Which Tailpiece Do You Really Hate?

[mtucker]

i really hate this black chrome on my axe

[Bob Clark]

The easiest one I have used is the tailpiece on my Phoenix Neoclassical. It is a pretty plain design except for the ebony overlay that really dresses it up. The nice big hooks point downward at the leading edge of the tailpiece making string changed a snap.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Ray - I use the old trick of using a string packet slid under the front of the tailpiece when removing & fitting strings. That prevents any possibility of scratches occuring. Also,if say,a 3rd or 4th string is really twisted,i give them a quick straighten out with a pair of snipe nosed pliers. I've not got a single hint of a scratch on either my Weber or Lebeda mandolins.

OneChord - I have to do the same with the strings on my Weber - pre-bend them so that they easily fit onto the tiny 'hook'. The problem with that is,you have to make sure that the bend is facing downwards when you've passed the strings under the tailpiece,or you have the fiddly job of trying to twist them around,
Ivan

[OneChordTrick]

Ivan, thanks. I'll give that a try when it gets its long overdue change

[ricklmf]

Hmmm. I get the tail end of my strings stabilized first, (with a capo or sometimes masking tape), and then attack the capstan end. I don't really dislike any tail pieces aesthetically, and some are really beautiful.

I never thought of this, and I agree about the Collings tail piece. Took my almost two sets of strings to string it the first time! Use a Capo. Genius. I thank you!.

[CWRoyds]

I have disliked every tailpiece that wasn’t a James, especially the cloud tailpiece on the Gretsch mandolins.
That is a truly terrible design.
The Allen cast one is pretty cool, but the finest one I have used is the James.
The James rocks.