Top Wrapping Question

[daveinspain]

The last couple time I had to resting guitars I tried top wrapping and have been pretty content with the result... I have a gig this coming Saturday so I'm restringing my LP Custom which I will be using... As I was restringing I was thinking, I hope I'm not damaging the gold plated hardware... :huh: Never gave it a thought while top wrapping a chrome/nickel stop bar... What do you think...? AXE®?

[pippy]

Well, I'm pretty sure it will wear the plating off the stop-bar eventually, but the speed at which this happens might also be down in part to your right hand technique.

 

On nickel and chrome tailpieces I've seen even these more durable finishes wear off in the areas in contact with the strings when top-wrapping.

On a gold-plated bar it will almost certainly wear away much quicker.

 

P.

[RowdyMoon]

It's plated so it will wear...but the gold will be the most noticeable because of the contrast.

[Twang Gang]

It will definetly scratch and wear the finish off the tailpiece. So the question you need to ask yourself is "does the top wrap really help the playability and tone of the guitar that much? Or is the appearance of your hardware more important to you?"

[Twang Gang]

Sorry doubel post

[AXE®]

I only have two guitars with gold hardware. The Clapton explorer and the 57 single p'up Custom.

 

Yeah it will mar the finish but it wouldn't bother me a bit if it did.

 

I've just about worn all the gold plate off the Custom and what didn't come of naturally I rubbed off with scotch brite.

 

I loath gold hardware.

[daveinspain]

So you top wrapped those guitars? You top wrap all your guitars?

[AXE®]

No choice with the Custom. it's a hardtail.

 

The Explorer rarely sees the light of day because it can't be replaced. So no.

 

I do topwrap all of my Les Pauls, excluding the 68 RI - the neck angle ant topcarve on that one make it impractical.