Top Wrapping

[Wraptail]

Yeah, do it!

 

[Eric Smith]

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT TOP WRAP!!!!

Nah, just kidding. Give it a try, you might just like it.

 

[StandingWave]

My guitar teacher isn't very geeky so I top-wrapped his Strat for him. He was amazed at the difference it made!

 

[pdoodek]

One thing I don't get is how Billy Gibbons and Jimmy Page, using 0,008" string gauge, wanted to even top wrapping them - they must be slinky as hell (I was doing TW on 11s and 10s and there is a small difference in slinkiness). I can't even play 9s on a LP in standard "positioning", those are just for strats/teles.

 

[LedHead]

Well jimmy page ddnt do it for long, the only video I've seen of him with his les Paul top wrapped was at the royal Albert hall show, so my guess is he tried it and didn't like it

 

[burntsausage]

If your guitar feels 'tight' and the effort to bend the strings feels tougher than it should then definitely try top wrapping.

As others have mentioned, it's benefit comes if you have a steep break angle behind the bridge which can be compensated by either raising the stop bar or top wrapping. Some say the stop bar should be screwed right down to help with sustain so that's why these peope top wrap to loosen the feel if necessary.

 

[captain tightpants]

Give it a try, see if you like it. It really isn't that big of a deal.

I top wrap some of my guitars, others I don't. I don't really notice a difference, other than the top wrapped guitars have a nice comfy shelf for my right hand to rest on.

The main reason I top wrap anything at all is so the strings clear the back of the bridge body. I don't like the strings resting on on the back edge of the bridge, and I don't like raising the tailpiece up very high.

Just try it. If you don't like it, go back to the other way. WAY too much is made out of this.

 

[X–Ray]

__________________

one more time – everyone is overthinking such a simple question!


LedHead,

the next time you mustard the energy to change your strings, do the following:

do a "half wrap" – some notable players employ this method

top wrap the E, A, and D strings

thread the G, B, and E strings through the tailpiece

(or you can reverse the above technique)

this way you can simultaneously A/B a single set of strings

whichever set of three you prefer, remove the offending set and add the rest the same way

you have successfully eliminated changing three strings (x2) which = one less set of changing six strings

think of the time and energy you will save, plus the bonus in tone and playability

Ray










just razzin' ya'

;~)

 

[LedHead]

yeah i guess ill have to try it, but will doing it once mess up the plating on my tailpeice

 

[lunchbox]

I don't like it.

And you'll probably have to adjust your bridge and tailpiece height if you do it. At least I did.

 

[GitFiddle]

yeah i guess ill have to try it, but will doing it once mess up the plating on my tailpeice

I don't like it.

And you'll probably have to adjust your bridge and tailpiece height if you do it. At least I did.

I've been top wrapping this old Epi over two years now, since I upgraded everything. I gig with it just about every weekend and change strings often. It has a nickel plated aluminum Gotoh tailpiece, and shows now signs of wear or scratching. Its just wrenched down tight to the body. Should not have to make any changes to your bridge at all.

I also started top wrapping my R7 GT for less than a year now. It has the original nickel tailpiece and has not harmed the plating at all. Even if it did mark up the tailpiece enough to bother someone, you can just slap another one on in a few minutes.

Playing my R7 is like sliding behind the wheel of a Cadillac Deville and heading out on the town. Strapping on this old Epi is like jumping behind the wheel of Steve McQueen's Mustang and slamming some gears.

 

[IndySouthPaw]

I have done it for about 15 years and haven't turned back. I think I originally did it just for it to look different and I was going through a Page phase. It does let you bend easier which is great because I use 11s. I don't care if it eats the tailpiece away and I have all of the original tailpieces on my guitars. The most it ever leaves is little marks right where the strings are. I am an active jammer too so I play hours and hours every week for years. I don't think it is that big of a deal. That being said my guitars are not museum pieces but they sure sound and feel good. Top wrap your strings and if you don't like it then restring them the other way. It really isn't a giant difference

 

[LedHead]

Yeah I'll definatly try it, but I just restrung a couple weeks ago and probably won't be restringing again for a month or so, but I do want to know what it does to the sustain

 

[River]

Yeah I'll definatly try it, but I just restrung a couple weeks ago and probably won't be restringing again for a month or so, but I do want to know what it does to the sustain

It'll do whatever you think it does.

 

[X–Ray]

Yeah I'll definatly try it, but I just restrung a couple weeks ago and probably won't be restringing again for a month or so, but I do want to know what it does to the sustain

Strongly recommend you try the "half wrap" (aka, split wrap) in 15 days

 

[LedHead]

yeah as long as it doesnt mess up the plating on the tailpeice ill try it

 

[tdarian]

I just tried top wrapping but I went up a gauge in what are thought to be fairly "elastic" strings, the Pyramid Nickle Classics, thinking this might provide a "tension offset". Problem is, these string have an 11 high E but a wound 20 ga G, and I'm out of shape for that. I also raised the action, and that was the real driver for trying the top wrap.

I'm going back to the non-superhero 10-46 set of the Pyramids and see what happens. Even though the brake angle over the bridge is a bit less than the angle over the nut, with the heavy strings they are very well seated in the bridge slots. We will see how the 10-46 set does in that regard.

I did not notice any change in neck relief on my R7 going tro the heavier gauge strings...these bigger necks are stable.

Tonally things seemed a touch "warmer", but that could be even just the wound G or the gauge change. Did not notice any sustain deficiencies, but I really want to reserve judgement until I figure out how the 10's fare.

 

[Splattle101]

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

Not as much as the sweat and blood that gets on my bridge anyway.

 

[glorioso]

My 1st top wrapped LP. I like it and I feel the benefits outweigh everything else. I may change the other 2 I own.

 

[X–Ray]

My 1st top wrapped LP. I like it and I feel the benefits outweigh everything else. I may change the other 2 I own.

Clearly you haven't been around MLP long enough to learn it's all in your imagination - a placebo effect....