# Stonetone granite vs brass big block upgrade



## jkkkjkhk (Jun 22, 2014)

Hey guys,
Over on rig talk forum there was a pretty interesting thread surrounding these new Stonetone granite sustain blocks. I worked out a deal with the owner where I receive a block in exchange for doing him a couple comparison videos, so here we are. The guitar I tried it in was a 1990 Jackson Rhoads Pro with JB/Jazz pickups. For the comparison I used a Mesa Mark III blue stripe into an Egnater 2x12 with vintage 30s. Miked up with a SM57 into a fast track into garageband, and made sure to have new strings before recording. I also captured the EQ curve of both blocks, recorded dry with an Apogee Jam. I went from the stock thin brass block to the granite block to a brass big block I had purchased for this test, I didn't include the stock block in the recordings however. So from going between the granite block and the big brass block I felt there was a difference in the high end. Not a huge difference, but at least noticeable. I'm going to try it on another guitar next, might have a bigger effect on a different guitar. Either way big difference, small difference, no difference... the block is interesting and it was cool to get to try one. Now it'd be cool to get to hear steel, brass, titanium, aluminum, tungsten, granite... all in one test.
What do you guys think? Do you hear a difference, which do you prefer?

Clean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCmZfLlfzks

High Gain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxMcoQ4GQnQ



The first EQ curve is the A string A2/110 Hz on the bridge pickup. Stonetone is white, brass is purple.





The second curve is a strumming passage on the bridge pickup. Stonetone is blue, brass is yellow.


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## Solodini (Jun 23, 2014)

Did you notice any difference in the feel of operating the trem?


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## IkarusOnFire (Jun 23, 2014)

Cool comparison - to my ears, I find the stone to be slightly fuller in its sounds - while the brass seems to have more top-end and cut through slightly more. Both sounds good though. What one would need, I guess, depends on your guitar woods and pups


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## jkkkjkhk (Jun 23, 2014)

Solodini said:


> Did you notice any difference in the feel of operating the trem?



Didn't notice any difference in trem feel.


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## InfinityCollision (Jun 23, 2014)

Would've been great to get the stock block in there too.

I take it you meant A string 110 Hz? A440 (A4) is the fifth fret A on the high E string and your graphs indicate A2/110 Hz anyway.


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## jkkkjkhk (Jun 24, 2014)

InfinityCollision said:


> Would've been great to get the stock block in there too.
> 
> I take it you meant A string 110 Hz? A440 (A4) is the fifth fret A on the high E string and your graphs indicate A2/110 Hz anyway.



Oops, thank you for correcting me, yes I meant A2/110hz.


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## TheDraeg (Jun 28, 2014)

Funny coincidence: I literally JUST finished installing an L-shaped big brass block on my ESP Horizon. I am very happy with the overall improvement. I considered a stone block, as well as tungsten or titanium.. but according to lots of reading I did on it, the cost to performance ratio just wasn't worth it for those more exotic options. 
There's a reason why brass has been big in musical instruments for so long


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## dragonbiscuit (Jun 29, 2014)

I'm digging the Stone block with your particular guitar & pups.


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## Fretless (Jun 30, 2014)

Have to say I prefer the tone of the Brass bridge. I listened to the whole video blind to be fair, and then went back and saw which I preferred.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Jul 1, 2014)

Great comparison! I preferred the sound of the brass block


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## Grindspine (Jul 1, 2014)

The single-tracked stone sounded a little bit drier to me. The brass did have a bit more of a distinct high end. This was more noticeable on the cleans.

Double-tracked there was less difference, but your double-tracked tone sounded very thin over all... almost out of phase.


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## AxeHappy (Jul 1, 2014)

I preferred the brass clean tone and noticed very little difference on the high gain tone.


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