Gibson tailpiece height

[Rottweiler]

Question on the Gibson tailpiece used ICW the tuneomatic bridge. I've watched all of the Gibson YT tech videos and I don't remember seeing anything mentioned about the tailpiece height or strings contacting the bridge. This might be a clue that it doesn't matter.
I thought the proper way to get sustain was to adjust the tailpiece so that the strings don't contact the back edge of the bridge? I received a new in the box Gibson with a signed inspection card with the tailpiece run all the way down and the strings contacting the back edge of the bridge. Action measured in spec and matched the card.

Questions:
Should the strings be allowed to contact the back edge of the bridge or does this not matter?

Why do some of my LPs tailpieces need to be higher than others to get the strings from contacting the back edge of the bridge when action is set the same? I'm guessing variation in hardware, body thickness, etc. Just double checking that it isn't a sign of a problem.

 

[Findthetone1]

I have always read to not let the strings contact the back edge of the bridge. Enough for a piece of paper to slide through is all that's needed.
I top wrap so it solves that problem. You can also use something like a Faber locking setup that has spacers to go under the tailpiece, so it makes contact with the body. I have one on my Bacchus Les Paul and it works great.

 

[VonBonfire]

It doesn't seem right that they would.

My non-luthier guess is it's because of the set neck height and possibly the angle. I always raise my stop tailpiece for maximum slinkiness, just enough downward pressure so strings stay in bridge slots. Doing that, the strings contacting the back of the bridge has ever occurred for me. The idea that it must be screwed down all the way or "I don't get as much sustain" is never anything I was able to prove true to myself. It was designed to be adjusted to your slinkiness needs, pretty sweet idea really.

I'm guessing this is your recent Gibson purchase with the bad fingerboard wood?

 

[70 Mach 1]

I think its all pure bullshit whether the string touches the back of the TP or not.

The sound is dead at the bridge.
Theres no sound after that or the nut

But because im a half a retard i set the gap to at about .003

As mentioned about the thickness of a regular piece of paper.

 

[John4021]

Faber is definite a big enough improvement that I have them on 2 Lesters.
Plus, top wrap is a way to get the strings slinky and better playability.

Now, are these that big a difference? To me, YES .

Will you suffer without these things?
NOT AT ALL.

Just remember that Gibson has been strong from the get-go.

Ed Roman gave me a bit of advice long ago that is similar to adding off brands of parts for a Lester.

"You have a Harley and you change the pipes, is it still a Harley"?

Ok I'm done.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Fuck it. Put that bitch against the body. Maximum contact, maximum break angle, maximum sustain.

 

[Rottweiler]

It doesn't seem right that they would.

My non-luthier guess is it's because of the set neck height and possibly the angle. I always raise my stop tailpiece for maximum slinkiness, just enough downward pressure so strings stay in bridge slots. Doing that, the strings contacting the back of the bridge has ever occurred for me. The idea that it must be screwed down all the way or "I don't get as much sustain" is never anything I was able to prove true to myself. It was designed to be adjusted to your slinkiness needs, pretty sweet idea really.

I'm guessing this is your recent Gibson purchase with the bad fingerboard wood?

Yep. Fingerboard looked much better under good light. That zoomed photo made it look a lot worse than actual.

Thanks to all for contributing.

 

[Anje]

Never cared about the strings touching the back of the bridge or not; my guitars usually have the tailpiece fully down, no wraparound, whatever is the bridge situation.
I usually prefer the feel & tone that way.

 

[napalmdeath]

I typically adjust accordingly to keep the strings off the bridge. That typically means raising the tailpiece.

Now, that's if I even keep the factory bridge, which I rarely do. The factory API bridges are garbage, and have intonation issues at times with limited travel. One bridge I love for 3 reasons is the Tonepros TP6R roller bridge. First, they align better, and no worries about notches cut right, deep enough, burred, etc. 2nd, the rollers sit much higher, so no worries about strings touching the back of the bridge, even with the tailpiece flush to the body. Lastly, they have more saddle travel for dialing in the intonation. I swear by these. Yeah, they're typically used with Bigsbys, but they're underrated for a stop tailpiece application.

 

[grimmchaos]

I've always slammed the tailpieces down and never heard anything detrimental to tone/sustain compared to the tailpiece raised up some. Tailpiece height DOES impact perceived string stiffness, so there is that. And it may contribute to a tuneomatic bridge collapse.

 

[VonBonfire]

I've always slammed the tailpieces down and never heard anything detrimental to tone/sustain compared to the tailpiece raised up some. Tailpiece height DOES impact perceived string stiffness, so there is that. And it may contribute to a tuneomatic bridge collapse.

Most people claim that screwing the tailpiece all the way down maximizes sustain since it then has full body contact but tbh I couldn't notice any measurable difference on any guitar I've messed with it so I like to raise it to keep the strings feeling slinky.

 

[Alpha Stryke]

Ive tried up / down & in-between.
I always go back to all the way down.
"Don't touch back of bridge" is an internet myth makes no difference.

 

[iff]

I've always slammed the tailpieces down and never heard anything detrimental to tone/sustain compared to the tailpiece raised up some. Tailpiece height DOES impact perceived string stiffness, so there is that. And it may contribute to a tuneomatic bridge collapse.

Yeah, my Orville’s bridge was bent down (well, flattened I suppose) because the tailpiece had been slammed down for years. That said, that particular guitar has a pretty steep neck angle so the bridge needs to be higher than usual and lowering the tailpiece like that is probably more impactful than it otherwise would be.

 

[Geo]

I think it depends on whether Gibson got the neck angle correct or not.

 

[John4021]

Ive tried up / down & in-between.
I always go back to all the way down.
"Don't touch back of bridge" is an internet myth makes no difference.

Send that beauty to me to check your bridge.

Thats a sexy axe .

 

[Music&Chaos]

After reading this thread I decided to start messing with the tailpiece height LP to see if it made any difference. I knew it would change string tension/feel a bit but it actually changed somwthing tonally as well. My guitar was all the way decked previously and has always felt just a bit choked, though very snappy. I would raise and lower it on either side while playing up and down the neck on all of the strings.

Finally found the sweet spot where everything is clear and snappy but has that full sound and ease of feel of a slightly lower tension string.

Haven't thought to mess with it before but it helped me find the sweet spot on my LP.