simple upgrades for cheap guitars: strings, saddles, bridge pins etc.

[Spook]

To adjust tone, strings, pick, and bone saddle would be my choices in that order.

Something in a .012 gauge 80/20 phosphor bronze will likely sound best. When you said nickel strings do you mean electric guitar strings? These won't sound as good.

Next, use a different pick. Thin, plastic picks seem common but they don't sound very good. Try as thick as you can manage in something like an Ultem and work out from their. A pick is the single best way to dial in some different sounds. Different picks materials and designs really do make a distinct audible impact. If you use your fingers, try using more or less fingernail.

A bone saddle is the way to go. Nothing works better though some of the substitutes may work as well. I've seen no functional difference between inexpensive bone saddles and pricier ones. Bear in mind that these have to be fitted.

It's safe to leave the nut alone unless it's grabbing in which case you might want to swap it with a more durable bone nut while it's fixed. Won't change tone, just more durable. Something better left to a tech.

I don't think bridge pins impact tone however, they do make some pretty ones and really cheap plastic ones stick so it's a good functional swap. Planet Waves Tusq are inexpensive, look nice, and are very durable. Also like the way the ebony ones feel.

The Epiphone offers a surprising amount of goodness for $200. Solid top, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard. I would spring for the extra $50 or so and have a proper professional set up done on it. The bone saddle is a good idea and you can discuss changing the nut with the tech as well as things like humidity and strap buttons.

[jlipoth]

Thanks for all the advice!
So it turns out that the bridge pins in this guitar is not standard. They are a fair bit thinner than normal bridge pins and they are feel almost like Rubbermaid type plastic.....I ordered a bridge pin reamer and will fix this. I think that in this case, bridge pins should make a noticeable difference considering the sub par components. As for the nickel strings, they have a surprisingly good amount of low end. The high end is a little much if you dig in really hard. There are a couple less bright options (chromes, pure nickel etc) that I will try. For this particular guitar, I will be putting in a electric guitar pickup below the fret board, so electric guitar strings are preferred, as long as they also sound good acoustically as well.

In regards to bridge materials, it's a good idea to try different things. I have a Martin D16rgt and I've tried using a bone saddle. It sounds louder, deeper and clearer with the tusq saddle it came with. On the other hand, I had an Alvarez MD80 that sounded much better with a bone saddle.

[rsqdvr]

I can not offer a scientific answer, But in my recent experience with a used little Epi. EL-OO All the plastic parts had to go, I went with Collosi replacements, next came a trip to the luthiers for a proper set up and new strings.

The luthier put on all the bone parts, tweaked the string spacing a little at the nut ( small neck guitar, Big hands ) the action was lowered to suit my playing style and J P slightly light strings rounded out my upgrade.

IMHO the saddle and strings & set-up had the largest impact on the sound of my guitar, For me the bone nut & pins are a bonus as I like them and they make me feel better about the guitar

[duluthdan]

$99 Great Divide guitar - new bone nut, bone saddle, bone pins, new pickguard. Car rubbing compound took away all the shiny clown like finish - Martin medium/light (12.5) strings. Lowered action. Guitar lives in the back of my car, and is a treat. Turned my $99 beater into a fun $120 campfire guitar !

[HHP]

I would suggest keeping the saddle, nut, and bridgepins and saving to swap out the rest for a Gibson.

[dablues]

Originally Posted by Misty44

My experience with laminated guitars (back and sides) is that they pretty much maintain their basic voice no matter what exchanges one makes.

True.

Instead of spending money on upgrades to this guitar, why not save up for a better guitar that will have all of the things you want that this guitar doesn't already have?

[jlipoth]

Originally Posted by Misty44
My experience with laminated guitars (back and sides) is that they pretty much maintain their basic voice no matter what exchanges one makes.
True.

Originally Posted by dablues:
Instead of spending money on upgrades to this guitar, why not save up for a better guitar that will have all of the things you want that this guitar doesn't already have?

Misty44: That comment is true for any guitar: laminate or not. Unless you change a guitar's body material and/or body shape it's "basic voice" should remain the same..

dablues: Because I already have a better guitar: now I want one that I won't hesitate to haul to a venue when it's -40 Celsius out or when my kids are around etc. Nitrocellulose/Solid wood is nice and all, but a poly finish with a laminate back and sides makes for a great modern "parlor/campfire/backup" guitar. Even if it's a cheaper guitar, it is well worth the effort to take the take to tune up/customize it and........ even if the change of swapping one component is minimal, several minimal changes putting together often adds up.

