Page 81 - Guitar Classics Magazine - The Les Paul Bible 2019

LOVE YOUR LES PAUL

TRY VINTAGE-
STYLE TUNERS

SWAP YOUR TAILPIECE or even make your own, and you’ll notice saddles also have a softer attack and sweeter
6In the 1950s, Gibson’s stop tailpiece was the biggest difference in the neck position. high end than brass or steel. Some players –
originally made from aluminium. Later on, Mr Bonamassa included – have been known
this changed to zinc, which remains stock LOCK DOWN YOUR TAILPIECE to try a half rice/half chips approach with
on many current models. Some players 8Traditional tailpiece studs do not grip metal saddles for the wound strings and
claim aluminium gives extra woodiness and stop tailpieces at all – the only thing holding nylon for the plain strings. Experiment!
more treble with a wider dynamic range, the tailpiece in position is the pull of the
while zinc fans argue that their preferred strings. Often, you’ll see tailpieces tilting GIVE US A KLUSON
metal has more low end and sustain. You forward, and it’s claimed that better tone 10Most original Bursts associated with
can get a lightweight aluminium one for can be achieved by fixing the tailpiece more big-name players have diecast tuners – with
around £30, so do the Pepsi Challenge. securely. TonePros (tonepros.com) and the exception of Billy Gibbons’ Pearly
Faber (faberguitars.com) both offer retrofit Gates. Taking a Black & Decker to the
INSTALL NO-LOAD TONE POTS means of getting your studs to grip. headstock of a vintage LP may seem horrific
7A lack of clarity and treble is a common nowadays, but diecast tuners require wider
Les Paul complaint, but if you don’t want GO NYLON holes than Klusons and players were more
to change your pickups, you can still get 91950s Les Pauls sported nylon nuts. concerned with keeping their guitars in
some of that treble back when you need While a vintage-accurate 6/6-grade nylon tune than originality. Increased mass at the
it. With any tone control, there’s always nut is expensive, you could always try it headstock may have enhanced sustain, too.
some treble bleed through the tone circuit at the other end. To minimise rattle and Nowadays, players are equally likely
– you can test this and see for yourself by vibrations, Gibson was using nylon saddles to retrofit vintage-style tuners, but you’ll
disconnecting the tone circuit from the on several models by the mid 1960s. These need conversion bushes to do it. You’ll
volume control. So try a ‘no load’ tone pot, days, you can easily try swapping out your get vintage looks and livelier dynamics –
which will enable you to eliminate the pot saddles – it’s an affordable and reversible and, contrary to vintage lore, decent
from circuit at the twist of a knob, and thus mod. Reducing friction is always a good idea Kluson-style tuners hold their tuning
eliminate treble bleed? You can buy them if your Les Paul has a Bigsby, while nylon just as well as diecasts.

THE LES PAUL BIBLE 81