Weber tailpiece

[Nick Triesch]

Hi. I am really bummed out because I just recieved in the mail from Elderly music a new Bill James tailpiece. After I took off the Weber unit I lined up the James to the holes and the holes don't even come close! Even by trying to line up the holes as well as I could, if I did insert the screws the James would be at a prety good angle and not line up at all. In other words it would lean to one side. It's more than just the holes not lining up, it's the way they are drilled into the James. The James would be fine on a new instrument but not on my Fern. The only thing I can do is plug the holes and redrill which I am not going to do because the holes are very far off. Stuck with the Weber. I must learn to love it. Nick

[Fretbear]

The only thing I can do is plug the holes and redrill which I am not going to do because the holes are very far off. #
If you plug the existing holes why would the location of the new tailpiece holes be a problem?

[Nick Triesch]

Fretbear, you are right. I just do not want to plug the holes in my cool Fern and drill new ones. I'm a stock kind of a guy. In other words , if I bought a Gibson Master Model F5 I would never scoop the fingerboard extention. Ever. Even though I really like the James tailpiece I will keep the Weber unit. The James goes back. Dang! Nick

[MikeEdgerton]

This is a known problem with the Eastman tailpiece as well. Perhaps you could write a letter to Bill James asking if he could make a Weber version of his product, assuming all Weber tailpieces are the same. I'm also assuming there are enough Webers out there to justify the tooling.

[Nick Triesch]

Thanks Mike! That's a great idea. The James that came to my house is very nice. Just fantastic very well made in every way. I wish it fit. Also, since the Weber Fern is a copy of the Gibson Fern the James tailpiece just seems to go better with the Weber. It looks like is belongs there more than the weber unit does. Thanks, Nick

[piknleft]

I know I'd certainly be interested in one for my Weber. Let us know how it works out. Thanks, Mike

[Nick Triesch]

I'm on it! Nick

[Gutbucket]

I just switched from a Weber to a James. No big deal. We're talking redrilling wood, not titanium here. I plugged the old holes and fitted a nice custom bone end pin. The James tailpiece covers the old holes up, and it really looks sharp. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandroid]

Put, {or actually, had my local musical instrument service ace and part time Luthier}
a James TP on My Lebeda, those are a lot different, even required plugging electric jack hole
and re drilling another, when all done, the new TP covered up
all evidence of the wood work required.

It, like gutbucket says, isn't like putting on a different waterpump on your truck's engine..

[Nick Triesch]

I'm not worried about doing the job....I just don't want to drill new holes in my Weber Fern. Just my thing, that's all. Drill on!!! Nick

[Gutbucket]

Ah, drills aren't so bad, it's the fireplace poker you really have to watch.

[piknleft]

If I could ever play "Rawhide" like the old boy from Rosine, I'D put the fireplace poker to 'er! LOL!

[Ivan Kelsall]

In another thread re.Weber tailpieces,Rick B.said that he was going to check the screw positions on the James & Allen tailpieces for retro fitting to Weber Mandolins. He did
however say that it might take a while. I'm personally more interested in the 'cast Allen tailpiece to retain at least a semblance to the original Weber one. PLus,the Allens don't even have a top cover to bother about. I fitted an Allen tailpiece to a previously owned Mandolin & i can testify as to how easy it is to re-string a Mandolin using that style of tailpiece. I am also,very reluctant to start drilling my Webers for different hole spacings. Unless i can get a tailpiece with identical hole & endpin positions,i'll put up with the 'fiddly' Weber tailpiece. I wish that Weber would get the Allen company to custom make a retro-fittable tailpiece for their Mandolins & possibly Bill James could be pursuaded to do likewise,after all,irrespective of the hole positions,selling a tailpiece whether to us directly or thro.Weber,it's still a sale,
Saska

[Nick Triesch]

Weber knows that a lot of folks would like to have a tailpiece option so we will see what happens. Yesterday after I tried the cool James unit and it did not fit I cleaned my mandolin and put the Weber tail back on and strung it up. I think the Weber is pretty and a nice item but it is just too hard for my old hands. I think that the James tailpiece is the Porsche 911 of mandolin parts!!! Nick

[Glassweb]

Hang in there Mandocat... I have a feeling Weber is working on a new TP design as we speak...

[Kevin K]

OK spill the beans, what are they up to....

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hey Nick - you & me both !. My 63 year old fingers are a bit stiff these days unless i've been playing for a half hour or so. I think that the Weber tailpiece is a lovely item,but fiddly for me personally. I have a degree of tendonitis in my left hand & 'trigger finger' also,which makes grasping thin strings (or anything small)quite difficult. It would be great if Weber do come up with an alternative design,i'd be quite happy to fit one to my Mandolins. I think also,that if it were possible,to have a James style AND Allen style retro-fittable tailpieces,then they'd satisfy ALL the folk who may wish for a change.
I'm sure that Rick B.has taken on the remarks made by a few of us in a similar thread,i'm equally sure that if they can,that Weber will come up with the goods. The company has a deservedly excellent reputation - we'll wait & see,
Saska

[Nick Triesch]

Weber is the best in helping folks out. #I really like my Weber . #But I too have tendonitis in both thumbs and string changing is not fun. #I think it would be real cool to be able to change out our Weber tailpiece with a custom James unit that said #"THE WEBER" #on it!!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think that if Bill James OR randy Allen were to make a 'custom' version of their tailpieces for Weber,it would be nice to have both names on the tailpiece. That way they'd get the credit due to them for their designs,
Saska