I've been top-wrapping Gibson tailpieces and screwing them right down to the body for decades. I've had no string breaks, the feel is lighter, bends are easier, more string contact with the tailpiece increases resonance, and the connectivity of the tailpiece and the body increases the quality and quantity of the strings' natural harmonics. It's a pure plus with no drawbacks as far as I am concerned.

FINALLY!!! Spent the whole weekend trying to find a tutorial with this specific info, other peoples vids don’t focus on this IMPORTANT subject. Thank you so much. I’m subscribing 🙏🏼

I definitely admire a good guitar tech guy who can also play as well as you do. Great sounding Les Paul BTW

Love this video, because it was so "basic" but directly answered the general question of proper height of the tail piece without making a 20-minute video!

Nice demo, you always have helpful info on these kinds of things. With ‘top wrapping,’ I assumed that it’s pretty well known that Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has top wrapped on his Gibsons for decades now, so I figure that it wouldn’t hurt for me to try doing that the way the guy from ZZ Top has done from as early as the mid -1960’s. 😁🎸Thanks for all your helpful videos.

Could you please make a video on how to adjust the height of the actual Tune-O-Matic bridge? This video is just about the tailpiece.

Kris I tell you ... if I have guitar problem I just search and you have the answer! Nice to have a tech now! Later man and thanks!

I just set my LP up for the first time and I'm trying the top wrap method. I feel like if you're going make sideways comments about it you could have at least given pros and cons or let us with less experience in on the joke. I hope it works out for me and my LP. Your video was informative. Thank you.

Thank you again Thomann for your gentle insight----i'm a minimalist person who doesn't like to change the factory settings or fiddle with points that I find tedious, so I was wholeheartedly against the idea of t'wrapping but after examination I found also that top wrapping places less wear & tear on the far more expensive and sophisticated T-O-M bridge than on the cheaper tailpiece...in effect, it works out cheaper to replace a worn tpiece than a bridge, if one like myself would be concerned of tailpiece damage(and there will be some damage for sure especially to the hole size where the string pulls upward) . So basically, the sharp break angle is bad for both string breakage and bridge wear. (consider Seymour Duncan's approach to this and his views on his website) It's far more natural for a Les Paul type guitar, and even ES types, to be top wrapped. ''It was the way they were meant to be strung from early days before the T-O-M bridge idea BUT it also works well with it today''. as a friend told me. But one has to keep in mind, this won't work for everyone, which is where the arguments might arise. Some Les Pauls , ES types etc don't respond that well infact NO difference can be noted with some. I have several Gibsons and they've all benefited from t'wrapping especially the chambered Les Paul type. The resonance can be felt right in my ribs. However, when I raise the tailpiece the resonance & sustain is lost!

Dude those licks you were playing are super tasty.

absolutely fantastic tone at the end, jeez

God if this video would have existed 2 months ago I wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to set up my guitar. In the end I did find my sweet spot but it took me soooooo long

Great vid! I tried top wrapping, but could never see any real advantage tonewise or playing wise. I always set my bridge so the action is as low as possible without buzzing, and I always use gauge 9, usually D'Addario. I discovered that strings that are more on the slack side, like Ernie Ball Slinkys and Dean Markley, that a higher action is sometimes necessary to prevent buzzing. Taut strings do not buzz as much, and can thus be set lower.

I had a 1971 Custom Gibson Les Paul and I had to top wrap the strings to clear edge of bridge...but wow, did it play great.... note: the previous owner had it set with bridge position....so I followed suit and had no issues...played that guitar for 20 years in the clubs ...

My Maybach Lester 58 is topwraped and plays like a dream. My other Maybach Lester 57 with P90 is setup the "normal" way and plays like a dream too. But all and all I think I prefer topwraped more. Nice vid, like always!

Ya,top wrapping on my first used LP Special II was a learning experience after breaking the high-e The bridge angle is squat low so no rubbing or touching to cause premature breakage. So the first vids I run are not top wrapped leaving me to think it was strung wrong so thanks for the option to leave it top wrapped giving peace of mind there. Intonation was not perfect on delivery and didn't jump on it yet to fine tune. Will treat her gently Great explanation and thanks for your efforts.

