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I opened the case on one of my Breedloves this afternoon and found this:
Attachment 172537
The mandolin is a Bend, OR-made Quartz FF with Schertler internal pickup that feeds out through the strap button. I know is under warranty but it'll cost a bundle to ship it some someone who will replace it. I sent a message to Breedlove in hopes that they have one laying around that they can ship to me. Failing that, can anyone tell me what brand it might be and the likelihood of getting another one.
Breedlove had those made for them. IIRC they are cast aluminum? It looks like thay are using them now on the higher model crossover series. Give them a call. I'd suggest you take the opportunity to upgrade to an Allen if the strap button location matches up
I'm already looking at other replacements and Allen was at the top of the list. My biggest concern is the opening for the output plug.
I contacted them through their web site but I may call Monday anyway.
I know that has to be extremely upsetting. I will share that after my first quick glance, it looked as though it was screaming, "Feed me"!
Hi David - If it is cast Aluminium,then by comparisonto a cast 'Brass / Bronze t/piece,it won't be very strong. However,as it's normally in 'tension',i wouldn't expect it to fail like that unless as sometimes happens,there can be an impurity in the metal at that point. If you can get a replacement under your guarantee,then i'd go for that. It should be easy to remove one & replace it with the other.
Personally however,i'd maybe go for an Allen cast tailpiece. They're either cast brass or bronze & will be far stronger - there's nothing to break either.
Having fitted an Allen t/piece to a once owned mandolin,i can say that they are the standard 'Gibson style' hole pattern, ie. screws & endpin holes, which most builders seem to prefer. You could go 'all out' & buy what most players regard as the very finest mandolin tailpiece - a 'James',but they are a tad expensive,
Ivan
I understand the quality and value of an Allen tailpiece but my concern is the output plug for the pickup. This mandolin has a Schertler internal pickup. The strap button also contains the plug for the output.
Attachment 172541
I'm not sure an Allen could accommodate it without modification. It's a great looking mandolin with a natural finish, ebony fingerboard and black hardware. Actually, it also has black Black Diamond strings and all that makes for a great sounding mandolin.
Well .... yes the same tail piece will likely be a simple exchange. Plugging the old hole and fitting a slightly different tail piece will likely be not much of a concern either. Marks on the finish from the differing shapes of the hardware may be a small issue. Luck... R/
I'm not above changing to a different style of tailpiece but I would rather not have to make any changes (screw holes, "plug hole," etc.). I do like the clean lines on the "hungry" tailpiece, as Geechee intimated above.
If you want to maintain the black hardware look, an exact replacement is the way to go. I do have two Allens which I like a lot. Allen could tell you about any jack issues.
I would like to maintain the present look, if possible. I'm waiting on a response from Breedlove now. I sent them an email with pictures.
This morning, I sent an email to Breedlove (Two Old Hippies) describing my problem. I included pictures and the fact that I was able to install the new tailpiece myself. Within 3½ hours, I received a reply requesting my address. They're sending me a replacement tailpiece, no questions asked. (Actually, they did ask one question: "What's your address?")
That's pretty good customer service.
Good news David, lets hope the new one holds up.
Well, the saga of the broken tailpiece continues. It occurred in the middle of November. When I notified Breedlove of the "injury," they said they would send one. As of last week, it hadn't arrived. It had been two months and even if it came from China, it should have been here so I called. The guy who was helping me is no long employed there and apparently left a lot of loose ends when he joined the ranks of the unemployed. Brittany understood my plight and the very day that I called, she boxed one up and shipped it. My faith in Breedlove remains.
"The guy who was helping me is no long employed there and apparently left a lot of loose ends when he joined the ranks of the unemployed...."
That's the Breedlove way: multiple bankruptcies, corporate transfers, and hundreds of employees come and gone for a shop that averages a dozen at any one time in the shop. I remember it well....$7 a hour in a town where a starter home was over a half million $$$$ while getting verbally abused hourly for "only" making three mandolins a day before lunch while working on labor day....
Be that as it may, Brittany Michael got my Golden Sandals Award as Employee-of-the-Month in the Two Old Hippies Commune for the way she helped me. I had the new tail piece installed less than a week after I first talked with her.Quote:
Originally Posted by grandcanyonminstrel
I'm old enough to remember when houses were cheap in Bend.
,,and cars had fender skirts and curb feelers, car heaters were optional and, my favorite, the new-fangled radios with the Conelrad triangles on the dials.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton
And I'm even older than that (Harry Truman, Fibber McGee & Molly, Amos & Andy, the Ink Spots and even throwing rock and roll records in the fire).
James tailpieces.. use same screw holes as Gibson..
Even a drastic change, such as When I had my Lebeda tail piece replaced
one like a MR 2 , required some plugging and re drilling , but the larger footprint
covered up the modifications completely...
http://www.allenguitar.com/tpcs_mr-2.htm http://www.allenguitar.com/tpcs.htm
The tail piece from Breedlove fit perfectly, including the pickup plug. The original was black and the new one is gold. It looks pretty good.
Attachment 174827