Fret leveling, bridge, leather tailpiece question

Mat · February 2009

Can I level the frets at my local guitar repair?

How much of a difference does the bridge make?

What is the leather tailpiece for?

Tele295 · February 2009

Mat wrote:

Can I level the frets at my local guitar repair?

Yes, any compentent repairman should be able to do it.

Mat wrote:

How much of a difference does the bridge make?

As I am discovering, quite a bit. Your question might be a little overbroad, as there are tonal differences and physical differences that can be affected by the bridge. For instance, the bridges used on the Gitane DG series seem to be overly heavy and dampen the sound. Additionally, the bridge plays a huge role in the action of the guitar and setting proper string height for volume vs. ease of playing.

Mat wrote:

What is the leather tailpiece for?

Leather is placed under the tailpiece to keep it from buzzing against the top. However, my '07 Gitane and my girlfriend's '08 Cigano have a little ridge in the binding that lifts the tailpiece off the soundboard and therefore it cannot buzz. No leather is needed if there is no buzzing. If your guitar has that problem, a little leather or felt will fix it right up.