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Thread: Tailpiece Is Crooked

  1. #1

    Default Tailpiece Is Crooked

    My mandolin is a handmade Neapolitan Mandolin from Sicily (Musikalia model 606 sp), when I received it, I noticed that the tailpiece is off center, thus the bridge is as well because of the string pressure. I haven't found it to affect the sound, but visually, it annoys me. I will attach photos below, will this affect the sound or is it fine the way it is?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The top of the tailpiece.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    The tailpiece from the bottom, notice how it is not centered.

    Sorry about the images being flipped, I don't know why it did that (If you turn your display it helps a lot for perspective). The first image is much better (I should have reviewed their quality).

  2. #2
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    First things first:
    It looks like the bridge is very poorly fit to the top. If I am correct, the bottom picture shows one end of the bridge not even touching the top. That should be corrected.

    As for the tailpiece, it needs to be installed so that the strings track near the center of the fingerboard, and it looks like they do, though maybe a little toward the treble side, which is sometimes done intentionally. If the tailpiece is off of the body center line and yet the strings track the center of the 'board, the tailpiece is installed the best it can be and it won't affect the sound. it indicates that the neck and body center lines diverge; not the ideal situation, but at this point it is what it is because re-setting the neck to center it would not be economically feasible.

    Edit:
    What I'm seeing that looks like the end of the bridge not contacting the top might be the pick guard and reflections and such fooling my eye, so it might be fine.

  3. #3
    Registered User Greg Mirken's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    John, enlarging the photo from above shows the treble end of the bridge indeed not making contact. Good catch.
    And as John says, the tailpiece should be mounted so the strings track down the center of the fingerboard. Moving it over a bit should be a trivial job; the tailpiece will cover the unused holes. Just in case, I'd look inside with a small mirror to be sure the endblock is located where it will support the tailpiece if you move it.
    Shade Tree Fretted Instrument Repair, retired
    Nevada City, California

  4. #4

    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    Thanks, I was aware that the bridge is not touching on one side, I can try to move it, but the soundboard is a little weirdly-shaped, specifically that there is not a joint where the angle changes like most Neapolitan Mandolins. From the above responses, I assume that the tailpiece is fine as long a I move the bridge? It is close to center, but still off a bit.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    I tried to move the bridge, but no matter where I move it about the same amount of space is open on that side, I assume it is weirdly shaped in a vertical line. Will this be a big problem? Or is it fine the way it is?
    Also, when I was moving the bridge towards the G & D side, I noticed the strings where no longer aligned with the fretboard, but are aligned when the bridge is shifted towards the A & E side. Is it possible that the maker realised that the neck was off so the tailpiece was just made to align with that?

  6. #6
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    Quote Originally Posted by SignorNic View Post
    ...Is it possible that the maker realised that the neck was off so the tailpiece was just made to align with that?
    That is exactly what It think happened and apparently did not make clear in my post above.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Tailpiece Is Crooked

    Ah, thank you.

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