archtop tailpiece

Scott Williams · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:28 am Post subject: archtop tailpiece

I just recently bought this 1948 Gibson L-4 for a pretty good price. The reasons were a refinished top and a nonoriginal tailpiece(same tailpiece as on L-50s); everything else seems original, including brown hardshell case. While the guitar sounds actually better than I thought it would, I'm thinking a proper tailpiece, like on this 1951 L-4, might actually improve the tone, hopefully making the '48 sound close to, if not as good, as the '51.
I just bought an original tailpiece like what's on my '51 to put on the '48. Has anyone else here ever tried an A/B comparison on tailpieces like this? I'm thinking the L-4 tailpiece has more mass, thus creating a little more "authority" in the guitar's tone. Anybody got an opinion or ideas on this?

This tailpiece good:

This tailpiece not quite as good:

Thanks in advance Cool

herb · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:35 am Post subject:

Scott, I don't know how much difference in tone the original style tailpiece will make, but it should increase sustain a bit better. It's always best to have what the guitar was designed with so get its signature sound. Wink

Scott Williams · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:52 am Post subject:

That's what I've been thinking. I've had the '51 for about 4 months, and it still sounds so incredible to me(even though the strings are way past dead). And I'm really believing the appropriate tailpiece will make a sonic difference on the '48.