TOM users - please help!

[EnGl]

Hello
Few days ago I bought brand new Gibson explorer , I inspected very careful every aspect : frets , neck , electronics etc, intonation was a bit off on E string but this is not a problem.
Guitar is really beautiful, I fell in love in this axe , cherry finish with cute grain under ... Just perfect. Finally I bought my dream guitar !

But to the point , I took this sexy lady to home , and I did setup things like intonation , neck curvature etc but one thing really stunned me. How the heck I should set tailpiece height ?
All the way down , or what ?

I found few articles but all was just a BS , so I will be very thankful if you can describe me yours experience with this thing.

 

[steve_k]

I always take the tailpiece all the way down. More string relief to keep them on the saddles for heavy playing.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I'm going through this right now. My luthier told me to lower the tailpiece in my Trad Pro all the way to the body. I play 10-52s. Then I read to topwrap. Well, I can't tell if it really is worthwhile or not... The action is almost too low now.

 

[RG955TT]

Adjusting the tailpiece should not affect the action. Bridge does that. Lower it (Tailpiece) to the point where the breaking angle is greatest over the bridge but not so low that it hits the body of the bridge itself. You want a clean tailpiece to bridge saddle without hitting the body of the bridge. It may mean especially bass side that tailpiece is not quite all the way lowered.

 

[Ventura]

Adjusting the tailpiece should not affect the action. Bridge does that. Lower it (Tailpiece) to the point where the breaking angle is greatest over the bridge but not so low that it hits the body of the bridge itself. You want a clean tailpiece to bridge saddle without hitting the body of the bridge. It may mean especially bass side that tailpiece is not quite all the way lowered.

100%

Bridge will determine action; along with a well cut nut and proper neck relief a la truss adjustment.

The tailpiece is straight forward thing. Most Gibson aficionados will say this:
Screwing the tailpiece straight down to the body enhances tone and resonance, but due to the sharper (more acute) angle of the strings to the TOM bridge, it is recommended that players top-wrap the strings over the tailpiece.
When screwing the tailpiece down, do it firm, but not "tight" as this can cause issues with the cosmetics and nitro finish. It can also cause issues with the maple cap or body wood - so firm - not tight.
The reason for the top-wrap recommendation is that string breakage goes up on average when tailpieces go down, especially to the bottom.
Top-wrap is the recommended way to add some slickness to the strings and smoother feel, advocates include Warren Haynes, Bonamassa, Bernie Marsden, Peter Frampton, and the list goes on... Safe to say, you won't be in small company if you choose to go this route.
I have a couple of my Lesters top-wrapped and tail-down, they feel great.

Hope this helps.
Mo

 

[EnGl]

Adjusting the tailpiece should not affect the action. Bridge does that. Lower it (Tailpiece) to the point where the breaking angle is greatest over the bridge but not so low that it hits the body of the bridge itself. You want a clean tailpiece to bridge saddle without hitting the body of the bridge. It may mean especially bass side that tailpiece is not quite all the way lowered.

100%

Bridge will determine action; along with a well cut nut and proper neck relief a la truss adjustment.

The tailpiece is straight forward thing. Most Gibson aficionados will say this:
Screwing the tailpiece straight down to the body enhances tone and resonance, but due to the sharper (more acute) angle of the strings to the TOM bridge, it is recommended that players top-wrap the strings over the tailpiece.
When screwing the tailpiece down, do it firm, but not "tight" as this can cause issues with the cosmetics and nitro finish. It can also cause issues with the maple cap or body wood - so firm - not tight.
The reason for the top-wrap recommendation is that string breakage goes up on average when tailpieces go down, especially to the bottom.
Top-wrap is the recommended way to add some slickness to the strings and smoother feel, advocates include Warren Haynes, Bonamassa, Bernie Marsden, Peter Frampton, and the list goes on... Safe to say, you won't be in small company if you choose to go this route.
I have a couple of my Lesters top-wrapped and tail-down, they feel great.

Hope this helps.
Mo

Thanks , to you and other guys.

I know that bridge determine action , I lowered my action pretty low , 1mm e , 1.5mm E , without any fret buzz at all. And I just stared to screwing around with this tailpiece and I thought : "Damn it should be to the lowest position or raise it to the moment while the strings will not touch the bridge" .

I know that Zakk also uses wraparound method.


I tried the lowest position and the higher position and well , tone was more meaty with raised tailpiece and the sustain was also a bit longer ... strange.
I guess I should now try the wraparound and decide which type is better for me.

 

[Anonymous]

tailpiece to the body, top wrap strings over the bridge....for the win!
dont over analyze, do it, play it, move on!

 

[EnGl]

tailpiece to the body, top wrap strings over the bridge....for the win!
dont over analyze, do it, play it, move on!

Few minutes ago I finished setup and tuning.
I wrapped around the strings , tuned and well ...
Change in tone - zero
Change in sustain - zero
Change in playability - bending was better , but well I now use 9-46 in E on Gibson scale so it was "overslinky".

Thanks guys, I know that the only way is to try but ... There is so much fuss about this tailpiece thing , like a fucking rocket science or what.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

I see no benefit in top warping unless you need additional clearance so the string clears the back of the bridge and only hitting the saddle.

 

[Anonymous]

I see no benefit in top warping unless you need additional clearance so the string clears the back of the bridge and only hitting the saddle.

exactly why i do it. been doing it so long, hard to imagine the other way.

 

[fek]

I top wrap but mainly because I like the tailpiece all the way down. Haynes and the others doing it this way probably helped my decision making a bit.

 

[OUTLAW1969]

Adjusting the tailpiece should not affect the action. Bridge does that. Lower it (Tailpiece) to the point where the breaking angle is greatest over the bridge but not so low that it hits the body of the bridge itself. You want a clean tailpiece to bridge saddle without hitting the body of the bridge. It may mean especially bass side that tailpiece is not quite all the way lowered.

THIS

 

[Ventura]

It's personal preference. My decision to "try it" led to my "liking it". That's it that's all - whether or not [enter uber guitar god's name here] does it has little to no bearing. But the fact that many skilled players very well accustomed with the Les Paul do vouch for this method?? Makes me think - alright - I'm not out to lunch thinking this does have an effect.

I like the slinkiness

 

[Anonymous]

It's personal preference. My decision to "try it" led to my "liking it". That's it that's all - whether or not [enter uber guitar god's name here] does it has little to no bearing. But the fact that many skilled players very well accustomed with the Les Paul do vouch for this method?? Makes me think - alright - I'm not out to lunch thinking this does have an effect.

I like the slinkiness

exackary!

love the slinkiness!!!!

 

[joepete77]

Usually I put them down all the way but technically the bottom of Tom should be at top level of tailpiece, that way you get a nice angle without being too sharp/steep of an angle for strings/breakage. If u top wrap then definatly lower the tailpiece all the way down.

 

[Ventura]

Food for thought too, with the new Knaggs single cuts, Steve Stevens model notably, the new bridge/tailpiece is one integrated unit. The purpose of this - aside from uniqueness - was to enhance tone and sustain, and the reasoning behind it was more contact to the guitar body (and integrity of the 2 parts acting as 1).

So there definitely is some trooth to sometin' bowdit.

 

[halebox]

The tailpiece adjust string tension so adjust it how ever you like tension some guitars are more picky than others

 

[madrigal77]

I put the tailpiece all the way down, without topwrap. I find topwrapping makes it feel too losey goosey.