avengers63 Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 I'm working on a flat-top guitar, TOM bridge. I want a trapeze tailpiece made from wood. It's +/- 9.25" from the bottom of the body to the intonation center. The body will be >2" thick and about 65%-75% hollow. I want the TP to hang over the back of the body 1.5-2" and screw into the bottom. The lip will match the contour of the body. I want the strings to go through the TP via metal ferrules. The body of the TP needs to be large enough to house a 3.5"x2.5" inlay. I'd like the outside edge to be bound to match the body. I would like, but it is not necessary to have, some king of keyholes for the top wood to show through. The TP will be made from poplar and painted black. So.... experience, input, or suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Nothing I can help with, but I do remember seeing a thread a while back about this. Don't know if you saw it. http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...mp;hl=tailpiece There's a link to a few pics at David Myka's website as well in that thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 I'm working on a flat-top guitar, TOM bridge. I want a trapeze tailpiece made from wood. It's +/- 9.25" from the bottom of the body to the intonation center. The body will be >2" thick and about 65%-75% hollow. I want the TP to hang over the back of the body 1.5-2" and screw into the bottom. The lip will match the contour of the body. I want the strings to go through the TP via metal ferrules. The body of the TP needs to be large enough to house a 3.5"x2.5" inlay. I'd like the outside edge to be bound to match the body. I would like, but it is not necessary to have, some king of keyholes for the top wood to show through. The TP will be made from poplar and painted black. So.... experience, input, or suggestions? and I want a pony. Paint on an Acoustic sacrilege I tell you.. Sounds like you know what you want just build it?? However I would probably find a harder wood to use, the standard for a large wood tailpiece would be ebony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Not acoustic, but not too far off from being a semi-. The body has a 2" frame with a solid core. It's getting a 1/4" back put on and a nice 1/8" top. The frame is +/- 3/8" thick. Anyway, yes, I know almost exactly what I want. The problem is that I don't know how to get it. The links in Pierce's thread (thanks!) show a number of TPs, none of which are a solid piece wrapping around the corner. In fact, the only trapeze I recall seeing that didn't have a hinge is the Selmer variety. Is there a reason for this other than ease of construction? Spoke... you mentioned that I should use a harder wood. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Benedetto Tailpiece Stew Mac has a good picture, measurements, and some instructions for installation. I would use something like Ebony, Rosewood, Bocote, Cocobolo, or even Hard Maple for the wood. Make a template and have at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've seen tailpieces with wooden hinges before. Is that good enough? A solid piece wrapping around the corner isn't likely to be ideal if made of wood - with the forces exerted on the tailpiece, I'd imagine you'll have issues with the strength of short pieces of endgrain. Maybe there's a way to orient the wood around this that I'm missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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