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Strings wrapping around the tail piece...


T50

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Well, I'm no expert, but it's been told to me it reduces "break angle" of the string(s) to the bridge. What advantage that has I dunno, Raptor could probably answer that question. I personally think it looks fugly when you do that, I can see having to do that when the ABR1 IS the bridge, you kinda have to then. I honestly don't see any advantage to it besides the angle thing, but that's just me.

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gibson-wrap.jpg

 

Raptor could probably answer that question.

 

Not deliberately trying to pre-empt Raptor's wisdom but here's my 2p's worth!

 

From what I've been told (I've never done this by the way)' date=' as Guitarandfeather states it does reduce the string 'break angle' over the saddle. This apparently reduces [b']string tension [/b]due to more string available for stretching (a sharp break angle doesn't allow the string behind the bridge to stretch) and can also be kinder to the strings and stop them breaking at the bridge so often. This is especially true if the string touches the back of the bridge on its way to the stop bar. Nashville bridges are wider and often make the string bend on its ways backwards unless the stop bar is high.

 

Another reason to do it is that you can the screw the stop bar right down into the studs. This is claimed to increase sustain, by having better hardware to wood contact.

 

Whether any of this is true in preactice I don't know, but I have friends who swear it does. I would willingly spend the next three years doing a PhD on the subject if anyone here can give me a nice fat research grant.

 

Some people like the 'vintage mojo' of string wrapping, whilst others hate it.

 

Here's a really useful link that explains things a lot better than I can:

 

Tail Wrap explained

 

Two things in that excellent webpage intrigue me.

1. The Gibson catalogues from 1959 and 1960 that states that the "Tailpiece can be moved up or down to change tension".

2. The Forum comments by Guildx700~ which explain things really well about what goes on behind the saddle.

 

Hope this helps,

ibis

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Thanks for the replies, gents!

 

I have a SG Std. that has a nice and low string action. But the saddle

and the tailpiece were sitting up high off the body. I guess the neck had

been set on a slightly stiffer angle. It just bothered me to know that the

tailpiece was holding on to a fewer threads of the 2 bolts while being

pulled by the strings towards the nut. So I screwed down the tailpiece

and wrap the strings over. Now it looks stable, and the strings don't touch

the rear edge of the saddle anymore. But I'm not sure if doing this

increases sustain in my case...

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I have heard the greater the string length the warmer the tone.

Maybe thats why some people dont cut their strings' date=' they curl them up.

I was never a fan of that.[/quote']

 

That's just lazyness!

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  • 2 years later...
gibson-wrap.jpg

 

 

 

Not deliberately trying to pre-empt Raptor's wisdom but here's my 2p's worth!

 

From what I've been told (I've never done this by the way)' date=' as Guitarandfeather states it does reduce the string 'break angle' over the saddle. This apparently reduces [b']string tension [/b]due to more string available for stretching (a sharp break angle doesn't allow the string behind the bridge to stretch) and can also be kinder to the strings and stop them breaking at the bridge so often. This is especially true if the string touches the back of the bridge on its way to the stop bar. Nashville bridges are wider and often make the string bend on its ways backwards unless the stop bar is high.

 

Another reason to do it is that you can the screw the stop bar right down into the studs. This is claimed to increase sustain, by having better hardware to wood contact.

 

Whether any of this is true in preactice I don't know, but I have friends who swear it does. I would willingly spend the next three years doing a PhD on the subject if anyone here can give me a nice fat research grant.

 

Some people like the 'vintage mojo' of string wrapping, whilst others hate it.

 

Here's a really useful link that explains things a lot better than I can:

 

Tail Wrap explained

 

Two things in that excellent webpage intrigue me.

1. The Gibson catalogues from 1959 and 1960 that states that the "Tailpiece can be moved up or down to change tension".

2. The Forum comments by Guildx700~ which explain things really well about what goes on behind the saddle.

 

Cool,my guitar tech,Ted Vig, set my guitar up with a "tail wrap" now it plays great!

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Hello Gents!

First of all' date=' I apologize if this has been discussed to death here.

 

I've been wondering what the pros and cons of wrapping the strings

around the tail piece are....?[biggrin

 

 

 

....and it has. The consessus from what I recall is that it does not enhance anything. Doesn't make it worse either.

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Gibson designs usually include an angle headstock (17°), and stops or trems that allow a similar or greater angle at the bridge - specifically to create more downward pressure on the nut and bridge, which in turn increases sustain. Switching to a wrap without lowering your stop is going contrary to Gibson's design ideas on sustain. Since Gibson has some of the best tones and sustains out there, their design ideas have a lot of validity. So, if you top wrap, consider lowering your stop to get the string angle back closer to what it was originally set to by Gibson.

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I say leave your les paul tail pieces as they are and use traditional string thru. The guitars where designed to be strung that way. I cant think of any guitar legend alive or dead that used a tail wrap. If Im mistaken please correct me. My 71' paul has miles and miles of sustain and bends that go on forever and it is still set up to factory specs. Besides the greates guitar co. in the world must not think its worth anything or else they would be doing it.

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I recently took a book out of the library on Les Paul the guitar and it had an interview of Les Paul the man. In that interview Les (the man) wanted the stop tail top wrapped and did it on many of his guitar's.

 

and others have provided picture proof (abet in fairly blurry pictures) who top wrapped in the 60's

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I say leave your les paul tail pieces as they are and use traditional string thru. The guitars where designed to be strung that way. I cant think of any guitar legend alive or dead that used a tail wrap. If Im mistaken please correct me.

 

Jimmy Page.(I think)

Joe Bonamassa

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I have seen Gibson guitars strung this way in their catalog, so I decided to try it myself. It defiantly increases sustain to a very noticeable degree. In addition, the body of the guitar seems to resonate a lot more. I have also noticed a significant increase in overall sting life. I no longer break strings left, and right; and that was a very big problem for me a few years ago. I also notice the tension is a little lighter. I use 13's, and set a pretty high action so I noticed that right away.

 

I started stringing my guitars in this fashion about 6 years ago, and I am convinced. Now when I see guitars strung "traditionally", I just shrug and think: "They will figure it out..."

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FWIW....what's the big deal if this has been brought up before?

 

I just watched a ZZ Top concert DVD that was recording in Germany in 1980. I could clearly see that Billy Gibbons was wrapping the strings on Pearly Gates.

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