Rigel Mandolins not responding emails - tailpiece question

[Rumi]

Hello!

I have bought a Rigel R-100 that unfortunately came with a broken tailpiece and a broken tuner button and missing screw for it.

I have sent several emails to Rigel, with no response. Does anyone know if they are still in business?

Also, is there a way to take off the tailpiece from the pickup preamplifier? I can't screw the belt pin off, and I also can't move out the whole preamplifier (which is possible in my A plus).

Is there another way of getting a new tailpiece and a new tuner button?

Thanks for any advice!

[multidon]

Rigel seems to have gone out of business around 2006, then came back in 2011. Then they were reported out of business again by some here around 2015. If you do a search you will see that there is still a web site for Rigel, but it doesn’t appear to have been updated since 2014. But there is still contact information listed on the web site. If e-mail doesn’t work I would recommend trying the phone number listed. I found a listing for the luthier, Pete Langdell, on the NAMM site. It was dated 2018 and stated that Pete had “downsized” his business and was now working as a luthier and repairman for Metropolitan Music, a violin wholesaler also located in Pete’s home state of Vermont. You could try calling them to see if you can make contact there. Unfortunately, my understanding is that only a Rigel tailpiece will work on a Rigel instrument. The tuners, in the other hand, should be able to be switched out with whatever you want, with the usual caveats- some drilling if new holes may be required. I believe Gold Tone made a Rigel copy, their tailpiece might work for you. I’m sorry I can’t help with the preamp issue.

[jim simpson]

A friend sent a Rigel to Pete Langdell this past year for a repair. He communicated well and did a nice job. I'll check with him to see what email he used.

[jim simpson]

Rumi, I've got a phone # for you, I'll pm it to you.

[MikeEdgerton]

Hello!

I have bought a Rigel R-100 that unfortunately came with a broken tailpiece and a broken tuner button and missing screw for it.

I have sent several emails to Rigel, with no response. Does anyone know if they are still in business?

Also, is there a way to take off the tailpiece from the pickup preamplifier? I can't screw the belt pin off, and I also can't move out the whole preamplifier (which is possible in my A plus).

Is there another way of getting a new tailpiece and a new tuner button?

Thanks for any advice!

Post a picture of the tuners from the back showing the plates and the button. The tailpiece might have been unique to the mandolin but the tuners were not.

[Jim Hilburn]

Sounds like a good time to get a James.

[MikeEdgerton]

Sounds like a good time to get a James.

I didn't know Bill James made one like this. I've never seen it on his website.

[MikeEdgerton]

By the way, there's some information here (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/139672-Rigel-tailpiece-again) but I don't know if Gold Tone is still selling these.

[lenf12]

Schaller tuners were pretty much standard equipment on Rigel mandolins. Should be an easy replacement.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[John Flynn]

Schaller tuners were pretty much standard equipment on Rigel mandolins. Should be an easy replacement.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

My Rigel A+ Deluxe (circa 2001) came with Grovers. I had no problem buying replacement buttons from them.

[lenf12]

My Rigel A+ Deluxe (circa 2001) came with Grovers. I had no problem buying replacement buttons from them.

I've owned 3 A + Deluxes and a G-110 and all had Schallers but that wouldn't preclude other brands. Could be anything I suppose...

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Pete Braccio]

I just checked with Gold Tone about Rigel style tailpieces. They are out of them.

[Marty Jacobson]

This is a very easy part to make. Anyone with a CNC mill or router, a $20 set of digital calipers, and a fresh bottle of superglue can make these. Just use the broken one as a pattern, and you can engrave your name on it while you're at it!

[HoGo]

This is a very easy part to make. Anyone with a CNC mill or router, a $20 set of digital calipers, and a fresh bottle of superglue can make these. Just use the broken one as a pattern, and you can engrave your name on it while you're at it!

What do you need the superglue for? Just wondering...
The tailpiece on the pic above looks like bent sheet of brass with cutouts working as hooks. That can be cut with scrollsaw and appropriate blade. With some file cleanup and polishing it can look quite good.

[MikeEdgerton]

Somebody made them for Pete. I wonder if they know there's a very limited market?

[Richard500]

What do you need the superglue for? Just wondering...
The tailpiece on the pic above looks like bent sheet of brass with cutouts working as hooks. That can be cut with scrollsaw and appropriate blade. With some file cleanup and polishing it can look quite good.
Also wondering about the glue! Anyway, I’m thinking that this is not an exciting piece of hardware in any event, and also thinking that fishing those loops underneath to change strings could be annoying. And if it is only bent brass sheet, and has torn at the bend, there’s no reason to not put it back together. A bit of brass strip under the break and silver solder. Jeweler, again.

[j. condino]

Is the entire tailpiece broken off or is it just one of the small string 'fingers"? I've seen several people who, when faced with a single broken finger, drilled another small hole in the tailpiece and then took a fine blade jeweler's saw and cut another finger. You can usually also double up the lighter strings with minimal impact....

[Marty Jacobson]

What do you need the superglue for? Just wondering...
The tailpiece on the pic above looks like bent sheet of brass with cutouts working as hooks. That can be cut with scrollsaw and appropriate blade. With some file cleanup and polishing it can look quite good.

That, too. Don't even need a CNC. Fair point, if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. :-)

Superglue is a great fixture method for metal 2mm or thinner. In my machine shop we make can make hundreds of parts for biomedical research before lunch this way. All it takes it to glue down a sheet, zip out your parts, then because super glue doesn't actually bond that well to smooth metal, you can pop the parts right off with no postprocessing required.

[amowry]

I've made several of these replacements. I'm a bit swamped at the moment, though...

191856

[Derik Palmer]

I've made several of these replacements. I'm a bit swamped at the moment, though...

191856

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[Derik Palmer]

OK - I've found a workaround that works...

In my bits box I found a cheap jewellers screwdriver set. I managed to pull the shaft of a suitably-sized screwdriver out of the handle part, and having ground off the business end it just fits the width of the tailpiece. So the strings that have hooks go onto the hooks and the steel rod sits behind the string loops in the hooks and the string loop where the missing hook is goes around the rod. Once the string is brought up to tension there's more than enough pressure to hold the rod in position, and it means that instead of one hook having to hold the tension of two strings, the tension of the string with the missing hook is spread across the other seven hooks.

Looking at what I've done I'm guessing that a piece of bicycle spoke would be around the right diameter; I didn't really need to sacrifice a tool at all. its not ideal - a whole new shiny tailpiece with the Rigel logo engraved on it would be the best - but it works. I'm posting this here in the hope that it will help someone else with a similar problem...

[Pete Braccio]

Gold Tone is carrying replacement Rigel style tailpieces again.

https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldtone/parts/mandrigel