through body stringing

[newbiejon]

Ok so i found a couple of guitars on one of the custom finish links and they has les paul style bridges and then the strings went through the body a few inches away. They holes were positioned in an arch:

http://www.gmwguitars.com/empire/empire16.html

now does anyone recon they know if this arch is purely aesthetic or is it to do with intonation, string placement etc?!?!?!

[Drak]

Just aesthetics.

There really isn't a straight line on the body, the arch just 'goes' with the body shape better.

There have been several different manufacturers who have done that, all using different shapes.

The Flying V using a V shape, some use a straight shape from short to long, etc...

[frank falbo]

A little off topic, but does anyone know where to get the little grommets for the top of the guitar? Until now I've been shaping the top into little teardrop shaped holes to round out the string pressure, then soaking with CA. But that's only good for maple. Otherwise forget it, the string would jam right into the wood. I thought about using half of a rivet. I might try to find those at a hardware store. Maybe I could line the inside of the hole with brass tubing. Then even though you'd see the teardrop opening in the maple, you'd be sure the string would never embed itself forward in the hole over time. That'd be the stealth way to protect it I guess.

Back on topic, your placement will determine the downward pressure against the saddle. If the angle is too steep, your string will rub against the back of the bridge on it's way down. It's great for a recessed tune-o-matic, like the Godin or Wolfgang. A sharper angle means more downward pressure. It's thought to make the string feel tighter since there's less sympathetic movement behind the saddle. It makes the bends more productive over less distance than with, say, a trapeze tailpiece where the string is real long and the angle is shallow. So long as the angle is sharp enough for good contact but not rubbing, I doubt you'll notice a difference in placement from string to string, because its already going to be a good, tight angle vs. a standard stop tailpiece.

[VanKirk]

I've heard arguments that if the break angle (angle of strings from pickup side over the bridge) is not enough than the strings may buzz or rattle in the saddles but I think most all bridges with string through bodies don't have to worry about it. I would think that you'd want more angle on the thinner strings than the thicker ones but I don't think it's much of a problem.

[danny_v_l]

when you have it that way do you need a speacal finish so the strings don't mess up the finish

[GregP]

The Godin has a routed bit coming from each hold (like the teardrop shape you were referring to), but the strings still end up digging a bit into the wood. No big deal, since it doesn't take long for them to dig in to the point where they won't dig any further. It would be a big deal if the strings were only anchored at the bottom, but Godin uses what seems to be small brass tubes that go through the body up to near the top of the guitar. On the underside, it LOOKS almost like a block from a trem going up into the body, but I think that it's just a flat strip that serves as an anchor for the 'tubes'. I can post pics if I'm not being very clear.

Without having seen one in person, it seems as though the Schecter guitars just use ferrules like for the bottom of a Telecaster style string-through. A set at the bottom for the string's ball-ends, and a set at the top to protect the wood. As there is a straight line from the ferrule to the bridge, I don't anticipate the string rubbing against the ferrule too much, but it wouldn't hurt to shape and polish the ferrule to make sure the strings don't break at that point.

So far, this is what I'm hoping to do with my guitar, though there's lots of time for me to change to regular TOM + tailpiece or one-piece wraparound PRS-style bridge.

Cheers,

Greg

[darren wilson]

My Dean 7-string has a tune-o-matic bridge with strings through the body. It has ferrules on the top and back just like on the Schecter, and i've never had a string break there. In fact, i've never had a string break on this guitar at all since i got it nearly two years ago. The strings don't come in contact with the body or the paint.