Ibanez GB 10 tailpiece screws

[jeff from new england]

Greetings. While changing strings recently on my guitar, I noticed that the tailpiece adjustment screws turn counterclockwise to push the lower wing down toward the top and increase tension on the bridge, and when turned clockwise, raise the wing and lower tension on the bridge. This is exactly opposite to the Ibanez manual. I called Ibanez and they are not sure. Has anyone else found this out, or is my tailpiece backwards? Am I supposed to notice much difference in sound quality with this adjustment anyway?

Thanks for listening,

Jeff

[oldane]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

The screws adjust the height of each arm, and this effects the breakover angle on the bridge, giving a softer or harder feeling to the string.

I don't agree the the tension of the string (as felt when playing) is affected by the break angle at the bridge. What is affected is the downward pressure on the top, which may mean a difference to the acoustic tone, due to the increased/decreased pressure the top is put under, but hardly for the amplified sound. In order to produce a given note, a given string at a given length can have one and only one tension. If the tension is increased, the pitch will rise and vice versa.

The misunderstanding may come from the idea that stop tailpieces and other string anchoring mechanisms with a very short length of string between the bridge and the tailpiece has a fractionally higher felt fretting resistance than an archtop tailpiece with more string length between bridge and tailpiece. This should be due to the stretching of that short length of string when the note is fretted or bent. It is debated whether this difference in fretting resistance can actually be felt and - for that matter - if it exists at all. Whatever, the difference, if present, is slight. Personally, I have never been able to feel any difference, but others may have more sensitive fingers than me.

It has been said that the frequensater tailpiece on the old Epiphones was an attempt to equalize the percieved fretting resistance of the strings. But it has also been said, that Epiphone eventually realized that it didn't work to any significant extent, but they stuck with the frequensator tailpiece because it had by then become a brand identifier, making it easy to see that "oh, it's an Epiphone that guy is plying". It could be seen from a much farther distance than the name on the headstock.

[TruthHertz]

Originally Posted by oldane

I don't agree the the tension of the string (as felt when playing) is affected by the break angle at the bridge.

I defer to your expertise. I have removed my post. My opinions were based in part on 25 years in the lutherie business and my experience working for Hoshino (Ibanez) working with the characteristics of the laminate tops used. Sorry for any confusion created; you can disregard any observations or advice previously posted.
David

[Vihar]

Originally Posted by oldane

I don't agree the the tension of the string is affected by the break angle at the bridge. What is affected is the downward pressure on the top...

You're right so far, another thing it affects is string stiffness. And that is felt when you press down or bend a string. Why? Because the strings can't move back and forth over the pivot points (i.e. the nut and the saddles) as easily as with a smaller break angle.

[oldane]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

I defer to your expertise. I have removed my post. My opinions were based in part on 25 years in the lutherie business and my experience working for Hoshino (Ibanez) working with the characteristics of the laminate tops used. Sorry for any confusion created; you can disregard any observations or advice previously posted.
David

Well, it cant be completely ruled out, that I CAN be wrong for some reason I haven't thought about. But of course, I don't think so - or I wouldn't have put up my post.

BTW, Bob Benedetto agreed with me on this point in his column in "Just Jazz Guitar" magazine 15 years ago, when the subject was brought up.

Vidar may have a point in his post just below yours, so maybe you are little right anyway - at least as PERCIEVED tension goes.

[Vihar]

Oldane, I think you are completely right about tension, cause pitch defines tension and we tune to exact pitches, so it can't differ from guitar to guitar.

Here's an interesting article about this whole issue, they call this phenomenon "compliance": Lutherie Myth/Science: Human Perception of String Tension and Compliance in Stringed Musical Instruments

[oldane]

Originally Posted by Vihar

Here's an interesting article about this whole issue, they call this phenomenon "compliance": Lutherie Myth/Science: Human Perception of String Tension and Compliance in Stringed Musical Instruments

Very interesting web site, where the author punctures several common beliefs and myths. Thanks for posting the link - I have bookmarked it.