Early 1930s trapeze tailpiece

[HubertdeVerdelhan]

Good morning everyone,

I am posting this here as my search online has been unsuccessful. I am currently upgrading my modest Loar 700 to make it look like an early 1930s L5. I am desperately looking for a gold trapeze tailpiece like the one used between 1930-1935 on the L5 (see attachment). Does anyone know if a business is reissuing those or something similar?

[sgosnell]

That looks like a standard trapeze tailpiece. They are readily available. You can get them from AllParts, StewMac, ebay, or many other places. AllParts and StewMac seem to have mostly (maybe only) the style with the diamond on the crossbar, but eBay has the plain ones, in whichever color you prefer - gold, chrome, nickel, black, whatever.

[HubertdeVerdelhan]

Thank you for your reply! Indeed Allparts and co. have standard tailpieces that follow roughly the same design (in fact, online, from all the suppliers, I could only find more or less the same 3 models, usually with Diamonds, like Gibson used in the 50-60). The Loar actually comes from what I think is a standard Allparts tailpiece. Unfortunately the design of those early 1930s L5 differs quite a lot from them. They were slightly longer, the bar is thinner, inter alia. They are very commons on many guitars of that era, but somehow that specific design sort of disappear completely afterwards.

[sgosnell]

If you need something that specific, I can only advise watching eBay and similar sites closely in case something shows up.

[stevo58]

Archtop.com sells one, but it ain’t cheap.

[HubertdeVerdelhan]

Archtop.com sells one, but it ain’t cheap.

Thank you very much! At least someone, indeed not cheap, but cheaper than the 400 $ original ones I found on Reverb. I sent an email to Archtop.com, awaiting reply now!

[littleknicky]

The luthier Killy Nonis in the UK is known to make quality custom tailpieces for a variety of instruments. Couldn't hurt to contact him and see what he could do and his pricing.

[HubertdeVerdelhan]

Thank you very much for the tip, I did not know, will contact him!