Snapped Cadillac G Tailpiece

SunDevil

A nasty surprise to start the new year - I opened up the case on my G6136-55 to find the Cadillac G (non Bigsby) tailpiece has totally sheared off at the hinge on both sides

https://i.postimg.cc/kX30HrcB/IMG-3722.jpg

Replacements don't seem to be commercially available and I'm reading about folks getting them repaired

Has anyone got any experience of this and any recommendations on who I could get to help (either replace with something that looks the same but isn't going to fail after 2 years of babying home use or can fix this one and make it reliable?

barnstorm

Have heard a few people grumble about the same problem over the years and can't believe word hasn't got back to Fender at this point, so I'd try asking them about a replacement first. For a repair there's bound to be a jeweller somewhere near you who could take a look. And if necessary, see if ABM will sell you a new one direct.

BillDL

Where exactly has it sheared off?

The plate from the inner part of the hinge where it is welded to the ring-shaped tailpiece body?

The screw-on plate where tyhe pin goes through to form the hinge?

SunDevil

Thanks for coming back Gents - here are a couple of close up pics

@barnstorm, are ABM the original manufacturer? ..I don't see any Gretsch stuff on their site
https://i.postimg.cc/kX30HrcB/IMG-3722.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QxG2zLbV/IMG-3723.jpg

dazzajl

It’s a sign that you’re supposed to have a Bigsby on a falcon. 

SunDevil

@dazzajl - agree but ideally not on this particular Falcon :-) 

looking at the metal where it hasn’t actually snapped, that also looks pretty fatigued, so I’m thinking I might be better converting to a B6 - much more robust hinge on it

Seziertisch

SunDevil said:

Thanks for coming back Gents - here are a couple of close up pics

@barnstorm, are ABM the original manufacturer? ..I don't see any Gretsch stuff on their site
https://i.postimg.cc/kX30HrcB/IMG-3722.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QxG2zLbV/IMG-3723.jpg

ABM are likely the OM. You should contact them directly.

barnstorm

SunDevil said:

@barnstorm, are ABM the original manufacturer? ..I don't see any Gretsch stuff on their site

Yes, I believe so.

BillDL

The place where the metal has broken, and what looks to be quite crystalline alloy "pot metal" visible on the broken edges, tends to make me think that it could not be successfully brazed back together and be trusted again.  The heat from brazing is also likely to discolour the surrounding plating.  As pointed out there are signs of metal fatigue on other parts that look as though they too are just waiting to crack or break.

SunDevil

Thanks @BillDL ;

I’m no expert, but it does seem to be very poor quality metal, so it’s a question as to whether I’m likely to have a better experience with a straight replacement?

It looks like swapping to a B6 isn’t a drop-in job either - from a good post on Gretsch Talk, it looks line none of the holes line up

Thw guitar is a keeper, so if I can find an alternative trapeze tailpiece that is a drop in, then I could live with that

Kittyfrisk

Isn't this a perfect example of a 'Limited Warranty' claim item?
Smacks of poor quality control to me, but I'd always start off being reasonable with a manufacturer first 

SunDevil

I’d hope so @Kittyfrisk - if it were a part that I’d manufactured, then I’d want it back to see what was going wrong

I don’t think I’ve even been through a second string change since I got the guitar new in 2023 (stock 11s down to 10s) and it’s been consistently babied / looked after

mooncat

Vintage and Modern Guitars have it on there web site, but ir is listed as out of stock.

It might be worth contacting them.

www.vintageandmodernguitars.co.uk/product-tag/gretsch-spares/

TheMarlin

It has rejected the tailpiece, and demands a Bigsby!

ICBM

TheMarlin said:

It has rejected the tailpiece, and demands a Bigsby!

Exactly. Even if you need to fill and drill screw holes in the rim, it’s worth it.

A Gretsch without a Bigsby is like a gas barbecue… it has some convenient advantages over a real charcoal fire, but it’s just not *right*.

SunDevil

Waiting to hear back from Gretsch….

I get the Bigsby thing - I don’t use them, but they do add some richness to the fundamental tone

If I were to go the Bigsby route, do I go B3 or B6?

ICBM

SunDevil said:

If I were to go the Bigsby route, do I go B3 or B6?

You need a proper Gretsch-logo B6.

Dominic

ICBM said:

TheMarlin said:

It has rejected the tailpiece, and demands a Bigsby!

Exactly. Even if you need to fill and drill screw holes in the rim, it’s worth it.

A Gretsch without a Bigsby is like a gas barbecue… it has some convenient advantages over a real charcoal fire, but it’s just not *right*.

Both are pet hates of mine 
Gas Bar-b -q is an absolute abomination 
the whole point is MAN-FIRE-EAT 

Pabcrane

Hi Sun Devil,

I was wondering if Gretsch/Fender had gotten back to you yet? (I'm assuming you contacted them about a replacement?)

I know that Rickenbacker provide replacement 'R' tailpieces when they snap in a similar fashion (for about £175 and the return of the broken one).

I personally love a Bigsby B6 but I understand that you wanted the Cadillac tailpiece. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

SunDevil

@Pabcrane still waiting for Gretsch to get back to me, but I’ll update here for prosperity once I get some progress

ABM stopped making these for Gretsch some time ago and think they’re now sourcing from Japan

B6 is still the backup plan

SunDevil

It doesn’t look like I’m getting anywhere with finding a replacement Cadillac G tailpiece  - zero response from Gretsch and it’s pretty ridiculous that they don’t seem to want to stand behind one of their current production guitars

So I think I’m going down the B6 route..

Question: How easy would it be for me to install this myself? ..I can’t find any B6 specific videos, but I’m assuming using string through the 2 outer tuners (to align to the edge of the fretboard) would work just as well with a B6 and there’s no drilling into the top?

Are there any tips to get the height right? …assume I just want the bottom of the hinge flush with the back edge of the guitar’s top?

I know I’ll be left with a couple of exposed screw holes from the original tailpiece bracket, but I think I can live with just leaving the existing screws in place