Gold-plated Eastman mandolin tailpiece...

[meow-n-dolin]

Just a quick question.... I have looked online (no luck, no surprise).
Is it possible to purchase an Eastman mandolin tailpiece - gold-plated?

Thanks in advance for your response!

Al

[keith.rogers]

Maybe try calling a dealer, like The Mandolin Store? Seems like a spare part that somebody like that could source. Might be spendy, though. (And, if it were, I would probably take that opportunity to find something a little more user friendly!)

[Chompa]

If you are upgrading from a stamped to a cast tail piece on an Eastman mandolin, you might want to consider this as FYI:

I inquired with Eastman a year or two ago about obtaining a cast tail piece for my older MD305 as an upgrade and a match to the one that came stock on my new MD314.

I believe it can be ordered through a dealer but I was advised that the screw holes do not line up, so filling the existing holes in the mandolin and re-drilling would be necessary.

[meow-n-dolin]

If you are upgrading from a stamped to a cast tail piece on an Eastman mandolin, you might want to consider this as FYI:

I inquired with Eastman a year or two ago about obtaining a cast tail piece for my older MD305 as an upgrade and a match to the one that came stock on my new MD314.

I believe it can be ordered through a dealer but I was advised that the screw holes do not line up, so filling the existing holes in the mandolin and re-drilling would be necessary.

Thanks, Chompa. I have the cast tailpiece, just going with gold hardware. I will try the Mandolin Store. I like the Eastman tailpieces, but won't be heartbroken if I can't get one. (I am looking at the James and the Allen products as possibilities.)

Al

[Northwest Steve]

I don't remember seeing them in gold. Allen makes a similar tailpiece and I believe they come in gold.

[keith.rogers]

I don't remember seeing them in gold. Allen makes a similar tailpiece and I believe they come in gold.

The older 815/V I have has "gold" hardware. I hadn't realized it wasn't standard now. The tailpiece doesn't look like it's held up well, but I haven't made an attempt to polish it - possibly why they discontinued that?

[Simon DS]

Oops, sorry wrong post.

[Mandobart]

I have cast Allen tailpieces on 4 instruments in brass/bronze. Polished up they are a shiny gold color. I particularly like the ones that will take both ball or loop end strings, always nice to have the flexibility if you have a string break.

Plugging and drilling new mounting holes is easy peasy. If the end pin/strap button/output jack location doesn't align it's not so easy....

[meow-n-dolin]

I have cast Allen tailpieces on 4 instruments in brass/bronze. Polished up they are a shiny gold color. I particularly like the ones that will take both ball or loop end strings, always nice to have the flexibility if you have a string break.

Plugging and drilling new mounting holes is easy peasy. If the end pin/strap button/output jack location doesn't align it's not so easy....

Thanks, Mandobart. The Allen looks good, I like the design. Plugging the strap button hole, if necessary, isn't a big deal for me, I'll just use an old strap button, cut off to the right length, and recontoured.

[mandroid]

Even switching from smaller footprint tail piece like Allen MR to TR , a larger one,

& plugging - re drilling the jack/end pin hole is covered up by the larger tailpiece foot print..

MR like Lebeda installed one, to a James in my case..

[meow-n-dolin]

Thanks, mandroid. I decided to take and bought this Chinese-made tailpiece (Amazon also has them). I figured for $14, why not?

It looks, works and sounds as it should. I had to re-drill one of the small screw holes, which the tailpiece covers. The original strap button is also utilized, no modifications. It works with ball-end strings, as well.

The screws which came with the tailpiece were much smaller (thickness) than the original screws, so I used some gold-plated pickguard screws designed for use on a Les Paul (a few bucks for a bunch of them on Amazon.)

We will see how it holds up!



Thanks to everyone for their input!

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm always happy to see folks making changes that make sense to them. I love hot rods.