Raise Tailpiece?

[jbear]

On guitars with stoptails, do you unscrew the studs until the string doesn't contact the bridge (assuming one or more strings are touching)? I am curious as to whether the guitar is designed to have those studs screwed down until they are down tight. I guess I can try it with one or two instruments, but...before I start screwing with stuff and having to resetup...figured I'd ask. I don't want to top-wrap, which I realize is another technique that some use.

Thanks folks!

[Danny W.]

On guitars with stoptails, do you unscrew the studs until the string doesn't contact the bridge (assuming one or more strings are touching)? I am curious as to whether the guitar is designed to have those studs screwed down until they are down tight. I guess I can try it with one or two instruments, but...before I start screwing with stuff and having to resetup...figured I'd ask. I don't want to top-wrap, which I realize is another technique that some use.

Thanks folks!

The tailpiece can be set wherever you like it. Some people screw it down tight, some like it raised if the strings are touching the back edge of the bridge. There is no right way, so just experiment with it to find what you like best.

 

Danny W.

[jbear]

Thanks for the response. I will mess around and see what sounds good. Never thought about it but...have time on my hands tonight.

 

 

The tailpiece can be set wherever you like it. Some people screw it down tight, some like it raised if the strings are touching the back edge of the bridge. There is no right way, so just experiment with it to find what you like best.

 

Danny W.

[Twang Gang]

I played a LP with the posts screwed down all the way to the body for about 25 years and never thought about it. Had been told that was the way to ge the best sustain. On my CS336 however the stop bar is far enough away from the bridge that the posts can be tight to the body and the strings still clear the back of the bridge? I've gone to raising it just enough to allow the strings to clear the back of the bridge on all my guitars and now I like that more. A matter of personal preference I guess. Funny how Gibson doesn't say it should be one way or the other, they designed the guitars so you'd think they'd have a reason for one or the other

[badbluesplayer]

I played a LP with the posts screwed down all the way to the body for about 25 years and never thought about it. Had been told that was the way to ge the best sustain. On my CS336 however the stop bar is far enough away from the bridge that the posts can be tight to the body and the strings still clear the back of the bridge? I've gone to raising it just enough to allow the strings to clear the back of the bridge on all my guitars and now I like that more. A matter of personal preference I guess. Funny how Gibson doesn't say it should be one way or the other, they designed the guitars so you'd think they'd have a reason for one or the other

Yeah - Gibson sets them all up pretty much the same way from the factory. People like to fiddle with the stopbar and then they forget how Gibson set it up to start with.

[Danny W.]

Yeah - Gibson sets them all up pretty much the same way from the factory. People like to fiddle with the stopbar and then they forget how Gibson set it up to start with.

If Gibson thought there was one ideal position, they wouldn't need to make them adjustable.

 

Danny W.

[Twang Gang]

If Gibson thought there was one ideal position, they wouldn't need to make them adjustable.

 

Danny W.

 

Excellent point, Danny. I just think it's strange that Gibson doesn't offer any advice about these types of things. If you lower the stopbar, tension will change and the effect will be etc etc. Having recently bought a couple of new Gibsons here is what they offer in the current Owners Manual:

 

"Adjustable Stopbar Tailpiece

 

The stopbar tailpiece may be adjusted up or down to change the downward pressure across the bridge. There is usually no need to adjust the stopbar unles the strings are moving out of the saddles, in which case the stopbar should be lowered"

 

So no mention whatsoever of our frequent discussions about sustain, and keeping the strings away from the back of the bridge and how that might effect tone etc. Just simply a way to increase downward pressure. Maybe since the stopbar came along in 1954 there is no one alive that remembers all the whys and wherefores of the design and engineering. Or maybe Gibson just prefers to keep out of our way and let us do as we will with the insturments??

[badbluesplayer]

If Gibson thought there was one ideal position, they wouldn't need to make them adjustable.

 

Danny W.

 

If they thought there was one ideal position, they'd still have to make them adjustable to accomodate the variance in neck angle when they're built. The stopbar has to be able to follow the bridge when you adjust the bridge too.

 

If they set 'em all up the same way at the factory, that's probably a good place to start. That's all I'm saying.

[Danny W.]

Excellent point, Danny. I just think it's strange that Gibson doesn't offer any advice about these types of things. If you lower the stopbar, tension will change and the effect will be etc etc. Having recently bought a couple of new Gibsons here is what they offer in the current Owners Manual:

 

"Adjustable Stopbar Tailpiece

 

The stopbar tailpiece may be adjusted up or down to change the downward pressure across the bridge. There is usually no need to adjust the stopbar unles the strings are moving out of the saddles, in which case the stopbar should be lowered"

 

So no mention whatsoever of our frequent discussions about sustain, and keeping the strings away from the back of the bridge and how that might effect tone etc. Just simply a way to increase downward pressure. Maybe since the stopbar came along in 1954 there is no one alive that remembers all the whys and wherefores of the design and engineering. Or maybe Gibson just prefers to keep out of our way and let us do as we will with the insturments??

 

 

IOW Gibson says "leave it where we set it." That's probably not bad advice because in my experience with a variety of stoptail guitars, moving it up or down really doesn't accomplish much. I think the reported effects on sustain are exaggerated, string tension is not changed (once you re-tune) and about the only problem with the strings touching the back of the bridge is possible vibration.

 

I stick with my original recommendation--put it where you like it. It's not rocket science and you can always move it back to its original position if you decide you made a mistake. If it sounds or feels better to you in a different position, that's great. I think all the rest is just over analysis.

 

 

Since I currently have no guitars with a stop tailpiece, it's not my problem <_<

 

 

Danny W.

[jbear]

IOW Gibson says "leave it where we set it." That's probably not bad advice because in my experience with a variety of stoptail guitars, moving it up or down really doesn't accomplish much. I think the reported effects on sustain are exaggerated, string tension is not changed (once you re-tune) and about the only problem with the strings touching the back of the bridge is possible vibration.

 

I stick with my original recommendation--put it where you like it. It's not rocket science and you can always move it back to its original position if you decide you made a mistake. If it sounds or feels better to you in a different position, that's great. I think all the rest is just over analysis.

 

 

Since I currently have no guitars with a stop tailpiece, it's not my problem

 

 

Danny W.

 

I'm putting a Faber bridge and TP on it along with a new wiring harness (500 pots and .22 PIO's).

[ddgr]

Its simple mechanics if you raise the action raise the tailpiece to suit vice versa when lowering. I personally wouldnt like to have the string binding on the back edge of the bridge as it adds an uneccessary friction point to the string