jeffmatz Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 Hello all, I introduced myself a few weeks ago as a new 575 owner...I'm loving the guitar--but not the tailpiece! I've owned archtops before, but most have had a tailpiece where the string feeds from the back and through a channel, making them impossible to slip out...my 575 has a tailpiece similar to a Gibson ES-175-- the channel does not go all the way through the tailpiece, but rather, is a groove on the bottom of the tailpiece--here's my guitar again: When changing strings for the first time I had to be very careful the ball end did not pop out as I would the string around the post...I'm assuming there's a trick to this...any pointers?
Kuz Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 I put a guitar polishing cloth under the Trapieze tailpiece in case the string pops out while tuning. BTW, your video, great playing, sounded like round wounds. Did you stick with round wounds or go to Flats. FWIW, I have Thomastic George Benson 12-53 Flats on my 575 and I really like them.
Ned Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 Hey Jeff, I find this bridge a bit tough also. My approach is to pay close attention to the orientation of the ball end - it wants to lie flat. On my H guitars there is room for me to get my finger in under the bridge to get the ball in place. if the ball is oriented with the slot, I find it stays there pretty well. I change one string at a time. You need to maintain some light tension while threading the tuning peg and while rough tuning. This encourages me to use as few wraps as possible (I capture the string end under the first wrap). After all strings are in place and rough tuned, I look to see if any of the ball ends rotated. It is a pretty simple matter to loosen a string and turn the ball end. It took me longer to type this than to make sure the ball end is lying right. For some reason, the strings will turn easily one direction and not the other. A twist? You can tell at a glance if the strings are lying correctly - they will all emerge from the uppermost points of the bridge slots. The good news is that I have not yet broken a string at the tailpiece. I can't imagine you are doing otherwise, but since you ask.....
jeffmatz Posted May 31, 2012 Author Posted May 31, 2012 Thanks gents...the polishing cloth and checking the orientation of the ball end are definitely enough to get me started. Kuz, yeah, rounds...I'm currently on a rounds kick on my archtops...nickel wound john pearse's... I'll definitely try flats on this guitar sooner or later...IMHO, every guitar has a string material, gauge, heck, even a pick it sounds best with.
Kuz Posted June 1, 2012 Posted June 1, 2012 IMHO, every guitar has a string material, gauge, heck, even a pick it sounds best with. Absolutely, I agree completely. Especially with matching the guitar with it's own brand of strings AND pick. I am currently going through a bunch of different picks and have found that the same guitar sounds best with two different picks, one for clean and one for overdriven tones!
DetroitBlues Posted June 1, 2012 Posted June 1, 2012 I had a similar issue restringing the SG. I needed to keep constant tension to keep the balls from slipping out. I found when you pull the strings up tight, use a capo on the higher frets so you can get the other end of the string ready to go...
jeffmatz Posted June 4, 2012 Author Posted June 4, 2012 Did the capo thing yesterday afternoon, and I discovered two things. It (the capo method for keeping the strings in place) works perfectly I really like flatwounds on this guitar. Thanks gents!
Guest HRB853370 Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Absolutely, I agree completely. Especially with matching the guitar with it's own brand of strings AND pick. I am currently going through a bunch of different picks and have found that the same guitar sounds best with two different picks, one for clean and one for overdriven tones! Sounds like an infinite number of permutations that could take a lifetime!
Kuz Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Sounds like an infinite number of permutations that could take a lifetime! Well, the fun is in the QUEST for tone and wisdom!!!
Kuz Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Did the capo thing yesterday afternoon, and I discovered two things. It (the capo method for keeping the strings in place) works perfectly I really like flatwounds on this guitar. Thanks gents! Yeppers!!! Flats is where it is at, on 575 as well as my Golden Eagles!!!
DetroitBlues Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Well, the fun is in the QUEST for tone and wisdom!!! I've also noticed my taste for picks varies often. Sometimes the Jazz III sound great, then sometimes I go back to tortex .88mm... Then of course there is the super thick V-picks I have...
Guest HRB853370 Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Well, the fun is in the QUEST for tone and wisdom!!! There is NO pot of gold at the end of that rainbow John!
Kuz Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 There is NO pot of gold at the end of that rainbow John! My friend don't you know that truth, wisdom, and tone, are worth MORE than gold!!!! Plus strings and picks are cheap way to get different tones without blowing your pot of gold!!!
MartyGrass Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 The capo trick works well with the H tailpiece and is helpful with Bigsby restringing, too.
DetroitBlues Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 The capo trick works well with the H tailpiece and is helpful with Bigsby restringing, too. I'm really surprised we haven't seen more people mention that. I never heard of it before, I just was having a hard time keeping the strings in the slot when stringing up the SG and realized I can use the capo in the same manner as when I do a heel neck adjustment on a strat...
jeffmatz Posted June 5, 2012 Author Posted June 5, 2012 There is NO pot of gold at the end of that rainbow John! Well, it's not like you can't play until you find it! I have a few pick types and string types I like...I usually cycle through those on a new instrument...and always leave myself open to possibilities... This isn't an endless tone quest, like those guys looking for the holy grail of distortion pedals...
Kuz Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 Well, it's not like you can't play until you find it! I have a few pick types and string types I like...I usually cycle through those on a new instrument...and always leave myself open to possibilities... This isn't an endless tone quest, like those guys looking for the holy grail of distortion pedals... No it is not, because we are talking about audible actual tone differences DAMN IT!!!!! LOL
DetroitBlues Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 No it is not, because we are talking about audible actual tone differences DAMN IT!!!!! LOL I'm looking for holy grail distortion pedals....
Kuz Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 I'm looking for holy grail distortion pedals.... That search, my friend, will continue till the day you die!!!!
DetroitBlues Posted June 6, 2012 Posted June 6, 2012 That search, my friend, will continue till the day you die!!!! Hopefully that's a long, long time from now.
Teeky Posted June 6, 2012 Posted June 6, 2012 I've also noticed my taste for picks varies often. Sometimes the Jazz III sound great, then sometimes I go back to tortex .88mm... Then of course there is the super thick V-picks I have... Bit on the drag here, but . . . +1 (or maybe even +2) for the V-picks. I find it a bit flat using thin picks now!
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