Tailpiece height

[John Vasco]

Two words: top wrap

When questioned by others, another two words: **** off

Bollocks, Ray! Raise yer tailpiece as high as yer want. Doesn't hurt the geet at all. Top-wrapping can damage the top of the tailpiece over a prolonged period of time.

But all this tailpiece talk comes second to setting your bridge height to the action you want, and then setting the intonation. Then you can do what the feck youlike with the tailpiece height. Oh yes!

 

[TradPro2]

GeeJay,

I like your spacer idea.

Can you tell me where you got them, any dimensions to specify?

thank you!

 

[Wylde Chylde]

GeeJay,

I like your spacer idea.

Can you tell me where you got them, any dimensions to specify?

thank you!

I used the ones that Faber makes on all my LPs.

http://www.faberusa.com/product-cat...ck-studs-spacers/extra-spacers-for-tone-lock/

Pricey, but it definitely allows the tailpiece to be snugged down and covers of the unsightly stud threads. You can buy them in the individual heights as well if you know how high you need.

 

[John Vasco]

I put 5mm spacers under the tailpiece so that the studs could be tightened down with the stop bar at the correct height to have the strings just clear of the bridge. I think that it improved sustain.

Edit - Looks like this:

Just raise the tailpiece...

 

[So What]

Top wrap looks good, feels good, & sounds good.

 

[Bill Hicklin]

I kind of like the idea of top wrapping but have not tried it....yet

one question for those of you who do

ah my beautiful shiny chrome Tail Piece, will the top wrapped strings mar
the chrome underneath them?

put a strip of clear tape over the tail piece and then top wrap to protect it........

or is this another soon to be called dumb question-what do you care because you can't see the worn chrome under the strings anyway

Chrome is very hard, harder than steel. But nickel or gold, yes, they'll get torn up

 

[GeeJay]

Just raise the tailpiece...

I have raised the tailpiece John. The spacers mean that the studs are tight, rather than loose in the threads. I prefer it this way. My guitar, my choice.

As for the spacers, they are aluminium 1/2" diameter, 5/16" hole through and 3/16" high. The height is determined after the action and bridge has been set up. They were made by one of the guys in our engineering workshop not long after I got the guitar, so about 12-years ago.

Those were the days, could get anything made for a bacon sarnie. Same guy made me a mild steel tremolo block for my Strat a few years earlier.

 

[John Vasco]

Replace tailpiece and bridge with wooden blocks. Problem solved. Cos if we're to believe that the wood of the guitar is the main factor in the sound (as many will have us believe), then more wood can only be better for the tonz. Logical, innit...???

 

[GeeJay]

Don't be a twat John, it doesn't suit you.

For sure, there is nothing wrong with using the stop bar studs to raise the tailpiece to a suitable/desirable height. That's why they are fitted. There is also nothing wrong with fitting spacers to get the studs tight. Get over it.

 

[Will S]

I've got a couple top-wrapped, a couple normal. Top wrap feels slinkier, easier to bend to me. Don't care about the look, hardly notice it. Don't care about wear on the tailpiece, they're about the cheapest part of the guitar if you ever wanted to replace it.

I rarely ever break strings, pretty much only if I'm playing 8s (which are only on one of my guitars. Mostly use 10s on everything). As long as the tailpiece is high enough the strings aren't making contact with the bridge, works for me. Couldn't care less about appearance of the studs and so on. Who sees that stuff anyway? Not the audience, not me.

 

[Callaway]

I've top wrapped forever and never had a Lester I didn't have the tailpiece flat on the deck and never have had any issues with strings breaking or bent pins on the bridge. The old fix used to be for prevention of bent bridge pins was adding another pair of adjustment wheels to the pins. I've never worried about an aluminum tailpiece getting a few lines grooved in it their cheap and replaceable.

 

[TradPro2]

thanks for the spacer dimensions

I have a new Wilkinson roller bridge coming this week to try out

I just picked up some 5/16 inside diameter flat washers to place under
the tail piece and tighten more securely if that is the word so that i can raise it a bit more for the strings to not touch the back of the new bridge.

if they look to hokey I will get the right ones from Faber...

thanks again for this good idea guys

 

[stgreg]

Just raise the tailpiece...

I don't get the idea of spacers.. ^Just raise the tailpiece - what's the difference? Not trying to be a jerk, but how is that any different?? Or, is it an aesthitic thing?

 

[JohnSchmidt]

I don't get the idea of spacers.. ^Just raise the tailpiece - what's the difference? Not trying to be a jerk, but how is that any different?? Or, is it an aesthitic thing?


a tail piece fully down creates a sharper pulling down action on the back side of the bridge, which can cause the bridge posts so much stress they wear oblong holes

raising the tail piece will relieve that bridge stress, same as top wrapping will

when the tail piece is raised the end bolts' threads are visible, spacers cover the threads
and also give the tail piece more area to be tightened down onto than otherwise

 

[workerunit]

Get some Fabar tailpiece spacers and bolts and lock that tailpiece down at a height that pleases you.

 

[John Vasco]

Don't be a twat John, it doesn't suit you.

For sure, there is nothing wrong with using the stop bar studs to raise the tailpiece to a suitable/desirable height. That's why they are fitted. There is also nothing wrong with fitting spacers to get the studs tight. Get over it.

It's called 'having a laugh', taking the piss as we would say in Blighty, as you will know.

But on a purely serious note, raising the tailpiece is no different to top-wrapping. The 'anal' warriors on here are just mimicing what their heroes of the early-'70s onwards did, believing that having the TP down to the wood produces greater sustain. Rather like the mythical removing of the pickup covers to get a better sound.

The studs remain tight in the wood even with a raised tailpiece. Here's my '91 LP Custom TP set to my preferences. Solid 90 degree angle to the body:

Well worth reading up on the guys at Gibson who thought up and introduced the ABR-1 bridge and tailpiece in the 1950s. And also Seth Lover's views on pickup covers...

 

[SWeAT hOg]

I disagree on the 'need' to buy anything (e.g. spacers) to solve this problem. They seem like a 'snake-oil' solution to something that wont be an issue i.e. raising the tailpiece.

 

[LesPaul86]

Top wrap looks good, feels good, & sounds good.

Top wrapping looks good, but that pick guard doesn't.

 

[GeeJay]

I disagree on the 'need' to buy anything (e.g. spacers) to solve this problem. They seem like a 'snake-oil' solution to something that wont be an issue i.e. raising the tailpiece.

I agree, there is no 'need' for spacers. I just like it that way. If my tailpiece was as high as John's I would consider fitting a pair of slim lock-nuts.

 

[Veeing Fly]

Top wrap 'cause it's cool. And smoke cigarettes. Lots of cigarettes.