New Les Paul Bridge/Tailpiece Options

[66Atlas]

So over the weekend I picked up a used (but basically brand new) 2013 Les Paul Standard bass in Heritage Cherry burst.  I'm not really a fan of the color (would have preferred Ebony) but it was too good a deal to pass up. Plays great and so far I'm really enjoying it, but a problem appeared when I went to change strings.  The Ball ends on my GHS boomers are too big to fit in the stop tailpiece. Has anyone else run into this? I'd like to stick with Boomers, and I'm sure I could reem out the holes on the tailpiece but am wondering if there may be another alternative that anyone has found.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Gibby's tailpieces were actually OEM Warwick, so you might have some luck seeing what others have done. I HATE those tailpieces so I'm afraid I don't have anything else to offer.

[4stringer77]

The pre 2005 bridges were Warwick designs but the newer Les Paul basses have the tune-o-matic design. How far do those ball ends need to go though? Isn't the idea of the tailpiece to stop the ball ends so they don't pass through? Pics might help.

[Chris P.]

I have the same with my Danelectro Longhorn Reissue. The original strings had small ball ends, which dissappear in the holes in the back of the bridge. I now use normal Fender or d'Addario shortscales and now the ball ends don't fit the holes, so the don't dissappear into the holes, but they sit n the outside. No problem for sound and playing, though the aluminium of the bridge damages a bit.

I believe Höfner-strings have the smaller ball ends and I want to try them, but that are all short scale strings. As you know I also have a Warwick. That bridge can handle every string, but that was only on some LP's of some years ago.

[66Atlas]

The ball ends are basically entirely outside of the tailpiece.  The tailpiece functions fine as far as holding the strings, maybe I'm just being picky by expecting them to disapear inside the tailpiece the way the stock strings did.  I'd say the holes are only about a MM too small so it wouldnt take much to open them up enough for the larger ball ends to fit inside.  I was able to order a replacement tailpiece to see if it fits better, if I have to I'll modifiy the replacement and keep the original in the case.

[Dave W]

You're not being picky, they are supposed to be held securely in the tailpiece. The slots ought to be big enough to hold common string brands.

[patman]

GHS ball ends are larger than most others...when I string my Guild acoustic, I have to actually run them thru the sound hole and out the bridge hole, because the ball end is larger than the hole in the top. No other brand causes a problem like that.