Schaller/Gibson TP-6 tailpiece

guitargeek62

What's the verdict on these then? I presume they never caught on because, a) they're overly complicated, b) they cost more, and c) they don't look "right". 

I quite like the look of them on some guitars, and the design in principle, but I've never used one. I've got a project in mind that could work quite well with one unless they're definitely something to be avoided. I'm interested to hear the collective wisdom.

guitars4you

The concept obviously comes from the finer tuner format on a Violin Tailpiece arrangement - Maybe on a violin it is a great idea as the old traditional 'peg' in a hole has a less slick gear ratio - I'm not against the concept, but maybe just to big and bulky

One neat option is you can 'de-tune' a fraction if required, whereas with machine heads you always have to go low and back up again

You se them on the BB KIng Lucille

They do work so no negatives on that score

guitargeek62

I think Lucille's are the only guitar I've ever seen them on in the flesh, as I say - I quite like the look and general 70s vibe, and I assume there's nothing tonally amiss with having them. I might well go for one on the build, as it's in-keeping with the era, even if not historically accurate.

richardhomer

Doesn’t Larry Carlton have one on his 335?

Cols

Pretty sure Tony Iommi has a tailpiece like this on his SGs.

guitargeek62

^ good enough for me then! 

ICBM

Nothing wrong with them at all - they work very well. I think they aren’t popular simply because they’re not usually necessary, and don’t look ‘vintage’.

B.B. King may have used one because he was known for winding the entire length of the string onto the tuner post! - so there was a huge coil of over-wrapped string on them. I read an interview with his tech once - he said B.B. insisted on it. Why, I don’t know... but it will have made finely tuning with the keys a bit unpredictable.

WezV

Cols said:

Pretty sure Tony Iommi has a tailpiece like this on his SGs.

that's a combined bridge/tailpiece, the schaller 456




they are a great unit, but sadly discontinued  

wrinkleygit

I had one on a Les Paul & a mate had one his 345 together with fold out crank handles on the machine heads, that was really cool.

ICBM

wrinkleygit said:

I had one on a Les Paul & a mate had one his 345 together with fold out crank handles on the machine heads, that was really cool.

I'm pretty sure the Lucille has (or did have) those too - presumably so B.B. could more easily wind on the miles of string...

boz_h

My Lucille has a TP6, to be honest I just ignore it. The only time it has ever been an issue is when one of the tuning screws fell out and got lost.  Gibson were very nice and sent me a replacement.  Can't say if there is any benefit/detriment to tone, and the only aesthetic commented have been about the Varitone.  I didn't know about the BB King string thing, I always wondered why he would want something like this.

downbytheriver

Alvin Lee had one on Big Red. That’s enough for me.