Stop Tailpiece for 1997 Artist Custom

[CantankerousCarl]

Hello, brand new, first post & my first Hamer.

Just picked up a beautiful 1997 Artist Custom '59 Burst that was in on consignment at a local mom & pop music store. It was love at first sight / play, and I wish I would have discovered Hamers sooner...but glad I found this one.

Anyway, the previous owner or store (TBD, they said thet did a re-string) put the strings through on the inside part of the tailpiece (closest to the bridge) and had the strings wrap up OVER the tailpiece and to the bridge.

I don't know why this would have been done, but I do know now that I have a stop tailpiece in which the top parts of the string holes have marks, and are rough, from the strings going up and over, and there are lines where the strings used to be going over the tailpiece as well.

This is strictly a costmetic issue, but I'd like to get a new or used stop tailpiece (she has gold hardware).

I am looking for high quality OEM or equlvalent. I forgot to look on the bottom of the tailpiece when I had it off for restringing.

Any suggestions? Do I need to replace the studs too? USA or metric? etc.

Thanks.

[ksmjc1969]

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[ksmjc1969]

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[ksmjc1969]

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[crunchee]

To the OP: Welcome! Good question, this!

I think that the OP might have been referring to the ORIGINAL STOCK stop tailpiece, i.e., what the guitar came with from Hamer. I'm kinda curious about the ORIGINAL STOCK stop tailpiece and TOM myself...I've heard they were Schaller, but I've also heard they were Gotoh...maybe it was a mix of the two? Anybody else know what the original hardware was for sure, BEFORE giving testimonials on what to replace them with?

[murkat]

if the tail piece has string prints on it, it has been "top loaded" , "top wrapped" for some time.

Common to do on Les Pauls, or other guitars with a bridge / tail piece configuration.

Top loaded allows just a bit little longer string length, and to get the strings off the back side of the bridge

without jacking up the tail piece sky high.

[cynic]

+1 to what Murkat says above.

Before springing for a new one, you may want to play it as is for a bit. After you've gotten used to the guitar, string it the "right" way using the blem bridge and see which you prefer.

Lots of folks (me included) prefer top-wrapping.

[Armitage]

On my '97 Studio Custom the Bridge is a Schaller and the tailpiece is a Gotoh. The reason I even looked was the gold plating on the tail piece was rubbing off quickly yet the bridge still looked like new.

[ksmjc1969]

OP posted - "I am looking for high quality *****OEM or equivalent ****** "

"This is strictly a costmetic issue, but I'd like to get a new or used stop tailpiece (she has gold hardware)."

I've owned many USA Hamer guitars over the past 25 years .. I've seen mostly gotoh stop tails on my 96 artist custom and a few of my studio customs .. I've always replaced that hardware with the tone pros as my opinion they are better and also used on the newer USA Hamer's...

[CantankerousCarl]

Thanks all for your replies. Good to know that the Tone Pros is highly regarded.

I am probably going to leave it as-is for awhile. The thing that bothers me is that the part of the string that wraps around the ball has cit little dents into the upper parts of the holes on the outer edge of the tailpiece - making sharp little points.

Which, of course, will never come into contact with my grubby little paws when playing, so again this is strictly costmetic.

Armitage - out of curiousity, I restrung again and checked the parts - bridge is also Schaller and tailpiece is Gotoh Japan. Which means she's probably stock. Which means I'll probably leave her as-is cause she sounds amazing and I am big on keeping things original unless there is a sonic reason to change.

If I do go with replacing, I certainly want to keep the OE studs, so would I just be able to drop in the TonePros?

[ksmjc1969]

Hi , well tone pros are a huge very noticeable upgrade there's a reason newer Hamers come stock with them .. And So many other makers switched to them as well .. They improve the sustain dramatically .. They give you a larger Chanel for adjustments in intonation as well . They have set Allen screws to lock your tail and Tom in place so when string changes are due your intonation is right where you set it .. You'll notice the difference guaranteed ..

As far as keeping it original yeah it's nice to have the original parts if you go to sell it later on down the road so I just keep the original parts in my case or junk box ..

I just leave the studs in the guitar and reuse the stud posts for the stop tail as they are metric.

The Tom is sae standard and match up with the tone pros II posts ..

Pulling the studs is a bad idea IMO you can damage the finish pulling them out ..

Can you post pics ? Photo bucket is easy and fast .. Cheers !

[ksmjc1969]