Les Paul studio 2011 question

[Mulesoldier]

I recently bought a 2011 les Paul studio, I have seen many les Paul's with the tail piece on the body. My les Paul's tail piece is up off of the body, if I lowered it to the body would this hurt anything? Also what will it to for the tone if anything? Thanks in advance and sorry for the newbie question.

[Auriemma]

Yours is probably like mine in that it needs to be up some so that the strings do not hit the back edge of your bridge. Lowering the tailpiece could also put too much break angle on your strings possibly causing premature string breakage.

[Mulesoldier]

Ok that makes sense Thanks auriemma. I know it was kind of a dumb question but I am new to guitar and guitar set up, so I just figured I would as and see if it was possible to do. Thanks again

[DavidLM]

The "Nashville" tune-a-matic bridge on the Studio's is wider than the vintage ABR-1 type. This requires the tailpiece to be higher off the body - it should be off the body - so that the break angle does not force the strings to touch the back of the bridge.

Why would you want to lower it? There is no real reason to. They are set up properly at the factory. Now with an ABR-1, you can crank them down to the body as it has a different geometry. And if you are top wrapping the ABR-1 you usually set it as low as it will go.

BTW the Nashville bridge is superior in every way IMO compared to an ABR-1. The Nashville is more sturdy, intonates better, etc.

[Mulesoldier]

Thanks for the info DavidLM, I have no clue about what parts are better and I have seen lots of les Paul's set up with the tail piece all the way down on the body I was just wondering why people were doing that to their les Paul's and what the benefit of doing that was. That's why I was considering doing it, but now that you enlightened me I am going to leave it as is, do all the studios have the Nashville Tune o matic bridge? I guess I should have mentioned the lp that I have is a faded studio. Sorry about that and thanks again.

[Tim Plains]

Originally Posted by DavidLM

They are set up properly at the factory.

Hardly.

Originally Posted by DavidLM

BTW the Nashville bridge is superior in every way IMO compared to an ABR-1. The Nashville is more sturdy, intonates better, etc.

Debatable. If you ask me, the bushing rob some of the vibrations and take away from the overall feel of the guitar. They also look bulky. I'll take an ABR over a Nashville any day.

[DavidLM]

As far as I know, Mulesoldier, all Studio's have Nashville bridges. Mine does.

Are Nine: All the Studios I have seen in the last few years were set up properly, tailpiece off the body, plekked, frets were nice, intonation spot on. I can understand people having problems with Gibson but in my experience the Studio's have been great. I have seen a couple of recent Explorers that were hideous though.

The Nashville is absolutely more bulky looking. I prefer it. Less likely to cave in. No wire to mess with, course not all ABR-1's have the wire.

[ezcomes]

most people lower it to the body to keep a better connection for string vibration into the body...

i don't have this guitar, but i lowered the tailpiece and then top wrapped it...increased the sustain a bit, and i can now do those behind the bridge stick picks that some guys do (ie Zakk Wylde)