6 finger tailpiece? make a diffence?

[ironmike]

any of you use the six finger tailpiece with individual pressure adjustments? make a difference?

[MartyGrass]

The six finger TP does make a difference but maybe not enough to matter. It depends.

 

1. It changes the break angle, reducing it the tighter you clamp down the TP fingers. The reduces string slippage over the saddle. If you bend your strings, you will have less of an effective string length to bend them. The strings will seem stiffer.

 

2. This tightness will also make it slightly harder to fret the strings. It will require a little more pressure to depress the string to the fret.

 

These two effects are not noticeable to most players. #1 is more easily recognizable to blues players.

 

3. The downward string pressure on the bridge increases the transmission of string vibration to the top. That is more easily noticeable, especially when playing acoustically.

 

 

Most archtop tailpieces are not adjustable and they are lighter in weight. They meet the needs of all but a few.

 

I wouldn't sweat it.

[Gitfiddler]

The six finger TP does make a difference but maybe not enough to matter. It depends.

 

1. It changes the break angle, reducing it the tighter you clamp down the TP fingers. The reduces string slippage over the saddle. If you bend your strings, you will have less of an effective string length to bend them. The strings will seem stiffer.

 

2. This tightness will also make it slightly harder to fret the strings. It will require a little more pressure to depress the string to the fret.

 

These two effects are not noticeable to most players. #1 is more easily recognizable to blues players.

 

3. The downward string pressure on the bridge increases the transmission of string vibration to the top. That is more easily noticeable, especially when playing acoustically.

 

 

Most archtop tailpieces are not adjustable and they are lighter in weight. They meet the needs of all but a few.

 

I wouldn't sweat it.

 

Marty hit the nail on the head with his description. I'd like to respectfully add one more...

 

#4. It looks very sexy on an archtop!!

[2bornot2bop]

The first finger TP archtop I owned I found it a new novelty. That caused my curiosity to fiddle with adjustments for several weeks.

 

The 2nd finger TP archtop I owned, I left it alone. I pref'd leaving it alone. I do like the look of it.

 

[jimsoloway]

 

Marty hit the nail on the head with his description. I'd like to respectfully add one more...

 

#4. It looks very sexy on an archtop!!

 

But does add weight and expense.

[davesultra]

I had a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion with the fingers tail on it. It didn't impress me besides the fact that it looked cool.

[pressure]

#5 also looks good on a Millie.

[ironmike]

ever notice how some are staggered in the opposite direction? longer treble strings to shorter bass strings and some longer bass strings to shorter treble strings.i always thought that the string length between bridges and tail pieces should be 1/6 of the overall string length, surprised nobody picked up on that in their design.

[MartyGrass]

The string length from bridge to TP generates a lot of discussion, most of it just hot air IMO. This discussion is highly matured in violin construction.

 

There is a concern that these string fragments can resonate and change the sound of the guitar. It's a stronger argument if the instrument is not amplified. But high pitched harmonics on these are of very low amplitude and energy.

 

Some like the heavier strings to be longer because it decreases the work to fret them. Some like the lighter strings to be longer for bends.

 

Here's an old Frequensator TP that's reverse built.

 

 

[peterbright]

I love them myself.

[111518]

My Howard Roberts has become my main gigging guitar over the last couple of years. I have taken the time to experiment with the tailpiece, and I think it allows me to even out the tension across the strings, esp. the "G" in the 11-15-18 sets that I use, which on most guitars has noticeably less tension at concert pitch than the E or B.

 

I find the tailpiece a little bit of a hassle when changing strings, but not too bad. Seems to fit the HR design visually and functionally; it's the only guitar I've owned with this tailpiece. (Super 400, and, I think L 5 tailpieces are adjustable for break angle, by the way, though of course not for individual strings.)

 

Maybe I just feel the need to compete with my horn players and have some shiny, complex metal work happening...

 

 

 

 

 

[Gitfiddler]

My first experience with the 6 piece TP was also on a HR Fusion. It seemed to fit that semi very well.

 

I liked its functionality and beauty so much I had one installed on my 575.

 

 

[MartyGrass]

I keep the break angle sharp on my archtop to drive the sound board more.

 

[peterbright]

I vote for more pressure (usually). Try it in different positions.

[ironmike]

ok, great,that's what i thought it would do, i'm using 14 guage bebop thomastics so i have plenty of tension and sound transmission,but i dig the balancing idea that tailpiece can bring into the picture,i mean like the kinda dynamics that gets beyond tempered tuning..that's what i'm looking for.what brand am i looking for?

[barrymclark]

In my brief experience with a finger style piece, I am with Marty on this one in terms of what it does and totally with Gifiddler on it looking sexy as hell. It does. Would I order a guitar with one? No. Would I change it out if a guitar came with one? Probably not.

[barrymclark]

...and I will add that I wouldn't get one just because it is one more thing to fuss with. Unless there is some serious function issue like staying intonated, I prefer simplicity.

[MartyGrass]

ok, great,that's what i thought it would do, i'm using 14 guage bebop thomastics so i have plenty of tension and sound transmission,but i dig the balancing idea that tailpiece can bring into the picture,i mean like the kinda dynamics that gets beyond tempered tuning..that's what i'm looking for.what brand am i looking for?

 

The specific strings? That's in the troubled land of arbitrary opinion.

 

The two most popular strings in Europe and the US are D'Addario Chrome FWs and TI FWs. I would add LaBella and Pyramid FWs to the list. D'Addario Half Rounds are pretty decent. Skolnick does his jazz with those.

[ironmike]

no marty, not brand of strings, the brand of the tailpiece/ i dig my strings..

[peterbright]

I am usually in the no fuss school with this exception (the fingered tailpiece). Once it is set, I usually leave it alone.

[MartyGrass]

What brand of tailpiece?

 

The Gibson L5 and the old Heritage tailpieces have a significant flaw. The slots for ball retention can allow slippage with release of the string. This can be remedied by drilling a small recess to capture the ball. You should be aware of this.

 

Another consideration is to make sure the tailpiece will ground the strings. Some of the wood ones don't have a metal conduit from the end hole ground to the strings. This leads to a 60 Hz hum.

 

Some of the wood TPs need to be filed out to accomodate fatter low E strings. If your set has a sixth string greater than 0.052", this could be an issue. I dilate the channel by passing the fattest round wound that will go through then pulling it back and forth until the channel opens up. Some of my strings are 56s, so it can be a problem.

 

Otherwise, the choice is mostly cosmetic.