Andy Eagle ( Guitar repair tech for 30 years )

Eagle said:
Not the issue here. Different is different and you hear it when you isolate it. It’s not more than the difference of 6105 on a vintage Strat over stock frets. I think the advantage easily outweighs the difference but I don’t make frets gritty.
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Understood. I misinterpreted your early post about the perceptibility of the difference.
 
@Eagle

You may have answered this before....what is the best quality (or longest lasting) 5 way switch for a Strat style ?

Thank you for your help...
 
MindCrime said:
@Eagle

You may have answered this before....what is the best quality (or longest lasting) 5 way switch for a Strat style ?

Thank you for your help...
Click to expand...
The Schaller mega switch is probably the best quality but the original CRL has a proven track record and is an excellent choice. The best “cheap “ one is the Alpha and also worth using is the oak grigsby.
 
Oh and there are now a lot of copy oak grigsby ones around some even on cheaper Fenders. Avoid them because they come apart.
 
Eagle said:
Oh and there are now a lot of copy oak grigsby ones around some even on cheaper Fenders. Avoid them because they come apart.
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Ah that's interesting. I bought two oak grigsby switches from a UK retailer for a strat and a tele project back in 2017. The strat was built first and the switch fell apart with normal use in less than 12 months. I put the one I'd bought for the tele project in and it fell apart pretty quickly too. I replaced both of them with crl and swore I'd never buy another oaks grigsby.

I bought them from a well known retailer in the UK and they were definitely sold as oak grigsby.
 
SillyOctpuss said:
Ah that's interesting. I bought two oak grigsby switches from a UK retailer for a strat and a tele project back in 2017. The strat was built first and the switch fell apart with normal use in less than 12 months. I put the one I'd bought for the tele project in and it fell apart pretty quickly too. I replaced both of them with crl and swore I'd never buy another oaks grigsby.

I bought them from a well known retailer in the UK and they were definitely sold as oak grigsby.
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They sometimes have a darker pcb but it sounds like you had them.
 
Eagle said:
The Schaller mega switch is probably the best quality but the original CRL has a proven track record and is an excellent choice. The best “cheap “ one is the Alpha and also worth using is the oak grigsby.
Click to expand...
Eagle said:
Oh and there are now a lot of copy oak grigsby ones around some even on cheaper Fenders. Avoid them because they come apart.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir. Much appreciated.
 
This was a pretty significant upgrade to my tele, E, B and G sounds so much better open now.
The Gotoh staggered tuners doesn’t create enough of a break angle over the nut.

It’s the Music City string tree, it was 16 euros shipped from Finland.

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Blix said:
This was a pretty significant upgrade to my tele, E, B and G sounds so much better open now.
The Gotoh staggered tuners doesn’t create enough of a break angle over the nut.

It’s the Music City string tree, it was 16 euros shipped from Finland.

View attachment 22406
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A well cut nut will make almost as much difference. These do work and don’t need any modifications but they look a bit horrible.
 
This is my personal favorite triple string tree:

reverendguitars.com

Triple Tree - Reverend Guitars | We know what players want.

You've heard all the buzz right? We're talking G string buzz. Eliminate that buzz with a Reverend Triple Tree String Tree. These are on almost every Reverend for a reason, if you don't have one its time to change that and find out why! Patent-pending design has an extended bar that holds down...
reverendguitars.com reverendguitars.com
 
norminal said:
This is my personal favorite triple string tree:

reverendguitars.com

Triple Tree - Reverend Guitars | We know what players want.

You've heard all the buzz right? We're talking G string buzz. Eliminate that buzz with a Reverend Triple Tree String Tree. These are on almost every Reverend for a reason, if you don't have one its time to change that and find out why! Patent-pending design has an extended bar that holds down...
reverendguitars.com reverendguitars.com
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That one is better from a friction standpoint.
 
Andy; not sure if you've commented on these. I'd think so in some fashion by now but who knows?

What are your thoughts on Ernie Ball guitars?
 
JiveTurkey said:
Andy; not sure if you've commented on these. I'd think so in some fashion by now but who knows?

What are your thoughts on Ernie Ball guitars?
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I like the quality but personally don’t like the stock frets on many. Also the hardware took a turn for the worse when they stopped using Gotoh to make the bridges. The fit and finish has always been up there with the best but I only have had The EVH, Axis, and the Silhouette. They also started using Alpha pots and PCB wiring in some too ,
 
Hey @Eagle

Do you have a quick "household DIY" solution for a wobbly screw-in strat trem arm?

The trem is okay and the guitar isn't worth a trem upgrade anyway, but the arm is super wobbly without the possibility to screw it in more (without damaging something).
 
Eagle said:
I like the quality but personally don’t like the stock frets on many. Also the hardware took a turn for the worse when they stopped using Gotoh to make the bridges. The fit and finish has always been up there with the best but I only have had The EVH, Axis, and the Silhouette. They also started using Alpha pots and PCB wiring in some too ,
Click to expand...

I currently have 2 EBMM Silhouette Specials. One is a '97 and I have a '99. I bought both used. The '99 model I bought in a local
pawn shop in April 2000. The '97 I purchased around 2016/17, I don't recall. BOTH guitars have stood the test of time !!
They aren't going anywhere !

Both have been re-fretted with SS frets, bone nut, CTS pots and Orange drop tone caps. (SS frets & bone nut done by Pete Skermetta, Austin, TX.)

Waiting on a full set (SSS) Suhr V63+ pick ups and a CRL 5 way switch for the '99 model...just to change it up a bit.
 
Eagle said:
I like the quality but personally don’t like the stock frets on many. Also the hardware took a turn for the worse when they stopped using Gotoh to make the bridges. The fit and finish has always been up there with the best but I only have had The EVH, Axis, and the Silhouette. They also started using Alpha pots and PCB wiring in some too ,
Click to expand...
Thank you sir. I get drawn in to a LOT of their models but am always ultimately put off by the price (or moreso me being cheap). The new Rabea model dropped here recently and despite me not caring about that aspect of it; it did look KILLER. So my interest was piqued. Again.
 
BahamaDada said:
Hey @Eagle

Do you have a quick "household DIY" solution for a wobbly screw-in strat trem arm?

The trem is okay and the guitar isn't worth a trem upgrade anyway, but the arm is super wobbly without the possibility to screw it in more (without damaging something).
Click to expand...
PTFE tape everybody from Dave Gilmour to Jeff Beck Used that. Leave the bar in once you have done it though or you will need to redo it.
 
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