Maximizing Guitar Performance

Ask any seasoned guitarist, and they will tell you how hardware isn't exactly responsible for sound output. However, they won't deny that upgrading hardware can be a game changer.

We've been testing guitar hardware for years and cover leading brands like FaberUSA, which sells top-of-the-line stuff, including a wraparound bridge and a Faber tailpiece. Here's our two pence on upgrading guitar hardware to maximize performance.

How Do You Know Which Hardware Needs Modification?

When you feel something is wrong with your guitar, it's usually the hardware. But before upgrading things, you need to know which part needs modification.

The first telltale sign is a guitar going out of tune. That can happen for many reasons, such as a minor dent on the nut. If your guitar is tuned to a specific style, like country or reggae, upgrading the hardware can mess things up. So take time to figure out what is actually wrong.

For a beginner, it's going to be difficult, and thus, we recommend using a luthier. Seasoned players, however, know their limits in finding faults with the guitar hardware. No matter what, here are some basic pointers to make life easy.

• Watch out for guitar action. Does it feel strange on your playing hand? Try to replace or adjust the bridge and nut to see if that improves it.
• Next, pay attention to any fret buzz. Chances are your truss rod needs adjustment. If things don't improve, your guitar will require re-fretting.
• Now comes the tuning and intonation, which are common with affordable guitars. In such cases, the entire mechanism, from the guitar bridge to the tuners, can be the culprit.

Remember, we can't modify the hardware on any guitar to our liking. In our testing, we have come across many Faber guitar parts that won't do any good with modification and require a complete body alteration.

Let's take a closer look at the significant Faber hardware components that can do better with an upgrade.

The String Trees

Anyone who owns a guitar with a Fender-inspired headstock will notice how the high B and high E strings run through little retainers before touching the nut. These are string trees, as their only function is to add to a guitar's playability. Technically, they create the right angle and tension so that the strings fit snugly on the nut.

That being said, if you replace strings on a guitar and forget to pass it through string trees, it will run out of tune a lot sooner. So, when considering a hardware upgrade, always do the following.

• Check if there's any rust on the string trees.
• Never twist the string trees from their position when replacing strings. This could completely shift the tension.

Pro tip: Ideally, string trees don't require to be changed or upgraded now and then on any guitar. Even if you buy a pair of cheap metal ones, they should do the same job as an expensive pair. But of course, if you like to keep things top-notch, by all means, go for it. It will not only make the setup a lot more secure but also give you peace of mind.

The Headstock

Inarguably, the most essential of all Faber guitar parts to keep the instrument in tune is the headstock. Why? Because these strings can only run through the Guitar bridge on the guitar body. In contrast, every other piece of hardware that the string passes through sits on the headstock itself.

If you buy an ordinary guitar and want to improve its performance, start by changing the tuners. For stage play, you will need to invest in a quality one. We have encountered several inexpensive guitars that stay in tune when played at home. The issue occurs when you travel, and your guitar is exposed to temperature changes and road bumps. That's something cheap tuners can't help with.

The Bridge

The bridge is perhaps the most loved guitar part. In our testing of the Faber USA German hardware, we came across the Nashville bridge, which uses a metal body bushing and is equipped with an integrated thumbwheel. If you struggle to keep your affordable super start or even the Squires in tune, we recommend upgrading to Nashville or a wraparound bridge. The letter style has two distinct points for the bridge to anchor into the guitar body. This, in turn, minimizes the loss that comes from string vibrations.

FAQs:

What is the best guitar to upgrade hardware?

There’s no definite answer to that. Typically, any strat guitar has the minimum level of groundwork to go with hardware modification.

Is it possible to add a Floyd Rose in a Gibson?

The answer is yes, but always have a clear idea about the look and feel before saying yes. We recommend consulting a guitar hardware upgrading expert at FaberUSA to get a better idea.