Top wrapping is no joke!

[Purpleibby]

Ok, always been a super strat guy since I started playing.....wanted a Les Paul for a long long time and finally got the one I always wanted....I liked the way it felt before, or the standard way of stringing the tail piece and it was typical great Les Paul feel and tone. So going on how I'd heard about top wrapping I decided to try it and I can honestly say, man what a difference it made...the guitar bends a LOT easier and overall has a more slinky feel...even fretting notes feels easier(though subtle on the fretting part, the guitar just overall feels easier to play). It honestly feels like I went down a string gauge.

It's such an obvious difference I'm baffled that some folks couldn't tell a difference. The Les feels slinkier than my 92 RG with the old/well broken-in springs and there's heavier strings on my Les Paul. My 92 550 is a benders dream and the Les totally feels better.

Just gonna say, man it's not a subtle difference. Try it. I did use the ball ends of my previous set as a spacer on the new strings as I've seen a few folks do.

It's a 2013 Traditional with the 60's neck btw. Just sayin', it's the real deal.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

Well YMMV but I personally didn't notice as much of a difference as you did (I do top wrap all my LP's, a 2012 trad +, 2008 3PU BB7 and 2009 R7) and screw the TP down to the face of the guitar. Top wrapping eliminates the string from hitting the back the ABR before it hits the saddle.

 

[JackBootedThug]

i've had dozens of les pauls down thru the years , and i don't remember ever doing that. duh.

 

[Purpleibby]

Well YMMV but I personally didn't notice as much of a difference as you did (I do top wrap all my LP's, a 2012 trad +, 2008 3PU BB7 and 2009 R7) and screw the TP down to the face of the guitar. Top wrapping eliminates the string from hitting the back the ABR before it hits the saddle.

I kept the break angle over the bridge as shallow as possible as to not have the string jump out during hard strums/big bends and prevent tuning problems. I didn't totally screw the tail piece down to the body but pretty close to it. Also lubricated the contact points and again, used the old ball ends of my previous set of strings as a spacer. The difference was pretty big for me.

 

[RockyStar]

Ball ends of your previous strings as a spacer? Explain please.

 

[rupe]

I've been doing it since the early 90's...I too noticed a significant difference in feel.

 

[Purpleibby]

Ball ends of your previous strings as a spacer? Explain please.

Just clip the ball out of the old string and thread your new string through it and slide it(ball lol on to the end of the string to keep the windings of the strings from poking out of the back of the tail piece and creating a sharp angle.

 

[Purpleibby]

I've been doing it since the early 90's...I too noticed a significant difference in feel.

Right on! It totally works.

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Mark Abrahamian changed my world with that tip. My left hand has been in heaven ever since. I've also jumped up a string size and switched to a wound G. I wouldn't be able to bend that sucker for shit if it was strung traditionally.

Loving it, man. Glad it's working out for you.

 

[RockyStar]

Ball ends of your previous strings as a spacer? Explain please.

Just clip the ball out of the old string and thread your new string through it and slide it(ball lol on to the end of the string to keep the windings of the strings from poking out of the back of the tail piece and creating a sharp angle.

Post a pic...not sure why it is needed but I am curious to really see what you are talking about. I have wrapped my strings for many many years and am a big fan of doing so.

 

[Purpleibby]

Mark Abrahamian changed my world with that tip. My left hand has been in heaven ever since. I've also jumped up a string size and switched to a wound G. I wouldn't be able to bend that sucker for shit if it was strung traditionally.

Loving it, man. Glad it's working out for you.

Thanks man. RIP, he was a great player and tone chaser. I didn't know him personally but he(Rockstah was his handle if I'm remembering correctly) posted on forums I was a fellow member of, I was always blown away by his playing and the tones he was getting. Totally about the top wrap, I'll never go back to the original way. Huge difference, definitely loving it too!

 

[LP Freak]

I tried it again and still didn't notice a thing. You guys must have some sensitive fingers.

 

[Purpleibby]

Ball ends of your previous strings as a spacer? Explain please.

Just clip the ball out of the old string and thread your new string through it and slide it(ball lol on to the end of the string to keep the windings of the strings from poking out of the back of the tail piece and creating a sharp angle.

Post a pic...not sure why it is needed but I am curious to really see what you are talking about. I have wrapped my strings for many many years and am a big fan of doing so.

I got my kids going nuts downstairs so I am fearful of the carnage they would bring upon my les paul right now lol, but I'll post a pic later. I found a video for you that shows it really good though:

From Mark Day, he does it too and zooms in on his at about 6:45

 

[RockyStar]

Ahh.....gotcha.

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Ball ends of your previous strings as a spacer? Explain please.

Just clip the ball out of the old string and thread your new string through it and slide it(ball lol on to the end of the string to keep the windings of the strings from poking out of the back of the tail piece and creating a sharp angle.

Post a pic...not sure why it is needed but I am curious to really see what you are talking about. I have wrapped my strings for many many years and am a big fan of doing so.

I got my kids going nuts downstairs so I am fearful of the carnage they would bring upon my les paul right now lol, but I'll post a pic later. I found a video for you that shows it really good though:

From Mark Day, he does it too and zooms in on his at about 6:45

I never knew the D-Tuna was a thing for hard tails?? That's awesome! I might give that a shot. Or wait... At least, I would if my favorite LPs weren't set up with Kluson tuners. Damn.

 

[andross182]

That D Tuna is pretty legit!

 

[messenger]

Richie Kotzen uses those hipshot drop D tuners

 

[Bloodrock]

Couldn't you get the same effect as top wrapping just by raising the tailpiece higher?

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Couldn't you get the same effect as top wrapping just by raising the tailpiece higher?

Pretty close. But it looks goofier than hell.

 

[Purpleibby]

Couldn't you get the same effect as top wrapping just by raising the tailpiece higher?

Possibly, but it would be very high up to the point of looking retarded and there wouldn't be as much contact with the body as with the tail piece lowered. Also, the string length after the break point would be shorter just raising the tail piece than top wrapping which lengthens it which is another big factor that changes the feel.