Tailpiece studs for USA Studio

[CraigP]

I just got a 1994 Studio Custom and I am thinking of replacing the stock tailpiece with a lightweight aluminum one. While I was at it, I will probably replace the studs with some heavy steel ones from Faber. Are the USA Hamer studs the same dimension as Gibson? i.e. 5/16" 24 thread pattern?

[tbonesullivan]

wait.. you're replacing the stock tailpiece with a lightweight one, but putting heavy studs on...

Personally I've never had any complaints with the hamer hardware. They were using Schaller in the 90s, and maybe still or Gotoh. Good stuff. I've done the whole bridge swap out thing a bunch of times... and I don't think I ever noticed a change that justified the cost and effort.

[CraigP]

Perhaps I am buying into the hype too much... My impression was that Hamer also uses zinc plated tailpieces in their guitars and that lightweight aluminum tailpieces are usually recommended as an easy upgrade. I think this is something that others on the board have often recommended. I agree the changeover to steel posts sounds odd, but the idea is that the more solid posts transfer the vibration better than the stock ones? I agree that I don't know about the validity of that latter argument...

[tbonesullivan]

I'm not sure what the stock studs are, brass, steel, or something else. I mean you might notice a difference, but I don't know if the sustain will increase a lot.

I've never understood the aluminum tailpiece thing though. I'm not sure how making it lighter or changing the alloy can make such a change in tone on a solid body guitar. Most of the sound energy I would think goes in through the bridge posts, as that is the end point for the vibration.

Has anyone ever done some A/B tests of a guitar with the same strings before and after a tailpiece change?

[CraigP]

Well, just got the new studs and tailpiece set from Faber. The studs were the right size, but apparently wrong thread! Oh well. Kept the stock Hamer studs, but installed the Faber washers that allow raising of the tailpiece but keeping good contact with the body. Also put on the aluminum tailpiece. Well, of course it now sounds fantastic, but don't know if all the fiddling around has changed the tone. I wish I had something fancy to monitor the high and low frequency responses. Putting in a set of WCR BetSet pickups next week, then it is fiddling complete for now...

[RobB]

Well, just got the new studs and tailpiece set from Faber. The studs were the right size, but apparently wrong thread!

Craig, just email Larry @CV Guitars. I'm sure he'll replace the studs with the proper thread size.

I installed the aluminum tailpiece/steel stud set on my LP and did notice a bit more 'ping' to the tone. Good to have, since it has PG pups and the more 'snark' the better.

I've got the LP in the shop to install the ABR locking bridge. This bridge, along with a new nut and Anderson/Bigsby mod, transformed my Newport, really. Stays in tune beautifully, even with brutal bar-abuse.

[CraigP]

Good idea. I will fire off an email. Who would have thought that Hamer would use metric posts. Maybe it was as 90's thing.