Are any repros made and avail.?
Gibson Les Paul trapeze tailpiece
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- Rated: 102 ↑
Nov 8, 2007 9:41 p.m. Setzer:
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Nov 9, 2007 3:39 a.m. Chonny:
Check here, the hardcore LP guys really seem to like them, check the online store:
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Nov 9, 2007 8:49 a.m. Setzer:
Thanks for the link!
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Nov 9, 2007 12:21 p.m. mmarconi:
http://www.mirabellaguitars.com/LP_Page.htm Another interesting link. Seems there are a few places that do "conversions". Definitly check the LP forum. http://www.lespaulforum.com
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Nov 9, 2007 5:33 p.m. bwallace1:
Paul, what years did the trapeze tailpiece come on Les Paul's ? I think that this is the first I've seen. my '73 isn't like that. brent
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Nov 9, 2007 6:43 p.m. Shelton's Guitars:
Hey Paul, A member here contacted me looking for a trapeze for an ES-225. I'll tell you what I told him.
You could go to a metal shop and get a piece of threaded rod in the right diameter and length bent to the correct shape. The treble side is higher than the bass side if you know what I mean. The little "acorn" shaped things that adjust intonation are the same as the caps on a regular Gibson trapeze. So is the mounting plate. You should be able to fabricate the saddle yourself or with the help of a machine shop. It's a metal bar, drilled for the strings and curved to the radius. Find an old trapeze Tailpiece, get a piece of rod that's threaded on both ends, a machine shop and you should be good to go.
If not, they turn up from time to time at around 200-300.00. 295's and 225 units tend to bring more in my experience. Let me know if you need measurements. I have 225's, 295's and a Les Paul with them.
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Nov 10, 2007 2:26 a.m. Badams:
Those are terrible tailpieces. They and the gold color are the only input Les Paul had on the Les Paul guitar. Gibson built them upside by mistake to what they were supposed to be and that didnt help their functionality
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Nov 10, 2007 2:27 a.m. Badams:
Should have been upside down
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Nov 10, 2007 2:28 a.m. Badams:
To bwallace 1 I think they only used them the first couple of years of the LP's production. They arent very good
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Nov 10, 2007 12:31 p.m. Setzer:
Shelton thanks for the info. You know me, I would rather make one than spend big bucks. Plus it is just for a project, a idea for my 80's LP Studio. I am just experimenting for now but would like to make a LP style trapeze using my light weight wrap around comp bridge and have it mounted with the standard bushings but somehow modding the posts so they will except the rods. The bridge will be stationary and the trapeze only for looks.
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Nov 10, 2007 12:50 p.m. Shelton's Guitars:
Actually, they aren't that terrible. Take it from someone who owns a Les Paul with one on there. Obviously palm muting is out of the question but otherwise they work fine. If Gibson had done the neck angle correctly and the strings had wrapped over instead of under on them, they would have been just fine.
A Studio should have enough neck angle that you could wrap the strings over top. It sounds like a fun project to me.
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Nov 10, 2007 1:23 p.m. Setzer:
I see the LP bar as being similar to the Gretsch bar in some aspects.
I plan on adding soapbar P90s too.
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Nov 11, 2007 11:03 a.m. Chonny:
From info available pretty much everywhere the trapeze tailpiece came on the guitar when it first debuted. They changed to the tune-o-matic abr 1 a couple years later. I saw that Dave has one in his massive LP collection. I always thought they were more for novelty than for play but hell if you have an application for it, it sounds like a fun project!
I got that link from RS off of the Les Paul forum.
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Nov 11, 2007 3:19 p.m. Setzer:
I emailed the RS site and they do not make or offer one. I also sent a message to mirabella but no word. Shelton's advice is more of my speed.
Thanks for the links and info fellas!
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Nov 12, 2007 9:31 a.m. Chonny:
Wow no kidding. Sorry about that lol.
