Do any of you guys topwrap your H-150 tailpiece?

[jamison162]

I used to do this on an Epiphone (3,4 LP's ago).  I liked it quite a bit.  I never did A/B the topwraped vs. normal method on that guitar.  If it doesn't negatively affect sustain, I'm all for it.  I may give it a try on my new H-150 Goldtop.

[PacerX]

I used to do this on an Epiphone (3,4 LP's ago).  I liked it quite a bit.  I never did A/B the topwraped vs. normal method on that guitar.  If it doesn't negatively affect sustain, I'm all for it.  I may give it a try on my new H-150 Goldtop.

 

Honestly, the only thing I could see it doing is negatively influencing tuning stability.

 

Rule of thumb being that the less string there is, the less string there is to slip and bind.

[golferwave]

  Some players say they do it to lessen string tension for bending.  I'm with PacerX on this one.  I also think that it affects tuning stability so I don't do it.  Many players seem to like it so it's another of those "to each their own"  kind of thing.

[les paulverizer]

I string my Les Paul's that way and I have to admit I don't have ANY tuning problems at all; if anything it does probably make bendin' a little bit easier. ;D

The reason I started doin' it it's because someone pointed out to me that Duane Allman used to do it, as far as mid/late 60's, and he knew a thing or three about Les Paul's and Tone...! 8)

[jacques]

Topwrapping may also be applied to avoid the strings touching the bridge behind the saddles, ‘which kills any free-string sound and natural harmonics and overtones occurring between the saddle contact points and the tail piece’ as Dan Erlewine puts it. (Good old Dan is NOT particularly in favour of top wrapping.) I tried top wrapping and returned to normal after a while. I never noticed any differences, but this may be my own tonal deficiency, since I hardly ever notice any of these hyped-up guitar fine tuning stuff. Since top wrapping is 'budget neutral' you can give it a try but don't expect any tonal miracles. Also bending was just as magnificent with or without top wrapping. Maybe if you'd have a badly constructed G*** you'd need it?

[jamison162]

Two benefits I noticed on a previous Epiphone was that already stated looser feel, and getting the strings up above the edge of the bridge on the break-angle.  I didn't have any tuning problems that I recall.

 

Side thought on sustain: does your axe always have the same amount of sustain or do you find in varies from week to week?  Possibly due to weather conditions (humidity/temp., etc.).  The first time I plugged in my new H-150, I remember hitting that first chord and it sustained for days.  Since then it's been so-so.  Maybe it's just me, or maybe it IS the guitar. Any thoughts?

[rooster]

I topwrap the wound strings and run the plain strings straight. This allows me to tighten the stop bar all the way onto the body, while keeping the break angle correct (not hitting the back of the bridge). Works well, sounds great, looks pretty cool.

 

rooster.

[Kazwell]

The first time I plugged in my new H-150, I remember hitting that first chord and it sustained for days.  Since then it's been so-so.  Maybe it's just me, or maybe it IS the guitar. Any thoughts?

 

Have you done any adjusting since? I noticed the sustain was better "out of the box" as well. However, I also thought the action was way too low.  After raising it, and I mean ever so slightly, I lost some sustain.

[jamison162]

Kaz..no adjustments.  Just pickups changes.  But my buddy's H-150 has remained the same and I we notice with his as well.  As long as my Goldtop out sustains his Cherry Sunburst I'm good. 

[GuitArtMan]

I top wrap my current Les Paul, a 1988 pre-historic '58 flame top RI.  Prior to that I always cranked my tail piece down to the body as I was told it increased sustain.  I don't buy the hitting the back of the bridge as a sustain robber - doesn't make a bit of sense to me.  My old bridge (beofre it colapsed - more on that later) actually had markes where the strings rested on it.  Also, I'm not sure I want the strings to ring behind the bridge.  That's the kind of buzzing/weird overtones that drives me nuts!  Why do you think some players stuff foam under the strings between the nut and the tunning pegs?  I can't stand having weird buzzes or overtones so strings ringing behind the briege is a bad idea to me.  I top wrap my current Les Paul as it is one of the '80s ones that had the really steep neck set, this makes the bridge sit somewhat higher off of the body than normal.  I started doing this after I collapsed not one, but two bridges cranking the tail piece down into the body!  This one I crank the tail piece all the way down into the body, top wrap and still get a good angle over the bridge - the best of both worlds.  I tried top wrapping one of my 535s, but even with the tail piece all the way down into the body there just isn't enough break angle at the bridge and it negatively affects the tone.

[jacques]

Good you mention this break angle, GuitArtMan, I forgot that in my post. I recall this break angle being one of the most important factors in the so-called 'coupling' of string (vibration) to body. In order to get the smallest possible angle (so the string dives down really steep after it leaves the saddle), one could be tempted to screw the tailpiece way down onto the body. This is where Dan Erlewine comes in. Het states that strings touching the back of the bridge create a loss of tone and may even be a factor in bridge collapsing. In his experience screwing down the tailpiece all the way does not give you more tone or sustain. Therefore one should aim for the smallest  break angle without the string touching the bridge behind the saddles. A slightly raised stoptail (Erlewine's preferred setup) OR top wrapping with a lower tail could help achieving this goal.

 

I tend to follow Erlewine's ideas, since he has seen so many old and new guitars from both pros and regular folks.