What kind of tailpiece is this?

[jazzalicious]

Hi (see pic below)

I've seen these on YouTube vids with heritage but am not familiar with them.

Is there any reason for installing one like this and if so....

Why?

[davesultra]

That would be a Schaller tailpiece and roller bridge. These were what Heritage used as original equipment up until around the mid-ish 2000s'. They had supply problems with Schaller and started to use TonePros and Seymour Duncan pickups. It was high quality stuff, but many didn't care for the non traditional looks (myself included). The roller bridge had one cool advantage. You could adjust the saddles to allow different string spacing's at the bridge.

[jazzalicious]

Is there a difference in feel between that and a typical stoptail ?

[davesultra]

Is there a difference in feel between that and a typical stoptail ?

It's kind of flat on top as opposed to a rounded stoptail. To me there was no huge difference in feel while playing. Didn't take much getting used to.

[jazzalicious]

Wouldn't it be looser feeling compared to the stoptail due to less break angle?

[tbonesullivan]

That may be true, especially with the roller bridge. I remember people at heritage saying they felt the schaller roller gave the guitars a "warmer" sound.

[Millennium Maestro]

If I could I would snag that guitar pictured up in a heart beat... Did anyone else notice the signatures on the label??

[yoslate]

That would be a Schaller tailpiece and roller bridge. The roller bridge had one cool advantage. You could adjust the saddles to allow different string spacing's at the bridge.

 

Not about just the tailpiece on that one, for sure....