James tailpiece

[Mr. Loar]

What are the advantages over anything else?

[JEStanek]

Mr. Loar,

I did a search of James AND Tailpiece in the equipment section for today and older and go these threads. The James IMO has a great tradtional look, and according to most others it is very easy for string changes.

There are plenty of instances where people say changing the tailpiece alters the tone a good bit (heavier TP = better tone) and plenty of others that say the TP impact is minimal.

You'll have some reading to do.

Jamie

[300win]

Jamie I came to the opposite conclusion of the idea of tailpiece. On 3 of the last 4 mandolins I've owned changing the tailpiece out for a traditional stamped brass Gibson style tailpiece improved the tone on those mandolins. I guess like all the other things with a mandolin although they look the same, they don't always have the same results when changing something on them.

[Brad Weiss]

Some advantages: they look great, come in a variety of styles, will be engraved for base price, hold the string in place during changes to simplify restringing, they don't seem to tarnish, or degrade with wear. #I have no idea if they improve tone or volume, but they do have distinct advantages

[Jim Hilburn]

I would call a James a medium weight tailpiece. Heavier than a trad. stamped but lighter than the cast ones.
They're pretty close to perfect.

[chip]

This is my new invention, The Silverplate Shell Tailpiece..
I put this on my Gilly..What da ya think?

[JEStanek]

Looks kinda big on the instrument Maybe you could post different pics in a new thread on it. The aestheic may appeal to some folks. Do the strings attach like on a cloud TP or some other way?

Jamie

[chip]

It doubles as an armrest and lunch box!

[Chris Biorkman]

This is my new invention, The Silverplate Shell Tailpiece..
I put this on my Gilly..What da ya think?

Good gravy! Are you looking for investors? PM me if interested.

[MikeEdgerton]

I actually like the way the James Tailpiece is made. The one thing that I do caution people on is that it will not fit onto an Eastman without filling and redrilling the peghole (unless they've changed in the last two years). I bought one for the 615 I used to own and ended up returning it because I didn't want to go through that much trouble.

[Kbone]

This is my new invention, The Silverplate Shell Tailpiece..
I put this on my Gilly..What da ya think?

Hey, no hijacking this thread

[jimbob]

Mr. Hilburn put James TP's on my mandolins. They are great. They really make string changes much easier and they look fantastic.

[Lane Pryce]

It doubles as an armrest and lunch box!

Never a shortage of mando humor!!!!! Foe a second I thought he got you Jamie.

Regarding the tail piece ----- what Brad said. Lp

[Frank Russell]

Only difference I've ever noticed myself with a more solid tailpiece was greater sustain. That said, I just traded into a mandolin that has my first ever James tailpiece, and I can see what all the fuss was about. Great form and function in one package. I really like it, and I've tried most all of them. Frank

[JEStanek]

I've been had by a photoshoped scallop! No pearl for me!


Jamie

[Jonathan Peck]

There are plenty of instances where people say changing the tailpiece alters the tone a good bit (heavier TP = better tone) and plenty of others that say the TP impact is minimal.

My first reaction to the Allen tailpiece was that it's a PIA to change strings. I can't prove or disprove anything regarding weight influencing tone, but I can say for certain that the mandolin I have with the Allen sounds so good, I will not mess with it for convenience sake.

The James blends beauty and convenience and is a great improvement over stamped traditional tailpieces. I have one mandolin with each type (James/Allen). If I were a braver man I'd swap the two tailpieces to see how it influences tone, but I'm just not curious enough...and even if I were, It would be pointless to try and convince anybody of my opinions anyhow.

[Mr. Loar]

Thanks for all the "to the point" responses and humor. I had to come to a swift conclusion regarding the tailpiece choice on my latest venture. I'm glad I didn't have to read through all the old posts.

[Lefty&French]

...I'm glad I didn't have to read through all the old posts.

Glad?

[Salty Dog]

One item that is seldom mentioned is that the "O-rings" in the James tailpiece eliminate the need for the "spurious harmonics" grommet eliminators that many people put between the strings positioned between the bridge and the tailpiece. #I don't know if these things make much of a difference, but a lot of people seem to use them.

[Mr. Loar]

...I'm glad I didn't have to read through all the old posts.

Glad?

I hate to read.

[Gutbucket]

I had an old Hudson that had hubcaps like that scalloped tailpiece. With the spare in the trunk, I could have had five.

[jimbob]

I had never given much thought to the orings acting as vibration surpressors, but now that you mention it, that's another very nice feature of the James TP

[Joel Spaulding]

Will be receiving my iii mandolin next week, complete with a James tailpiece (The back of the mando can be seen on the Gallery page, top left). I chose it partially #based on the overwhelmingly positive responses from this board, but mostly for the purported #ease of string changes. Oh, they also look "way cool". - evidently the "cool"
emoticon doesn't work for me either. #

Will post my impressions after the first string change.

[F5G WIZ]

They balance out the Waverlies quite nicely.

[Mr. Loar]

They balance out the Waverlies quite nicely.

That's great to know since my Poe will have both.