HARDWARE FITTING

Selborne Guitars can install the following parts:

• Machineheads
• String trees
• Saddles
• Bridge
• Scratchplate
• Pickups
• Pickup covers
• Neck plate
• Knobs and switch tips
• End pins
• Strap pins

Typical prices*

* Headstock and body modifications (drilling or reaming) charged in addition at hourly rate (£30). Prices do not include the cost of parts.

CASE STUDY

Upgrading stock hardware on a Gibson Les Paul

This Gibson Les Paul Studio had been a reliable and go-to instrument for over a decade, but was starting to suffer from tuning issues and repeated string breakages at the saddle. The client had already installed a ‘string butler’ to improve the tuning stability of the G string (a notorious issue on Les Pauls) but the guitar still required re-tuning too frequently.

Selborne Guitars assisted by replacing the tuners with Gotoh locking tuners and replacing the saddles on the tune-o-matic bridge with a like-for like ‘string saver’ set by Graph Tech – simple replacements that would make a world of difference to the performance of this otherwise dependable instrument.

​The Gotoh locking tuners came with mounting plates allowing use of the existing screw holes (always preferable to drilling more holes in an expensive guitar) and went on without a problem. I checked that all six tuners were firmly seated in the headstock and that none of the screw holes had become stripped which might allow for unwanted movement that could affect tuning stability. While the strings were off I also checked the nut for wear. The Graph Tech saddles were a straight replacement (we had been sure to measure the bridge post widths of the client’s Les Paul to ensure we bought the correctly sized part).

​A challenge with replacing parts like nuts and bridges is not disrupting the action that the owner is used to. I wanted the guitar to feel better to play after the change than it did before. The key is to measure everything beforehand – string gauge, neck relief, string height, pickup height, saddle positions and bridge height – in order to be able to reproduce them. By doing this, I was able to reproduce the exact same string height once the new saddles were on. I used the old saddle positions to help me set the positions for the new ones, so re-intonating the guitar did not take long. I checked the neck relief and determined that a minor truss rod adjustment was necessary. This and my original measurements allowed me to improve upon the guitar’s original action.

With the included fretboard oiling and body clean, the end result was a Les Paul that felt more comfortable to play and which now had higher quality parts, was easier to re-string and stayed in tune for longer. What more could you want?

Key benefits

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