How Far Should Tailpiece Be From Bridge?

[fngrpepr]

Hi,

I'm just about finished with my first project, which is refinishing and swapping out hardware on a cheapie I picked up.

I have a Gotoh stop tailpiece which I'm planning to install. Is there an optimal distance which this should be from the bridge? I've been googling this topic, but most of the results seem to be discussions of the break angle of strings caused by height difference between bridge and tailpiece. I need to first figure out where I'm supposed to place the thing.

Joe

[SwedishLuthier]

No optimal distance. But you have to consider this (and this have been discussed, debated and tested in real life experiments by members of this community, so if anyone questioning this, please do a search): With the tailpiece farther away from the bridge the strings will have a bit more "give" (elasticity) when bended (less force but longer travel distance needed) to a specific note. That will probably also make the strings feel a bit more "rubbery" while being played, as in less distinct response when hitting the strings (no bad thing, just a factor as any other). Apart from that most people just follow the Gibson path and place the tailpiece approx 50mm/2" from the bridge (not taking bridge compensation /angle into account).

[Reinhold]

If your going for the Gibson style, Warmoth has bridge routing dimensions at http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Optio...OptionsPop.aspx.

[B. Aaron]

http://liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm An article about the very phenomenon SwedishLuthier mentioned.

[Crusader]

Something that I don't think has been mentioned is string vibration. When you strum or pick the string/s you know the vibrations travel in both directions and most of them rebound from the nut and bridge, but some continue on to the tuning pegs and tailpiece, then rebound from there

All the guitars I have made use the Gotoh Gibson-style bridge/tailpiece setup and I decided to go with Gibson dimensions just in case there was some reason behind it. A few months ago I did some measuring and found an interesting fact from my Les Paul. The neck pickup is 1/4 the distance from the Tailpiece to the middle of the headstock. I doubt if there is any real benefit from this but its just something that goes into the equation

Other guitars like the Howard Roberts have a lot more string beyond the bridge, but that guitar also has a different length for each string beyond the bridge

So I would suggest to keep the same dimensions because there might be a good reason behind it. However keep in mind, what scale are you using? A lot of people use 25 1/2 inches whereas the Gibson is 24 3/4 inches

[fngrpepr]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to shoot for 50mm from the e string on the bridge. The guitar has a 25" scale length. This is my first project, so I don't have a lot to compare to, so I guess you gotta start somehwere.

Out of curiousity I measured my Tele, which appears to have about 38mm, so based on what I'm reading, all other things being equal, I should expect easier bending with the same gauge strings.

[SwedishLuthier]

You also need to consider that your Tele is probably 25.5" and not 25" and in this guitar-to-be and that will probably influence the "bendability" much more