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Gibson Les Paul aluminum tailpiece: Are they better?

By  Bob Glastetter | Published  08/24/2006 | Guitars
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Gibson Les Paul aluminum tailpiece: Are they better?

?Well there's been some hype about changing your stop tailpiece out for a Aluminum version. So I took the dive and here's the results, but first a history lesson on vintage Les Pauls and some of the things that make them great.

?The vintage Les Pauls that are highly regarded I've had the privelage of playing several. The very first one I played was about 20 years ago at Gruhn's guitars in Nashville. Believe it or not it was actually hanging on the sales floor right next to all the other guitars very similar to going into any store today. The one thing that stood out about the tone of the guitar was the sustain and excellent resonant quality. It didn't sound "Dark" or muddy like many modern Les Pauls. Those Les Pauls had the Aluminum stop tailpiece and Long Neck Tenons both of which contribute to the vintage?Les Paul tone.??

? So I recently changed mine out on my Les Paul Classic for an Aluminum? stop tailpiece made by Gotoh and purchased?it through?Stew-Mac for?$30.? So how's it sound? Well I am a believer in this?upgrade, just by changing the tailpiece out which is MUCH lighter than the original tailpiece?made a?noticeable difference in tone. There is definately more sustain and resonance added to the guitar. It just seems all the notes and chords sound out better with more definition and less?"mud". I would recommend this?upgrade to ANY guitar with a Les Paul type stop tailpiece. It is available?in metric sizes also for those imported guitars. So for?$30?probally the best upgrade you could put on your guitar.

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Comments
  • Comment #1 (Posted by CHRIS)
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    I HAD NOTICED IN YHE STEW MAC MAG AND ALMOST BOUGT THIS TAIL PIECE COULD YO E-MAIL ME SOME SPECIFICS? FIRST I HAD NOTICED IT HAD SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POST DIMENSIONS WOULD THIS HAVE ANY ISSUES ON A LES PAUL STANDARD AND MODIFICATIONS NEEDED AND SECONDI HAD NOTICED THE STRING HOLES HAD A SLIGHTLY WIDER SPREAD ANY ISSUES HERE AND LASTLY THE SHAPE AND FINISH ARE THEY OF OEM QUALITY OR BETTER ALSO IS THE SHAPE THE SAME OR SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT I WOULD APRECIATE YOUR OPINION AS I LIKE TO BE AN INFORMED BUYER THANKS CHRIS
     
  • Comment #2 (Posted by ty millsaps)
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    buy the gotoh,just screw in their studs you're done.better note definition and chords ring truer(in tune).quality is as good or better than orig. on es137.beautiful workmanship.just do it!
     
  • Comment #3 (Posted by Bonaparte)
    Rating
    I plan to do the same too a
    post Katrina donated Lotus
    LP with a Korean Floyd Rose
    that pops up. Thanks!
     
  • Comment #4 (Posted by jean mi)
    Rating
    Hi!

    Where find such a tailpiece in Europe ?

    Or Us shop that accept to ship to france.

    Thanks. Regards
     
  • Comment #5 (Posted by Chris)
    Rating
    I recently bought the Gotoh aluminum tailpiece for my Gibson Les Paul standard, and it doesnt fit on my guitar... does anyone know if the tops of the screws are supposed to come off? Since the screws seem to be a bit fatter than the original Gibsons, I cannot place the tailpiece to fit over BOTH screws when on the guitar. Can someone tell me exactly how the screws are supposed to work and if it is a sure fit.
     
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