Author Topic: Readers' Instruments  (Read 164595 times)

Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #275 on: 31 March, 2019, 07:56:30 pm »
Nylon tailcords cost pennies not £10 each!!

Eg
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SODIAL-Violin-Nylon-Brass-Fiddle/dp/B018WWCQKY
seller is in China though

Yes, fitting is straightfoward but there some things to take note of, such as putting back the bridge in the "correct" or original  position, removing and refiting the chinrest, checking the soundpost, ratio of string length to the distance between bridge and tailpiece.

Or go to a specialist violin shop, where the price you'll pay is mainly for fitting and checking with the cost of the tailcord itself being negligible.

Woofage

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Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #276 on: 01 April, 2019, 01:22:53 pm »
Arsebollocks!
Picked my fiddle up for a play this morning, and it is borked. For those who don't know fiddles, the strings attach to a 'flooating' piece of wood called the 'tailpiece', which is secured to the fiddle by way of a loop of 'catgut' (tail gut) round a dowel (end pin) pushed into the instrument's base.

The tail gut has snapped, so I will need to find someone who can fettle it--it's not a huge job. The violin is one I have had since new, at the age of 11, and so is coming up to its half century. Not too shabby in the way of longevity, then.

That's an easy repair. Your LMS will have the bits (or complete tailpieces in stock if you decide to buy a replacement). May as well re-string while you're at it.

I was taking part in a carol concert a few years ago and my violin got knocked from my hand while I was holding a door open for someone. Cue detached fingerboard :o. Luckily the I was able to borrow in instrument from the conductor but it felt completely wrong :-\. It's been fine since it was repaired, thankfully.
Pen Pusher

Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #277 on: 07 April, 2019, 03:14:58 pm »
One for them there luthiers about the place. Laying it on with a shovel.

http://www.justinjohnsonlive.com/shovel-guitar.html

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #278 on: 08 April, 2019, 09:29:50 am »
$450???? Nice shovel.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #279 on: 08 April, 2019, 12:27:51 pm »
I think the $450 also buys the expectation (for at least the time from parting with the dosh to plugging it in) that you can make it sound as good as he can.....

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #280 on: 08 April, 2019, 12:53:05 pm »
The way I play these days I'd have a hard time selling mine for $10.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Reader's Instruments
« Reply #281 on: 09 April, 2019, 10:10:19 am »
And then there were four:



Build n°4, made at breakneck speed with workshop often too cold for the glue to set.
Neck in Pin du Jura, fretboard in mahogany, 20x30 cm box in Obeche & ply,
double piezo at bridge, 4-pole pickup at neck. No pickup switch, it's all
done by pots. Home-made Gibson-style truss rod.

Great sound, best I've done so far.

Shop now looks like a bomb hit it.

Some inspiration for your next one. An oil can guitar being seriously rocked:

https://youtu.be/eNoRUfz4jxc
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #282 on: 09 April, 2019, 01:32:31 pm »
Yeah, but I promised my daughter a real bass.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Mr Larrington

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Re: Reader's Instruments
« Reply #283 on: 10 April, 2019, 12:46:40 pm »
Some inspiration for your next one. An oil can guitar being seriously rocked:

https://youtu.be/eNoRUfz4jxc

My grate frend Mr Woolrich has seen her playing that one though she didn't bring it out when we saw her at the Borderline last year.  Instead bringing a trumpeter and saxophonist who were way too loud and rendered her guitar practically inaudible chiz.  She's playing at The Garage at Highbury Corner next month1 so I may give her another try.

1: Other UK gigs may be available.
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nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Reader's Instruments
« Reply #284 on: 10 April, 2019, 02:24:06 pm »
[ Instead bringing a trumpeter and saxophonist who were way too loud and rendered her guitar practically inaudible chiz. 
Ha!
Finally!!!
 ;D
There's no vibrations, but wait.

menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #285 on: 03 June, 2019, 12:48:38 pm »
Not a new instrument but thoughts on a new one. I know some of you here can actually make such things!

I would like to take a telecaster body and attach to it a suitably manufactured 5 string banjo neck. Would such a thing be possible? I think having the neck made is probably the only way to do this but the scale etc are relatively close so tuning etc should be possible.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #286 on: 03 June, 2019, 01:07:37 pm »
Not a new instrument but thoughts on a new one. I know some of you here can actually make such things!

I would like to take a telecaster body and attach to it a suitably manufactured 5 string banjo neck. Would such a thing be possible? I think having the neck made is probably the only way to do this but the scale etc are relatively close so tuning etc should be possible.

