Broken Gibson L-5 Tailpiece

[Jabberwocky]

me too. a small crack developed on the tp of my gretsch and on the advice of some folks here, i hit up some woodwind repair folks. only one even responded, and that was with a very curt no. that was here in los angeles. if anyone knows of someone, we're listening.

Woodwind people don't really like guitar players. The other alternative is to look for model engineering people i.e. model railroaders, etc. or jewellers. Learn to do it ourselves. https://www.sievert.se

[skiboyny]

I realize this thread is a year old now, but I would be interested to hear if Gibson ever did anything to help skiboyny out with his broken tailpiece.
Keith

Hi Keith,
This is a long solved problem. Gibson did nothing to help, told me they don't have the tailpieces and only ordered them as needed. I did find a solution but need to keep the source anonymiss.

[floatingpickup]

Hi Keith,
This is a long solved problem. Gibson did nothing to help, told me they don't have the tailpieces and only ordered them as needed. I did find a solution but need to keep the source anonymiss.

I am disappointed in Gibson’s lack of support for your problem. I had a similar experience with them few years back regarding a tiny inexpensive part that was missing on a new L5. It’s actually even worse here in Canada because they don’t honor the “limited lifetime warranty” on a guitar that was sold through one of their distributors outside of the USA. The warranty terms on their website says:

“Customers who purchased product outside the U.S should contact their local distributor for the handling and resolution of all warranty issues as the above-described Gibson Gold Warranty is not applicable.”

Keith

[skiboyny]

Gibson doesn't make it easy when it comes to parts for their guitars. In some respects I can understand why. They are no doubt trying to keep copyrights on their products as much as possible. In the end keeping as many things "Gibson" as possible. It's a slippery slope when you need a part for your "Gibson"

I am disappointed in Gibson’s lack of support for your problem. I had a similar experience with them few years back regarding a tiny inexpensive part that was missing on a new L5. It’s actually even worse here in Canada because they don’t honor the “limited lifetime warranty” on a guitar that was sold through one of their distributors outside of the USA. The warranty terms on their website says:

“Customers who purchased product outside the U.S should contact their local distributor for the handling and resolution of all warranty issues as the above-described Gibson Gold Warranty is not applicable.”

Keith

[Jabberwocky]

That's a shitty way of treating their loyal customers wherever they are. Gibson should not make it so difficult if it can be verified that a broken Gibson part is genuine. Send the broken part in, get a replacement that the customer pays for.

A few short years ago, Cream City Music had 10 NOS B-stock ones for sale minus the silver medallions. Bigsby made them for Gibson but they all had minor finish issues. $395 each. I should have bought one.

I found a heavily worn one for $125 on ebay later. I am not sure if it is genuine to this day. But it is heavy so not made of pot metal; the engraving looks the biz; came with the tarnished silver medallion, and has the correct string ball-end T-bar. Just glad to have a spare.

[ptchristopher3]

I am slightly bewildered (as usual). I have only maybe 6 or 7 times ever VERY seriously needed a part from Gibson. But I have always been able to get it. This includes two iconic tailpieces.

Whether as a pro tech/luthier, or some jerk who actually owned a Gibbo box, I have found that once you break through the “first responder” layer of Gibson tech support, you will find someone to actually understand the situation, smell that you are not some ass-wipe, and deliver the goods.

Sure, Gibson may be arguably the master of shortfall, but they can and do deliver parts when you need them - even if it takes some weaving through the defenses.

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Great that the OP eventually found a solution.

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And still waiting to see details on the guy in the Netherlands who will weld and re-plate an L-5 tailpiece for $20.

Hilarious.

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In any case, great to hear that the OP is back in business one way or another.

[fws6]

Sorry life got a bit in the way last year, havent been here much at all and forgot all about this thread. Anyways, Here is Skiboyny's tailpiece after it has been welded by my local shop. It is totally invisible

[fws6]

me too. a small crack developed on the tp of my gretsch and on the advice of some folks here, i hit up some woodwind repair folks. only one even responded, and that was with a very curt no. that was here in los angeles. if anyone knows of someone, we're listening.

Maybe they were just instrument vendors who shove boxes ? Sax REPAIR shops weld & repair just as many brass instruments, in the same amounts a luthier will repair guitars. Your tailpiece is brass, and repairing brass for a sax repair shop is their everyday business. Marching band instruments are dropped and damaged all the time. Of course I wouldnt know any in your area, but I cannot believe that there is a decent shop in my corner of the world (less that 100,000 people) and there wouldnt be one in so cal (over 20M people) ? Hammertone, notdave, stringswinger above mention they also found places in their vicinity.

[fws6]

Woodwind people don't really like guitar players. The other alternative is to look for model engineering people i.e. model railroaders, etc. or jewellers. Learn to do it ourselves. https://www.sievert.se

Rene - You can weld brass with soft or hard solder. Like BB Guitar and Old Fret say above, soft solder wont hold. So I wouldnt recommend that youd go to a modeler or jeweler , theyre not the right place. The hard solder fix will be stronger than the brass itself. It might snap again at a different place over time if the construction is poor or the tension too high; but not through the same weld anymore. Furthermore, I have never noticed that woodwind people are not friendly but thats another discussion !

[wickman2000]

Glad I stumbled on this forum, as it motivated me to follow up on repairing my 1939-ish L5 tailpiece.

A recommended brass repairman took a look at the photos and said he could repair the tailpiece for $80 and confirmed the joint(s) would be stronger than before.

Fingers crossed!

[firelad]

I just experienced the same problem with my L-5CES. I opened the case to change the strings a few days ago and I got the shock of my life. My beautiful tailpiece broke into 2 parts. I couldn't believe it. I did not bang the case or drop it. I take good care of my guitars. I have sent an email to Gibson support detailing what happened and I hope to hear back from them soon. I am hoping they will send me another tailpiece when I send back the broken one. I don't know why such an expensive instrument would have a part on it that is so thin at the bend that it would break so easily. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a possible solution.

[Woody Sound]

I just experienced the same problem with my L-5CES. I opened the case to change the strings a few days ago and I got the shock of my life. My beautiful tailpiece broke into 2 parts. I couldn't believe it. I did not bang the case or drop it. I take good care of my guitars. I have sent an email to Gibson support detailing what happened and I hope to hear back from them soon. I am hoping they will send me another tailpiece when I send back the broken one. I don't know why such an expensive instrument would have a part on it that is so thin at the bend that it would break so easily. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a possible solution.

Wow, let us all know what happens.

[citizenk74]

I just experienced the same problem with my L-5CES. I opened the case to change the strings a few days ago and I got the shock of my life. My beautiful tailpiece broke into 2 parts. I couldn't believe it. I did not bang the case or drop it. I take good care of my guitars. I have sent an email to Gibson support detailing what happened and I hope to hear back from them soon. I am hoping they will send me another tailpiece when I send back the broken one. I don't know why such an expensive instrument would have a part on it that is so thin at the bend that it would break so easily. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a possible solution.

Here's hoping for a swift correction. This is a tear in the fabric of space/time!