Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

[BloodRose]

How do you determine the proper height for the bridge and tail piece on a LP? On my newest LP, I noticed where the strings break over the bridge, the strings touch the back of the bridge. Is there a rule thumb for bridge/tailpiece height? I would assume you dont want the strings touching the bridge other than the saddles. This is Gibson factory setup, and Parts are tone pros if that matters. Thanks!

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

The fretboard and nut will determine the height of the bridge (i.e. you set the action you want with the bridge height). From there you can see what height to set the tailpiece.

 

[Chad]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Raise the tailpiece until the strings are clear of the back of the bridge. If that's not a problem, then set it to where it sounds/sustains the best.

Most of the time, I screw the tailpiece all the way down and top wrap the strings.

 

[XPAULPITT]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

This is why I topwrap my strings on the tailpiece. It allows you to lower the tailpiece all the way down to the body and no matter how high your bridge is the strings will not touch like you are describing(unless there is something very wrong with your neck set angle). I also strongly promote Tonepros hardware, even if you just use the tailpiece. Saves a lot of headaches.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Top wrapping doesn't work for me. The difference between an ABR bridge and a Nashville bridge are significant I have a few Gibsons that are equipped with ABR setups and a few with Nashville. The neck angle also comes in to play. If the neck angle is too severe their I'd nothing you can do to get the strings off the frame if the bridge. Older Gibsons have a lower angle tilt to the neck and in those guitars I prefer to crank the stop bar all the way down and adjust the action to my preferred height. I have never had the strings touch the back of the bridge. With Nashville style bridges it is difficult to get the strings off the bridge. What I have done on Bashville bridges is replace the saddles with graphite and have cured the strings from breaking at that point

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

You don't want the strings to hit the back of the bridge, so raise the stop bar to just get some space between the strings and bridge. I also like to have my stop bar firmly screwed down to the body to prevent any looseness and improve sustain so I put four or five chromed washers (however many it takes) on the stud under the stop bar and tighten it firmly. Works great.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Yeah, I pretty much figure the strings shouldnt be resting on the bridge, I just worry that if I lower it, it'll throw my pickup settings all out of whack since the strings will be closer to the pups. And I actually wanted to raise the bridge a tiny bit to get let the high strings ring better on the upper frets..

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

The bridge height comes first, because that will be the main way to set your string height, and tailpiece height will depend on bridge height (but not the other way around). The tailpiece should probably be set initially to the point at which the strings just clear the body of the bridge. However, you can set it higher if you want the strings to sit more loosely in the saddles. And you can set it lower if you don't care about marking up your bridge. My two cents is that there is absolutely no advantage whatsoever to having your tailpiece studs cranked down either very far or all the way in, so I don't worry about that. I just set the tailpiece to where it gives the best combination of bridge clearance and "sproinginess."

 

[Bludave]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Raising the stop bar will definitely keep the strings from hitting the bridge but it also reduces the break angle and that tends to kill some sustain. It's a trade off and you have to find a happy medium

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

It's a science, physics to be specific. You can eyeball it and keep trying or you could buy a ruler that marks in 64ths of an inch and begin taking measurements with each adjustment. I've owned a Gibson and two Warmoth with stop-tails and each one plays better at a slightly different measurement. This is why Gibson does not publish (even though you can find this information over at their forums) their factory settings anymore because each instrument varies a bit.

I do not suggest letting the strings touch. Adjust it until you can see a small gap through and if you want more sustain from there listen to what GuitarDoc did, it'll work.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

hmm this is going to be tough. The tailpiece is really high on the low string side. Quite abit of room on the other before it would meet the base flange, but the low string side even has a bunch of threads showing. But if I crank it down the strings will be even more snug on the bridge. If I bring the bridge down much, the strings will be too low.

 

[Chad]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Set the bridge height to the action you want, then adjust the tailpiece. If you are having to run the tailpiece way too high, then go for a top wrap setup.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

....all of which begs the question,"why the F can't Gibson build their guitars with the correct neck angle?" Sorry for the hijack.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

hmm this is going to be tough. The tailpiece is really high on the low string side. Quite abit of room on the other before it would meet the base flange, but the low string side even has a bunch of threads showing. But if I crank it down the strings will be even more snug on the bridge. If I bring the bridge down much, the strings will be too low.

Adjust the bridge for the correct action, the way you want the strings off of the fretboard. Then adjust the tailpiece so the strings just barely clear the back of the bridge. Then put some washers under the tailpiece so it can be cranked down tight against the body and still maintain the string clearance off the back of the bridge. The tailpiece will be croocked...higher on the low E, and A side, lower on the high E and B side. Putting the right amount of washers under the stopbar tailpiece may take a little trial and error, but will end up being worth the effort giving you the best possible tone with the greatest amount of sustain.

Top wrapping is also an option, but can feel very uncomfortable...some strings have sharp wire endwraps that stick into your right hand, depending on how you play. I like that concept, but like I said, can be very uncomfotable AND it may be hard to adjust the correct break angle over the bridge...you may STILL have to put some washers under the low E side of the tailpiece, and it can also end up being too high on the high E side even with no washers.

 

[erksin]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Top wrapping is also an option, but can feel very uncomfortable...some strings have sharp wire endwraps that stick into your right hand, depending on how you play. I like that concept, but like I said, can be very uncomfotable AND it may be hard to adjust the correct break angle over the bridge...you may STILL have to put some washers under the low E side of the tailpiece, and it can also end up being too high on the high E side even with no washers.

Break angle when top-wrapping has never been an issue for me, but I've only owned a few LPs.

As to the string endwraps thing - this can be an issue with certain brands that have elongated wraps. A workaround is to use the old ball end ferrule from the previous set of strings that you're replacing as a spacer - thread the string through it before you thread it through the tailpiece and that is usually enough length to keep the endwraps of the new strings within the tailpiece body.

 

[Chad]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

As to the string endwraps thing - this can be an issue with certain brands that have elongated wraps. A workaround is to use the old ball end ferrule from the previous set of strings that you're replacing as a spacer - thread the string through it before you thread it through the tailpiece and that is usually enough length to keep the endwraps of the new strings within the tailpiece body.

+1. I use D'Addario strings and have been using this technique for years with a top wrap setup. Works great.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul bridge/tail setup?

Did some work on the guitar today..Got the bridge and action down quite a bit. Too much at first, as I was getting bad tone. dialed it up alittle bit and its good now and was able to get the tail piece down alot too as it was up way high. wish I could dial it down to the base legs (it's a tonepros) but that would put the strings on the back of the bridge for sure. And I have all the strings just off the back of the bridge. right now, I cant get a good tonal balance with the pickup. so, gonna have to get it dialed in