No experience but I've seen where people have converted electric guitars to a tenor (4 string) guitar. The 3 issues I see are: 


  • scale length (which you identified);
  • the neck width since a banjo neck will be narrower than a guitar so you'll need to either have a neck that widens to fill the neck pocket, of course if you're getting a custom neck made you can specify that in
  • the strings may not be perfectly over the poles of the pickups so you may get a weaker signal. But since we're talking banjos that's probably a benefit ;D
To make intonation easier you might want to consider a 25.5" neck (Telecaster standard) - I don't know what length a banjo neck normally is - otherwise if you can't compensate with the bridge you may need to move it which will be messy.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #287 on: 03 June, 2019, 01:10:26 pm »
P.S. Obligatory banjo joke



;D

menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #288 on: 03 June, 2019, 01:13:38 pm »
Not a new instrument but thoughts on a new one. I know some of you here can actually make such things!

I would like to take a telecaster body and attach to it a suitably manufactured 5 string banjo neck. Would such a thing be possible? I think having the neck made is probably the only way to do this but the scale etc are relatively close so tuning etc should be possible.

No experience but I've seen where people have converted electric guitars to a tenor (4 string) guitar. The 3 issues I see are: 


  • scale length (which you identified);
  • the neck width since a banjo neck will be narrower than a guitar so you'll need to either have a neck that widens to fill the neck pocket, of course if you're getting a custom neck made you can specify that in
  • the strings may not be perfectly over the poles of the pickups so you may get a weaker signal. But since we're talking banjos that's probably a benefit ;D
To make intonation easier you might want to consider a 25.5" neck (Telecaster standard) - I don't know what length a banjo neck normally is - otherwise if you can't compensate with the bridge you may need to move it which will be messy.

My Deering is 26 1/4 but for standard open G anything from 25 1/2 to 27 seems to work, at least that is what my research indicates! I think it should be ok. As for the pickups something lipsticky or railey might better suit but if I can use the tele bridge and get the string run correct from the headstock that might just negate any misalignment. I have been thinking about this for a while, I just don't have any manual skill to carry it off!

Edit: https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/prod/5-string-banjos/Gold-Tone-EB-5-Electric-Banjo-with-Gig-Bag.htm
This has a 25 1/2 scale length, so it is obviously possible!

menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #289 on: 03 June, 2019, 01:14:24 pm »
And as for banjo noises, it should make it sound basically like an electric guitar.  ;)

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #290 on: 03 June, 2019, 02:06:07 pm »
And as for banjo noises, it should make it sound basically like an electric guitar.  ;)

:)

Yes, my electric mandolin sounds pretty much like an electric guitar so I’d expect the banjo to sound similar but with the benefit of banjo tuning.

Joking aside I quite like the sound of a banjo. Have you head the new Rhiannon Giddens?

menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #291 on: 03 June, 2019, 02:53:07 pm »
And as for banjo noises, it should make it sound basically like an electric guitar.  ;)

:)

Yes, my electric mandolin sounds pretty much like an electric guitar so I’d expect the banjo to sound similar but with the benefit of banjo tuning.

Joking aside I quite like the sound of a banjo. Have you head the new Rhiannon Giddens?

I have not, I will give it a go later.

Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #292 on: 03 June, 2019, 02:56:38 pm »
That Mr Richards has made a decent living playing a Telecaster with only 5 strings in an odd tuning.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #293 on: 03 June, 2019, 03:09:21 pm »
That is the other option, cheap Tele, banjo strings and a spike at the 5th fret to bring the high G into the right tuning...

Would be a good proof of concept before doing anything drastic.

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #294 on: 04 June, 2019, 08:32:28 am »
Blimey.  How does Seasick Steve manage with an old hub cap and a bit of broomstick?

Steph

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Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #295 on: 13 June, 2019, 07:32:10 am »
Not connected with photos...

Noticed my old mandolin was sounding a bit dull on the A and E strings, and on inspection those have cut into the frets. It is just the first five or six frets, because I rarely play past second position. Thoughts/costs of fixing?
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #296 on: 13 June, 2019, 08:03:36 am »
Hard to say without looking. You may get away with a fret dressing but if they're very worn the dressed frets will be lower than the undressed ones which could cause buzzing depending on how high your action is set.

From the price list at London Guitar Hospital https://guitarhospital.co.uk/pricelist.php it looks like £40-50. That's for a guitar but a mandolin shouldn't be much different

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #297 on: 01 August, 2019, 08:40:26 pm »
I only went out for new strings



Andrij

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  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #298 on: 01 August, 2019, 10:22:01 pm »
Yes, dear, I did buy new strings.  Guitar?  No, that's just the packaging.
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Readers' Instruments
« Reply #299 on: 02 August, 2019, 07:49:27 am »
Got to have something to straighten them with.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight