Especially for Mellish

Tannin

Just because I know how much you like a headstock with a neat and tidy wind-on mate.

Mellish

Yes Mate, whoever did that did an...erm...expert job! 

Tannin

Well, actually, it was me. I knew you'd like it.  

(Hey - it holds tune. What more do I need?)

PS: You should see my fences. (Actually I'm better with a pair of fencing pliers and a few hundred metres of 2.5mm HT wire than I am with those fiddly little guitar strings.) 

Mellish

Oh they can hold tune very well. I've seen examples  where the strings were like a spider's web across the headstock but tuning stabiluty-wise, you couldn't fault it  

Mellish

Thanks for the pic, though, mate, very amusing  

Soupman

Took me a couple of seconds to spot what was wrong with that photo. (I've just been for an overdue eye test yesterday). I now see it - the other 5 are waiting to be done! If I hadn't read previous threads I might have thought someone was averse to string changing!

TheMadMick

How in heaven's name did you get the top e string to twist like that? Mine seem to snap at the smallest provocation.

Tannin

It's actually a C string - this is my baritone @TheMadMick

As to how - slowly!

(I didn't want it to break again. I have zillions of spare strings but not many for baritone acoustic, and the nearest place to buy a fresh set in my preferred brand is Michigan. Anyway, I did that kludge a week ago when I broke a new string tuning up for the first time, and it is holding fine.)

bertie

@Mellish ;

Koa hummingbird ?   

https://www.facebook.com/commerce/listing/1170777523656793/?media_id=3&ref=share_attachment

GoFish

That truss rod cover screw is also looking at me funny

Fair play to your skills though - I was disheartened by my ever shitter attampts at string changes before realising that my vision was on it's way out. Sewing and nail clipping too, it's a case of hit n' hope!

stickyfiddle

If it's stupid and it works... it's not stupid! 

I would assume not a long-term fix but good to get through a gig or a session until you can get a proper spare

Mellish

@bertie ; - can't see the pic mate, no Facebook connection.

But I've had Hummingbirds. Great guitars, if you find a good one. I've had two Modern Classic's and a Hummingbird True Vintage  

Mellish

@stickyfiddle ; - very true mate, it can't be wrong if it works  

Tannin

It seems indistinguishable from a proper string @stickyfiddle (other than visually) so it might as well stay until my next routine string change.

(More generally, I've learned that when bending metal, the tricks to go very slowly and gently. I learned that bending up galvanised steel sheets to make replacement roofing flashings for my (previous) 130-year-old wooden house, and repeated the trick with variations making flashing to go around the door of the pump shed I built last year here at the (current) Tasmanian house. Put the sheet in a vice (clamp between two lengths of timber if it is too long), then, using a rubber hammer, tap, tap, tap  gently until you have a nice neat right-angle bend. Slow is fast.)

thermionic

Tacoma Narrow Headsrock Disaster.

guitarjack66

Got to say that I've never heard of a Tacoma

Tannin

Tacoma, @guitarjack66 was an American manufacturer based in (you guessed it) Tacoma, Washington State.  Curiously enough, Tacoma was owned by South Korean interests but did all of its manufacturing in the US (which is sort of the opposite of the usual arrangement). They were bloody good, and innovative with it. 

Sadly, Fender bought them out and, as bloody always with Fender, wrecked the company. Fender did the same shit to Guild, and to Ovation as well. Three good acoustic guitar makers, all wrecked by Fender. They sold Guild to Cordoba while there was still some value in the name and Cordoba have done a great job bringing the company back from the dead. They sold Ovation to Chinese interests and it survives, though it is far from the force it used to be. They left it too late to sell Tacoma and by now the name is almost forgotten and even Tacoma's valuable portfolio of IP is probably near-worthless. It is a terrible shame as Tacoma made products you just can't buy now.

My Tacoma Thunderhawk baritone is unique. Not long after I bought it, the shop I got if from contacted me to say they had a client in the States who wanted to buy it. Was I interested? Name my own price. Sorry, not for sale.

bertie

thermionic said:

Tacoma Narrow Headsrock Disaster.

indeed !!!