Top Wrapping

[LedHead]

I was watching some videos the other day and noticed that joe bonamassa was top wrapping his les pauls, and i also saw that jimmy page did it at royal albert hall in 1970. i was just restringing my les paul today and pondered top wrapping it, i decided against it because i read some forums and people were saying really contradictory things about it. some people were saying that it decreased sustain, some said it increased.some people said it made strings easier to bend, some said it made them harder to bend. before i top wrap my les paul id really like to get some more information about top wrapping

 

[jfwund]

Don't top wrap. You'll go blind. Plus you'll grow hair on your bridge.

 

[Indyclone]

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=mylespaul.com+topwrapping#hl=en&q=+site:mylespaul.com+mylespaul.com+topwrapping&sa=X&ei=2NGUT_D0CuWt0AGRkbTnBw&ved=0CC0QrQIwAA&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=d06f1b201f57f957

 

[Kirrt]

It only cost you a pack of strings and 10 minutes to top wrap your guitar, do you even need to ask?

 

[LedHead]

Well I'd like to know what it does cuz I don't restring often so if I top wrap it's gonna b top wrapped for a while, plus I'm just curious about it

 

[caljoe]

I did it to mine and I didnt really notice anything, maybe the strings FEEL alittle slinkier cause the break angle is less at the bridge and IMHO you might have to tune more at first because of the way it wraps around the tail piece it takes the strings longer to strech right there because of the bends.
Try it your self and see how you like it...

 

[LedHead]

what does it do to the sustain of the guitar, because i have heard it changes it, and having a les paul is useless if it doesnt have that legendary les paul sustain

 

[River]

Just try it.

 

[LPG]

Check this link out.

Hope it helps you make up your mind.


http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/gib...gibson-promote-top-wrapping-strings-more.html

 

[strat]

Does it make your bridge look nasty after awhilethough? wear the finish off?

 

[Wraptail]

It depends...

What's the angle of the strings behind the bridge?

What's the neck angle? Is your stop tail down low or up high?

How big are your frets?

How tall is the nut?

How high is your action?

All these things affect tone and feel... as well affect the way top wrapping will work.

There's no answer to your question IMO unless you've got the guitar in your hands and size those things up.... or just do it. Everyone should be well versed enough in changing strings so that this is no biggie to try.

I had one guitar where top wrapping sounded like $hit. I cut those strings off and went back in the same day. On another guitar the exact opposite - I love it... both Les Pauls.

As others have said - just do it.

 

[Wraptail]

Does it make your bridge look nasty after awhilethough? wear the finish off?

Seriously? Yes, nasty as a hooker on a fire hydrant.

 

[mdubya]

Some like it, some don't.

There is only one way to find out.

I like it. The strings feel much slinkier and I like that. I don't notice any other difference. 3 guitars top wrapped.

 

[GitFiddle]

Does it make your bridge look nasty after awhilethough? wear the finish off?

Doesn't hurt the bridge at all but some have mentioned marks on their tailpiece.

 

[GitFiddle]

Well I'd like to know what it does cuz I don't restring often so if I top wrap it's gonna b top wrapped for a while, plus I'm just curious about it

what does it do to the sustain of the guitar, because i have heard it changes it, and having a les paul is useless if it doesnt have that legendary les paul sustain

No one here can answer your question. It depends on the guitar and the player's feel and sensitivity.

If you can't change strings very often and you don't like it, you could face the danger of not playing it anymore.

That legendary Les Paul sustain is found to be most prevalent with fresh strings.

Man up and change some strings. Old strings get dirty, they lose their ring and sustain. Old strings wear your frets faster. Old strings wear your fingers out faster. Try fresh strings on four LPs monthly. Its worth it.
You can pick up EBs or GHS for $3.79 at Best Buy.

 

[yeti]

The biggest downside of topwrapping is that if you are seen in public using this "technique" you're immediately outed as an Internet Guitar Forum junkie, which might negatively affect your Rock'n'Roll credentials.

 

[River]

The biggest downside of topwrapping is that if you are seen in public using this "technique" you're immediately outed as an Internet Guitar Forum junkie, which might negatively affect your Rock'n'Roll credentials.

 

[LedHead]

Alright I guess I'll just have to try it

 

[jfwund]

Don't clip the strings after they're on the winder. Play it a little bit. If you don't like the top-wrapping, take the strings off (that's why you didn't clip them!) and string it normally.

My guess is that you won't notice a drastic difference.

 

[GitFiddle]

Alright I guess I'll just have to try it

Ere ya go!

You kin doooo it.