Tailpiece height on TOM's
Tailpiece height on TOM's
Now I'm far from an esp expert. But all the ESP products I've looked at, I have an EII Eclipse, and a 1000VB. THey both had the tailpeice screwed down to the body, or "decked" you do this is you top wrap your strings. Like Jimmy Page. Other wise you want the tailpeice to be high enogh so that the back of your strings don't lay on your bridge. It's a tone robber. Every ESP I tried in the store was wrong. They'd sell more if they set them up better.
Decking, was the precursor to the string thru. It increases the resonance in the body, I also read that's the proper way to use a TOM bridge. The simple solution to the string stop behind the bridge is to wrap the string through the stop piece, (like the lp jr/ melody makers) and then over the bridge. It gives full string vibration from tuner to tailpiece to body.
I've never experienced "tone robbing" with a decked TOM. Some people like it decked because it reduces the compliance (adds preceived tension) to the strings. I prefer them decked. Your milage may vary.