Stoptails - another "if everything affects everything" question

[juka]

OK, it's Sunday morning, it's raining buckets, so it's a good time to muse about Paul's "everything affects everything" philosophy ;-)

This time it's stoptails:

Although it has become quite scarce in the current line-up, the one-piece stoptail still seems to be Paul's personal favorite and I must admit the longer I play PRS guitar the more I prefer it, too.

So for those who have hands-on experience with all three, do you hear a difference between the one-piece, the adjustable and the piezo stoptail?

Are all three made the same way with the same materials? I still remember pictures of the one-piece being milled from a solid bar of aluminium, but there are certain differences between the one-piece on the one hand and the adjustable and piezo on the other hand that make me think that at least the two later ones are cast and not milled. For example look at the openings for the ball ends: round (one-piece) vs. square (adjustable and piezo)...:iamconfused:

 

[CatStrangler]

I have never had the piezo bridge, but I find the adjustable stop tail (current version) to to be quite different that the one piece and agree with Paul's ears in this case.

 

[justmund]

I'd really like an adjustable stoptail and a Paul's Guitar stoptail (with the brass inserts), then change them around to see if I can pick any difference.

I'm doing this with trems at some stage (see the Tungsten block thread) and yeah, would love the chance to do it with stoptails too.

 

[Ol'Lefty]

Can one even buy a stoptail combination with the brass inserts? I like the combo on my S2 Singlecut- three string gauges tried and intonation stayed- They must have hit the "golden ratio" on its design. I did gently wiggle my fret files in the nut slots as needed and it was very little. Do any of you have experience with a bone nut- no trem?

 

[CatStrangler]

Can one even buy a stoptail combination with the brass inserts? I like the combo on my S2 Singlecut- three string gauges tried and intonation stayed- They must have hit the "golden ratio" on its design. I did gently wiggle my fret files in the nut slots as needed and it was very little. Do any of you have experience with a bone nut- no trem?

I think they sell you a bridge and you get a free guitar with it
The closest thing to the stock Paul's bridge I've tried is the Schroeder adjustable stop tail. It is lightweight with brass saddles.

 

[László]

Yes, I hear a difference between all of the stoptails, and of course, the trem bridge.

Among the stoptails, my preference is the two-piece. I like the lower midrange stuff it seems to add (this is the most important difference to me), but the design is also brilliant because string changes are much faster, with no wrapover and the strings simply sliding into slots on the top of the bridge. Great!

I love the trem, too.

 

[CatStrangler]

I agree, those big block saddles seem to emphasize the low mids, and that's probably why I don't have a mccarty single cut. All the sc58/245 types I have auditioned seem to have that thing going on, and I suspect the bridge is a big part of the equation. If I could get an SC245 with a one piece bridge and phase III tuners, I suspect I would be fairly happy.

 

[juka]

I'd really like an adjustable stoptail and a Paul's Guitar stoptail (with the brass inserts), then change them around to see if I can pick any difference.

I'm doing this with trems at some stage (see the Tungsten block thread) and yeah, would love the chance to do it with stoptails too.

Great idea! For this experiment we would need:

1 Paul's Guitar or PS (as the one-piece with brass inserts doesn't seem to be offered separately): $ 4k - 10k
1 one-piece stoptail
1 adjustable stoptail: both are available as spareparts for $ 0.3k each

Any volunteers? :tongue:

 

[dergit]

I'm not sure I'd be able to tell a difference, tonally. But I love how it feels on my McCarty.

... now that Vela bridge does look interesting and quite a departure from what PRS has been known to do in the bridge department! Would love to hear Paul's thoughts on that one!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Y'all should include the SE bridge too. It's got its own thing going on tone-wise, and I think it adds something I like it on a particular guitar I have.

 

[justmund]

Great idea! For this experiment we would need:

1 Paul's Guitar or PS (as the one-piece with brass inserts doesn't seem to be offered separately): $ 4k - 10k
1 one-piece stoptail
1 adjustable stoptail: both are available as spareparts for $ 0.3k each

Any volunteers? :tongue:

I've got a core and SE stoptail... I wonder if John Mann would be up for modding a stoptail with some brass inserts, or does that cross a IP/patent bridge?

 

[veinbuster]

When my hollowbody had the stock one piece switched for an adjustable, I don't recall a significant difference in the sound. I still have both, so I might switch again some time when I'm changing strings on that guitar.

Personally I like the single big chunk of metal, but just because I think it looks cleaner and I 'believe' one part should give a better link to the body acoustically than a bunch of parts. This was a topic of discussion the first time I put together a guitar with Paul Smith in the vault.

 

[László]

If you play enough of the guitars, you'll get a handle on the sound characteristics of the various bridges, and won't need to do a science experiment to come to a reasonable understanding of how they affect the tone.

Anecdotal? Yes. Scientific? Probably not. Good enough for rock n' roll? Yeah.

 

[markintime]

Hmm, I only have the one piece stop tail, both in a core and an SE. I'm not sophisticated enough to tell any difference because obviously they are two completely different guitars. But, just the other day I watched a video (don't know but it may have come from this forum, or not) about a guy who replaced a one piece with an adjustable TonePro, claiming that the PRS bridge would not intonate properly. Bollocks! Both of mine intonate perfectly. I even replaced the one on another SE with an all black one piece from AllParts and it, too, intonates perfectly. I know this is slightly veering off topic, but I just had to throw that in, just in case anyone else had heard that also.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

 

[ViperDoc]

The one-piece stoptail bridge is fantastic. The Adjustable is also great, but different. Being as the Adjustable is the only way to get the piezo, it's a worthy compromise.

 

[auriemma]

A PRS Adjustable Stop Tail popped up on my local CL, I snagged it cheap. I plan on mounting to my McCarty 58. I am REALLY curious as to the tonal change it may bring.

 

[auriemma]

Well, last night I measured (so I can be close after it's strung) and mounted up the adjustable bridge. I also used DiAddario NYXL strings. Man, what a difference. There is a definite low & mid boost, and louder over all. I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

[John Beef]

Well, last night I measured (so I can be close after it's strung) and mounted up the adjustable bridge. I also used DiAddario NYXL strings. Man, what a difference. There is a definite low & mid boost, and louder over all. I'm pleasantly surprised.

Interesting! My stoptail SE could use some lows. Maybe I'll set up an ebay watch for a used one.

 

[vchizzle]

I just say this...is there a difference that's really audible? Maybe when you're isolating tracks or playing alone. If you live in a loud dense band mix like myself, I don't hear much difference. It wouldn't matter if I did. I use 11 14 18 36 52 60 gauge strings in drop C. The 1 piece will not intonate properly so that doesn't leave me much choice. I like the 2 piece bridge a lot too for the same reasons as Les. There's less travel and adjustability the adjustable stoptail since you don't have the set screws. the 2 piece saddles are also massive. Can be tricky with my set up.

Well, last night I measured (so I can be close after it's strung) and mounted up the adjustable bridge. I also used DiAddario NYXL strings. Man, what a difference. There is a definite low & mid boost, and louder over all. I'm pleasantly surprised.

So are you figuring that difference is the string brand change, the bridge change or both?

 

[juka]

...So are you figuring that difference is the string brand change, the bridge change or both?

+1

What you describe is exactly what D'Addario claims you will hear when you use their new NYXLs.
By changing two parameters at the same time, you will never be able to say which of the two was responsible for the change...