1982 LS100 Replacement Hardware Suggestions

[gbo10]

Hey everyone! I am looking to replace some of the hardware on my LS100 and was hoping to get some suggestions and recommendations on what has worked for you guys. I am trying to upgrade to more vintage correct parts like the bridge and tailpiece. Thanks!

 

[Sigmania]

Have you checked out Faber?

https://www.faberguitar.com/index.php?k=83&lang=eng

 

[gbo10]

Have you checked out Faber?

https://www.faberguitar.com/index.php?k=83&lang=eng

Yes I have! Their stuff looks great but wasn’t sure if I would need a metric abr or just the regular one. I have heard mixed things, but would assume metric

 

[Sigmania]

Also be aware of these issues:

Reborn Old and mapleflame mod

guitar hiro:

"I personally would not recommend changing bridge posts on a vintage Tokai LS, unless there is some real issue with the posts.
Just my 2 cents."

 

[Sigmania]

Metric:

ABRM - Fits Metric-Studs

 

[Sigmania]

I would message Gottfried, the Faber president. He's a memeber here as well (togps).

 

[gbo10]

Metric:

ABRM - Fits Metric-Studs

Thanks! That is what I was thinking. I really appreciate it. Would the regular tailpiece fit? I only see one option for those

 

[gbo10]

I would message Gottfried, the Faber president. He's a memeber here as well (togps).

Oh perfect. Thanks again!!

 

[togps]

Hi there,
thank you for your inquiry

Buyers guide for Japan made LP's: Tokai, Greco, FGN. etc.:
Tailpiece:
TPI-B-MNG Faber 8mm metric Tailpiece Inserts (pair) Steel, nickel pla, 16,00 €
TL-MNG, Metric thread, nickel gloss, 31,00 €
Faber® Stop Tailpieces
Bridge:
ABRM - Fits Metric-Studs
better solution as ABRM would be ABRL/ABRLB:
ABRL - Fits all guitars
August 2022: ABRLB now available:
ABRLB-NG ABRL Bridge, pat. pend. Locking System, SOLID BELL BRASS, Gl, 111,00 €
The world's only available locking ABR bridge, that is machined from solid bell brass!

All bridges are as well available with Titanium saddles or as HYBRIDge with a brass/titanium mix
(3 x titanium saddles for the lower bass strings – gives more definition, when you have a muddy sound while playing chords)

 

[gbo10]

Hi there,
thank you for your inquiry

Buyers guide for Japan made LP's: Tokai, Greco, FGN. etc.:
Tailpiece:
TPI-B-MNG Faber 8mm metric Tailpiece Inserts (pair) Steel, nickel pla, 16,00 €
TL-MNG, Metric thread, nickel gloss, 31,00 €
Faber® Stop Tailpieces
Bridge:
ABRM - Fits Metric-Studs
better solution as ABRM would be ABRL/ABRLB:
ABRL - Fits all guitars
August 2022: ABRLB now available:
ABRLB-NG ABRL Bridge, pat. pend. Locking System, SOLID BELL BRASS, Gl, 111,00 €
The world's only available locking ABR bridge, that is machined from solid bell brass!

All bridges are as well available with Titanium saddles or as HYBRIDge with a brass/titanium mix
(3 x titanium saddles for the lower bass strings – gives more definition, when you have a muddy sound while playing chords)

Thank you so much!

 

[ElectricJam]

I did a full ‘57 specifiction conversion to my 1978 LS-50. It was by no means a cheap process, but I can attest it was worth every cent. As far as tone is concerned, it produced an instantaneous night and day improvement. It is now by far my best sounding guitar plugged in and is everything you’d hope a vintage Gibson to sound like. If you are genuinely invested in doing this conversion, I would advise you overhaul the entire guitar. Not simply replacing the electronic components. As, I believe the most contributory factor to achieving “burst” tone lies in the anchoring of the strings from tuners to tail studs.

Here’s the parts I used:

50’s Kluson tuners,

60’s Gibson wired abr-1 bridge,

Wizz premium clone PAFs,

CTS 500k pots and NOS sprague capacitors,

DMC lightweight aluminium tailpiece,

Gibson 1 1/2” steel stud bushings





Luckily for you, the aftermarket for reproductions of vintage specific parts has moved along considerably. It is now far more affordable to purchase reproduction parts and are readily available from a range of different suppliers. Don’t buy the cheapest or first part you come across, as they vary in quality and accuracy. Do the due diligence and learn the precise specifications and idiosyncrasies of each individual component.

