Members TommyT5 Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 (edited) . Edited July 12, 2018 by TommyT5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brokepick Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 Possible? yes. Good idea? I don't think so. Looks like it would put additional stress on the top part of that bridge. It would also considerably reduce the string's break angle over the saddle. That probably doesn't make much difference on an electric, but it's pretty important on an acoustic. My un-educated $0.02. Nice looking guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beedlesw Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 I wouldn't think it a good idea, I could see some bridge damage as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamesp Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 Nice guitar! If I'm reading you correctly, you're thinking about putting the ball end on the saddle side of the bridge and running it back, out, up and over the back of the bridge. I'd be concerned about the string uploading (or lifting) and splitting the bridge at the string holes (like that poor guys Ovation last week.) If you still wanted to try it, I'd recommend doing just the B and/or D strings to see if it made any difference. Maybe think about putting a strip of thin, tough tape on the bridge to keep from marring it up. Happy experimenting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaurentB Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 But WHY do people do that? Just to be special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rangerrick Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 Yeah but I noticed the kangaroo and realized they have to put strings on backwards since they're down under Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jd-drafter Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 the last set of bridges my dad designed for his aluminum gits were like that...let me see if i can find a pic of one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jd-drafter Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 ah.. it was on putfile... which seems to be gone...i'll try and upload one later... works quite well... but is also made out of aluminum or resin impregnated phenolic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jd-drafter Posted August 3, 2009 Members Share Posted August 3, 2009 here we go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fouronsix Posted August 4, 2009 Members Share Posted August 4, 2009 Hi all! I really don't post here usually but I couldn't resist this thread. There have been all kinds of "theories" about about wrapping the tailpiece on Stop Bar TOMs for ages now. I've been playing electric guitar since 1960 and my experience with this goes way back. In the 60's Gibson Melody Makers were very popular student guitars. They were equipped with wrap around bridges. Many players moved up to LP's with stop bar tailpieces and simply because they looked similar some of them wrapped the tailpiece because that was "how they always did it". It had nothing to do with tone or sustain or playability. It had everything to do with old habits dying hard. I know this because I did it too until I knew better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melandy Posted August 4, 2009 Members Share Posted August 4, 2009 If you are talking about a normal rosewood/ebony/etc bridge glued to a guitar top, I don't think that joint will hold up to the stress. In a normal steel sting guitar with a pinned bridge, the ball ends of the strings are pulling up against the bridge plate, which is on the underside of the top. The strings are trying to pull the bridge plate through the top of the guitar, which they just can't. With a pinless bridge, all the tension of the strings would be put on the glue joint of bridge+top. Classical guitars use pinless bridges all day long, but the string tension is much less than on a steel string git. Yes, I know that Breedlove and others make pinless steel string bridges. I don't know how that works. I suspect aliens are involved. -A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted August 4, 2009 Members Share Posted August 4, 2009 What's the point? And why reduce the break angle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roughtrade Posted August 4, 2009 Members Share Posted August 4, 2009 But WHY do people do that? Just to be special? There are a few pictures in Dan Erlewine's book on guitar repair that show the bridge on a Les Paul that has broken and collapsed after years of tension from the strings. When the strings come out of the tailpiece, not wrapped around they go directly over the bridge. This is ok. In order to get the best sustain a lot of guys would screw the tailpiece all the way down. If you do that and the strings are straight wrapped, the strings will make contact on the corner of the bridge and then go up and over the bridge correctly. That pressure causes bridges to crack and the break angle is like 30 degrees, I'm guessing, but it is high. If you wrapped around the tailpiece you can screw it all the way down, the strings only make contact where they are supposed to, and you get a break angle of about 5 degrees. The low break angle allows for less tension at tune and eases bending, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roughtrade Posted August 4, 2009 Members Share Posted August 4, 2009 Hi all! I really don't post here usually but I couldn't resist this thread. There have been all kinds of "theories" about about wrapping the tailpiece on Stop Bar TOMs for ages now. I've been playing electric guitar since 1960 and my experience with this goes way back. In the 60's Gibson Melody Makers were very popular student guitars. They were equipped with wrap around bridges. Many players moved up to LP's with stop bar tailpieces and simply because they looked similar some of them wrapped the tailpiece because that was "how they always did it". It had nothing to do with tone or sustain or playability. It had everything to do with old habits dying hard. I know this because I did it too until I knew better. Dan Erlewine believes differently. So do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smurphyzm Posted August 29, 2009 Members Share Posted August 29, 2009 IMO, I do this for 2 reasons only...I use .011s and by top wrapping the action feels a little lighter with the heavier strings and it also helps in eliminating string breakage. I cant say that sound or sustain is a huge difference, I've heard many sate that they get improved harmonics. Lastly, a few great names that come to mind that *do* top wrap are Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Good observations in/re electrics, but I'd have to say "No" on the acoustic. Unless, like JD Drafter's Dad's guitars, the bridge is specifically designed for it, thread 'em through the back, as intended. Minimzes down pressure on the saddle, but the most compelling reason is: Why risk screwing up a really nice guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 There is no advantage to doing that with an acoustic guitar. It would be a great way to rip the bridge off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SmoothOcean Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 I started doing that on my electric the other day. It makes the higher gages strings feel more slinky in my opinion, but it could just be a placebo effect. I like it though wouldn't suggest it on that bridge, looks like the strings would eventually dig through the bridge and over time damage it badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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