General rules to adhere to when top wrapping?

zepp76 · June 2018

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please? Should the tailpiece be screwed down to the body? Is there anything I should be aware of or is it as simple as just top wrapping and getting on with it? Thank you for your time.

meltedbuzzbox · June 2018

just top wrap and get on with it.
Just ignore all the other jazz mate, you can floor the tail piece if you wish, it shouldn't cause any issues.

koss59 · June 2018

I tried it on an R8 I used to own ( still have an R7 ) and even with the tailpiece right down it didn’t have enough break angle and the strings popped out of the saddle grooves easily.
I think it works on standards where the neck angle is greater but didn’t work for me on the historic.
I know certain famous people did it on bursts.

fretfinder · June 2018

The key general rule is don’t do it!

YMMV of course.

stuagu · June 2018

I screw the tailpiece all the way down and away you go. Iv done it on every r8/r9 ive had and not had any problems . Some like it some dont.

normula1 · June 2018

My 339 came top wrapped and unlike any of my other Gibson style guitars it does seem to play better that way.

Funkfingers · June 2018

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Sacrifice a chicken, read your horoscope, throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder, swear allegiance to the leprechauns and kiss an effigy of Joe Bonnamassa.

ICBM · June 2018

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Yes...

Is your guitar a Junior, Special or other with a wraparound bridge/tailpiece and no separate bridge?

Yes: top-wrap.

No: don't top-wrap.

richardhomer · June 2018

ICBM said:

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Are you Joe Bonamassa?

Yes: top-wrap.

No: don't top-wrap.

FTFY

stonevibe · June 2018

Put all the good weed, in the end, and light up first.

underdog · June 2018

ICBM said:

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Yes...

Is your guitar a Junior, Special or other with a wraparound bridge/tailpiece and no separate bridge?

Yes: top-wrap.

No: don't top-wrap.

Sums it up perfectly, anything that isn't dsigned to be stop wrapped, looks wrong top wrapped. Ok so you may feel there's benefits to top wrapping your Les Paul but the negative is it looks crap, and you didn't become a guitarist to look crap did you? Just say no kids to top wrapping kids.

meltedbuzzbox · June 2018

underdog said:

ICBM said:

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Yes...

Is your guitar a Junior, Special or other with a wraparound bridge/tailpiece and no separate bridge?

Yes: top-wrap.

No: don't top-wrap.

Sums it up perfectly, anything that isn't dsigned to be stop wrapped, looks wrong top wrapped. Ok so you may feel there's benefits to top wrapping your Les Paul but the negative is it looks crap, and you didn't become a guitarist to look crap did you? Just say no kids to top wrapping kids.

If you do it to look cool in the eyes of the members on this forum it's instantly uncool.
Too wrap for the win

Neil · June 2018

underdog said:

ICBM said:

zepp76 said:

Are there any rules to adhere to when top wrapping please?

Yes...

Is your guitar a Junior, Special or other with a wraparound bridge/tailpiece and no separate bridge?

Yes: top-wrap.

No: don't top-wrap.

Sums it up perfectly, anything that isn't dsigned to be stop wrapped, looks wrong top wrapped. Ok so you may feel there's benefits to top wrapping your Les Paul but the negative is it looks crap, and you didn't become a guitarist to look crap did you? Just say no kids to top wrapping kids.

If you want to get the stop bar right down without a ridiculously sharp break angle top wrapping is the way on some Les Paul Standards.

I don't think mine looks particularly crap personally.

Image: https://image.ibb.co/iWDTUk/DSCN2561.jpg

mburekenge · June 2018

Play really rapid, Eric johnson style pentatonics in patterns of 5

impmann · June 2018

The general flow diagram should be:

1) Does your Gibson play OK? If yes, leave it well alone, if no move onto 2.

2) Do not top wrap as it looks crap, ruins the plating on the tailpiece and isn't needed.

meltedbuzzbox · June 2018

impmann said:

The general flow diagram should be:

1) Does your Gibson play OK? If yes, leave it well alone, if no move onto 2.
2) Do not top wrap as it looks crap, ruins the plating on the tailpiece and isn't needed.

sssssshhhh you PRS playing dentist wannabe :-P

zepp76 · June 2018

I had to ask as I'm just trying to make the guitar the best player that I can but if there are no benefits to doing it then I'll pass. I really couldn't give two hoots what it looks like as long as it plays well.

johnl · June 2018

It's worth trying, certainly in my experience it gives a slinkier playing feel. It does often feel like everyone on this forum hates absolutely everything...

mburekenge · June 2018

I liked it until I swapped for a tonepros abr1... then the whole thing rattled like crazy so switched back to standard stringing

roberty · June 2018

As stated it effs your tailpiece up so be prepared for that. Otherwise screw the bastard right down and you're good to go. I prefer it personally

DefaultM · June 2018

Try it and see what you think. I've done it and it changes the feel, making the strings a bit slinkier and easier to bend. I didn't really like that, but if I did like it I certainly wouldn't stop just because of how it looks.

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General rules to adhere to when top wrapping?

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