Members drasp Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I recently picked up a P-90 Epi Les Paul Jr. for super-cheap and so far I'm absolutly tickled pink with it. Sounds great & plays pretty nice. One BIG issue though: when tuned open the G string is WAY sharp (almost 1/2 step sharp) when fingered at the 12th fret. The wraparound bridge that comes on the guitar has the little ridges for rough intonation & has set-screws on the bass & treble sides to adjust a little finer. After some quick tweaking every other string is very close to perfect on my Peterson. If I tune the G while fingering the the 12th fret, it then plays great at every other position on the neck except open. . . I was thinking maybe the nut was cut poorly and it was already crazy-high, so I replaced it temporarily with a pre-cut plastic nut from GC which has solved the action issues. It's now buzz-free at 2mm/1.6mm fingered at the 17th fret, but the G still won't come into tune. I've had the bridge off & can't visually see anything funky about it. I know there are a TON of aftermarket options for a wraparound with fully adjustable intonation, but I want to use the stock style. I've played another P-90 Jr. with the same bridge (a friend picked one up the same day) and he doesn't have the issue. Best guess? Probably the bridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beardcom Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 1. use a different string guage for g2. use a different bridge3. man up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monkeyland Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 wound G string makes gibsons play in tune and sounds good too. some don't like it because it doesn't bend as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beardcom Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 wound g is the business... i'd say you're probably not gonna have luck with the stock bridge, assuming that is one of the 99 dollar lp jrs. if i got one of those i would change the bridge to a standard lp style and add a stop tailpiece (archtail style at the strap button) but that's just me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shock54321 Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 you could grind off the G string area and relocate a different 'saddle' in there if you are handy with a dremel - make a slot in the correct location and insert a piece of 18 ga. brass or steel would experiment with getting the exact location correct first with little strips of metal first thoseems like from what you are saying the the G part is in the wrong place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 If you don't mind dropping a little extra cash, and/or if you're into modding, I'd suggest getting a replacement bridge from either stew mac or tone pros. You can find fully adjustable wraparounds that give you more control over each string's intonation. Also check out Leo Quan's Bad-ass bridge. I hear that one's pretty good too. And stay away from the Wilkinson wraparound bridge. I have one on my Ampeg AMG1, which I'm swappin' out as soon as I free up a little cash, most likely with the Tone Pros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted February 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 A'ight, I already tried to "man up" and had very little luck. It's off far enough that I can't imagine a would G making enough difference. I'm already assuming the bridge (yes, it's one of the cheap-ass Epis, paid $80) is the culprit. I'm happy to replace it, but I'd like to keep it somewhat faithfull & not go to a fully intonateable modern-lookin' bridge. I've looked at what StewMac & Guitar Fetish have, but I'm trying to stay on a reasonable budget. Already getting a GFS alnico P-90 and Gotoh white button tuners. I've got a bone blank & will be cutting that up soon enough. I guess it just comes down to which bridge to get. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 badass bridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted February 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 Yeah,. . .the BadAss looks killer. I'd also looked at the BadAss copy @ Guitar Fetish ($28 instead of $75) I have Callaham intonated brass saddles on my CIJ Tele & the full Callaham bridge upgrade kit on my MIM Strat, so I don't mind putting a little $$$ into quality parts, but at the same time, I'd like to keep the upgrades for this beater ~$100, which means the ideal bridge would be ~$30-40. Anybody have firsthand experience with the BadAss bridges? Worth the extra dough? Change your life? More frequent sex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beardcom Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 Yeah,. . .the BadAss looks killer. I'd also looked at the BadAss copy @ Guitar Fetish ($28 instead of $75)I have Callaham intonated brass saddles on my CIJ Tele & the full Callaham bridge upgrade kit on my MIM Strat, so I don't mind putting a little $$$ into quality parts, but at the same time, I'd like to keep the upgrades for this beater ~$100, which means the ideal bridge would be ~$30-40. Anybody have firsthand experience with the BadAss bridges? Worth the extra dough? Change your life? More frequent sex? id go for the gfs personally. have no experience with it but it seems good, and cheap enough to not worry about it. I think a good bridge could make a big difference on a guitar like that. pickup one of their dogears while you're at it and it'd be a great axe. I always want to buy one of those when i see them, but the frets and action are a little weird for me. i like low as hell frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted February 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 I always want to buy one of those when i see them, but the frets and action are a little weird for me. i like low as hell frets. From what I can tell, they've been discontinued. Nothing on Epi's site about them, no longer available from any of the big online retailers & GC is blowing them out for $80. Totally different than the Chineese 'bucker Jrs. but not quite as nice out-of-the-box as the old Korean P-90 Jrs. I don't think they made the Indonesian P-90 Jrs. for very long, all the reviews on MF were from '06. In fact, my guitar & my buddys, both purchased on the same day last week are from 2/06. They're a year old! Anyhow, both our guitars (and the other ones we played) had HUGE nuts. His was so bad that any chords played in the first few positions were crazy out-of-tune. Just a quick set-up and off-the-shelf nut has already made this guitar a steal for $80. Kinda' weird that nobody talks about them, seems like just as good a project platform as the Squier '51. Yowza, that Tone Pros AVT2 bridge is hawt. I just don't think