And Now I Stop Docking The Tailpiece

[PierM]

Yesterday was having one of my guitars dressed by my luthier, and LOL...he scolded me because I keep docking all my tailpiece down, and he showed me a box with a TONNES of bridges completely bent because of that. There was ABR1, Nashville, Faber, Gibson, Gotoh...seems just happening in any kind of brand or bridge. I was shocked really, 40 years of messing with guitars, and never thought of that. They were all bent in the middle, basically killing the 12" profile and aligning the saddles on a straight/flat line. This of course gives you random buzz across the fretboard, and a inconstant feeling on the strings, exactly the problem I was getting with this guitar. Now I'm gonna undock all my tailpiece and check all bridges...sigh

This is the bridge I had in this guitar;

 

[Donal]

Tailpiece screwed down on the guitar, top wrapped, problem solved

More suatain and easier bending .....................

 

[Slick]

Tailpiece screwed down on the guitar, top wrapped, problem solved

More suatain and easier bending .....................

 

[Classicplayer]

I learned of reports of too much pressure from tightened stop bars causing a dipping in the middle portion of Les Paul bridges from another forum about a dozen years ago. I never had the screwed down bar on any of my Lestes. My 18 year-old Classic has had a “bent” ABR-1 bridge for some time, but it does not seem to bother the guitar's tone. I have lowered that tail piece just a tiny amount to stiffen the action for my preference.
There is a slight dip in the bridge, but the saddles don't seem to be down as much?!


Classicplayer

 

[scozz]

Tailpiece screwed down on the guitar, top wrapped, problem solved

More suatain and easier bending .....................

I’m not trying to turn this into a ‘Top Wrap’...’Don’t Top Wrap’ thread...

But @Donal is correct!

 

[scozz]

 

[Roxy13]

I had a bridge collapse recently but it was almost 40 years old.

However, I've been thinking I should start top wrapping as well.

 

[scozz]

The pic in my last post is especially for @DarrellV!!!!!!!

 

[DarrellV]

I had a bridge collapse recently but it was almost 40 years old.

However, I've been thinking I should start top wrapping as well.

The pic in my last post is especially for @DarrellV!!!!!!!

Dude! You Top Wrap!!!!




I use the screws on the tailpiece that Teddy put there for that reason! Why re-invent the wheel?

I also noticed the increased and to me, unnecessary downward pressure on the back of the bridge.
I saw no use in pulling the strings down across the back of the Nashville so I raised the TP till the strings cleared the back of it.

IMG_9288-1

• DarrellV
• Jan 25, 2018

Recently I put a GF solid brass bridge on to cure the issues I was having with the Nashville, but I still like to leave the TP up a bit to take some of the downward load off the bridge studs and saddles. I like my strings a little bendy anyway, but I put 10's back on and so far the are still pretty bendy if needed.

20180407_090144

• DarrellV
• Apr 7, 2018

 

[Roxy13]

To me, I hear a difference with the TP raised. Now maybe I'm nuts, or sniffing corks. But, I swear I do. So I am a slam the TP down kind of gal. However, I would prefer not to collapse any more bridges. So I want to try the top wrap and see what I think about that.

 

[scozz]

To me, I hear a difference with the TP raised. Now maybe I'm nuts, or sniffing corks. But, I swear I do. So I am a slam the TP down kind of gal. However, I would prefer not to collapse any more bridges. So I want to try the top wrap and see what I think about that.

Yup...me too @Roxy13!!!

I like my TP decked...to me my guitars sound better...fuller. They seem to ring out more and have more sustain.

 

[grumphh_the_banned_one]

I just raised the tailpiece on two LP's (one of them a '71 with a starting-to-collapse ABR) and that did not in any way influence sustain.

Sustain is not in the tailpiece height. (Otherwise wraparounds would have hardly any sustain at all - with the "tailpiece" so far off the body? )

I used to use the simple logic that "if it is tighter it must sustain more" - but when i actually had to raise the tailpiece (because of bridge concerns) nothing really happened.

My conclusion: Sustain is in the setup.

 

[Donal]

I just raised the tailpiece on two LP's (one of them a '71 with a starting-to-collapse ABR) and that did not in any way influence sustain.

Sustain is not in the tailpiece height. (Otherwise wraparounds would have hardly any sustain at all - with the "tailpiece" so far off the body? )

I used to use the simple logic that "if it is tighter it must sustain more" - but when i actually had to raise the tailpiece (because of bridge concerns) nothing really happened.

My conclusion: Sustain is in the setup.

That was a joke above, the "more sustain when screwed tight to the body" is one of those old myths around here

But on a serious note, I still do screw them down and top wrap as I prefer them that way.

 

[bulletproof]

I’m a top wrapper from way back......learned it from the older guys I was jamming with in the late 70s

Yes, I have my iPad set up to talk to y’all and still get my playing in

 

[DarrellV]

View attachment 305424 I’m a top wrapper from way back......learned it from the older guys I was jamming with in the late 70s

Yes, I have my iPad set up to talk to y’all and still get my playing in

Sigil HG set ^^^^?

 

[bulletproof]

Sigil HG set ^^^^?

Not hijacking!

Not yet,hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! I’m going through my amps and such. I’m actually thinking about selling some things or trading them out at the guitar show this weekend.
I promise, I will do a whole swap thread with pictures and vids,brother.


As far as collapsed bridges go,never had it happen.(knock on wood). I’m hesitant to say it’s because of the top wrapping,however,there it is......

 

[DarrellV]

Proof of damage caused by over-decking a tail piece!

Now I don't do it either!

 

[bulletproof]

Proof of damage caused by over-decking a tail piece!

Now I don't do it either!

Yaaaa,I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say I think more was going on here than a tight,ole tailpiece

 

[Veeing Fly]

TOP! WRAP! TOP! WRAP! TOP! WRAP! TOP! WRAP!

 

[Randy]

Plus top wrap looks cool!