Upgrading tune o matic

Stevepage

I just got myself a 2012 LP Studio. Plays great and sounds great plugged in but acoustically there's something about it I'm not sure on. It sounds like the strings are resting on a tin can, a bit jangly and hollow sounding. 

Would upgrading the bridge to something of higher quality help? Like a Tone Pro or Gotoh bridge? Any advise before I make a decision to return it 

ICBM

Tap the back of the neck joint with your knuckle.

Does it sound solid, or hollow?

Andyjr1515

Many, if not most, pure electrics sound pretty jangly unplugged. If it sounds good plugged in, is there a problem? I think it's very unlikely a different bridge would make any perceptible difference.

Stevepage

ICBM said:

Tap the back of the neck joint with your knuckle.

Does it sound solid, or hollow?

Sounds solid to me.

I had a Flying V in the past and that sounded good unplugged. I know it's an electric so what really matters is how it sounds through an amp, maybe I'm being too nit picky

ICBM

How high is the bridge, and can you get the tailpiece down tight to the body without the strings touching the back of it?

Sometimes these things are caused by odd resonances - hence the question about the neck joint, I've come across a few which are obviously hollow when tapped - and there isn't much you can do about them. I doubt a new bridge will help, but if any will it's the TonePros which locks to the posts. If the tailpiece can't be screwed down tight the TonePros one might help there too.

Vs are odd - they're extremely resonant unplugged, I think due to the very flexible neck joint by electric guitar standards and the long body wings acting almost like some sort of tuning fork. They sound completely different from a Les Paul, anyway.

If you think your Les Paul sounds bad unplugged, don't buy a 335 .

TheMarlin

Try a solid bar bridge, such as a Compton or Tru Arc. You'll love the results.

Stevepage

A 335 is what I think it sounds like. I'd expect it from a 335 not really an LP. Is that a common thing?

ICBM

Were they chambered in 2012? I can't remember...

Stevepage

I think that's when they started doing the weight relief thing. Just seen that a load of shops are now selling new Gibson SG Standards for £775, now I'm really torn about keeping the LP or returning it and getting an SG...

ICBM

Having done a bit of searching, it's probably "modern weight relief"…

http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/weight-relief-gibson-les-paul-guitars-0615-2012.aspx

http://images.gibson.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Lifestyle/English/aaFeaturesImages2010/New-Modern-Weight-LP.jpg

… which looks pretty hollow to me.

guitarfishbay

Out of interest I tapped the neck joints on my guitars today. Most sound broadly similar except my Singlecut resonates with a deeper tone all the way down the body when I tap the neck joint in a certain way. Reminds me of doing a bass tone on a hand drum if that makes any sense. It is an early one so pre-weight relief. Dunno what that means but I like the guitar.

sweepy

If you are going to replace the Tunamatic, go for the Faber unit, by far the best engineered bridge I have ever fitted to a guitar