Tim Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 OK Guys...help me out here and please excuse my stupidity if this is an easy fix. I have a beautiful H550 that I purchased right here on this wonderful website. I seem to be having a problem keeping my A string on the tailpiece. I open the case and it is loose. I put it back on the tailpiece and close the case. I open the case and it is loose again. Too few wraps around the tuning pegs? I should also note that (I think) this baby has flatwound 12's (any former owners, feel free to chime in)...thanks in advance.
yoslate Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 A little clarification, Tim? You said "on the tailpiece." I'm not sure if, by your description, you mean tailpiece or bridge. I'm just having a difficult time understanding where that "A" string is getting funky. Is the ball end leaving its notch in the tailpiece when you close the case, or is the "A" simply coming out of its groove in the bridge? Either way, this is a little odd.
Tim Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 A little clarification, Tim? You said "on the tailpiece." I'm not sure if, by your description, you mean tailpiece or bridge. I'm just having a difficult time understanding where that "A" string is getting funky. Is the ball end leaving its notch in the tailpiece when you close the case, or is the "A" simply coming out of its groove in the bridge? Either way, this is a little odd. Odd for sure! The ball end is slipping out of the tailpiece. The bridge is fine.
Patrick Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 It is probably either of these 3 possibilities; 1st possibility; you have an A string whose ball end wasn't terminated properly by the machining process. As such, it could be a little too large/fay/wide to seat properly in the notch of the tail piece. Try a new A string. 2nd possibility; less likely . . you're not inserting it all the way up into the notch. However, that's less likely because after the second time it slipped out, I'm sure that you were careful to avoid that. 3rd possibility; your tuning peg is slipping, relaxing the tension needed to hold the ball end in the notch of the tailpiece. Do you use the locking method, wrapping the string end under the string and then folding it over? Or, are you just putting it through the hole in the tuning peg and winding it? Your comment of "too few wraps around the tuning peg?" concerns me. If you are using the locking method, you can have only one warp around and it will never slip.
RJLII Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 If I recall, that's my old H-550. I was never real impressed with how the string ends terminated in that tailpiece design. What I found was that not only do you have to get the ball end stuffed up in the tailpiece slot all the way, but the ball end needs to be oriented with the flat against the tailpiece surface so that it can get locked in. Once you get it locked it's solid. On a somewhat related note, I have another (the original) tailpiece for that guitar. When the factory installed the rim jack for me they replaced the tailpiece. This one has the end pin jack installed in it. It's yours if you want it.
MartyGrass Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 Those are RJ's strings it sounds like, so they are probably a few years old now. I never changed them and didn't have this problem. But I didn't own it long. However I have had tailpieces that required the ball go in sideways in order to seat properly.
Tim Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 If I recall, that's my old H-550. I was never real impressed with how the string ends terminated in that tailpiece design. What I found was that not only do you have to get the ball end stuffed up in the tailpiece slot all the way, but the ball end needs to be oriented with the flat against the tailpiece surface so that it can get locked in. Once you get it locked it's solid. On a somewhat related note, I have another (the original) tailpiece for that guitar. When the factory installed the rim jack for me they replaced the tailpiece. This one has the end pin jack installed in it. It's yours if you want it. It is Indeed! I'm not real worried at this point (this still has the strings you put on it...I have 27 guitars...it's difficult to stay up on when to put new strings on, and can get real expensive). Just curious though...do you still have the old "H" tailpiece?
Tim Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 Those are RJ's strings it sounds like, so they are probably a few years old now. I never changed them and didn't have this problem. But I didn't own it long. However I have had tailpieces that required the ball go in sideways in order to seat properly. If you have the original, I'd be interested. BTW...I'm going to restring (as soon as I get some time) with flatwound 11's (bad idea?). You've got 12's on this baby now (I think). Even given my string issue, she's a wonderful guitar...no worries there.
yoslate Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 ...I have 27 guitars...it's difficult to stay up on when to put new strings on, Put a small piece of blue (easy removal, no residue) masking tape on the back of the headstock; on it, write with a Sharpie, the date you put on fresh wires.
MartyGrass Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 I like the feel of 11s a lot. 13s sound better though. I don't use the heavier strings because I find that I won't pick up the guitar as much.
