spupilup
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 127
- Reaction score
- 295
I got my DG-335 the day after they were released. I was fortunate in that it arrived in remarkable condition. I think I said it looked like someone, somewhere along the line spent more than a few minutes getting this early production model sorted out before it reached me. I mean, intonation was within a couple of cents on all six strings. Action was close to perfect, the frets were smoothly polished, there were no rough ends, fret height was good, the nut was well cut. Overall, considering some of the early horror stories around broken headstocks, unglued nuts and other dodgy QC issues, thankfully, I was extremely fortunate.
I've played the guitar the way it came out of the box since early April but Faber was having a sale on the 4th of July so it was time to make some changes to the bridge and tailpiece. I've done a number of these ABRM conversions on Les Pauls but this was my first attempt on a semi-hollow bodied guitar. I learned something very quickly. I don't know if, in a rush to get the DG-335 to market they were sloppy with the holes in the body where bushings would be installed but, I learned the hard way when trying to tap in one of the E-Serts for the bridge. As I said, I have done this numerous times on mahogany (or whatever you want to call the wood Epi uses on its better Les Pauls) with no problem whatsoever. However, trying to tap the E-Sert into the maple center block I quickly ran into resistance. Fearing damage, I backed the E-Sert out but it's nickel plated brass and very soft. It got damaged rather quickly. Once I removed the damaged E-Sert I started to really examine both the hole and the Epi bush to see what was up.
I learned that the Epi bushing is ever so smaller than the E-Sert. That's probably not an issue when installing the E-Sert into a mahogany body but on the maple, it just seemed to stop and nothing would get the part into the guitar any further. I spoke with Larry at Faber and he graciously sent me another E-Sert for free. While waiting for it to arrive, I also discovered that both holes had lips a little more than halfway down to the bottom of the hole. Another reason for the E-Serts to get hung up. So, I spend time with a small screwdriver (a little larger than an eyeglass screwdriver) breaking away the lip on both sides. It only took minutes but I got the other E-Sert that originally came with the set, in place on Thursday. The replacement for the one I damaged arrived yesterday and I installed it today.
The pictures show the ever so slight difference in size between the Faber E-Sert and the Epiphone bushing. The bridge and tailpiece look great on the guitar and the Vintage Forge big (11-12mm) bridge pickup ring is a nice addition as well.
I know there are a lot of you who don't think much of the Faber hardware but I certainly find it adds another dimension to the guitars I've upgraded. So, on this DG-335 there now sits an ABRM bridge with titanium saddles on the wound strings and nickel plated brass saddles on the other three saddles. The tailpiece is Faber's lightweight complete with all the mounting hardware and bushings. I just put some Stringjoy Broadway pure nickel strings on and I'm loving the way it plays and sounds. I'll probably leave the Busrtbuckers alone in this guitar and doubt I'll be wiring up the harness with hand matched pots and exotic caps. I have no interest in doing an install like that on a hollow body. It will stay the way it came from Epiphone.
Here I am, an older man behaving like a kid, having a ball with his guitar on a sweaty Sunday afternoon.
Cheers!
I've played the guitar the way it came out of the box since early April but Faber was having a sale on the 4th of July so it was time to make some changes to the bridge and tailpiece. I've done a number of these ABRM conversions on Les Pauls but this was my first attempt on a semi-hollow bodied guitar. I learned something very quickly. I don't know if, in a rush to get the DG-335 to market they were sloppy with the holes in the body where bushings would be installed but, I learned the hard way when trying to tap in one of the E-Serts for the bridge. As I said, I have done this numerous times on mahogany (or whatever you want to call the wood Epi uses on its better Les Pauls) with no problem whatsoever. However, trying to tap the E-Sert into the maple center block I quickly ran into resistance. Fearing damage, I backed the E-Sert out but it's nickel plated brass and very soft. It got damaged rather quickly. Once I removed the damaged E-Sert I started to really examine both the hole and the Epi bush to see what was up.
I learned that the Epi bushing is ever so smaller than the E-Sert. That's probably not an issue when installing the E-Sert into a mahogany body but on the maple, it just seemed to stop and nothing would get the part into the guitar any further. I spoke with Larry at Faber and he graciously sent me another E-Sert for free. While waiting for it to arrive, I also discovered that both holes had lips a little more than halfway down to the bottom of the hole. Another reason for the E-Serts to get hung up. So, I spend time with a small screwdriver (a little larger than an eyeglass screwdriver) breaking away the lip on both sides. It only took minutes but I got the other E-Sert that originally came with the set, in place on Thursday. The replacement for the one I damaged arrived yesterday and I installed it today.
The pictures show the ever so slight difference in size between the Faber E-Sert and the Epiphone bushing. The bridge and tailpiece look great on the guitar and the Vintage Forge big (11-12mm) bridge pickup ring is a nice addition as well.
I know there are a lot of you who don't think much of the Faber hardware but I certainly find it adds another dimension to the guitars I've upgraded. So, on this DG-335 there now sits an ABRM bridge with titanium saddles on the wound strings and nickel plated brass saddles on the other three saddles. The tailpiece is Faber's lightweight complete with all the mounting hardware and bushings. I just put some Stringjoy Broadway pure nickel strings on and I'm loving the way it plays and sounds. I'll probably leave the Busrtbuckers alone in this guitar and doubt I'll be wiring up the harness with hand matched pots and exotic caps. I have no interest in doing an install like that on a hollow body. It will stay the way it came from Epiphone.
Here I am, an older man behaving like a kid, having a ball with his guitar on a sweaty Sunday afternoon.
Cheers!