If you would like to continue exploring the concepts of "buying a better guitar" or "changes don't really make a difference", you would probably be best served to start your own thread. Please don't misunderstand me: feel free to post here, but I'd hate to see you waste your time.

[Brazad]

I'm a lefty player and play 2 custom-built Posch guitars. I've been wanting to get a "cheap" guitar to take to work - to just leave there and play during lunch breaks, etc.

A friend sold me a still-in-the-box Morgan Monroe Blues 32 a week or so ago. I'm sure it's built in China (although I can't find anything that says so in the guitar or packing materials). A tad bigger than a 00, sunburst finish on the front, back and back of neck. Grover open-back tuners. BONE nut and saddle, to my surprise! Solid sitka top, laminated b&s.

First thing I did was rout out the bridge pin holes and slot them so I could use unslotted ebony pins. Put a Burkett L-00 firestripe pickguard on it (look 'em up on firestripepickguard - dot - com... gorgeous guards!) and wham, I'm ready to go!

The guitar sounds warmer with the new unslotted pins... and I like it for what it is. I agree with what one poster in this thread said earlier - you're not going to make a substantial tonal difference with your minor mods. 10% or less, I'm thinking. At least that's my recent experience with this MM.

The bridgeplate on it, for example, is from the laminated mahogany and is the size of Alaska. I **could** take it out and replace it with a small maple plate... but why? That's WAY too much work for too little tonal gain, IMO.

It's your guitar - have fun!

Gary

[Misty44]

Originally Posted by jlipoth

Originally Posted by Misty44
My experience with laminated guitars (back and sides) is that they pretty much maintain their basic voice no matter what exchanges one makes.
True.

Misty44: That comment is true for any guitar: laminate or not. Unless you change a guitar's body material and/or body shape it's "basic voice" should remain the same..

I was responding specifically to the OP's guitar in question: soild top, laminated b&s: I was not making a general statement regarding laminates vs all solid. (Kinda like the difference in frames of reference between Special and General Relativity, eh?)

As I also posted, I did some major surgery (scalloping some and adding new tone bars) on an old Sigma DM-4 (laminated b&s) and did in fact create a much better voice. So voices can be developed, but not by swapping only saddles, nuts, and pins.

So I stand by my initial response to the OP about his Epiphone AJ220.

[dablues]

Originally Posted by jlipoth

...but I'd hate to see you waste your time.

I didn't realize that I was wasting my time but I think maybe you are. Nothing wrong with having an inexpensive "beater" guitar but I seriously doubt that swapping out the bridgepins, nut, saddle, etc is going to produce a noticeable improvement in the sound of your guitar and therefore seems like a waste of time and money.

You asked for opinions and I gave you mine. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[mustache79]

I've put a bone saddle in an all lam and it sounded better. That said I've noticed a bit of snobbery around here lately..

[HHP]

Originally Posted by mustache79

I've put a bone saddle in an all lam and it sounded better. That said I've noticed a bit of snobbery around here lately..

Such as.......?

[zabdart]

Generally speaking, a cheap guitar is not going to sound like a more expensive guitar, no matter how many upgrades you do to it. You might achieve some improvement in tone and volume, but it's hardly worth it. You'd be better off saving all the money you plan to spend for your next guitar, which hopefully, will deliver the sound that you want.

[mustache79]

Originally Posted by HHP

Such as.......?

I'd rather not elaborate much or finger point, but I think (my opinion) in this thread it's a little absurd to say that an inexpensive guitar can't benefit from the same upgrades that people do to their fancy all solid wood guitars. I've owned very nice guitars and all laminate inexpensive guitars. I've always found that there are ways to improve the sound and playability of them regardless of their pedigree.

Like I suggested in a previous post, it doesn't have to cost a lot to upgrade the OP's guitar. For under $90 he can get a bone nut, saddle, bridge pins and Grover 18:1 tuning machines with a little know how and a bit of resourcefulness. To say it isn't worth it and to just save up for a different guitar wasn't what he was asking.

As for other threads, that's a different story and I'm not opening that can of worms too much. But, as suggested before, this place sometimes comes across as a rich man's forum.

[Ed422]

Regardless of guitar value, in order of importance...

Setup, without question the best way to enhance a guitar.

Strings. I prefer Pearse strings. Weight and material depends on the guitar. I always go through several sets to decide what sounds best on a given guitar.

Saddle. I think a bone saddle makes a difference. I don't think the person who makes it is as important as some.

After that, it is visual aesthetics with little affect on the sound. Unless you go with bridge pins that are high mass (dare I mention it?, brass or some other metal).

And all of that said, a few extras here and there are NOT going to make a $500 guitar a $2500 guitar.

Ed