Old Tail piece repair...

[MollyKay]

...the horizontal strip that runs under the strings on the tail piece is almost gone. What material should be used to replace it? Wood, plastic, rubber. This is for 40's Epiphone tail piece of rosewood and in pretty good shape but this strip is almost completely gone from age. Any insight is appreciated...and I know...it is just an old plywood bass, but it is my baby.

Thanks!

[Chasarms]

I think a very hard wood would be my first choice. Preferably a wood the same as the tail piece for aesthetic purposes.

[HawkdaddyCU]

My 40's Blonde Epi has a maple tailpiece with a tortise shell rib. Looks great against the maple. Not sure about the ebony but I know you could get someone making tortise shell picks to make one to your specs. Just a thought when i ran across this thread.

[PoorPlayer]

It sounds like you are talking about the saddle. The horizontal piece that sits on the top of the bass where the tailpiece wires bend to connect to the endpin. Ebony seems to be the wood of choice. Find a site that sells parts and search for 'saddle'.

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by PoorPlayer

It sounds like you are talking about the saddle. The horizontal piece that sits on the top of the bass where the tailpiece wires bend to connect to the endpin. Ebony seems to be the wood of choice. Find a site that sells parts and search for 'saddle'.

I don't think so. I think he is talking about the rib on the tailpiece that the strings break over into the holes.

[PoorPlayer]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

I don't think so. I think he is talking about the rib on the tailpiece that the strings break over into the holes.

That would keep my streak of incorrect replies intact.

[billyfalconer]

Originally Posted by PoorPlayer

That would keep my streak of incorrect replies intact.

I was going to say something earlier, but I already busted your chops a bit in another thread . In your defense, though, not all tailpieces have that ridge.

[jtlownds]

I may be wrong, but I believe that piece is called a fret. Basses really do have frets?

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by billyfalconer

. . . not all tailpieces have that ridge.

True. I have seen some with out them.

It does cause to question their purpose. The true witness point of the string is the bridge. What's the point of them really, except perhaps to minimize the strings contact with the tail piece?

They must have some value, as my Pecanic compensated has a little one on it for each string. Would seem like a lot of work for aesthetics.

[PoorPlayer]

Originally Posted by billyfalconer

I was going to say something earlier, but I already busted your chops a bit in another thread . In your defense, though, not all tailpieces have that ridge.

Keep me honest, I'm a newby here!

Would that piece have anything to do with reducing wolf tones or preventing buzz?

[JoeyNaeger]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

True. I have seen some with out them.

It does cause to question their purpose. The true witness point of the string is the bridge. What's the point of them really, except perhaps to minimize the strings contact with the tail piece?

They must have some value, as my Pecanic compensated has a little one on it for each string. Would seem like a lot of work for aesthetics.

I imagine it makes it easier to tune the afterlengths when there is a definate stop.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by PoorPlayer

Would that piece have anything to do with reducing wolf tones or preventing buzz?

Buzz ... and it would keep the string from cutting into the vertical grain of the tailpiece over time.

[mpm]

Yep, I call them frets. Although Ahnold did make a tailpiece for his last ISB competition bass with no frets. Beautiful piece out of Cuban mahogany. Won a tone award it did. I've been toying with the idea too. I suspect the original thought behind having the fret there is to eliminate the chance of buzz where the string actually exits the slot. In my experience I've found the string(s) have a resistance to bending at a right angle so the fret just might be superfluous. And to Chris, a razor blade is just an Exacto knife without a handle isn't it?

[MollyKay]

The Epiphone tail piece has been repaired. We used a piece of Brazilian cherry wood (as hard as nails) for the fret piece. This wood is so hard it sparks when you cut it. The color looks very nice and the bass sounds amazing. This wood worked very well for this repair. See the before and after pictures.

Thanks for the advice as always!

[PoorPlayer]

Beautiful!