Superhawk Tribute questions & bridge upgrade help

[MrPaul Caruso]

Hello boys and girls...
I need some expertise from you!

Got a new Superhawk Tribute. (porn pics soon)... Does anyone know about the quality/type of woods between the Tribute and the signature model? Both say soft maple body, hard maple neck...but are they the same thing? From what I've read, the Tributes are assembled in the US, but bodies/necks made overseas...sound right?

I want to know about upgrading the tuners and the bridge.

Looking to help her out a bit with tone, and tuning. it's not all that bad, but a very small investment she was, and i'd like to maximize her potential. She already has a bone nut installed and the frets leveled, plays pretty damn nice for $400.
Pups will be Duncans when I get to it.

Would these fit the stock bridge> http://www.ebay.com/itm/380648480450?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

or would this be an upgrade, or same thing in different color? http://www.ebay.com/itm/360966841974?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

and does anyone know which tuners would be a direct replacement upgrade? stock ones aren't the best.

thanks for your help! Happy to be here!

[JagInTheBag]

Welcome MrPaul Caruso! I love that you are hot rodding a Tribute. They are made and assembled overseas and simply set up here in the USA before being sent to U.S. dealers. The saddles you linked are for an Ashtray style bridge and will not fit your bridge. The second item will fit your guitar, but I would be careful to verify that it is indeed a USA bridge before sending the money. That seller appears to be parting out tributes, funny all the bridges are USA and the rest is Tribute.... Here is the G&L store link to the USA Saddlelock: http://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/c ... tar-bridge

your best move is to swap out the saddles with USA spec ones, here: http://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/c ... tar-bridge

Happy Hunting!

[MrPaul Caruso]

Thanks for the info! What about a good set tuning machines? I'd rather not drill holes for screws, but I will if there is no better option.
Digging the guitar...

Just not the tuners!

[Fumble fingers]

Paul , you might do a search in the Knowledge base , seems a few Tribute owners have inquired about tuning keys ...... I would also get the saddles in the Link that Jag gave you .... saddle lock are darn good bridges , you might make sure the allen screw is tight on the side of the bridge that "locks" the saddles on the saddlelock bridge together

[MrPaul Caruso]

Well it's been a while...I appreciate the help from my fellow axemen. I will be posting pics tomorrow. I have managed to finally finish not one, but 2 upgraded Korean models- a Rampage and the Superhawk. I am really pleased with how they both came out. I had my ups and downs, but I literally just strung up the last one and damn! It's too late (at night ) to fire up the Marshall ...if I did- the cops would come.

I am really stoked with what I have vs. the $ I spent. Lots of hours and some trial and error...but I am really digging both guitars. I'll add the details with pictures, but I just had to tell someone.

[jayochs]

nice! I'm excited to see. I've got a superhawk coming today and I'm so pumped for it. I've also got a rampage too! nice nice collection!

[MrPaul Caruso]

So here they are. Changes made as follows...
Rampage (black one). Swapped out the original (offshore) Kahler for a 7300 Hybrid and added Teflon glass rollers. HA dsome tuning issues with the original one, and tone-wise it was a bit muddy. Installed a EMG 81. This one sounds and plays amazing; the Teflon rollers make the sound so clear! It actually sounds very piezo-like when plugged into my Marshall acoustic amp as well. I also added an original Floyd locking nut. Added touch of my beat-to-crap tone knob from the 80's.
Superhawk (Ivory one)...this one had more changes to it. Added the TUSQ XL nut and string trees- comes with a string tree on the top 2 stings- I also added one for the D & G strings. Pickups were swapped out for Duncans: a Jimmy Page neck and Custom-Custom(TB-11) in the bridge- which is a trem-spaced to match up with the bridge. Both pups are set up to coil split as the originals; they just sound 10x's better. Speaking of the bridge- it is a USA G&L Saddle lock. Also upgraded the tuners to Schallers- which were a beeatch to hunt down w/o screws. Last but not least was the G&L neck plate.
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Overall I couldn't be happier with these 2. I love the neck, which is what drew me to them. With the mods, they are ready to rock!!

[MrPaul Caruso]

Forgot to mention that the EMG 81 would NOT fit in the Rampage cavity. I had to route it out about 2mm.

[MrPaul Caruso]

nice! I'm excited to see. I've got a superhawk coming today and I'm so pumped for it. I've also got a rampage too! nice nice collection!

Which Superhawk? Tribute or USA? Color? Pics??

[HowlinWolf]

Good job man... I'm glad that you are happy with your guitars, I'm sure they rock!

[Fumble fingers]

beautiful !! ... I have a EMG in my Rampage too

[jayochs]

nice! I'm excited to see. I've got a superhawk coming today and I'm so pumped for it. I've also got a rampage too! nice nice collection!

Which Superhawk? Tribute or USA? Color? Pics??

tribute, in blueburst! just another hour or so....lol

[MrPaul Caruso]

nice! I'm excited to see. I've got a superhawk coming today and I'm so pumped for it. I've also got a rampage too! nice nice collection!

Which Superhawk? Tribute or USA? Color? Pics??

tribute, in blueburst! just another hour or so....lol

the wait is fun...for the most part. it looks like the blueburst has a saddle lock bridge already. be interested to see how you like it out of the box. pics!!!!!!!!

I tell ya- the TUSQ XL nut made a huge difference in tone. and that was going from a bone nut that was in mine when I got it used.

[MrPaul Caruso]

beautiful !! ... I have a EMG in my Rampage too

did you have to route the cavity at all? I was PISSED when mine didn't drop right in. It was a chore to get it to fit, but DAMN I dig that tone!

[jayochs]

nice! I'm excited to see. I've got a superhawk coming today and I'm so pumped for it. I've also got a rampage too! nice nice collection!

Which Superhawk? Tribute or USA? Color? Pics??

tribute, in blueburst! just another hour or so....lol

the wait is fun...for the most part. it looks like the blueburst has a saddle lock bridge already. be interested to see how you like it out of the box. pics!!!!!!!!

I tell ya- the TUSQ XL nut made a huge difference in tone. and that was going from a bone nut that was in mine when I got it used.

man i LOVE it. this thing CHUGS hard on my DSL100! just like the rampage! it's got a white nut, though, which i was disappointed with because in the pics it shows a black one, which would have flowed better with the dark vibe. silly G&L! i'll be posting some pics/videos in a few

[JD0x0]

upgrading the bridge is pointless. The G&L saddle lock is probably the best hard tail on the market. The tuners are good. They might have burrs that break the strings(easy fix)), other than that, they are quality, IMO, and the only 'upgrade' would be some sort of locking tuner for easier string changes.

Dont be so suspicious of the tributes, they're generally pretty good guitars unless you get a lemon.

[jayochs]

all my tributes are damn good quality!

also go check the G&L porn section; just posted some pics and vids of my new superhawk!!

[MrPaul Caruso]

upgrading the bridge is pointless. The G&L saddle lock is probably the best hard tail on the market. The tuners are good. They might have burrs that break the strings(easy fix)), other than that, they are quality, IMO, and the only 'upgrade' would be some sort of locking tuner for easier string changes.

Dont be so suspicious of the tributes, they're generally pretty good guitars unless you get a lemon.

Pointless? If you call improving tone, sustain and looks pointless- I guess you're on to something. Mine didn't come with an actual USA Saddlelock.

The tuners didn't arrive a pitch consistently; that's the problem I had.

I wasn't suspicious of them or I would not own 2.