Ashton Baily tailpices

[Charles E.]

Does any one have any experiances or thoughts on these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CHROME-A...item564ad8c7a4

[mandobassman]

I'm not sure what there is to think about. Looks like a copy of one of the Allen tailpieces. The Allen's are a bit more expensive, so I would guess this is a better deal. It's probably a fine tailpiece.

[Ivan Kelsall]

It's hard to tell from the photo.,but the hole spacing doen't seem to be the 'standard' Gibson spacing used by most t/piece makers. It seems to be more like the 'Monteleone' t/piece spacing. If that's the case,then you'd have to plug the existing holes & drill new ones (''may require drilling new holes,...'' - as it says in their ad.). If your existing t/piece has the 'standard' hole pattern,then go for an Allen t/piece. The 2 t/pieces shown are both 'Allen' t/pieces,but the hole spacings are different.On the left is the Monteleone pattern & on the right is the 'standard' pattern of holes,
Ivan

[Paul Busman]

Yes, the hole spacing is different. I put on on my Fullerton Gloucester and I like it just fine, at a fraction of the "real" one. High end owners may not be willing to mar their finish though.

[Charles E.]

I am thinking about putting it on an Eastman 315 I have coming in October. The finish on these is pretty thin and brown, but I dont want make any modifacations that would void the warrenty, such as plugging holes and redrilling. I guess I'll wait untill I have the instrument in hand before getting anything.

[Mandobart]

Don't have an Ashton, but I have Allen's on both an OM and a mandola. I really like being able to use loop or ball end strings.

[Folkmusician.com]

The Ashton Bailey Tailpiece is good quality. For your Eastman, you will have to re-drill the screw holes, and the old holes will be right at the edge of the new tailpiece.

[Paul Busman]

I doubt that a new tailpiece would void the warranty but by all means check the documents when the new instrument arrives.

[RobBob]

I hot rodded an Eastman 315 with an Allen tailpiece and Grover tuners. The Allen matched up pretty well, the tuners did not match whatever piece of junk they originally used for tuners. I found the Allen tailpiece with good price by shopping the web for a while.

[grandcanyonminstrel]

Randy (Allen) will sell you tailpieces without the holes, so you can modify them to fit anything you'd like. I make a LOT of modifications to all my tailpieces, so I often start out using his blanks; good reliable and time tested product and a GREAT fellow to do business with.That said, I'm still waitin' for my new Nuggets to arrive in the mailbox.

Here is one of Randy's bronze core, modified, redrilled, and veneered in African blackwood with Macassar ebony and brass doileyz...

j.
www.condino.com

[multidon]

Not exactly the same thing but similar, and the Web site says they use a "standard 3 hole pattern" and might be able to be fitted without re-drilling:http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=9093

[Charles E.]

Randy (Allen) will sell you tailpieces without the holes, so you can modify them to fit anything you'd like. I make a LOT of modifications to all my tailpieces, so I often start out using his blanks; good reliable and time tested product and a GREAT fellow to do business with.That said, I'm still waitin' for my new Nuggets to arrive in the mailbox.

Here is one of Randy's bronze core, modified, redrilled, and veneered in African blackwood with Macassar ebony and brass doileyz...

j.
www.condino.com

Thanks James, but that is a lot of work for an Eastman 315! I don't want to have a tailpiece worth more then the mandolin.

[Folkmusician.com]

Web site says they use a "standard 3 hole pattern"

The endpin can be an issue on these. not always, but most of the time I retrofit one of these to a mandolin with a tapered pin, I have to redrill screw holes. If you do redrill, it will cover the old holes. : )

[Tavy]

I believe that's the tailpiece I used on my last build - I used the gold version and it looks fantastic. My only complaint is that with loop end strings, the two central posts are too close to the holes you thread the strings through and it makes changing those two strings a pain (though like all things you get better with practice). That said, it's a big improvement on the pressed steel Gibson style ones.

BTW doesn't your Eastman come with a cast tailpiece already? The Eastman tailpieces are actually really very good IMO.

[Charles E.]

Tavy, the 315 comes with a stamped chrome tailpiece and generic tuners. It is not untill you get to the 515 do you see a cast tailpiece and Shaller tuners.