Collings tailpiece

**B Woods** · Oct-21-2006, 10:04pm

The tailpiece on my new MT is different from ones I have seen on other mandolins. It seems simple, elegant, functional. Is this design new to Collings, or are there other builders who use it as well? Is it, in fact, thought to be a worthy design? Cheers!

B

**Michael Lewis** · Oct-22-2006, 12:36am

Can't see it from here.

**B Woods** · Oct-24-2006, 7:51am

Thanks for your response, Michael. Excuse my obtuseness, but I don't quite understand your reply. What can't you see?

Any other thoughts, anyone? Has any other builder ever used this design? Doesn't having the hooks for string loops side by side make restringing easier? Doesn't eliminating the tailpiece cover simplify construction, maintenance and restringing?

Does anyone object to the design because it is not "traditional?"

**Gibson A5** · Oct-24-2006, 8:00am

I think what Michael was saying is for you to post a picture of it so we all can see it, then you might get some replies to your question.
Bill P.

**B Woods** · Oct-24-2006, 10:02am

Ah....the things we assume. ((Sheepish smile)) I was guessing that folks would be familiar with these instruments. Here's a link to a closeup on the Elderly website:

http://elderly.com/images/new_instru..._tailpiece.jpg

A thin, wedge-shaped piece of wood reposes underneath the point of the tailpiece, separating the strings from the metal and keeping them snug and quiet. That help?

**Bill James** · Oct-24-2006, 10:08am

" It seems simple, elegant, functional. #Is this design new to Collings, or are there other builders who use it as well? #Is it, in fact, thought to be a worthy design?"

It's very similar to the Allen TR.

**Frank Ford** · Oct-24-2006, 10:09am

These are really fine tailpieces, and Bill gets requests for them all the time. I don't kow about the current ones, but for at least the first year he couldn't find a way to get castings of high enough quality, so he MACHINED them out of solid brass stock, 1-1/2 inches thick. That's a lot of brass chips!

**Dagger Gordon** · Nov-06-2006, 3:27am

Changed the strings on my new MT for the first time yesterday. Found it a bit awkward, actually.

The MT tailpiece seems to have a piece of felt or something (definitely not wood) keeping the strings off the metal, and I found the end of the old string could catch on that when you pulled it out. Had to reallign it. I pushed one of the strings down a bit as I removed it to avoid the felt, and ended up slightly marking the wood with the end of the string.

Now that I know what to expect, I'll not make these mistakes again. Anyone else find string removal a bit awkward?

**fredfrank** · Nov-06-2006, 8:30am

I always put a piece of the string packaging under the tailpiece to protect the wood while changing strings. Either the plastic envelope or the paper folder will do the trick. That way you don't gouge the wood with the string end.