Gibson stop bar questions.

[DLT]

I have seen two ways to put the strings on the stop bar of a Gibson. The over the top way and straight through way. Is there a suggested way Gibson recommends?

Also, how far down is one suppose to screw the stop bar studs into the anchors? Is there a suggested way Gibson recommends?

Just curious.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Top wrapping has two effects on the guitar:
-Allowing the stop bar to be set all the way down against the body, supposedly to increase resonance
-Decreasing the angle the strings break over the saddles, resulting in a looser feel

As for normally stringing the guitar, set the stop bar as low as you can without the strings hitting the back of the bridge behind the saddles. This seems to be a general rule most people use.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Surely, the whole point of having a height adjustable tailpiece is that it CAN be adjusted.

The string break angle over the bridge saddles can be altered, thereby governing string tension. You can tell when somebody has set this wrongly by the fact that the strings foul the back edge of the Tune-O-Matic bridge.

The wrapover method harks back to Gibson Junior, Special and TV models. It was an economy measure that happened to produce a particularly cool sound. Some guitarists swear by this approach. Others swear at it.

I know of know published research on this matter. So, please yourselves.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Nuts! I ought to wake up properly before I start typign! ;o)

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

i like top wrapping. alot.

it allows you to keep the tailpiece tight on the body, which is a good thing.

i tried it on my Jaguar (which has a tailpiece) and it definetely felt brighter, slinkier.

i put them back the way they go because i pick between the bridge and tailpiece, and the new length altered the tones too much for me, but I had a good top wrapping experience.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I guess ideally it is designed for a straight thru pull but with some guitars especially with Nashville TOMs the wraparound works better.

Since switching over to topwrap I don't break strings on my LPs. My ESP Eclipse has a flatter top than my Gibson and doesn't need it so I don't do it.

Can't say I noticed a big change in tone but certainly the string tension is a little slinkier due to the lower break angle.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I guess ideally it is designed for a straight thru pull but with some guitars especially with Nashville TOMs the wraparound works better.

Since switching over to topwrap I don't break strings on my LPs. My ESP Eclipse has a flatter top than my Gibson and doesn't need it so I don't do it.

Can't say I noticed a big change in tone but certainly the string tension is a little slinkier due to the lower break angle.

well remember they are Les Pauls.


bling

seriously though, it just gets slinky most of the time.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Also, how far down is one suppose to screw the stop bar studs into the anchors? Is there a suggested way Gibson recommends?

I'm pretty sure the idea Gibson first thought of with it was to match the break angle of the strings at the bridge to the angle at the nut, with the strings anchored in the back of the bar. That way bending tension is even at both ends. With the bar all the way down, top wrapping might come closer to this ideal. Even then, it's the pressure on the bridge that matters most.


And, it still just depends on what feel the player likes.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I've tried it both ways and I can't tell a difference at all.

 

[ES350]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

The difference is minimal and I kinda avoid top-wrapping after trying it for awhile. Now, bottom-wrapping is a different matter...takes all kinds, I guess.

 

[Wonker]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I've tried it both ways and I can't tell a difference at all.

me too

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

bottom wrapping?! you can do that!?

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

The string break angle over the bridge saddles can be altered, thereby governing string tension.

Sorry, no; this has absolutely no effect on string tension. Pitch and string gauge are the only governing parameters here.

Top wrapping marginally increases the length over which the string's tension is distributed, or the unit tensile loading. Technically this leads to a softer feel and a wider string arc although the very small difference between top-wrapping and through-strung is unlikely to be noticeable.

I feel there is likely to be a slight increase in acoustic coupling if the tailpiece is screwed hard to the body and the strings are top-wrapped, but I confess that this is speculative and based more on my personal intuition than any objective evidence.

I can go either way, but my default choice is through stringing.

 

[Uk Ant]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I do the top wrap thing but I'm not sure it makes that much difference to tone as I screw my tailpiece down regardless.
How much it affects the feel of the strings I'm also not sure it makes a huge difference but that may just be me. It does the increase the available length of string and thus the amount of steel that can stretch so they should feel a little loser.
Joe Bonamasa top wraps, then again he can be a bit anal about that sort of thing

 

[Wattage]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Here's a shot of my set up. The tailpiece is a lightweight alum Gotoh that has a slight offset to the crown to accomodate top wrapping, forgot where I got it? The bridge is the TonePros locking TOM.

 

[Warheart]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

Sorry, no; this has absolutely no effect on string tension. Pitch and string gauge are the only governing parameters here.

Top wrapping marginally increases the length over which the string's tension is distributed, or the unit tensile loading. Technically this leads to a softer feel and a wider string arc although the very small difference between top-wrapping and through-strung is unlikely to be noticeable.

I feel there is likely to be a slight increase in acoustic coupling if the tailpiece is screwed hard to the body and the strings are top-wrapped, but I confess that this is speculative and based more on my personal intuition than any objective evidence.

I can go either way, but my default choice is through stringing.

Uh, I've played with the height on my stopbar, not even top wrapping and I can say for absolute certainty it has affected my string tension. I think top wrapping would have the same effect: If Break angle isn't a factor, then don't have any, see how far you get.
I'd be more hard pressed to say there was a definite increase in sustain with the tailpiece tightened down all the way.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

One other benefit from top-wraping is that it greatly reduces the forward pressure on the bridge, so that it won't lean forward over time.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

I do it cause it looks cool

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

if the email address in your profile's correct i've just emailed some info through, DLT (too much to post here, i'm at work)
check it out, there's probably a way to copy it in?

 

[DLT]

Re: Gibson stop bar questions.

if the email address in your profile's correct i've just emailed some info through, DLT (too much to post here, i'm at work)
check it out, there's probably a way to copy it in?

Thanks AD