So I have a Les Paul with the standard tune o matic and stop tailpiece set up and am wondering about a couple of things I've been considering.
1) I've heard that lowering the tailpiece right down so it's flush against the body of the guitar will increase by increasing string tension across the bridge. Will this really produce a noticeable difference and what other potential tone side effects would I be looking at? I've heard that having it raised off the body helps produce a more organic and chimey tone (which I like). Then I've also heard that it's all a bunch of BS that people make up when they run out of other things to tweak. Any thoughts?
2) I've also heard of people stringing through the stopbar from the opposite directing and wrapping them back around (like the wraparound bridge on old LPs) before running them across the bridge. I haven't tried this because I'm afraid it'll scratch the tailpiece and if I decide I don't like it I'd have big ugly scratches to deal with. What sort of effect would this have on tone, sustain, and playability?
Thanks for any help,
Dillon
I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it. That's technical talk.
—SRV
1) I don't think most people would notice any difference at all. There's a ton of information out there on it and I'm not convinced. I set mine up with the proper action and leave it. As long as the tail piece is in far enough to be secure, you're good.
2) Again, lots of info on the net about it. The number one thing I've read about it is strings break less, but I've never broken a string so I'm not to concerned about that. Zack Wylde uses it from what I've seen in pictures.
Yeah that's pretty much what I figured. Zakk Wylde does indeed use that stringing method, what made me consider it though is that I heard Duane Allman also did, but info on his setup isn't as plentiful (and I suppose they can't really ask him any more :()
Thanks
Dillon
I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it. That's technical talk.
—SRV
I doubt you'll scratch the tail piece by doing it. Give it a try and see what you think. The only thing you have to loose is the price of a set of strings if you don't like it.
