String Changing Question...

[Keith Erickson]

Folks,

On my Harmony, I was able to remove each string one at a time.

It looks like that I am going to have to change strings on my MK next month. #Unfortunately it appears to be that I must remove all the strings in order to change them because of the tailpiece.

Does anyone have the lo-down on how the tail piece works?

Thanks-a-bunch,

[Darren Kern]

I suspect that if you loosen the tension on the strings a little bit, you will be able to slide the tailpiece cover off more easily. I've had a couple mandos that were tough to get the tailpiece cover off until I had done it a few times. Also had one that the tailpiece cover would fall off in the middle of a song http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Keith Erickson]

Also had one that the tailpiece cover would fall off in the middle of a song #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Man that must have been horrible. I'm glad you're able to laugh at it now. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

So the strings are actually attached to the tailpiece cover? I'm just trying to understand.

Thanks,

[Darren Kern]

No, but the string angle can put upward tension on the tailpiece cover, making it a little, but not much, more difficult to slide down. #That's been my experience, somone pls correct me if that's not the norm. #You should be able to firmly grab the sides of the tailpiece cover and slide it down and off, parallel with the tailpiece. #Here's a previous post talking about it- LINK (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=22776;hl=removing+and+ tailpiece+and+cover)

[arbarnhart]

Did your Harmony even have a cover? That may be the source of your confusion. Most mandos have a cover tha comes off to expose the strings and then you can change one at a time. I had to call someone the first time I broke a string because I didn't know the cover just popped off.

[Guitar Jeremy]

I had a MK. Don't change more than a pair at a time, or you will risk moving the bridge and messing up the intonation. You just have to pull on that mother hard (the cover). Grab it by the sides and pull. Once it is off, changing one string at a time is a breeze. Just remember to leave a few inches slack in the string to wind down for better intonation.

[adgefan]

When pulling the cover off a tailpiece, always use a thick bit of cloth to protect your hand. The edges of those things can really hurt you!

[Keith Erickson]

Did your Harmony even have a cover?

arbarnhart, No it did not. Changing the strings on that was a sinch. The "loops" are able to be attached to the back of the tailpiece.


I had a MK. Don't change more than a pair at a time, or you will risk moving the bridge and messing up the intonation. You just have to pull on that mother hard (the cover). Grab it by the sides and pull. Once it is off, changing one string at a time is a breeze. Just remember to leave a few inches slack in the string to wind down for better intonation.

Jeremy, I usually did that on my Harmony. I would change the G's then the E's, then the D's and finally the A's. I found that this was the best way to preserve the integrity of the neck while changing strings. Especially when I did not have a truss rod on the Harmony.


No, but the string angle can put upward tension on the tailpiece cover, making it a little, but not much, more difficult to slide down.

Hydrilla, So I should then tune it down a ½ step or a full step in order to make this process a little easier?

You guys are a wealth of information. Thank you so very much for your help. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Darren Kern]

I dunno, it might be just my imagination that loosening the strings makes it easier. I went home and looked at the tailpiece cover on the one I'm playing now, and I don't think the string tension has anything to do with it. Maybe just on the cheapies I used to play..

[250sc]

I wish you could post a picture of the tailpiece. I can't imagine one where you have to remove all strings or tention to change a string. (what happens if you break a string?)

A friend of mine has an MK and I seem to remember him telling me that he had to slide the cover straight back towards the endpin to access the pins that the string attach to.

[Keith Erickson]

I wish you could post a picture of the tailpiece....
I wish that I could post a picture period. But I've been having some trouble doing so.