RJLII Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 If you have the original, I'd be interested. BTW...I'm going to restring (as soon as I get some time) with flatwound 11's (bad idea?). You've got 12's on this baby now (I think). Even given my string issue, she's a wonderful guitar...no worries there. Fire me off a PM with your address and I'll send the tailpiece to you. It's exactly like the one that's on it now, except it has an end pin jack. The 11's should be fine but might be tough to find. 12's were the lightest flats I could find without special ordering them. You'll likely need to tweak the intonation a bit but other than that you're good to go. I had roundwound GHS Boomer 11's on it prior to the flats. With all the string length behind the bridge they feel pretty slinky. I had that guitar at PSPII and those that played it could hardly believe they were 11's. You could do whole step bends without much of any effort at all. The 12's aren't really that old. I think I put them on a couple months prior to selling the guitar. They might have had an hour of play on them when the guitar changed hands. I'm not sure how long Mark had the guitar or how much play it saw with him. The nice thing about flats is if you keep them wiped down and clean they last almost forever. - Rob
Connor Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 I use FlatWound 11's on my 550, and they work great for me. I can believe that 13's would sound better, but I'm looking for comfort and tone in equal parts. 11's are a good compromise. If I remember right, there is a bit of a trick involved in seating the ball end of the string into the tailpiece. I have never had your problem, but I can believe it could happen. I'll bet a new set of strings will solve your problem. I just changed strings on my Rickenbacker 360 / 12 string. Talk about a disaster. Somehow the new strings got shuffled in the package, and I didn't realize it. Two broken strings later, the light bulb went on.......What a dope!
Gitfiddler Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 Hey Tim, I also have the same tailpiece on my 550. As others have stated, you do need to be sure that the ball end of the string is tightly seated into the bail tailpiece. Another potential problem of failing to do that is a string snapping off and putting a divot in your guitar's top. Not good! Also, if you'd like to try lighter gauge strings, check out D'Addario XL Half Rounds .012 - .052. I have a set on mine and they sound great for many styles of music...and they have just enough resonance to enjoy playing that big jazz box acoustically. Enjoy. Tim
Tim Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 Hey Tim, I also have the same tailpiece on my 550. As others have stated, you do need to be sure that the ball end of the string is tightly seated into the bail tailpiece. Another potential problem of failing to do that is a string snapping off and putting a divot in your guitar's top. Not good! Also, if you'd like to try lighter gauge strings, check out D'Addario XL Half Rounds .012 - .052. I have a set on mine and they sound great for many styles of music...and they have just enough resonance to enjoy playing that big jazz box acoustically. Enjoy. Tim Thanks Tim! I'm thinking the reason the string keeps coming off is that it is going loose at the tuner. No worries. Time to restring anyway. Also, I've got a bunch of D'Addario Chrome 11 flatwound sets...I check for the 12's though. That guitar would probably better suited to thicker guage strings...Thanks for all the responses Guys!
Tim Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 I use FlatWound 11's on my 550, and they work great for me. I can believe that 13's would sound better, but I'm looking for comfort and tone in equal parts. 11's are a good compromise. If I remember right, there is a bit of a trick involved in seating the ball end of the string into the tailpiece. I have never had your problem, but I can believe it could happen. I'll bet a new set of strings will solve your problem. I just changed strings on my Rickenbacker 360 / 12 string. Talk about a disaster. Somehow the new strings got shuffled in the package, and I didn't realize it. Two broken strings later, the light bulb went on.......What a dope! Yes, I have a Ric 12 string 610. I just got a new set of Ric strings, but I'm really not looking forward to changing them. I took the guitar to my Luthier and he said, "hey the strings sound fine...no need to change"...I think he said that becuase he didn't want to tackle the job.
Connor Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 Tim, Changing strings on that Rickenbacker made me want to start going to Church more regular, because now I know what Hell is like.
MartyGrass Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 I got 5 packs of those chrome flatwound 11s on eBay. Another good source is http://www.juststrings.com/daddarioelectricguitarchromes.html.
Tim Posted February 13, 2011 Author Posted February 13, 2011 Tim, Changing strings on that Rickenbacker made me want to start going to Church more regular, because now I know what Hell is like. Ha! I hear ya!
Connor Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 D'Addario Chromes I started using Chromes on most of my electrics, 10's on the Fenders & 11's on the (shorter scale) Gibson and Heritage. They are a great sounding string. If I remember right, the 550 is a longer scale than my 155 but I have the same 11's on both. I was playing that 550 again yesterday. It's like (or at least what I think it's like) holding on to a full figured woman. It's hard to let go.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.