I'm ready to put that kind of dough into this guitar. I'll probably try the GF badass copy first as I'm already planning on snagging one of their dogears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beardcom Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 is that picture of yours? pretty saucy. don't really love sunburst though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted February 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 Yuh. That picture is mine. It kind of a wierd guitar. The original Jrs didn't have grain like that, they had a pretty sharp 2-tone sunburst with a TV yellow (or similar) center. On these, they use a paper thin laminate over plywood, but I'm not sure why. I would've been just as happy with the black & yellowish old skool look. I do like the cream dogear over the original black though, I'll probably stick with cream on the GFS. Same goes for the pickguard, it's 2-ply & though it's not faithful to the original, I like the white outline, really highlights the Jr. shape. Only other color was black & I didn't care for it. Plus, every guitar I own is a burst of one variety or another. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Renmauzo Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 I used to have an SG with one of those bridges. I simply replaced it and it made it a better guitar all around. Stayed in tune better, intonation was completely adjustable, and it definitely had more sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shock54321 Posted February 25, 2007 Members Share Posted February 25, 2007 you could grind off the G string area and relocate a different 'saddle' in there if you are handy with a dremel - make a slot in the correct location and insert a piece of 18 ga. brass or steel would experiment with getting the exact location correct first with little strips of metal first thoseems like from what you are saying the the G part is in the wrong place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dabbler Posted February 26, 2007 Members Share Posted February 26, 2007 And stay away from the Wilkinson wraparound bridge. I have one on my Ampeg AMG1, which I'm swappin' out as soon as I free up a little cash, most likely with the Tone Pros. What's wrong with the wilkinson? I like mine. http://store.guitarfetish.com/wigoliadinwr.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted February 26, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 26, 2007 What's wrong with the wilkinson? I like mine. http://store.guitarfetish.com/wigoliadinwr.html Yeah, I'd be interested to know too. I'm not sure it'd work for my guitar as the G seems to be way off in it's own weird place, all the other strings happily intonate with the stock bridge. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted February 26, 2007 Members Share Posted February 26, 2007 What's wrong with the wilkinson? I like mine. http://store.guitarfetish.com/wigoliadinwr.html I have an Ampeg AMG1 that I scored on eBay and comes stock with the Wilkie. I love the look, sound, tone, and feel of it, but I read on the HC user reviews that the adjustable saddle for the G/B strings tends to move. I had it set up at the local guitar store, and sure enough, the saddle did move after a while so now my intonation is off. I dunno, it could just be my particular guitar, but I don't care. There are other wraparound bridges that have a better design than that one anyway IMHO. If you like yours, then great. I wish I liked mine, cause that would mean not having to cough up the extra cash for the upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluehuricane Posted February 26, 2007 Members Share Posted February 26, 2007 "who wants the first reach around?!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dabbler Posted February 27, 2007 Members Share Posted February 27, 2007 I have an Ampeg AMG1 that I scored on eBay and comes stock with the Wilkie. I love the look, sound, tone, and feel of it, but I read on the HC user reviews that the adjustable saddle for the G/B strings tends to move. I had it set up at the local guitar store, and sure enough, the saddle did move after a while so now my intonation is off. I dunno, it could just be my particular guitar, but I don't care. There are other wraparound bridges that have a better design than that one anyway IMHO. If you like yours, then great. I wish I liked mine, cause that would mean not having to cough up the extra cash for the upgrade. OK. If your bridge is just like the one in the picture link you had in your post, we are not talking about the same bridge. I have this one: http://store.guitarfetish.com/wigoliadinwr.html. The difference in the designs looks significant to matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 OK. If your bridge is just like the one in the picture link you had in your post, we are not talking about the same bridge. I have this one: http://store.guitarfetish.com/wigoliadinwr.html. The difference in the designs looks significant to matter. Yeah, actually got a closer look at that bridge and it is different. Only $33 bucks too. Not a bad price. But I still don't know about the G/B saddle. Is it a pain to adjust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dabbler Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Yeah, actually got a closer look at that bridge and it is different. Only $33 bucks too. Not a bad price.But I still don't know about the G/B saddle. Is it a pain to adjust? It's tedious, but not hard. A pain to me is a floyd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted March 19, 2007 Members Share Posted March 19, 2007 Stop tails Suck - Floyd All the way!! Dabbler - you may want to actually work on your Floyd somewhat to get used to it. There's nothing better!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dabbler Posted March 19, 2007 Members Share Posted March 19, 2007 Stop tails Suck - Floyd All the way!! Dabbler - you may want to actually work on your Floyd somewhat to get used to it. There's nothing better!! Aww Brewski, you just want a bunch more screws and knobs to make your guitar look all high tech and stuff. Obviously you don't appreciate the simplicity of a bridge that simply does what a bridge should do... hold the end of the string. You keep wankin' your strings with that thing and one day they are going to stay that way! Although, I do have to admit, bridge mounted fine tuners ARE convenenient... unnecessary, but convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members natasmi Posted March 19, 2007 Members Share Posted March 19, 2007 I'll trade you my old used badass bridge for your Epi stock bridge, straight up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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