Raising up the tailpiece a little gives also a smoother action for bendings.

Thanks for mentioning these points. I’ve been into watching and trying to learn about doing my own set ups for a little over a year, and still picked up a few really significant things that should be considered when working with tune-O-matics. Thanks much. 🎸🤙🤗

Very interesting information about the tail piece, I am working on setting up a Les Paul and just realized that I put on the Tune-O-matic bridge on backwards, it seems like the screws should be facing the tailpiece but they are actually facing the pickup.

There should be a Flathead screw on both sides of the bridge. Raise or lower high and low end strings. Only go a little at a time! 🎸

I am top wrapping them bad boys all the time. Better feel and better sound in my opinion! My tip... Try it. If you don't like it you can allways go back :)

Tasty playing bro ❤️

Thanks for this easy and essential series.

Thanks for this, so clear in the details. I've been trying to lessen the string tension on my Gibson Studio. Bending at the 2nd fret feels like I'm trying to move piano wire.

Tried top wrap on my 58 VOS and it didn't benefit anything. Honestly, I don't think its necessary. I was able to compensate the break angle by adjusting the tailpiece higher on both of my LPs, and this helped a lot. Very useful info on setting up the tailpiece thank you!

Thanks, bro! I should admit that it's better always lower the tension of the strings before adjusting the tailpeace.

i kind of like top wrapping the strings and do feel that the tension gets better for bends. But you can't do it with all string brands, some have longer ties and won't bend around the tailpiece as good. I really like D'addarios and the 10.5 sets. I always used to switch between 10 & 11 and neither has ever felt quite right. 10.5 feels perfect

Thanks for the great vid! I had to topwrap the strings on my Collings City Limits and Les Paul DC Standard, otherwise the strings would either touch the bridge or the action would be too high, seems to work well for me.

Top wrap for an SG Standard all the way! great video

I was tempted to try topwrap after Mike Hickey explained why he topwraps some of Bonamassas guitars, but finally gave it a shot after seeing you have topwraped your LP. I like it on my Epi dot and dislike it on SG and LP. I will say it changes the feel of bends and vibratos, not makeing them easier. Hard to describe the feeling with words, its easy thing to try for yourself, only costs you one pack of strings :D

Nicely explained, concise, to the point. Very good. Thank you!

Excellent advice and information, no BS, just smart setup advice, thanks!

I'm going to try the top wrap because I don't like the way the strings contact the tailpiece sharp edge in the bore where the strings come through. I think that is the same situation as the string touching the sharp edge on the back side of the bridge. Top wrapping will also let me lower the tailpiece so it doesn't sit so high on the body. That appears to me to be a lot of leverage on the studs under tuned string tension.

Maybe a video, how to change a les Paul potentiometer would be nice! This Series is very helpful!

I love this guy, he's so informative. No bullshit easy to follow tips for the common guitar player. Thank you Thomann

I top wrap my Les Paul and i just like the feel of the strings a lot better easer to bend , just like the feel better

Top wrapping actually makes the strings HARDER to bend. And you have the bend the strings farther to go up a 1/2 step or full step. etc. I'm amazed at this myth that is creates less tension. There is even an excellent video here on YT where it proves, scientifically, that the tension increases with a top wrap.

Had a good experience with Top Wrap; however, I think it's too flat based on this vid. will readjust it. Thanks!

Very helpful video, however my Ibanez Semi hollow came with a Gibraltar Bridge which has some holes to make the Tailpiece go all the way down without touching the Bridge

The tops of those saddles used to be ground off flat. Nowadays, they are all sharp. Callaham had steel cylinders that allowed those tailpieces to come up high without losing string drive down into the top of the guitar. Not sure he is still making those ...

I was hoping you'd go a little bit into the bridge itself and what sound i might get it its angled a particular way or at a particular height. I've got a cheapy Schecter with a tune o matic I've been hot rodding, giving it a new bridge/setup wanted to see what i could learn before the luthier gets at it. Neber heard about the over top strings but its something i might be open to trying when i have an LP style guitar, maybe even the real thing.

Lovely tone

Great video, very helpful. God bless.

