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Anyone used a violin-style tailpiece on a CBG?

Posted by Justin Stanchfield on February 9, 2024 at 12:25am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hi all!

Have any of you built a cbg with a violin-style tailpiece, one that is fixed by a cord to a tailpin and essentially floats rather than being hard to the body? How did it work out? I'm building a couple of baritone scale guitars and thought such a tailpiece might make it easier to find strings long enough.

FWIW, I've built a lyre with this style tailpiece and swapped out the tails on my viola before, but I've never tried one on a guitar.

All thioughts appreciated.

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Replies

  • Carl Floyd March 1, 2024 at 6:23pm

    I am sure that most here, myself included, agree with Ray, Taff!

  • Taffy Evans March 1, 2024 at 6:10pm

    Hi Ray, you're too kind mate, thanks for the comments.
    Taff

  • Southern Ray March 1, 2024 at 11:21am

     This series of photos made me grin from ear to ear. You do fine work, Taffy.

  • Southern Ray February 25, 2024 at 12:53pm

     Very good thread. I am interested in this myself. 

     Taffy, gorgeous piece of work there. Is it iroko?

    • Taffy Evans > Southern Ray February 25, 2024 at 4:36pm

      Hi, thanks for the nice comments, Ray.
      I have finally finished the piece and it's fitted to the guitar, and more importantly, the customer is happy. He gave me the timber and I forgot to ask what it was. If you use this style of tailpiece you will need a much higher bridge if used with a flat top. This will also mean a backward set neck.
      12389299901?profile=RESIZE_710x
      12389300067?profile=RESIZE_710x
      12389300091?profile=RESIZE_710x
      12389301474?profile=RESIZE_710x
      here's one I built for a flat top CBG style fiddle...
      12389301501?profile=RESIZE_710x
      Enjoy, Taff

  • Taffy Evans February 12, 2024 at 6:42pm

    Hi Justin, shown here is a tailpiece I have just finished making for a customer's guitar and fitting it to the guitar has caused me to try many different fitting methods.
    12378773880?profile=RESIZE_710x

    These wooden tailpieces are often found on upmarket custom arch-top guitars, the problem I had was that this guitar has a thinner body so the normal cello tail nylon was too long. I tried many other "cords" even a motorcycle throttle cable, but they all stretched.
    12378773893?profile=RESIZE_710x

    So, I have ordered a couple of trapeze-style tailpieces and plan to cut off the tailpiece at the hinge area and fit the hinge to the wooden tailpiece and screw it to the guitar as mentioned by Brian.

    PS... those geared pegs are crazy expensive
    Is there a cigar box big enough for a Cello, Hahaha.
    I have fitted electric bass guitar tuners to some cello's, instead if the normal friction pegs.

    • Justin Stanchfield > Taffy Evans February 17, 2024 at 11:10pm

      Thanks for posting this! I missed seeing it earlier, but that is exactly what I was wondering about.

  • BrianQ. February 12, 2024 at 5:24pm

    A trapeze style tailpiece for an arch top guitar is screwed to the body, but a violin style tailpiece is secured with a cord around a peg & held in place by the pull of string tension? These kind of tailpiece’s aren’t used on flat top’s, they benefit contoured top instruments more, but if your a no rules guy, have at it, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. I would use a top loading hard tail bridge because you don’t need a tailpiece & the string will anchor close to saddle, so you don’t have to worry about string length? Gitty has some kool affordable tailpiece’s & they’re made right there at the warehouse? Good luck on the build :) 

    https://www.cbgitty.com/tailpieces/

  • Carl Floyd February 12, 2024 at 10:50am

    Sure, why not. Will likely have to trim it to get a length that will work, as Taff mentioned.

    Is the trapeze tailpiece found on many archtop guitars not a variation on a theme (violin tailpiece)?

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