merit to "washer trick"?

[johnallg]

Tried yesterday the two coins trick, i used very little and thin coins, just because i was afraid to ruin the wood under the tailpiece.
I noticed no improvement / no difference at all, maybe i should use thicker coins. What is the suggested coin / washer thickness ?

Coin or washer should fill the gap between the maple wood and the bottom of the tailpiece. I needed different diameter washers because they were different thinknesses and chose the ones to fill the gap.

[johnallg]

And I've found washers under the tail to make no tonal difference. Maybe they will help to keep the tail from lifting though.

I have to agree - the real purpose is to stop the screws from pulling the tailpiece into the too deep rout and making the ends lift up. That tendency to lift is exacerbated by string tension.

[FretlessOnly]

And I've found washers under the tail to make no tonal difference. Maybe they will help to keep the tail from lifting though.

I have to agree - the real purpose is to stop the screws from pulling the tailpiece into the too deep rout and making the ends lift up. That tendency to lift is exacerbated by string tension.

I understood that!

But seriously, thanks. That makes a whole lot of sense.

[cangaroo]

Ummm i guessed that the two (or more) coins trick was made to extend the contact area between the tailpiece and the wood ...

[paul_yan]

Right on, Mattia! I did went through a few coins of different natioanlities/values/thicknesses to make sure that the coins were snugly touching both the bottoms of the tailpiece and the cavity.

[rokkitt]

1/16"-1/8" of tail lift is not a problem? Are you kidding me? I'm amazed at what some folks will put up with. If you think that kind lift has no effect on tone, you're kidding yourself.

ha!

yeah I had a salesperson at a music store try to sell me a new 2009 with about 1/8 inch lift, saying they all do that


hmmmm maybe could have got it, and sent the bridge back under warranty? maybe got a warranty swap?

oh welll, it was jetglo, I shoulda snagged it....

big al

[T.A.R.]

That's it I've got to get things back to right!

[T.A.R.]

Job done! I went with a piece of mahogany as I had almost 1/8" to make up. There is a definite difference in tone(warmer and clearer) and I seem to have even more sustain. The mahogany piece is not glued, I didn't feel the need to and found a signature "Maria something".
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11470624@N07/4454086086/

Thanks to everyone on the forum you gave me the knowledge

[cangaroo]

^^^

So basically you've done a job like this :

[jamespaul71]

just wanted to post that I tried this out and it helped the sound of the e string in a massive way, it seems to vibrate a lot better now. I don't know if it is the result of more contact or if by random chance the bridge moved just a microscopic bit and it corrected something but it seems to make a big difference in the tone. If others have tried it and found no difference then it sounds like this is a case-by-case tweak per the instrument. Very cool tweak

[T.A.R.]

Exactly that. I kept on trying it in place until I had good contact all around the tail piece. There was more to straightening the tail than one application of the clamp. I applied pressure were the three screws are and then found I had to do the same were the two screws are.This was done to put them in the same plane as the outside edges of the tailpiece.

I don,t remember who but this came from someone on this forum, he used maple.

[antonius]

I had some tail lift on my 1975 4001 - perhaps enough to just get one and a half credit cards into the end of the gap. I've never considered it a major problem but thought I would see if straightening it improved the instrument. So today I straightened the tailpiece using the clamp and piece of wood method. It was quite easy to do. I also put some coins under the tailpiece. I know they are a snug fit because they have left slight indentations in the cavity. Anyway, I was pretty pleased with myself. But this evening, several hours after putting the strings on, the tail has lifted a little, despite having the coins under the bridge in the cavity. The gap isn't as wide as it was before - perhaps just slightly less than a credit card. I use D'Addario EXL190 (40,60,80,100), which I don't consider to be particularly high in tension. So for me this has only been a partial success. But I sense that the tone and sustain has improved slightly, giving a slightly more solid note with more depth, but also quite warm. But then maybe I'm just hearing what I want to hear.. Anyway, if the tailpiece doesn't lift any more I guess I'll be happy...

[johnallg]

I don,t remember who but this came from someone on this forum, he used maple.

I believe that was Ted.

[T.A.R.]

John I believe you're right he had great pictures of the process.My name being Ted you would think I would have remembered his, My apologies to Ted.
Antonius, I experienced the same thing the first time. That was when I found that the area around the back two screws was making contact with the body before the outside edges of the tailpiece. After straightening that out, reassembled and only just tightened the screws, I didn't bear down hard on them. I tried the fit several times looking for "high spots" rocking the piece. When it didn't rock I screwed it in place trying not to over tighten any of the screws.

[ilan]

^^^

So basically you've done a job like this :

New desktop wallpaper! Yay!