I've never heard that about top wrapping making bends easier before. Wouldn't that do the opposite? Top wrapping would increase the string's overall length and _increase_ tension, wouldn't it? It's a tiny difference in length either way, so probably not noticeable, but that just doesn't make sense now that I've heard it lol. I always thought top wrap was just a break-angle preference thing.

Hello! I have a question about the tailpiece, I installed a new one but it seems the tension of the strings is pulling the pieces out of the body, do you have any suggestions as to help fix that issue? I tried adding some toothpicks to fill in the small gap that was causing the issue with my new tailpiece but it still didn’t fully fix that issue 🥲

Exactly what I was looking for. I don't top wrap. the sharp angle at the back of the tailpiece looks so nasty to me. I also didnt notice any improvements to doing it.

I have a guitar with the strings running through the body, with no tail piece. I have had an issue with the strings touching the back of the bridge. I think the real solution is to replace the saddles with taller ones. I was having a G string break issue and found the Graph techs solved it.

I will try topwreping on friday cause it looks much cooler

Incredible video...thanks kris. When I bought my gibson sg, after 1 month playing it the 1st string was broken... After Another month it broke again... And it was that angle you mention in the video, the edge of the bridge cut the string. I had to elevate the point where the strings are hooked(the back part of the bridge) I asked to gibson... But no knews from them. Your solution is technically very good, but the good looking of the guitar is lost. 🥴

Some are putting the screw head of the bridge on the neck side, but some are putting it on the tail piece side. I think it is more stable to put them on the tail piece side because putting it that way there is no space between the screw head and the bridge.

Umm no mention of how high the bridge should be kept? That should come first before you get into the tailpiece height.

Hello Rick, great vid!

Much easier to bend with a top wrap and tail piece on the body. You can definitely feel a tension difference. Feels about a gauge lighter.

Raising the stud bolts will make the guitar sound thicker more bass, and no one will change my mine on that issue, much warmer sound the higher you raise it.

? I understand what you are saying about the strings coming off the saddles and touching the bridge not being desirable, but how would this differ from a string through Telecaster as the strings there come off the saddles and touch the bridge?

i bought a tune o matic bridge for a guitar that i made myself, and the strings are 7cm from distance of the scale, really high, and the bridge is settled up exactly like yours, what can be wrong?

Im.building an sg kit with bigsby that don't have the holes for it already. So my question is what's the average space from the tone a matic bridge to the tail piece which in this case is the vibrato

Awesome video. You're the man!

Excellent,many thanks,

Problem... pls consider intonating a vintage Pleasant SEL 220 guitar

Thank you , great Info

I tried to wrap around setup, but the G string goes out when I bend it a bit hard...

I'm not sure about my bridge height but my action is at a nice place good neck relief no buzzing but I'm having problems with intonation my g string is sharp but the saddle is already as far back as it goes i did intonate this guitar with new strings after a local shop botched it. Can you give me any advice on that. I'm using 10s The shop loosened the truss rod, raised the action and lowered the pickups...

No topper, no thru, I UNDER wrap mine! I prefer a 90* break or “angle of attack”!!! Perfect tuning

When you make this adjustment. Will it affect the intonations?

Thank you for this video, I finally managed to set my guitar the right way! By the way: how do you get this amazing warm sound? Is it possible to know which amp/effects you’re using for the video? Thank you

Thanks for the vid Kris. Got an Epiphone LP and i’m kinda tempted to try out the top the top wrapping method. Btw do you know whether you guys have a HB Amarok 7 in the showroom at Thomann? I really wanna try one out but I dont wanna drive 40 mins only to find out that you got none on display.

Just subbed great video

What to do if the bridge run out od space for intonation?

Hi I have 2 question, on my 59 reissue. When I bend the high E on the 13th fret it causes the 2nd string to overlap the third string and make a clipping sound. When checking the neck relief I get relief on the base side by almost nothing on my high strings. Can you please comment ?

What if you have a removeable metal nut with screws? What does that do?

I thought the adjustment screws in the saddle were suppose to be facing the tail piece

Great vid!

