The quest for the perfect
guitar tone can take half a lifetime or more of learning the subtle
ingredients that culminate in the personal satisfaction of achieving
the sound we imagine in our minds. We all have a unique perspective
on the final outcome, but many rules apply to all of us, regardless
of style or preference. Sustain, specifically the sustaining of the
fingered note, is of the utmost importance whether you are a country
picker or a speed shreader.
While the amplifier has a great deal of effect on the projection and volume of the sound, the vibrating string
is THE source of sound, combined with the resonance of the neck/fingerboard woods and the body woods, chained together
through the tuning pegs/tuners and the bridge/tailpiece. These basic facts are often ignored, especially by the
novice guitarist as he/she spends hundreds and hundreds on noisy pedals that never seem to quite do the trick.
While I like and use some pedals, they are an addition to the sound, not a bandage for bad tone. A loose or faulty
tuner can rob an otherwise great sounding guitar of much of its singing mojo, likewise with a low quality or faulty
bridge or tailpiece.
The quality and type of metal has an effect on the resonance as well as the quality and type of wood. The older
classic Les Pauls, for instance the famous 1958-1959s, used Aluminum Tailpieces before it was replaced by the much
cheaper Zinc in the early sixties. These original parts command a hefty price if you can even find one. The way
the tailpiece is attached has an effect also, for instance lifted up away from the body so as not to contact the
bridge housing before the saddles, the connection to the body is not so solid as when the tailpiece mounting bolts
are screwed down tight to the body.
Some noteworthy guitarists have solved the issue of contact with the bridge housing by running the strings backwards
through the tailpiece and up over the top, giving an elevated height where the strings come to the bridge. The
only problem with this method is these tailpieces were not designed to work this way and there are tight turns
and sharp edges for the strings to traverse, and so breakage is much more likely to occur.
Most noteworthy guitarists have there own guitar techs, and they will take files, dremels, etc to alleviate the
problems with breakage [noteworthy guitarists HATE string breakage, especially before a live broadcast!]. This
has led to the development of the ToneTail Tailpiece. The first tailpiece designed to have the strings run back
and over the top, made to replace the Zinc Stop tailpiece on Gibson and Epiphone guitars. These have been made
quietly for professionals in the know for some time, however, now the ToneTail Tailpiece is being made available
for anyone who wants an upgrade to their favorite instrument at a reasonable price and without the need of a guitar
tech.
