Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Cast tailpiece

  1. #1
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Cast tailpiece

    I know nothing about the seller or the quality of the product but that thing is cheap.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Golden-8-Str...gAAOSwj85ZiaMV

    NFI
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  2. #2
    Registered User Tom Morse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Portland, Maine
    Posts
    109

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Hmmm. Could this be a Chinese-made knockoff of the Ashton Bailey $54.95 tailpiece?

    http://bit.ly/2fnBTgw

    Sure looks like it.
    Jethro lives! (Tiny, too!)

  3. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    And I see the same tailpiece being sold by other sellers even cheaper. May need to try one on my cigar box mandolin project.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  4. The following members say thank you to MikeEdgerton for this post:


  5. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Morse View Post
    Hmmm. Could this be a Chinese-made knockoff of the Ashton Bailey $54.95 tailpiece?

    http://bit.ly/2fnBTgw

    Sure looks like it.
    Or perhaps they are made in the same factory.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  6. #5
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Colombia, Sudamérica
    Posts
    300

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    I bought more than two years ago in Amazon a chinese (Ashton Bailey type) tailpiece and is excellent, good finish, solid, and after this years of use without any sign of deterioration or failure. I don't remember the brand, but maybe is the same of the post 1.

  7. #6
    Registered User Tom Morse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Portland, Maine
    Posts
    109

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Or perhaps they are made in the same factory.
    That's a great point, Mike. I hadn't thought of that angle. I tried the web to see if I could find out where the Ashton Bailey tailpieces are made but no luck.
    Jethro lives! (Tiny, too!)

  8. #7
    Registered User almeriastrings's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Almeria, Spain
    Posts
    5,442
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    I saw some with 'Morgan Monroe' packaging - made in China.

    Yes, they are ridiculously cheap. From around $14 US/ €9.00 including free shipping.
    Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
    Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
    Northfield Big Mon #127
    Ellis F5 Special #288
    '39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.

  9. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Boulder, CO & Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    2,562

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    I bet they are leaving the back door of the factory that makes the Ashton Bailey/Morgan Monroe tailpiece

    As low as $9
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-75x45x...-/322770832029
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	s-l1600.jpg 
Views:	160 
Size:	55.9 KB 
ID:	161007

  10. #9
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Manchester - Lancashire - NW England
    Posts
    14,187

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    The only problem with those tailpieces 'for some' folks, is that they have the ''Monteleone style'' hole spacing - as per Weber & Lebeda as well. They won't fit the majority of mandolins with the ''Gibson standard'' hole spacings.

    Lebeda 'Monte.' style hole spacing (Left) & Gibson style hole spacing.
    Ivan
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Lebeda vs Standard tailpiece footprint E.jpg 
Views:	149 
Size:	78.9 KB 
ID:	161008
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

  11. #10
    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Frederick,MD
    Posts
    2,304

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    At that price you don't have much to lose. If you have gold hardware on your instrument, this might not match, if that matters to you.
    BTW- I have a silver Ashton Baily on my Fullerton Gloucester. I didn't like the look of all that silver, so I painted the recess of the tailpiece with black paint to tone it down. I was very happy with the result and it's held up for quite a few years now.
    For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
    www.busmanwhistles.com
    Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.

  12. #11
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Tavistock UK
    Posts
    4,438

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Busman View Post
    At that price you don't have much to lose. If you have gold hardware on your instrument, this might not match, if that matters to you.
    BTW- I have a silver Ashton Baily on my Fullerton Gloucester. I didn't like the look of all that silver, so I painted the recess of the tailpiece with black paint to tone it down. I was very happy with the result and it's held up for quite a few years now.
    "Brass Black" is also a great way to make something like this black - it doesn't wear off or change electrical conductivity, and is probably the same treatment they use to produce the black gibson-style tailpieces.

    Shame they don't seem to be selling these in chrome as well...

  13. #12

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    I have a problem buying cheap knockoffs of a design someone has worked hard to produce. If it is the same product made in the same factory or not, I'm not buying it.
    Silverangel A
    Arches F style kit
    1913 Gibson A-1

  14. The following members say thank you to Br1ck for this post:


  15. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Boulder, CO & Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    2,562

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    I wouldn't feel bad about buying this tailpiece. I bet Morgan Monroe buy them from China for even less than $9 and charges $50 for them. The Morgan Monroe design is already a knockoff of the Montelone style from Allen guitars. If you have the money, I'd recommend an Allen tailpiece for $95. USA designed and made. If you are a poor student in need of a mandolin tailpiece, buy what you can afford.

  16. #14
    Registered User sblock's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Redwood City, CA
    Posts
    2,335

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    I have a problem buying cheap knockoffs of a design someone has worked hard to produce. If it is the same product made in the same factory or not, I'm not buying it.
    Would you have a similar problem buying a generic drug that cost hugely less than some name-brand version, I wonder? And would you buy aspirin or acetominophen rather than Bayer or Tylenol, for example? And have you ever shopped at Costco and bought their Kirkland brand? Examples abound.

    U.S. and international patents are good for 20 years, and if the cast Monteleone/Allen style tailpiece was ever patented (I don't know the answer), then any such patent has surely long since expired! So this is not a patent infringement issue. It is perfectly legal.

    This might be a "cheap" knockoff in the sense that the price is hugely less, but it's not clear if it is "cheap" in the sense of being poorly made. I suspect not, because cast tailpieces tend to be incredibly strong and overbuilt, but I would be interested in hearing the experience of any who try these.

  17. #15
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    I have a problem buying cheap knockoffs of a design someone has worked hard to produce. If it is the same product made in the same factory or not, I'm not buying it.
    I'm assuming you haven't bought any non-Gibson made A or F style mandolins.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  18. #16

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Just got one a few days ago. Put in on an old Harmony I'm gonna donate to the JAM program. Can't tell it from an AB tailpiece and neither can the old Harmony.

  19. #17
    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Frederick,MD
    Posts
    2,304

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Quote Originally Posted by Tavy View Post
    "Brass Black" is also a great way to make something like this black - it doesn't wear off or change electrical conductivity, and is probably the same treatment they use to produce the black gibson-style tailpieces.

    Shame they don't seem to be selling these in chrome as well...
    I'd be surprised if this tailpiece is actually brass. It's probably some generic pot metal, plated and maybe lacquered.
    For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
    www.busmanwhistles.com
    Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.

  20. #18
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    BonCarbo CO.
    Posts
    2,446

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Just ordered one at $8.99, let you know how it is :-)
    Jim Richmond

  21. #19

    Default Re: Cast tailpiece

    Anxious to hear how you get on with it, Jim. I posted my experience on the other, later thread about these

  22. The following members say thank you to JRG for this post:

    Jim 

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •