People have been asking me why I wrapover my strings at the stop tail portion as seen above. Here's an overdue explanation why that happens to all my tune-o-matic type bridge, one thing's for sure though- it's not a Joe Bonamassa technical emulation. I've been doing this way before I know who JB is.
Forgive the crude illustrations but here goes (side view of guitar body at the bridge area):
- A: Guitar strings
- B: Tune-o-matic bridge
- C: Stop tail
Every time I acquire a guitar with a tune-o-matic + stop tail bridge type, I'd lower the action to suit my playing. This would mean component B would be screwed down. The immediate effect of this procedure is that A loses tension even after the instrument had been re-tuned. This is bad because the lower tension would mean the strings won't stay put at B's slotted tip; they would get dislodged from the slots if I bend or pick hard.
So to return A to its correct tension setting, I lower C- it's lowered to its lowest possible position. But take a look at what happened there- the strings come into contact with B. This causes buzzing at that spot & you don't want that to happen.
It's a simple problem, yes? The simple solution here is to employ the wrap over stringing so that the angle created from the tip of B to C would ensure strings elevation, ta da! No more contact with B. So that's why you see what you see, it's a practical need as opposed to the primary aim of adding more resonance at the bridge area. But the fact that it does is a bonus :-)
