les paulverizer Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I've recently started using my H150 a lot more than I have in recent years, it has actually become my guitar of choice for a particular project that got involved with, only yesterday I replaced the bridge pickup ring with a Shadow Pickup Ring Tuner which I have fitted on all my Les Paul's (I'm surprised the Knaggs Steve Stevens is the only guitar that comes with one as standard!!!) and I'm contemplating fitting a wraparound bridge to it too, either a Wilkinson or a Pig Tail, and I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience with such an upgrade. Also, even though I intend to keep this guitar for life (not only because it's a great guitar, but also in light of recent...."developments" at Heritage!) I would be looking for something which wouldn't require any kind of modification. I'm open to opinions & suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 is it already a wraptail? I have a Pigtail stoptailpiece & steel studs in a gtr, am really happy with them also had one of their wraptail pieces in an old 60's SG special: worked really well and the strings were much more adjustable due to the lower profile of the TP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les paulverizer Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 @bolero, thanks. This guitar was made in the year 2000 and it still has the roller-type Shaller which they came with then. Even before I started thinking about the wraparound thing, I was gonna replace that bridge with a more "normal" ABR Tune-o-matic anyway. Shaller make some really excellent solid products, but those roller saddles(?) baffle me big time! I think Heritage stopped fitting those when they also stopped fitting Shaller Super 50 pickups and turned to Seymour Duncan '59 as standard, so I guess they probably cut their ties with Shaller altogether...maybe...? The reason I was thinking of fitting a wraparound to my H150 is that all the guitars I've played so far that had that type of bridge (Gibson SG's, a Jeff Beck Oxblood Les Paul, etc etc) seemed to have slightly more attack than the rest, and I think that particular bridge somehow contributes to that. I know that Steve Stevens also feels the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 hmm, selling that after modding/drilling a wraptail might be hard I'd be inclined to sell it & find a used H150 that is already wraptail? for a LP I would probably use a vintage styled roun bar, as the thinner one might end up pretty high in the air & look strange? depending on your neck angle/bridge height ie: vs although having intonation adj is a big plus, with that! Pigtail makes both: http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php RIP Steve Rowan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 The wrap bridges use a wider hole spread than the ABR and tunamatic... To fit the bridge would require very unappealing mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les paulverizer Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 12 minutes ago, Millennium Maestro said: The wrap bridges use a wider hole spread than the ABR and tunamatic... To fit the bridge would require very unappealing mods. Wow, I didn't know that, thank you for the valuable info @Millennium Maestro... That kills is then! This is a guitar that I will never sell so a little upgrade here and there I'm ok with, like a metal jack plate, Shadow pickup ring Tuner, locking tuners and little things like that (even Gary Moore fitted locking tuners to his "Holy Grail Peter Green" '59 Les Paul, "because it keeps it in tune!") however anything that would require some sort of major surgery...forget it! It sounds ace as it is already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les paulverizer Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 And this is the guitar, still with the original bridge pickup ring that I replaced yesterday with a Shadow Pickup Ring Tuner, same as all my other Les Paul's. In view of the helpful comments above, I'll just swap the roller bridge with an ABR or a Tune-o-matic then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElNumero Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 43 minutes ago, bolero said: hmm, selling that after modding/drilling a wraptail might be hard I'd be inclined to sell it & find a used H150 that is already wraptail? for a LP I would probably use a vintage styled roun bar, as the thinner one might end up pretty high in the air & look strange? depending on your neck angle/bridge height ie: vs although having intonation adj is a big plus, with that! Pigtail makes both: http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php RIP Steve Rowan That is the exact bridge I have on my 137! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 to go to ABR you would need a conversion post. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Conversion-Posts-Install-a-ABR-1-on-Gibson-guitar-with-Nashville-bridge-Nickel/111300017648?epid=1031375287&hash=item19e9ff7df0:g:j2QAAOSw7XBY8W0p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deytookerjaabs Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Good luck but, yeah, I agree with others, I'd only wrap tail if it was a beat up carcass getting a top refin etc. That said, it'd be nice to see more wrap tail H-150's in the new lineup with 'buckers or P90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 1 hour ago, deytookerjaabs said: That said, it'd be nice to see more wrap tail H-150's in the new lineup with 'buckers or P90's. Guy (MM)...?! Still have it? Oh...and les paulverizer, Guy, meet Millennium Maestro, Guy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I've been thinking of this for >1 year. This mod has to cheaper than to have it factory. Unfortunately, I haven't found a reasonably priced victim, er, used guitar. I also don't believe it is something that just any old guitar tech can do correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredZepp Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 1 hour ago, yoslate said: Guy (MM)...?! Still have it? Oh...and les paulverizer, Guy, meet Millennium Maestro, Guy.... Oh yeah... Slates former rockin' wraptail 150 .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 1 hour ago, FredZepp said: Oh yeah... Slates former rockin' wraptail 150 .. Ms Tron looks nothing like that and yeah I still gots her! In fact Ijammed her last night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les paulverizer Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 11 hours ago, yoslate said: Guy (MM)...?! Still have it? Oh...and les paulverizer, Guy, meet Millennium Maestro, Guy.... Hi @yoslate, good to see you again! Yes,of course I still have it! Twice I got "this close"(!) to buying a PRS Custom 24, without a doubt a truly great guitar , then I stumbled across this H150 from the Dallas Guitar Show and the rest is history...so even though some guitars come and go this, along with two others (a Yamaha acoustic and a Gibson Custom Shop '58 Reissue) will NEVER go! Since I bought it about 14 years ago(?) I've done a lot of sessions, live work and a lot of other stuff with it then it became my #2 until I just got involved in a project where it fits the bill perfectly; in all honesty, after 4 years of solid playing (the more a guitar is played the better it sounds, period!) the Gibson R8 is now so close to a real '58 it's scary (we've compared it to the real thing with a friend of mine who deals with vintage guitars) whereas the best way I can describe the Heritage is "the best Les Paul Gibson never made in the 70's!", it feels and sounds more "modern" but in a wonderful way! Oh yeah, and it feels so good to be back on this forum too! Lovely! Have a wonderful day everyone and keep wailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveRobrecht Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 Duesenberg makes a wrap around that has the correct spacing to replace the tune-o-matic bridge. It even comes with rounded cap screws to cover the unused tailpiece holes/threads. You might have to replace the threaded inserts currently in the guitar with the ones that come with the bridge. I haven't found any for sale domestically. I think I got mine from Germany. It was about $100 shipped and came fairly quickly. I put one on a Hamer Special Junior. Duesenberg Bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 If you are going the ABR-1 conversion, I personally would go with either Faber or Calaham conversion hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les paulverizer Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 On 18/03/2018 at 11:20 AM, Kuz said: If you are going the ABR-1 conversion, I personally would go with either Faber or Calaham conversion hardware. Thank you for the suggestion @Kuz, I've decided to go for an ABR-1 because: A) a couple of days ago I actually found an old Gibson one, it has to be at least 40 yrs old if not more, that I totally forgot I had...! B) as I wrap the strings over the tailpiece, using those bits between the tailpiece and the bridge occasionally (for added tremolo and/or "pling pling" effect...and other assorted lunacies!) over time has become part of my style; I still think that Les Paul Junior-style bridges impart more attack & sustain to a guitar, however this particular guitar as both in such an abundance that the difference would be negligible. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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