Extra string slots on the tailpiece. Why?
Extra string slots on the tailpiece. Why?
Tradition; although it depends on which type of tailpiece you’re talking about.
Here is the classic tailpiece designed by Gibson, which is now the most commonly seen style of tailpiece. There is a cover which slides over the top to protect you forearm, and there are twelve little hooks for the strings. Of course, you only have eight strings.
The one on the right was strung in the "correct" manner. Each unwound treble string hooks on and bends around the corner in a second hook on its way to the bridge. In the early 1900s the unwound strings had loops that were prone to slip, or came straight, with the player having to make his own loop. This tailpiece hook arrangement was a patented and cool device to eliminate the loose loop problem.
So, almost a century later, we have tight loops. Is it OK to string the Gibson style tailpiece like the one on the left. Sure, go ahead if you want to, but you'll be missing just a little of the old-time flavor.
Restring Your Mandolin
Thank you to Frank Ford.
Nice photo and explanation!
Here is the tailpiece patent assigned to Gibson. Notice the use of the term “snubbing post” when describing how the plain strings are routed under the first set of hooks before attaching the loop end to the hooks “substantially at right angles” to the first. I love these old patents.
Last edited by MarkELynch; Jul-17-2021 at 10:05pm.
Mark Lynch
Thanks everyone!!
As I said, tradition, but nowadays there’s no need.
A small followup: Is that "hook" meant for a strap? It looks rather tiny and unsecure.
Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
Hora M1088 Mandola.....
Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909
Looks adequate to me - back in the day, straps weren’t what they are today. Do you still have the slide-on cover? Perhaps that made it more secure?
Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
Hora M1088 Mandola.....
Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909
The strap was most likely a simple cord in that time frame. I still use a cord on a couple today. A mandolin is so light it doesn't need much more.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
It was a string changing revelation for me the first time I saw Marty Stuart’s carved up mandolin in Fretboard Journal with the tailpiece cover missing and the extra angled hooks not being used. (Not that using them was that hard, but still). Now I have James, Rigel, and Weber tailpieces, so it’s not an issue regardless…
Chuck
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