Semi-Hollow Guitar Upgrade Project

Beeg · 2011-09-15T10:22:40+00:00

I have a Ibanez AS-73 semi-hollow guitar. http://www.ibanez.com/HollowBodyGuitars/model-AS73 I love it to pieces but it is not without it's issues: It does not stay in tune at all, especially the G-string, I have fitted Gotoh tuners but this has not resolved the issue. I am thinking of installing a new Gotoh Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece. Will this resolve my tuning issues? Also I am not convinced by the stock pickups and want to replace them with better pups that has chrome tops. Any suggestions? Is there any master-guitar-tech in the Cape-Town area that wants to take on this guitar? Thanks ?

slyd

VellaJ wrote Can you tell us what the problem with the tuning was, if the lube didn't work?

Did Foster enlighten you on this, . . . we're all eager to find information on issues as such :?

{EDIT} The "grapevine" indicates that Foster is a really accomplished Luthier . . . . treats your "instrument" accordingly*

StephenG

slyd wrote
VellaJ wrote Can you tell us what the problem with the tuning was, if the lube didn't work?
Did Foster enlighten you on this, . . . we're all eager to find information on issues as such :?

{EDIT} The "grapevine" indicates that Foster is a really accomplished Luthier . . . . treats your "instrument" accordingly*

I just picked up 2 guitars from him this afternoon... that man is a God when it comes to setting up guitars...

one of them that i took to him had a nice low action but with fret buzz........... got it back with even lower action and no fret buzz !!!

Henlein

As mentioned before please say what was done to fix your tuning issues... my Ibanez AS83 is having similar problems

Beeg

Sorry for only replying now..

It seems like the plastic nuts on the Ibanez Artcores starts getting uneven and rough after awhile, Foster smoothed and leveled out the nut, and that solved my problems completely. I would also recommend the dental-floss wax trick, it's weird, but it works, for a short while at least ?

I would also recommend you swap out the standard tuners for Gotoh 510's or similar. They are really worth the $$$.

Henlein

Thanks man, I'll give it a try ? and you think changing the pups was worth it? I may do a bit of an overall upgrade while i'm at it ?

Beeg

Definitely worth it Henlein ? It is tricky to change pickups on a hollow-body, but worth the effort.

Beeg

Just a update on this project.

My tuning issues returned after a while, seems like the saddle had a burr and the cheap plastic nut was worn through. ☹

I decided to take SingeMonkey's advice ( Thanks ? ) and ordered a aluminium Gotoh bridge and tailpiece set

(http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_Tune-o-matic_bridges/Gotoh_510_Bridge_and_Tailpiece.html)

and Tusq Xl nut

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/String_nuts/TUSQ_XL_Nuts.html .

The bridge/tailpiece is a drop in replacement and no modification was needed. I ordered a slotted epiphone Tusq XL nut, it fitted the guitar perfectly.

Foster did the work on the guitar again, and I have to say, it was well worth the hassle. The guitar is a different beast now, more "airy" sound to it, tiny bit brighter and 100% rock solid tuning.

Only thing that is unchanged on the guitar is the pots and switches, don't know if I should mess with them, is it worth it?

Beeg

Here is the guitar with the upgraded pickups, bridge and tailpiece:

AlanRatcliffe

Looking good Beeg!

Beeg wrote Only thing that is unchanged on the guitar is the pots and switches, don't know if I should mess with them, is it worth it?

I usually think so. It's a big job on an archtop, but replace them with quality parts and forget about them for the next 10 - 15 years.

Beeg

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Looking good Beeg!

Beeg wrote Only thing that is unchanged on the guitar is the pots and switches, don't know if I should mess with them, is it worth it?
I usually think so. It's a big job on an archtop, but replace them with quality parts and forget about them for the next 10 - 15 years.

Thank you Alan ?
Will try and post a better photo that shows the nut as well.

I don't see myself tackling the pots myself, my hands are way too big for the F-holes..but maybe Foster is up to it ?

Learned a lot with this project, one of them is that a Ibanez can be a good guitar... (if you add R5k+ worth of upgrades to it ? )

Psean

Beeg wrote Here is the guitar with the upgraded pickups, bridge and tailpiece:

That's really nice looking! Must be awesome to have it play and sound great too now ?

slyd

Beeg wrote Here is the guitar with the upgraded pickups, bridge and tailpiece:

Man, she's beautiful 8)

More pics >☹
pleez :-[

AlanRatcliffe

Beeg wrote I don't see myself tackling the pots myself, my hands are way too big for the F-holes..but maybe Foster is up to it ?

He is, but will charge you for the privilege. ? It would have been easier to do the pots at the same time as the pickups...

Beeg

Psean wrote
Beeg wrote Here is the guitar with the upgraded pickups, bridge and tailpiece:

That's really nice looking! Must be awesome to have it play and sound great too now ?

Thanks Psean, and yes I enjoy her much more than before, a guitar that can't hold it's tuning is useless no matter how good it sounds..

slyd wrote
Beeg wrote Here is the guitar with the upgraded pickups, bridge and tailpiece:
Man, she's beautiful 8)

More pics
pleez :-[

Okay, only because you asked so nicely Slyd ?
(excuse the crappy cellphone pics)

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Beeg wrote I don't see myself tackling the pots myself, my hands are way too big for the F-holes..but maybe Foster is up to it ?
He is, but will charge you for the privilege. ? It would have been easier to do the pots at the same time as the pickups...

Now you tell me Alan! You should have forced me to that when she went in the first time ?

AlanRatcliffe

Beeg wrote Now you tell me Alan! You should have forced me to that when she went in the first time ?

I could say that knowledge arrived at by your own reasoning is more meaningful somehow than that which is freely given. But I won't. ? The simple truth is that I should have mentioned it when you asked about pickups. Sorry. :-[

Beeg

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Beeg wrote Now you tell me Alan! You should have forced me to that when she went in the first time ?
I could say that knowledge arrived at by your own reasoning is more meaningful somehow than that which is freely given. But I won't. ? The simple truth is that I should have mentioned it when you asked about pickups. Sorry. :-[

? At least now I can enjoy every upgrade fully by playing it for a while first... Thanks again for all the help!

slyd

Thanks for the pics Beeg ? . . .luvverly

With all those upgrades, she be sounding real good too . . . . . 8)

singemonkey

Looking great.

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