Les Paul Questions

[Major Tom]

I just aquired a Les Paul....copy. Anyway its an older Samick and has the Les Paul recipe - solid mahogany body and neck(set), with solid flamed maple cap (real, not foto). I don't have an accurate scale, but I would guess its around 9 or 10 lbs. I'm not going to say that its as good as any Gibson, but even with the cheap stock pickups it sound a LOT like a Paul; loads of sustain, and a big fat tone. An open chord sounds like a piano with the sustain pedal depressed. After a note is picked, as it decays, it changes timbre somewhat - an octave harmonic becomes more prominent. I noticed that the soundwaves from the amp vibrate the body more than my Fenders, creating that singing sustain at lower volumes than my other guits. I played it at church today and it stayed in tune as well as any other guitar I have. I would post a pic if I could, it sho is purty.

Anyway, here are my questions:

1) Stop tail piece height - what are the pros/cons, differences in different heights ? I assume that a lower setting will increase sustain since it has more downward pressure on the bridge. Is this true? does it cause other issues like increased string breakage or ?

2) Tone Pros locking bridge - some say it makes a difference, some say not. I don't have the $$ for that right now, but I do have 3 bux to get a small tap at the hardware store, so I can drill and tap the one on there. What do you users think ? Also, is the locking stop tail s'posed to change the tone too, or is that just for convenience?

3) Aluminum stop tail - anybody here use one? what do you think of it? worthwhile or no?

4) I am going to upgrade the pots/wiring, probably doing the "disappearing tone control" mod and will be aquiring some better(I hope) pickups in the "PAF"/vintage vein, so aside from that, do you have any suggestions for tone or other enhancements, either mechanical or electronic?

I would appreciate any advice you could give, thanks.

[foo]

Originally posted by Major Tom

1) Stop tail piece height - what are the pros/cons, differences in different heights ? I assume that a lower setting will increase sustain since it has more downward pressure on the bridge. Is this true? does it cause other issues like increased string breakage or ?

It should increase the sustain (I guess), but I had a problem with the two pins that hold the bridge being pushed forward by the increased string pressure.

2) Tone Pros locking bridge - some say it makes a difference, some say not. I don't have the $$ for that right now, but I do have 3 bux to get a small tap at the hardware store, so I can drill and tap the one on there. What do you users think ? Also, is the locking stop tail s'posed to change the tone too, or is that just for convenience?

If your tuners are good (Schaller, Gotohs) and you put the strings on and stretch them correctly, you shouldn't need a locking bridge.

3) Aluminum stop tail - anybody here use one? what do you think of it? worthwhile or no?

Don't know.

4) I am going to upgrade the pots/wiring, probably doing the "disappearing tone control" mod and will be aquiring some better(I hope) pickups in the "PAF"/vintage vein, so aside from that, do you have any suggestions for tone or other enhancements, either mechanical or electronic?

Seymour Duncan '59 for the neck and the JB for the bridge.

I would appreciate any advice you could give, thanks.

[juststartingout]

Here is my Les Paul copy I rewired.

http://home.comcast.net/~bonrox/guitars/Callie.htm

At the bottom of the page you will find a wiring diagram. It uses push-pull pots on the tone and volume. It allows for single coil, humbucker or out of phase choices. I really like this setup. You can replace the 6 position switch I use for stero out, with the standard 3 position switch.

[Major Tom]

That is one cool looking guitar ! That is a wicked wiring scheme too. I did a variable coil split on another humbucker guit I have - from full on humbucker to single coil, and everything in between, its pretty versatile. You can get an out of phase kind of sound sort of like a strat (but not as good) using the middle pos. of the 3 way switch while in full single coil mode. That one does not require 4 leads, although it does require 3; the 3rd can be added by soldering a lead onto the little wire that connects the 2 coils.

If I get Duncans or other 4 lead pickups, I might do that one.

[Light]

Originally posted by Major Tom
1) Stop tail piece height - what are the pros/cons, differences in different heights ? I assume that a lower setting will increase sustain since it has more downward pressure on the bridge. Is this true? does it cause other issues like increased string breakage or ?

The tail piece must be just high enough that the strings do not hit the bridge behind the saddles. If the angle is too shallow you will get a sort of dull buzzy sound, so I usually set the tail piece just high enough to keep the strings from touching the bridge.

Originally posted by Major Tom
2) Tone Pros locking bridge - some say it makes a difference, some say not. I don't have the $$ for that right now, but I do have 3 bux to get a small tap at the hardware store, so I can drill and tap the one on there. What do you users think ? Also, is the locking stop tail s'posed to change the tone too, or is that just for convenience?

I am going to use them on one of the next guitars I build. The customers we have put them on have all been happy with them, but I am not yet sure if it will make a tonal difference.

Originally posted by Major Tom
3) Aluminum stop tail - anybody here use one? what do you think of it? worthwhile or no?

I don't think so. If I was going to go for a particular metal, it would be brass, which is denser, and therefore (or so the theory says) transfers vibrations more efficiently. This should make it brighter and improve the sustain. And by brighter I do not mean brittle, but that nice smooth brightness which we are all after.

Originally posted by Major Tom
4) I am going to upgrade the pots/wiring, probably doing the "disappearing tone control" mod and will be aquiring some better(I hope) pickups in the "PAF"/vintage vein, so aside from that, do you have any suggestions for tone or other enhancements, either mechanical or electronic?

As for electronics, it is typical to replace the wiring when you replace the pots, and so if you do that and the pickups, you are all set.

As for mechanical, the only thing I do is the bridge (if you don't like the one you have) and a bone nut (if it doesn’t already have one). Get the nut made by a professional, and ask to see one they have done first. The nut should be attractive and polished. The string slots should be clean, straight, and either have perfectly even spaces between the slots, or they can have a graduated spacing, so the strings are slightly wider apart (on center) on the bass side than on the treble. A graduated spacing actually feels more even than an even spacing, as it compensates for the diameter of the strings. The slots should not be too deep, but they also don't need to be as shallow as Dan Erlewine says (he says it should not be more than half the diameter of the string, but if you go that shallow, the strings can pop out of the slots). The bottom of the slot also has to be in line with the tops of the frets. If this all looks right, then you can probably trust the repair person to make your nut.

If, as you say, it is staying in tune, that should be all you need to worry about.


Light

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