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Nov 12, 2007 11:29 a.m. Badams:
Well Shelton. I guess since Gibson didnt get the neck angle right and the strings dont wrap the right way then that is enough to make them not so good? Trapeeze tailpieces look nice but they are sustain killers. Thats natural sustain that the guitar produces or doesnt. If you do it electronically then I guess it doesnt matter what means you use to hold the strings ball ends
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Nov 12, 2007 12:28 p.m. TAG4:
Hi Setzer et al.--This may be for entertainment value only--A while back I was looking for a trapeze tailpiece for my new Epiphone ES-295--I gave it up--too expensive and too hard to find (Besides, the Epi's B-70 was screwed into the nice gold top) so I gave up on the trapeze idea! I was later looking to refurbish my '58 ES-225 "player"--same thing--trapeze too hard to find etc. etc. BUT, while I was looking I ran across www.gmvintagerestorations.com/ and had a great time looking at the repaint/restoration porn.
TAG4
PS: There's a nice hybrid restoration that shows what a '59 or '60 6120 would look like with DeArmonds!
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Nov 28, 2007 4:19 p.m. Setzer:
Tested this old gold patent trapeze today and I really like it so far. It sounds pretty darn good! I do not miss the stoptail and bridge. I have always loved Gibsons wrap comp bridge on my old '69 SG Special.
About this player Studio:It's got the old set of strings on it now with a plain G. I had planned on installing creme P90 soapbars but I am having alot of fun with the GFS "Alnico FAT Pafs". The neck pickup has a coil tap, you pull up on the volume knob. I changed out the black plastic to creme and have a creme guard(cut for P90s) for it and a gold bracket. Gold knobs replaced the black barrels. This thing came from the factory with the Kahler...see the big hole? I have it stuffed with aa piece of foam...LOL. The bushing holes are capped with metal grommets in case I ever wanted to go back...but I don't think I want to! The guitar still sustains like a Lester and weighs in at 7.5 pounds.
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Nov 28, 2007 5:56 p.m. Shelton's Guitars:
Looks cool Paul! If you decide to ditch that tailpiece. let me know. I need a nicer one for my 58 295.
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Nov 28, 2007 7:50 p.m. bwallace1:
nice job Paul. how about a sound clip ?
brent
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Nov 28, 2007 9:42 p.m. do not be afraid:
that looks pretty cool, Paul! how do those "Fat P.A.F.s" sound? just wonderin'… plannin' out mods for my Dot… i was thinkin' 'bout maybe stickin' the "Jimmy Page" wirin' in, and those are the cheapest pickups i can find with 4-conductor wiring! they seem a bit "hot" for me, but, i'm thinkin' that might work better with the coil-splits, and out-of-phase, and stuff, anyways! hmm…
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Dec 1, 2007 12:11 a.m. Setzer:
dnba, they sound great. I am really getting used to them. I am trying them out with flat wounds now. With the coil tap on the neck pickup engaged and pickup selector in the middle throw I'm getting the sweet sound I crave.
Brent I will see what I can muster up.
Shelvis, I'll keep you in mind if I ever. Isnt this unit to short for a hollowbody? I know the bridge will work thou. If you ever find a crusty old chrome one for a LP I'll swap with you. The plating on this one is incredible!
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Dec 1, 2007 12:25 a.m. Shelton's Guitars:
If it's plating is gold and original it couldn't have come on a Les Paul. It may have been replated. Either way, I can always use stuff like that. It's easy to find vanilla parts like TOM's and Stopbars but cool parts like that are impossible to find when you need them.
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Dec 1, 2007 10:18 a.m. Setzer:
Gold trapeze on a LP. I caught that too and questioned the owner. But the length and style are correct for the solidbody. I think that it may have been replated. Is there a way to tell? The PATENT impression on the hinge looks good. I know that when I got it I had to unscrew the nuts and flip the bridge around. Somebody had it backwards. How can I get the gold off or should I? It does not really matter to me what it looks like as long as it functions correctly...and it does. I had to add a couple of ball ends to the strings so that the long wrap stays inside the hole.
