CHEAP UPGRADES for your ACOUSTIC GUITARS – What can you do for under $50?
#PlateMate #bonebridgepins #guitardiscoveries
Robert Cassard shares two easy low-cost ways to upgrade any acoustic guitar — especially a vintage acoustic. Adding a Mitchel’s PlateMate on the underside of the bridge and switching to bone bridge pins can make a surprisingly audible difference in resonance, brilliance and sustain. And you can install them yourself for under $50! Hear the difference for yourself as Robert A/B tests his 1964 Gibson J-50 by playing it Before and After the upgrades.
But Mitchel’s PlateMate here: http://www.mitchelsplatemate.com/
(Currently $19.95 + S&H)
Blisstime Bone Bridge Pins with Abalone Dot:
https://amzn.to/2sZIwIZ
($8.99 + S&H)
Robert Cassard shares guitars, gear and tips to make you a better musician.
▶ BECOME A “GUITAR DISCOVERER” ON PATREON◀
https://www.patreon.com/robertcassard
▶ FOLLOW GUITAR & RECORDING DISCOVERIES ◀
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guitardiscoveries
▶ MY WEBSITES ◀
Guitar Discoveries: https://www.guitardiscoveries.com/
Cosmic Spin (Band): https://cosmic-spin.com/
Hi, my name is Robert Cassard. I’m a lifelong guitar player, singer-songwriter, producer, and music fanatic. I create Guitar and Recording Discoveries videos with a simple goal: to make YOU a better, happier, more confident musician!
In 2018, after more than 40 years as a pro musician, I started sharing my experiences through easy-to-understand YouTube videos — giving you shortcuts to de-mystify playing, singing and recording.
My “day job” is as a video writer/producer/director. Often it’s hard to balance my need to earn a living with my desire to share the pure joy of music through the YouTube videos I make for free.
Your ongoing support means the world to me and encourages me do more of what I love — sharing musical discoveries to help and inspire you! I invite you to become a “Guitar Discoverer” by signing up on Patreon so I can keep providing you the most value I can. https://www.patreon.com/robertcassard
Learn more about me, my music and my videos:
https://www.guitardiscoveries.com/
Check out my band Cosmic Spin’s website:
https://cosmic-spin.com/
▶PRO MUSICIANS ONLY – MIX MAGAZINE – FREE SUBSCRIPTION◀
Mix Magazine Digital Edition | Professional Audio & Music Production.
Stay on top of what’s happening in the recording industry.
Sign up using this link:
https://www.b2bmediaportal.com/dynamicregister/Register.aspx?fid=MIXF&STATUS=NEW&key=MIXPAS203
#CHEAP #UPGRADES #ACOUSTIC #GUITARS
Originally posted by UCWAl8GGqChRYwGQRzeeDGBg at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9pmT4uv2oA
Interesting. Seems like it creates a slightly brighter sound with maybe more clarity between the individual strings, especially noticeable on the "Blossom" passages. Do you have an idea of which mod made the biggest difference? My guess would be the metal plate. How does the Plate Mate attach to the bridge plate? BTW, bone saddle?
Old sounds more like Martin. New sounds more like Taylor.
It's definitely more bright but to be honest I would prefer previous version of the sound -I like this warm tone.
Sounded better after the upgrade
You did both changes at the same time? How do you know it wasn't just the pins that did it? How do you know it wasn't just the backing that did it? How do you know it didn't come together until you did both of them and only one of them didn't do anything? Yeah, it sounded louder and clearer but come on.
I'm guessing you reused the strings? Or did you put new ones on after the upgrade? I'm going to look into that plate mate. Never heard of it until now. Those bone pins are a great suggestion. Definitely going to do that.
Sure does sound better with those two mods.
Great video. I am guessing you could not install say a K&K pure mini with the plate mate eh?
I have two identical vintage Yamaha FG 350D guitars, both from 1982, so I could make a real time apples to apples comparison. One has the original plastic saddle (Yes, even the original saddle on such a great guitar is plastic) and plastic pins.
The other, I replaced with unbleached, natural cattle bone, saddle and pins. I have to say, any sound difference is all in the imagination! I go back and forth, side by side, same brand new custom light strings, and there is really no difference at all in the sound.
Which is fine with me, because I already love the sound of these vintage guitars regardless. What does make a difference is the age of a 40 plus year-old solid spruce top, compared to a brand new, very high quality guitar (Alvarez MD60).
I made this comparison recently, and the aged wood of the vintage Yamaha absolutely sounds far superior in every way, even though on its own, the Alvarez sounds and plays great.
I upgraded both vintage Yamahas to the bone saddle and pins anyway, even though there is no difference in the sound, just because the unbleached bone, with the natural abalone inlay dot looks so classy!
Definite difference. More clarity and bit of high end with the upgrades. Really good comparison video work! Thanks.
The bone pins and bridge plate PlateMate definitely made the guitar sound better. Great ideas and inexpensive. Nice. Thanks Robert!
Cassard sounds very French to me. My mother was a Cormier from Moncton, New Brunswick and she sent me to a French school in Moncton for 9 years. Because of that I did my degrees in French linguistics and then became a French high school teacher for many years…I am now retired from that occupation.
Wtf Gibson. How you going to put plastic pins in? In a Gibson….. Shame!!
You forgot to mention the New Strings which I'm sure made the biggest difference.
Good experiment. I would say that changing anything should be done one at a time. You changed two things so which if any gave the result . Did you try with just the plate and the old plastic pins ? Might be interesting ? My old ears have never heard difference in pin changes I have done and didn't really hear any big difference in tone with the plate but maybe a bit louder but that's me just reasoning that better contact with the bridge should give better transfer. With this the result it should have been louder and with more sustained notes taking longer to decay but you didn't demo that . Give it a try ? Let us know ? Lastly as with any upgrade , if the player hears a difference then it has been worthwhile, that's all that matters .Well worth while video as always.
Wow, the mods really cleaned up the sound, sounds like a real guitar now ????
Hmmmm! Imma have to pick these up for my guitar. I'd love to hear these same mods with the addition of a slotted bridge with unslotted bone pins.
Hi Robert , interesting vid , I mite try them both on my old red. Label fg300 although see sounds sweet as a nut already ????
Thanks for this video. I hadn’t heard of the Mitchell PlateMate but I just ordered it and both brass and bone pins for my 81 HD-28. It’s already glorious but why not try some cheap upgrades and see if I like them. 🙂 thanks again!
Thanks!!! Very informative!
Dude, best video ever! Thanks you guys.
Definitely sounds much brighter after the upgrades
You look like james hetfield 2016 look ????❤????????????
Wow what a difference!
Oh wow, yeah I can definitely hear a difference. Thanks for the tips
Great video, Robert. I think I like the warmth prior to the plate mate but in order to protect the bridge I'm going to try it out since I already have some damage that I need to ensure doesn't get worse. Will be putting it in my Taylor 324ce. I love the current tone but it is quite a 'dark' sounding guitar so I might be able to live with the difference. It's encouraging you've mentioned the mellowing in tone since the strings were played for a bit. Will be interesting to hear in person.
Night and day difference in comparison with the original one in my opinion for the price!
Do you have any tips on increasing bass response as theres manyier methods to get better highs and mids?
bone saddle and nut would have made a differance! too…!
So much brighter
Hmm. Sounds better, but I'm not sure yet. Do you have something in yellow, perhaps short sleaved?
Actually did a lot more than I expected
I put open back Waverlies on my J35…..nice improvement.
Definitely brighter and clearer after the changes
i prefer updated, feeling more clear
I could definitely hear more clarity. It sounded much brighter to my ears.