Les Paul Tailpiece Adjustment

[tnourse]

Hey Guys -

I was wondering how you determine how high to adjust the tailpiece on a Les Paul?? Obviously the bridge adjustment controls string height, not the tailpiece. Raising the tailpiece does alter the angle of the string to the bridge.

Also, I've seen guys run their strings through the front of the tailpiece and wrap it over the tailpiece, instead of running the string straight through from the back of the tailpiece. What advantage does this method have??

Not sure if it matters, but my Les Paul has one of the Tone Pros locking aluminum tailpieces.

Thanks for your input..

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

You know , im not to sure about the stringing the strings through the taipiece that way... I didnt like the way it played like that...

I keep the tailpiece just slightly lower so there is a very slight break angle, seems to be a little more resonant this way and plays pretty nice...

 

[tnourse]

You know , im not to sure about the stringing the strings through the taipiece that way... I didnt like the way it played like that...

What did it do?? Did it change the string tension??

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

yea it just felt stiff to me...

 

[itsme]

If you top wrap the tailpiece, you screw it all the way down to the body. If you string it normally (through the back), you screw it down 'till you only have a small gap between the bottom of the string, and the back of the bridge. You don't want the strings touching the back of the bridge.

 

[itsme]

I top wrap mine. It gives it a looser feel. Not as tight. I use 10's, and tune to standard, so it helps loosen the tension. If I were tuning down, or using lighter strings, I'd string it the normal way.

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

I top wrap mine. It gives it a looser feel. Not as tight. I use 10's, and tune to standard, so it helps loosen the tension. If I were tuning down, or using lighter strings, I'd string it the normal way.

hmm man, It didnt feel that way to me... weird?

 

[stephen sawall]

I forget the angle - 14 -17(maybe) degrees. The angle well effect your resonance and sustain a lot. I think I saw on the Gibson (maybe) web site how to do this right.

 

[chunktone]

I top wrap mine. It gives it a looser feel. Not as tight. I use 10's, and tune to standard, so it helps loosen the tension. If I were tuning down, or using lighter strings, I'd string it the normal way.

hmm man, It didnt feel that way to me... weird?

The less break across the bridge you have, the more slinky it will feel. If you string through the front of the tail piece, or "top wrap" you will have a longer overall string length, and a longer string length tuned to the same pitch will give you a higher string tension.

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

I top wrap mine. It gives it a looser feel. Not as tight. I use 10's, and tune to standard, so it helps loosen the tension. If I were tuning down, or using lighter strings, I'd string it the normal way.

hmm man, It didnt feel that way to me... weird?

The less break across the bridge you have, the more slinky it will feel. If you string through the front of the tail piece, or "top wrap" you will have a longer overall string length, and a longer string length tuned to the same pitch will give you a higher string tension.

yea thats what i thought....

 

[kannibul]

Hey Guys -

I was wondering how you determine how high to adjust the tailpiece on a Les Paul?? Obviously the bridge adjustment controls string height, not the tailpiece. Raising the tailpiece does alter the angle of the string to the bridge.

Also, I've seen guys run their strings through the front of the tailpiece and wrap it over the tailpiece, instead of running the string straight through from the back of the tailpiece. What advantage does this method have??

Not sure if it matters, but my Les Paul has one of the Tone Pros locking aluminum tailpieces.

Thanks for your input..

Wrapped around gives it a a springier feel.

I use mine in the standard sense, adjusted as close to the body without the outter strings touching the bridge.

 

[Mood Sphinx]

I use mine in the standard sense, adjusted as close to the body without the outter strings touching the bridge.

Same here. I like to get my strings as taut as I can get 'em without them touching the bridge. Not a big fan of a slinky feeling LP...

 

[kannibul]

I use mine in the standard sense, adjusted as close to the body without the outter strings touching the bridge.

Same here. I like to get my strings as taut as I can get 'em without them touching the bridge. Not a big fan of a slinky feeling LP...

The shorter scale already makes them a bit more slinky than your typical Fender-scalled guitar