I bought a book on how to set up a guitar properly and even though it's really detailed I'm still learning and exploring diffrent set up adjustments. I've tinkered with everything except the nut. It's a gibson SG and although it was set up OK I wanted to get lower action. The intonation was spot on which supprised me, from everything I've read Gibson doesn't have a very good rep for factory set up. I finally got it within 90% of where I'd like it to be and she plays very nice. So why not mess it all up by adjusting the stop bar? haha.
So I saved the old strings and cut the little brass "thing" off the ends. I used them as spacers so the strings windings (the ends where the wire is wrapped over itself) don't get bent around the stop bar. I lower the stop bar evenly, as in same amount of turns to drop it closer to the body but maintain the factory set angle. There are two schools of thought on how low to go. Some will say drop it all the way tight to the body for sustain and others claim you get better harmonics plus the additional sustain by leaving a gap. You also do not want your strings riding on the back of your bridge so to put the bar all the way down you would have to use the wrap meathod. I left a space under the stop bar but it's pretty close to the body. I inserted the string through the brass "thing" then inserted the string from the front of the stop bar. Pulled it through and over the bridge just as you would normally. It took me awhile to get it set the way I wanted since I had also dropped the bridge and readjusted the truss rod to eliminate a little relief. My guitar seems to need atleast some relief. Got everything set up and did some fine tuning on the truss rod. Still can't get the action any lower, I haven't played too many Gibsons so I don't know if thats just the nature of a set neck guitar or not. My guess it's the neck angle. Anyway after tuning her up, checking the intonation, I plugged in and it sounds beautiful! It's not a night and day differance, it's actually pretty subtle but it seems to sound fatter and more resonant. I truely believe it has enhanced the harmonic charicteristics of the guitar. Prior to this set up the 9th fret harmonic was sometimes difficult to make sing now it's just as easy and loud as the others. Plus the harmnonics over the pickups, either pinch or just touching the strings are just beautiful. Much smaller dead spots, almost anywhere I touch the string I can get it to sing. The strings seem to interact, sympathetic harmonics, more clearly now also. Giving it a really sparkling tone.
As for the sustain, technically it makes sense that it should sustain longer but to be perfectly honest I can't really tell much of a differance. It definately didn't hurt but I can't say it made it better either. It already has very good sustain.
Asthetically, it's not very attractive but unless I find some deficiancy from stringing it up like this, I plan to keep it this way.
Don't know if this will be helpful to anyone who's thought about it but I would recommend giving it a try. I would say that there is probably a good chance you will mar up the finish on your stop bar though. I won't know until I change strings again. Just a heads up.
Anyone try this and have anything to add with their experiance?