325 Tailpiece Bracket--What did JL do?

wj350 · Post by **wj350** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:53 pm

reading about some of the mods here, I've only seen one person discuss the tailpiece bracket once the Bigsby is installed (Jerry(?) I think who had the very nice custom bracket reinstalled).

Just curious what John did, and what the rest of you have done?

Bill

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:18 am

Bill, when Lennon had the Bigsby installed on his 58 325 by Chris Huston, the tailpiece bracket was removed along with the Kauffman, the original bridge and bridgeplate. The B5 was mounted directly on the top with no overhang so there was no need for the bracket.

Here is some good reading for you..

http://www.beatles.rickresource.com/

wj350 · Post by **wj350** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:49 am

John, thanks! What I was really wondering is if John L did anything with the screw holes for the bracket once it was removed. I just put the screws back in mine, I was thinking I'd just touch them up black to be less visible. Another guy was telling me to just go ahead and fill the holes with wood filler and touch finish that way.

Just curious what happened with the original and what you good folks here had opted to do.

Bill

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:44 am

Wood filler? That's for making crooked bookshelves straight, or something. It'll shrink and fall out.

Use a small wooden dowel (1/8" or 3/16" in diameter). Cut some 2" lengths off of it.

Sharpen one end to a point on some sandpaper, and coat the end with yellow glue or gap-filling super glue. Lightly hammer the dowel into the screw hold so it's an interference fit. Let dry for an hour or so. Cut or saw the dowel off flush with the surface of the guitar, touch up with clear nail polish or black paint. Done.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:53 am

Everything I know about John Lennon tells me that he never even considered the fact that screw holes would remain after the removal of the original vibrato.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:27 am

Boy. T R U E, methinks!

I'll bet those holes are still there. Or maybe the guy filled them with some stopper when he repainted it.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:50 am

Paul: I personally spend a lot of time planning any modifications to my guitars. I work very slowly and methodically to prevent damage (i.e. apply multiple layers of masking tape over finished surfaces, pre-drilling all screw holes, soaping screws, etc), take a lot of measurements, and test fit everything. I have abandoned several planned mods after discovering that new hardware won't cover screw holes or finish marks left by original hardware. This is the difference between a guy with an engineer's mind and a guy with an artist's mind. John Lennon was an artist.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:41 am

On my 325C58JG I installed the Bigsby and used the screws to fill the holes. Perhaps this one needs to go to Paul as well.

hamiltone · Post by **hamiltone** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:33 am

Here....this photo of John's 325 might help. From what I can tell, nothing was done to the screw holes after the Kauffman was removed.

Study.

Discuss.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:51 am

Is that an order, Karl?

Randy, you must have two brains...I say this because Ricks appeal as much to the senses as they do to our left, logical brain. So don't sell our type short.

John, on the other hand, was all Id and right brain. I don't think he ever had an ounce of organizational skills in his body. In that sense, he got a good match in Yoko, who was a supremely capable manipulator and plotter.

325_fan · Post by **325_fan** » Fri May 19, 2006 12:49 am

Man, that tailpiece doesn't even look like it's lined up with anything. It looks cocked to me.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Fri May 19, 2006 6:04 am

Paul, maybe that is why he and McCartney were so successful together as well. I'm not sure if you meant it in a negative way, but I think Paul served in the same capacity.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri May 19, 2006 6:29 am

Nothing negative meant.

I just deleted a couple of paragraphs in frustration, trying to capture John's take on life and his struggles with self and others.

He's a tough one to nail down. It would take more than a couple of paragraphs to do him justice, to be sure!