibson on the headstock................

 

[HarryJ]

I put a set of gold grovers on mine

http://www.harryj.net/heritage.jpg

I also strongly suggest changing the schaller roller bridge.

I have the tonepro bridge on mine. personally I would not recommend it and would suggest saving a lot of the bucks and get the Gotoh (Gibson) type bridge. I notice no difference in tone or sustain between the 2.

I did also change the tailpiece to a gold aluminum tailpiece.

The stock Schaller pickups were downright anemic... put in your favorite PAF dejour

The pots were all 250K on mine... change them to either 500K or perhaps 330K if you want the warmth

Now it i a SUPERB instrument!

Here are some video clips of it in action for any interested

http://www.harryj.net/video_clips.htm

Harry Jacobson
www.harryj.net

 

[vinni]

There are Duncan '59 installed in my H535.
And I reaaly like them.

But why should I replace the Schaller bridge?
If so.....What Tonepro bridge do you suggest?
Do I have to replace the tailpiece as well?
If so....what tailpiece do you suggest.

Thanks....

Vinni

 

[HarryJ]

You don't HAVE to replace anything at all really, you have a very nice instrument as is.

I wasn't satisfied with "nice" Just like most of us, I am always searching for the "holiest grail"

Now, read my post again and you will see that I absolutely DO NOT recomend the tone pro, unless you like to spend money for the fun of it. My Tonepro is just a modified Gotoh bridge, I personally found no benefit to the mod, so... I recomend getting the un-modded Gotoh for app. $20. That's just my experience with it.

I did however find a significant improvement in tone over the Schaller roller bridge.

The jury is out on the aluminum tailpiece, many have heard an improvement, and it was only app $20... they were previously only available from Gibson and closer to $100 at that time. so for $20... I did it.

Replacing the stock Schaller pickups was a HUGE improvement. Heritage now also offers other choices such as Duncan, and their newish HRW pickups. Both much better than stock.

HJ

 

[samdjr74]

Vinni,

Nice guitar, congrats!!!!!! Don't waste your money like Harry said on the tone-pros, yes I do hear an improvement but not at there price. I actually made my own tone pros, just took a gotoh bridge and drilled and tapped two holes in it with a couple of grub screws.

As far as your tuning machines, can you post a pic of what's on there now? My H150 came with stanadard grovers but I swapped them out for rotomatic imperials.

Thanks,
Sam

[/IMG]

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[vinni]

Hi Sam,

Thanks for your reply,

Ithe tuners are really big Grovers.
But they do feel loose....
Like to know what locking tuners I can install.
(without visible holes)

Picture

Vinni

 

[HarryJ]

Vinni,

I realize that was addressed to Sam, but may I ask why you want to use locking tuners on a non trem guitar in the first place?

P.S. If the Govers are loose, tighten the screws on the sides of each peg

HJ

 

[vinni]

A few reasons....

-I'm not that good on stringing guitars with conventional tuners.

- Locking tuners are far more easier to use.
- It's faster to replace a broken string on stage ( I only use one guitar)
- Guitars stay better in tune IMO
- I do change tunings during shows. I think locking tuners can handle alternative tunings better. It's not extreme though....Drop-D and G-tunning (The Stones 'ya know!)

Yesterday I played the H535 for the first time during a rehersal. It really sounds great....I'm gonna callid it "Big Mouth" ! But it didn't stay in tune....I had to tune all the time.
Today I did take a good look at the nut. It isn't cut very good.
The distributor in the Netherlands adviced to use a little nutsauce.

But I just found out that the tuners on the H535 are Grover Rotomatics. I don't think that these are the problem. Seems to me that these Grovers are very good. I also found out that Grover doesn't have a locking alternative that fits the holes of my rotomatics exactly.
So...I'm a little confused right now.

Vinni

 

[vinni]

P.s.

If someone have tricks about staying in tune with conventional tuners.....I like to learn!

Vinni

 

[samdjr74]

Hi Vinni,

You're in luck, grover now makes a locking tuner that is a stock replacement for their non locking tuners.

Thanks,
Sam

 

[vinni]

Tell Meeeeee!

Yesterday I compared the measurements of my tuners with all the available Grover locking tuners. (source : Stewmac) It really frustrated me that there was no locking tuner that fitted my rotomatics exactly.

What locking tuners are you talking about.
Also....cannot find the Grover website. There's only info available about their products on other sites.

Thanks,

Vinni

 

[samdjr74]

Vinni,

Try this:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead/Grover_Locking_Guitar_Machines.html

 

[vinni]

Yeah....
Did take a look at those.
They sizes are different.
(Look at the specs of both tuners)

Vinni

 

[samdjr74]

Yeah but the difference in the specs don't equire you to drill new holes. The specs change because of the locking mechanism but the case is a direct repalcement for a non locking grover.

 

[vinni]

Hi,

Taking a closer look at the nut revealed that it wasn't cut properly. So I replaced it with a graphtec nut, put some lubrication on it, Snake-oil-brand strings....et voila!

Vinni is as happy as can be! :AOK

Thanks all !

Vinni

 

[Mutley]

My 535 came with the Schaller TOM bridge which I find to be as workable as any TOM I have ever had. I would change to the Gotoh in a hot second if that would enable me to play like Harryj in those clips.

Absolutley smokin' Harry! The DiMarzio pafs sound great too. I put a set of WCR Crossroads in my 535 with similar results, although I found the Schaller pups to be respectable.

 

[HarryJ]

Hey thx man... kind of you to say

HJ