Easy to Duplicate?

[kxxr]

Would this 2 piece (front bridge saddle and tremelo tail piece) assembly be a difficult challenge for a machinist to build? No example piece is available to duplicate but dimensions are known. Would the get springiness needed in the clamshell looking part etc.? Would the materials be difficult to source? What would the cost be at common shop rates? Thanks in advance!

 

[Firebrick43]

IF the dimensions are accurate its wouldn't be that hard. But they would need to be measured well with especially the tail piece to get the right wall thickness in the u channel. Many of the tail piece parts can be laser cut easily and cheaply .

Are the parts SS or nickel plated steel? If plated that could be the hardest part getting done now days.

One off parts are rarely cheap because there is no way to save time on set ups as there is when doing multiple parts.

Although if the part is 3d modeled well there are many places offering CNC machining at pretty reasonable rates especially if you do all the final finishing/polishing

 

[RoninB4]

-Agree with the above post. What most people consider to be fully dimensioned is NOT fully dimensioned to a machinist and the lack of an existing example to reverse engineer may limit/hinder an exact reproduction. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to make a tailpiece like this, it's really a bit on the crude side IMO. What may affect your decision will be cost, making just one is more expensive than 100. Creating a CAD model or having a fully dimensioned drawing will help reduce costs. I did quite a few for a fellow that sold reproductions of vintage guitar components no longer available. I did the CAD and drawings, he had them made in Asia somewhere. If you want to post the dimensions/drawings here or send them to me in a PM I can tell you whether you have enough data to approach a machine shop or not. My opinion doesn't cost anything.

 

[Ditchdigger]

I am not familiar with that particular tailpiece. I have made Bigsby style, Kay Vanguard and Jazzmaster types in the past.

As an aficionado of cheesy guitar trems, I am embarrassed that I can't quite place that model. It isn't Supro, Teisco, Eko, Harmony or Kay. Is it a european guitar?

 

[kxxr]

IF the dimensions are accurate its wouldn't be that hard. But they would need to be measured well with especially the tail piece to get the right wall thickness in the u channel. Many of the tail piece parts can be laser cut easily and cheaply .

Are the parts SS or nickel plated steel? If plated that could be the hardest part getting done now days.

One off parts are rarely cheap because there is no way to save time on set ups as there is when doing multiple parts.

Although if the part is 3d modeled well there are many places offering CNC machining at pretty reasonable rates especially if you do all the final finishing/polishing

Thanks. I am trying to help a person who has been unable to find an intact unit as a replacement on his vintage guitar. I really only bring the untrained eye and zero experience to the table. I thought it would be easy but knew it’d be expensive, for the reasons you mentioned and more. Thanks for the help, you make great points.

 

[kxxr]

-Agree with the above post. What most people consider to be fully dimensioned is NOT fully dimensioned to a machinist and the lack of an existing example to reverse engineer may limit/hinder an exact reproduction. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to make a tailpiece like this, it's really a bit on the crude side IMO. What may affect your decision will be cost, making just one is more expensive than 100. Creating a CAD model or having a fully dimensioned drawing will help reduce costs. I did quite a few for a fellow that sold reproductions of vintage guitar components no longer available. I did the CAD and drawings, he had them made in Asia somewhere. If you want to post the dimensions/drawings here or send them to me in a PM I can tell you whether you have enough data to approach a machine shop or not. My opinion doesn't cost anything.

More excellent points. Thanks! I should have said the dimensions are gettable rather than available. I am trying to help another person in a forum, so I don’t know how committed they really are. You point out things that hadn’t been considered though. The example piece is mounted to a vintage guitar. I don’t know if the owner is interested in disassembling to get measurements. I don’t know what the original pieces are made of, I thought the machinist might be able to say. I thought it looked a bit crude too, maybe even partially home made. But also very cool. Thanks for the help.

 

[kxxr]

I am not familiar with that particular tailpiece. I have made Bigsby style, Kay Vanguard and Jazzmaster types in the past.

As an aficionado of cheesy guitar trems, I am embarrassed that I can't quite place that model. It isn't Supro, Teisco, Eko, Harmony or Kay. Is it a european guitar?

The design is what caught my eye too and I thought it looked easy to duplicate. I also thought it would turn out cost prohibitive just because things like this usually do. This one is on a Hofner but can also be found on Framus and probably others. Someone even said their Silvertone Bobkat has this assembly on it. Cool looking, very hard to find I guess. Thanks to all!

 

[RoninB4]

The example piece is mounted to a vintage guitar. I don’t know if the owner is interested in disassembling to get measurements.

-A question the owner should have asked themselves. Even the mounting holes may no longer be useful once disassembled.

I don’t know what the original pieces are made of, I thought the machinist might be able to say.

-If a magnet doesn't stick then it narrows the possibilities.

I thought it looked a bit crude too, maybe even partially home made.

-A lot of things made in the early days looked a bit crude, whether it's factory made or not should be answered by the more informed.

But also very cool. Thanks for the help.

-Am glad to help when I can, feel free to contact me in the future if I can help.

 

[Firebrick43]

It really looks like nickel plated steel to me, as roninb4 said, see if a magnet sticks to it and if it does, that is your material

 

[RoninB4]

It really looks like nickel plated steel to me, as roninb4 said, see if a magnet sticks to it and if it does, that is your material

-Nickel plating was common, even back in the early days, to stave off corrosion and wear from sweaty hands under hot lights.

 

[CGarage]

Use an optical comparator to get dimensions to transfer into CAD and then have it made by a machine shop.

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

Hofner Vibrola
There is also German made replacement springs for those to.

Vibrola

 

[alfadan]

Sure looks like stamped and riveted stainless to me.