Best of luck to you on your tone quest, brother. Rock on!

 

[ElectricJam]

 

[gbo10]

I did a full ‘57 specifiction conversion to my 1978 LS-50. It was by no means a cheap process, but I can attest it was worth every cent. As far as tone is concerned, it produced an instantaneous night and day improvement. It is now by far my best sounding guitar plugged in and is everything you’d hope a vintage Gibson to sound like. If you are genuinely invested in doing this conversion, I would advise you overhaul the entire guitar. Not simply replacing the electronic components. As, I believe the most contributory factor to achieving “burst” tone lies in the anchoring of the strings from tuners to tail studs.

Here’s the parts I used:

50’s Kluson tuners,

60’s Gibson wired abr-1 bridge,

Wizz premium clone PAFs,

CTS 500k pots and NOS sprague capacitors,

DMC lightweight aluminium tailpiece,

Gibson 1 1/2” steel stud bushings

View attachment 7334

View attachment 7335

Luckily for you, the aftermarket for reproductions of vintage specific parts has moved along considerably. It is now far more affordable to purchase reproduction parts and are readily available from a range of different suppliers. Don’t buy the cheapest or first part you come across, as they vary in quality and accuracy. Do the due diligence and learn the precise specifications and idiosyncrasies of each individual component.

Best of luck to you on your tone quest, brother. Rock on!

Wow! Thank you for such a detailed response! That gold top looks amazing. I have some great Rewind PAFs laying around and I think it’s time I swap out some of that hardware. Did you happen to change the switch when swapping out the hardware or did you leave old switch in there? And did you have to drill into the guitar at all to fit some of those vintage Gibson pieces like the tailpiece studs? Thanks so much for all the help

 

[Sigmania]

And did you have to drill into the guitar at all to fit some of those vintage Gibson pieces like the tailpiece studs?

I would not do that...

You have a 1982 LS100...

Do you still have the DiMarzio PAFs in it?

 

[Sigmania]

As guitarhiro was saying in the thread I linked above, the studs on Tokais are like a wood screws under the surface. You can't switch them without doing something like drilling new holes with a drill press. And if you drill too much you can't exactly put the wood back that you removed. You then have a ruined guitar.

Here's what they look like from a 1979 foldout catalog.

 

[gbo10]

As guitarhiro was saying in the thread I linked above, the studs on Tokais are like a wood screws under the surface. You can't switch them without doing something like drilling new holes with a drill press. And if you drill too much you can't exactly put the wood back that you removed. You then have a ruined guitar.

Here's what they look like from a 1979 foldout catalog.

View attachment 8088
View attachment 8086

Good call! Yeah I was thinking more about the tailpiece rather than the bridge posts but it’s probably best to leave all of that as is even though the materials aren’t quite correct. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Sigmania]

If you switch a half dozen things you won't know what did what anyway.

I would try one thing at a time and go through and see what gets you where you want to be. Studs being the last thing I would touch.

The most contributory part to tone in a guitar comes from the pickups anyway, aside from the players touch.

Check out this video mdvineng posted:

Tone comes from?

 

[ElectricJam]

Would tend to somewhat agree. The factory Tokai bridge is near identical to the original Gibson abr-1 design in almost every way, aside from it requiring metric screw poles.

My opinion, having actually done the conversion, the most contributory piece of hardware to unlocking “burst” tone was swapping anchor studs. The timbre and qualitative characteristics of string harmonics i.e. how they vibrate and sustain resonance, is ultimately dependent on how well they are fixed. Meaning, every point of contact with stings plays some role in shaping the tone of the instrument.

I really wouldn’t recommend ruining the originality of your guitar, unless you are dead set on it. As, these old guitars are quite rare now and desirable in their own right, as they should be. Anything less than installing genuine vintage components would be a significant downgrade in listening quality and value.

 

[gbo10]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I’m going to stick to things that are reversible just to preserve the originality of the guitar. That being said, whoever owned the guitar before me switched the wiring to some funky wiring that I plan on switching to 50s style. Do any of you happen to know what switchcraft switch I would need? Would a normal Gibson Switchcraft switch work or do I need something like this: Pre-Wired Switchcraft Short Toggle Switch

 

[Sigmania]

Here are some things others have done.

Re-Wiring Your Tokais