Lose sustain with Aluminum tailpiece.

[joesatch]

When i switched to aluminum, i lost sustain. It is true. When i switched back to the heavy tailpiece, notes rang longer and harmonics were stronger.

 

[slapshot]

locking studs

 

[joesatch]

I have them. Screwed down tight as hell. Can't get 14th fret pinch harmonics on the 3rd string. With the heavier tailpiece i can.

 

[christianpaulanderson]

Rub bacon all over the aluminum tailpiece and jesus will fly out of the clouds and bless you with great tone.

 

[Frogfur]

Ok..then stick with that if it works for you. I personally switched to an Aluminum stop bar only because someone gave me one. I find that it brightened the sound to what ears i have left. Worked great and I'm sticking with it. Also added a ABR Bridge with nylon Saddles which together really gave me a balanced sound that is fantastic.

Mine-

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Sorry the photo is so large.

 

[River]

Makes sense to me.

 

[LenPaul]

I have them. Screwed down tight as hell. Can't get 14th fret pinch harmonics on the 3rd string. With the heavier tailpiece i can.

Same for the 13th & 15th frets?

 

[joesatch]

Same for the 13th & 15th frets?

Just overall the difference is noticeable. I'm gonna look into a brass tailpiece. Not worried about weight atm.

 

[dspelman]

Makes sense to me.

What does?

 

[River]

What does?

More sustain from a more massive tail piece.

 

[splatter]

Just overall the difference is noticeable. I'm gonna look into a brass tailpiece. Not worried about weight atm.

callaham ( spelling) makes one out of stainless steel .
It just makes sense to me . Its like with a floyd rose . The heavier the block the more sustain .


http://www.callahamguitars.com/abr1.htm

 

[dspelman]

When i switched to aluminum, i lost sustain. It is true. When i switched back to the heavy tailpiece, notes rang longer and harmonics were stronger.

I have heavy brass tailpieces on a couple of guitars. But on most of them the bridges are also fairly heavy and dense, and on a few they're screwed into a 10 ounce hunk of brass bolted inside a rout in a solid mahogany body. Now we're talking sustain.

 

[AxeBuilder]

Why did you switch to Aluminum in the first place?

 

[joesatch]

Why did you switch to Aluminum in the first place?

Its an R7. Came with it. Already put the callaham bridge. (albeit had to go to work on it with a file cause the machining sucked.)

 

[joesatch]

OK i just bought the Callaham tailpiece. $107 ouch. I hope this solves it, its machined out of steel. Might also be time for a brass nut, hmm.

 

[lunchbox]

I like the stock zinc tp's. I've never had a problem with tone or sustain from them.

I did notice a huge difference having an aluminum wraparound on a CS Special; it was thin sounding. Cool in it's own way, but too thin for the type of music I play.

I have zinc bridge and tp with locking studs on my current Standard, and it sounds great.

 

[River]

Okay, explain how this works again?

I think you've got it.

 

[frankv]

Okay, explain how this works

Heres a very good article.

Brighten a Les Paul: Part II: Aluminum Tailpiece | Pick Roar

 

[frankv]

I was always under the assumption that the reason folks went to or want the light weight tail is because that is how the Holy Grail of guitars was setup.

So this is the first time I am actually reading that some will deviate from that original setup. Usually a LP owner will "upgrade" his guitar to be more like the '59 not less...

Perhaps this starts a trend? I have a worn heavy tail piece I was thinking about installing on my 81.. Only because since I put the aged tuners on her I dislike the brand new look of my Faber lightweight tail. Not because of tone or lack of sustain.

 

[voggin]

I was always under the assumption that the reason folks went to or want the light weight tail is because that is how the Holy Grail of guitars was setup.

So this is the first time I am actually reading that some will deviate from that original setup. Usually a LP owner will "upgrade" his guitar to be more like the '59 not less...

Perhaps this starts a trend? I have a worn heavy tail piece I was thinking about installing on my 81.. Only because since I put the aged tuners on her I dislike the brand new look of my Faber lightweight tail. Not because of tone or lack of sustain.

Maybe the cycle has started again. I remember in the late 70s early 80s, everything was about "sustain", from pancake bodies to neck-through construction to heavy tailpieces to brass nuts. I believe at one point Yamaha would let you special order an entire Ford Anglia built into the body of an SBG 3000. I remember my poor soaking-wet 130 lb 16 year-old frame trying to wear some of those monsters on a strap.