Removing the "cloud" tailpiece cover on '34 Gibson A-OO

[jtsc]

Before I do anything I will regret, I want to learn the proper way to remove the tailpiece cover on a '34 gibson A-OO that I recently purchased. It is in dire need of new strings and I've never owned a Gibson so this is new. by the looks, I'm guessing it slides "up" but who knows the last time it was removed - may be a tough time. But I look to fellow owners of simliar Gibsons for advice before I give it a try and recommended methods.

I realize there are plenty of threads on tailpiece covers but I could not find anything that pertained exactly to this specific tailpiece cover. Appreciate any info provided.

thx,
JTSC

[Paul Hostetter]

First, do no harm.

Then drizzle a little 409 or a waterbased cleaner like that along the seams on each side where the cover slides down:



Then tap it along the sides gently with a safe-faced hammer of some sort, to try and loosen whatever gunk or corrosion is holding it in place. Water usually cuts better than an oil.

Then try and wiggle it straight up. You can also put a piece of maple or similar hard substance against the bottom edge of the cover like so:



And gently tap it up.

Once you get it off, dry it and clean it with 0000 steel wool and try it for fit. Sometimes the connecting parts need to be adjusted manually, bending the wings in or out a bit.

[jtsc]

Paul - thank you so much. I will try exactly that this eve. Photos are a great help. What would I do without the Cafe??? I'd probably have an instrument in many pieces and my head in my hands.

[bmac]

Although it may seem to make the removal of the tailpiece cover easier, I would be really cautious when trying to bend it to make it easier to remove... the world is full of missing tailpiece covers. Learn to live with a tight tailpiece cover if you can... It is much safer and they are not inexpensive,,, if you can find them on eBay. i recently had to buy a complete (more or less) mandolin to get a decent tailpiece. Unfortunately (for me) the tailpiece looked much better in the photo than in reality.

[belbein]

There are peope who say there's nothing better than a tight tailpiece.

[Paul Hostetter]

There are people who say there's nothing better than a tight tailpiece.

Yeah, like the ones who never change their strings because they can't get the cover off!