My Ozark octave has a custom made tailpiece which is off centre. Ive borrowed an endpin reamer and added endpin jacks to every guitar in the house. Any suggestions on doing the same to the Octave? Quite prepared to change the tailpiece if needed.
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My Ozark octave has a custom made tailpiece which is off centre. Ive borrowed an endpin reamer and added endpin jacks to every guitar in the house. Any suggestions on doing the same to the Octave? Quite prepared to change the tailpiece if needed.
How far off center is it? Does it really matter if the jack/strap pin is off by a little? As long as there is solid tail block to anchor to you should be structurally OK. The tailpiece maybe in the position it's in because the the neck set is a little off, in which case, moving the tailpiece will result in the fan angle of the strings between the tailpiece and the bridge being asymmetrical, which some may find visually disturbing. If it ain't broke…
Hi Fergus. i'm not a builder but have a suggestion for you to consider. i had a similar situation a few years ago and simply enlarged the hole in the TP the direction it needed to go (sidestepping messing with the wood). Mine was unplated and yours is likely plated and may not be an attractive option to you. But the benefit may outweigh any risk and the strap will cover it anyway. Not much to lose if you chuck the original TP anyhow. Besides, lots of TP's have the hole elongated vertically for versatility, so why not elongate to the side?
BTW, crooked tailpieces really catch my eye and just bug me in general...especially anything rectangular or Gibson-like. There are some designs without parallel sides that camoflage the TP/neck alignment issue. The Monteleone/Allen is one, but my favorite is the Hamlett, which appears symmetrical but isn't quite. Hope you find a pleasing alternative. dan
I agree with Rob, it the strings run up the neck even on each side I would leave it alone. If you center it the bridge will want to center according to string pull and then the bridge and the strings may not be ideal.
Apologies everyone, I thought I had attached a photo but apparently not. When I say off centre I mean its closer to the soundboard than the back.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ahfhrrb-UXCajFZRxgqRDxVfLoey
You need to make that folder available without a password for anyone to see it.
Attachment 165457Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton
Funny, the folder should be public. Can you see the photo if I attach it like this?
If not an enpin jack, I might just add a strap button. Actually it is more off-centre than it looks in the photo but I could easily screw in a strap button where the big screw is.
TP is unplated brass so very easy to drill, file etc.
If you change out the tailpiece it’s likely you would have to drill new holes. On a custom job like that, it’s not likely that the holes would line up.
If it were mine, I would install the endpin jack just below the tailpiece. There’s no rule that says the jack has to be in the center of the tailpiece. That position would give you better balance, anyway.
Let me just use this as an opportunity to complain about the stock endpin jacks that are supposed to be strap buttons too. They are a pain in the @#$& to use. I always have to modify the strap hole to get it to fit and it’s still not great.
Don, I feel the opposite. I also have to modify the strap to fit the endpin, but when I do so I make it fit tight, I don't take it off and because I make it fit it doesn't accidentally come off.
Thanks, I just wondered about balance but if you reckon off-centre is better then its win-win.
I agree about the strap button fit - its a totally different shape to the original button on my guitar. The strap button is a separate threaded part on the endpin jacks I got, so you could fit your own button with the right metalworking tools and skills.
Yes. You might consider adding the strap button like this:Quote:
Originally Posted by Fergus Lester
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...ton-no-problem
I would replace the bottom screw with an electric guitar metal strap button and screw. Probably will need to drill a larger pilot hole.
I have a few buttons around the place. I have the other button on the heel on my other instruments as but I know some dont like putting a screw thereQuote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Mando
Like this
Attachment 165496
Used to look like this but the front part broke off Attachment 165497