The reason joe bonnamasa and co wrap around is so the stopbar remains aganst the body as they believe it helps sustain and the wraparound is a method of getting a slinky feel without raising the tailpiece...wether i prefer the standard tension rather than the wraparound ...though i have heard a better resonance and sustain on some guitars using this method !
Top-wrapping or raising the tailpiece height are two effective ways of accomplishing the same result, which is reducing the angle of the string breakover at the bridge saddles for slightly improved playability, or at least the perception of it. Some swear by it, some don't think it makes enough difference to feel, but feel is subjective. However the fact is, at a particular length and guage a string has to have a certain static tension on it between the nut and saddle to produce a particular open note. When we press down to fret a string and further stretch it with vibrato or bending, it probably just pulls a little easier back-and-forth across the saddle and nut slot at the microscopic level with reduced break angles. Some people can feel the difference, although it's miniscule. (So be it, but I'll say here: don't overfocus about the bridge and tailpiece then neglect the nut.) Another possible advantage to reducing the break angle (by whichever means) is it may keep your strings from also having a second, unwanted point of contact crossing the rear edge of the bridge, especially if it's set relatively high above the body for the action you want. If the string is stretched over the saddle and also bent across the rear edge of the bridge casting on its way to the tailpiece, this could introduce a buzzy 'sitar effect,' or make your tuning a little jumpy, especially with the wound strings. I have two Les Pauls, one set up each way just for the hell of it really. They both play fine and hold tune well. In the spirit of adult discussion about this subject, running the tailpiece studs down hard against the body for the lowest possible mounting of the stop-bar and using the top-wrap method in conjunction with that does reduce leverage on the mounting studs under string tension, and some people believe or imagine this helps 'tone' and increases sustain.
I've top-wrapped my LP, with the stop piece all the way down-Yes-the "feel" is "slinky"-End result-the stop-piece "WILL" be marked by the constant top-wrapping. But the end result is the break angle is significantly reduced. After seeing this stop piece, I went ahead and ordered one. My reason is I liked the way it takes the break angle down naturally-plus, before this stop piece (Lightning), to top wrap-you need to take the ball end of a string and run it thru so as not to rip your palm-To much work-and if you are out at a gig-you have to take a string, run it thru a ball end from another string. You ever drop one of those little balls? Yea-exactly! As to the stop piece being raised to lower the break angle? So many players have opinions, but again, it comes down to how it "feels" to "YOU" and nobody else. I also have a Tune Voodoo string guide presently on my LP-Yes, a marked difference in tuning stability. Yes, we know Page, Gibbons, Bonamassa etc have all top wrapped with the tail piece all the way down, but again, it comes down to what works for you! My Lightning shipped-should be here within the week. Thanks for the video. Good Job!!
Hmmm. Why wrap? That is a good question. Maybe that question should be posed to Billy Gibbons who wraps over the top of his stopbar tail piece. Just saying.
All les pauls and SG's are different as far as neck angles because they are hand fitted a + or - degree .. That's normal. What you want to do or should do during set up is to keep your strings off the back of the bridge just enough that you can slide a piece of paper between the string and the back side of the bridge. Note that the nashville style bridge is a little wider than the older vintage bridge. Depending on your neck angle will determine how high you need to raise the tail piece . Most people like the tail piece decked to the body ,some guitars you can get by with it decked and no strings touching the bridge and most can not and that is where top wraping comes in... I personally don't care for a jacked up tail piece ,so I top wrap your break angle is different and make the strings have a more slinky feel, but does it kill sustain? That's a big debate .. I can't tell ,but I can feel the difference in tension. Your choice, your guitar .. As long as you get the strings off the back of the bridge.. And some guitars the high E and B are the only ones touching, raise it up a turn or two . But make sure your tuned to pitch and your intonation is set. Moving the saddle back a hair to get the string intonation may be all you need to clear the back of the bridge..
