Normal STP vs Wrap-around STP

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OK - let's do the job together ... :wink:

... what I perhaps will forget to mention - it's your turn to add or to correct - OK ??? :lol:


Roger
 
tudor said:
OK - let's do the job together ... :wink:

... what I perhaps will forget to mention - it's your turn to add or to correct - OK ??? :lol:


Roger

Agreed 8) :lol:

Mine will probably take a while to get across the continent though. :(
 
Hi guys,

... as promised - here my review:

Mounted a Faber Kit today ? brought it with me from a visit to togps .

The reason for replacing was, that I wanted to keep the stock Alu STP of my ?85 LS150 free from damage and scratches by the strings in the wrap-around mod.

But ? what a surprise ? it was the best solution I could get !!

Not alone that I had a nice new, but ?aged? STP ? in addition to that togps provides also 3 different spacer rings in alu for improving the height adjustment of the studs without having a lack of tone.

I chose the middle high one to get a comfortable hight and tension for the strings.

The mounting was so easy because the STP doesn?t slip from the studs any more because it will be held by turning the studs with the put on spacer rings into the threaded bolts in the body ? so the STP is tightened and the restringing is so easy - now your 10 fingers are enough to get it in opposite to former efforts ? and - the most important advantage ? no dings or dongs on the finish caused by a loose and falling STP ?
The STP is absolutely tight ? no vertical tipping of the STP by the tension of the strings, as it happened with the normal STP. The spacer rings are keeping it in a horizontal level.

Let?s talk about the sound ?

The spacer rings have an additional positive effect on tone and sustain ? they are a better connection to the body than the studs alone being turned out wide enough to optimize tuning and intonation. The sustain is increasing and there is a better attack and ? you feel the vibrations on your body again. If you don?t feel it - I can?t help you !!

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Roger
 
I'll post a detailed review tomorrow, but for now I'll just say that I'm *very* impressed with the faber kit - I already had a gotoh alu tp and tonepros locking studs on my love rock, but the kit works even better.
 
Following on from tudor's review, here are my impressions of the faber kit.

I've seen two similar methods used to improve body coupling over the years. The first was tonepros locking studs, but these still poke out from the body unless you top wrap. Secondly, I've seen people on the LPF make alu spacer rings to use with standard studs, a technique that improves body coupling but doesn't lock the tailpiece. The faber kit is the best of both worlds, improving coupling and locking down the tailpiece without the need for top-wrapping or otherwise altering your setup.

My guitar already had an alu stp and tonepros studs but I decided to try the faber kit because it was remarkably cheap (27 euros to the UK inc postage) and because the rings come in alu, which is always good to have in bridge hardware. The kit comes with three spacer sets at different heights - the tallest one was closest to the height I was using, so I installed that. I used the same set of strings before and after to make sure that the comparison was fair.

The result? Well, to be honest I wasn't expecing a big difference because I already had locking hardware. I was wrong, there was a *very* noticeable improvement. Better sustain, more volume, a depth and 'tightness' to the notes that wasn't there before, and you really can feel the body resonate more!

This is the only locking hardware you can buy that clamps the whole stp layout solidly in place - like Gottfried says, the entire thing becomes a massive sustain block. Not only that, but because you don't have to do the top wrap you can keep a hard break angle on your strings, which improves vibration transfer. The results are excellent.

Disadvantages? Well, the obvious one is the limited adjustability. There are only three spacer sets (2.5mm for top wrapping, 4mm and 5.5mm - it's a well-chosen range). However, unless you're VERY picky about your setup or have you tailpiece set unusually high you should be able to pick a set that is so close to your current setup that it makes no noticeable difference. Even if you are the picky type, the improvement in tone is worth the loss of adjustability. Anyone who's played a '54 les paul or a 3-saddle tele will know what I mean.

The faber kit really works and is much cheaper than other types of locking hardware out there. A fantstic buy. Well done Gottfried!
 
I remember i have pending to install the ones I got in my guitars I will do it very soon when I have some free time to sit down a while and taste it as I take some time to myself to experiment.....I guess Gottfried will have to lauch some Faber kits in gold soo because our request,mine too....
 
I also got the Faber kit & the ALU STP (polished)
Installed it the other night
Havn't had a chance to gig with it yet, this sat & sun I will, but my first impressions are as follows
I do the Wraparound with the smallest rings in the kit, slowly nipped the studs up until they stopped, then 1/32 more turn to tightned them up, solid as!!

I've found that the tone has improved,clearer, sustain is longer, attack is the most noticable difference, mind you , I'm only at garage levels to unplugged levels, I'll give a more in depth rev after sun night gig
So far very impressed
Fast shipment & a good communicator our Gottfried, although we had some language barriers , My Fault, LOL
 
The STP is aluminium or I believe you can order one in Titanium!
The Faber kit has the aluminium rings, the posts are NOT aluminium

Tonight it was the first gig I've done since installing the kit, absolutely fantastic!!
I'll tell you the improvements I've found at gig levels, my post on the forum has been at garage levels

Clearer notes, much more control of tone in just picking, soft to hard, more resonsive
Attack is greatly improved, sustain... well it used to be great now it just hangs there forever (with a little help of pedals of course, but I've always had them even before the mod)

So there goes the, keep my Tokai stock standard out the window LOL
Well worth the money
Great improvement IMHO
 
leadguitar_323 said:
Hey hawkeye ,are the faber kits aluminium and where did you get yours ..?? :)

The rings and tailpiece are alu, but I believe you have to specify that you want aluminium as I think they come in steel as well.

If you want one, send a message to togps on this forum, he's the one who sells them. 8)
 
togps wrote, moved from the Forum Announcement section:
Here we have a rare Tokai 1981 "THE STRAT" Mary Kaye alike ...
Only 50 made. Gold hardware.
It is a SS70

chrisheyes wrote:
Where on earth did you find that beauty ?

Is the bridge solid brass ?

I'd already taken you advice on lightweight aluminium stop tailpieces Gottfried

I got this from www.Pigtailmusic.com

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I got the idea after I saw the photo's you posted of the Jeff Beck Style Love Rock that you had specially made - Another stunning guitar.

This guy is so good, he makes stuff for NASA !!!
 
chrisheyes said:
This guy is so good, he makes stuff for NASA !!!

Yes, Chrisheyes, I agree.
But forgive me, its STP looks ugly and not original.
I am sure it intonates 100%.

But Chris look here:

There is also from Pigtail a very nice looking and EXPENSIVE $ 129 ALU STP (He makes stuff for NASA :wink: )

I am not sure if it meets the intonation on Tokai models - without ABR bridge - equipped only with a STP.
Following my communication with Forum member Jim Jones it does not!
Somebody should check it. Maybe me??




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