Hi Kris and thanks for the video! When top wrapping the LP standard the back of the tailpiece is raised a bit even if it is screws as low as possible. It just doesn't fit tight like the tailpiece of your custom LP. Is it an issue?

top wrapping worked well for Duane Allman - I don't really subscribe to that thought though, my Les Pauls are not top-wrapped

Has probably been said ad nauseam in the comments section between when this video went live and now but don't take flat heads and coins to the bridge and stop tail piece at full tension or ideally ever, especially without taping the ends. You will mar the finish on your metal components. If you don't have the proper tools then unwind the strings a few turns and do it by hand to avoid damage.

I've got a question for you. How do you stop a guitar with a Tune-O-Matic bridge from humming louder when you don't touch the metallic parts? I've got 4 guitars with the exact same issue, and I've checked with a multimeter, and in all four, the bridge appears to be grounded, yet there's an annoying humming. It's really problematic when playing with gain, and it's making it impossible to record with those guitars, due to the noise... And it's weird that it's only the 4 with Tune-O-Matic bridges. My two Strats and my Schecter (Floyd Rose bridge) don't have that hum-problem...

Funny, Gibson ships the classic, standard and even custom shops with the tail piece DECKED. Does the custom shop not know this secret? (or is it possible that it doesn't matter?)

Kris, i know this is a old video. But i recently bought a ESP LTD MH10 with tune-O-matic bridge but it does not have a tailpiece, it's a string thru body. My high E string is touching the edge of the bridge.. my action is setup to 5/64 on the low E and 3/64 on the high e. I don't want to lower the high e because of dead notes and string buzz. What should i do? I worried the high e string will break or i damaged the edge of the bridge.

Top Wrap +1.

Thanks for the tip, 🤘🏼

What strings you have on this les paul and size pls

How do you covert a stratocaster bridge w/tremblo to a tuno'matic bridge w/stop bar?

So how can i avoid fret buzz?

Hello there Thomann people! I was wondering if you could help me a little bit here. I recently got a Dean Evo XM with a tune o magic bridge, all pretty much like a Les Paul model guitar. The neck and the nut are adjusted perfectly but I feel like the strings are to high from the neck and also, from the 12 fret and on there is a lot of buzzing when you push down the string. How can I lower the strings? I've tried already adjusting the tail piece and nothing seems to work. Thanks!

I‘m really wondering, does this video also apply to a guitar like the Epiphone FV-58 Korina? It has a string trough body to TOM bridge…

1:29 I see this bridge is with the screws pointing to the pick-up. I saw another luthier video saying that you can set your tune-o-magic bridge like this(yours) or with the screws pointing to the tail-pice. Is it really no difference is there a better one? For example, with the screws pointing to pick-up the strings will not touch them. I just checked my tune-o-magic and I saw that the Luthier instaled it with the screws pointing to the tail-pice.

maybe a video about how to wire a guitar

Topwrapping your Gibson bridge artificially creates the same kind of problems many Fender Offsets (like the Jazzmaster or Jaguar) have.

New to the tune a matic bridge stuffs, but I thought break angle was related to how the headstock breaks off when an LP falls over??

The sound is really well balanced. Not top heavy

Can I lower my 335 bridge and stop tailpiece really low..like Larry Carlton

The bridge break angle depends on the guitar configuration. For example, on a Flying V with a String-Thru Tailpiece, the break angle is so steep that the D and G strings and sometimes even ADGB are resting on the edge of the bridge. So you are basically saying that Gibson engineers are wrong. And I bet Albert King, Keith Richards, Billy Gibbons etc. would disagree with your statement about tuning stability and string breakage. Change my mind.

I came always out of tune with my gibson lpj ... what would be your recommendation!!!

Does top wrapping the strings damage the tailpiece?

what about the saddle ???????????????????????????????

I find it a lot harder to palm mute with a sharp angle

Really simple.. NOT a matter of taste when people say it bend more easily when top-wrapped. When you bend.., the string stretches and glides trough the nut and over the saddle. When you top-wrap your total string length is longer = more string to stretch, hence the more slinky feel! (Your break angle is also less steep) Now weather thou likes it or not indeed all comes down to taste..

I never tried top trapping the strings, and I will certainly not try it, simply because I don't like how it looks , I really don't like the visual !!

Duane Allman top wrapped all of his Les Paul's...