These 4 grommets supplied are made of soft plastic/rubber and are placed in between each set of strings as shown on the picture to illustrate (between the tailpiece and the bridge). They dampen the strings vibrations that cause audible harmonic overtones while playing.

Mandolins suffer from some degree of "adverse" or "sympathetic" vibration. This is where the length of strings between the bridge and the tailpiece vibrates when the main area of the strings is played. Sometimes this can cause clear audible tones in conflict with the music being played. This sympathetic resonance can theoretically lessen the sustain of the notes played. Fitting the harmonic suppressors will deal with this issue by dampening these unnecessary overtones.

These grommets will be posted immediately by 2nd Class Post  -  post cost currently at £0.83 and the package is a fraction too big to use normal letter post by Post Office. Please note that this does not always guarantee delivery within 3 working days as recent experience of UK post has led to one delivery taking longer.

Customers say:

"Excellent product, excellent service. Thanks!"

"Simple device which works and is easily fitted"

"Brilliant idea - does the job"

2 Solid Brass Bass String Spacers for 3rd & 4th Strings - per pack – Not necessary for through the body stringing.

Often the 'string wrap' on the bass strings used on the Precision and Jazz Bass type guitar find they are sat on the top of the saddle. This is especially true when string companies use too much silk. Assuming that the saddle is in the correct place for the intonation and the 'wrap' is over the saddle, it will causes the string to ring/vibrate badly. One choice is to move the saddle forwards sharpening all the notes, which will ruin the intonation. The better choice is to move the 'string wrap' further back. Generally, only the 3rd and 4th strings are affected.

These string spacers are made of solid brass for the 3rd and 4th strings. They are threaded onto the string before it is fitted to the bridge. This will increase the string length by a mere 4mm approx but more importantly,  it will move the string wrap further away from the saddle top allowing for a clearer note.

If you play with a high action or heavier strings the saddles will need to go backwards to correct the intonation (assuming it was correct at manufacture) and this means that the string wrap will most likely sit on top of the saddles.

Dimensions are:

Diameter 8mm approx and thickness 4mm ( +/- 0.3mm)   and will accommodate a 150 string thickness but bear in mind that the wrap increases the string size - so will be ok up to 120 gauge

This is an 'acorn' or 'dome' nut for a Gibson scratch plate/pick guard bracket.

It is made of Stainless Steel and so will blend OK for Nickle and Chrome hardware. Note this nut is for the newer version. This has a 6-32 Thread.

Tip: As these are frequently lost, it is worth super-gluing it in place and using the threaded rod to adjust to cater for the correct bracket length. Once done,  the internal (normal) nut can be 'pinched' up to complete the task.  

Please be careful when ordering due to there being differing threads.

NB: Apparently the older ones have a finer thread so this will not work for those guitars. I suggest a UK BA equivalent thread might work. Someone has quoted that "Gibson USA will ALWAYS sport SAE 5-40 threaded parts, so if this size is not specified, steer clear." this is not true as I have sold this unit listed here for the new version of the 335 which originally has more of a flat ended cap.

For information:

smaller thread   5 - 40 UNC  0.125 inches   3.175 mm

larger thread     6 - 32 UNC  0.138 inches  3.505 mm

These are spacers for the Stop Tail Piece - Made of solid Brass and clear lacquer coated.

People often say that having the Stop Tail Piece bolted firmly to the guitar gives more tone but this also increases the string break angle at the back of the bridge and can cause string breakages due to this added downward string pressure. The string also starts to snag on the back of the bridge.

Fitting these brass spacers under the Stop Tail Piece height adjusters allows the Stop Tail Piece to be bolted down solidly and yet have a reasonably shallower string angle, thus reducing the string breakages but giving the tone desired from bolting down. They also look neat as the height adjuster thread is not exposed.

Brass is a known good transmitter of sound and these have been turned from brass and clear lacquer coated to reduce tarnish.

Note: Measurements are approximate

Information

This pickup is an 'Under-saddle pickup' and runs on “piezo-electric” technology…which uses a strip of crystals placed under the bridge saddle of the guitar to sense pressure created by the vibrating strings. Magnetic soundhole pickups – ONLY hears the strings at the sound hole, and none of the body. The transducer or Piezo hears the whole vibrations caught at the end of the strings not just in the middle. Under-saddle pickups have a brighter, thinner sound, with a stronger attack. Compared to magnetic pickups, these “piezo-type” pickups generate a comparatively small voltage and have a weak signal so require a preamp to boost the original signal. Furthermore they need a pre-amp to get the signal to a PA system unless you use an acoustic amp.

There are two types of Piezo / transducers. The stick on the under side of the soundboard and the Under saddle (inside the bridge plate slot) like this one. The Piezo has an excessively large dynamic range.

The stick on the under side of the soundboard has 1/2 pressure = 1/4 volume – more prone to feedback

The Under the saddle has 2x pressure (because it gets sound from both sides of the transducer) = 4x volume – will feedback but is less affected

This transducer requires Professional installation. Both the floor of the saddle slot and the base of the saddle must be flat to give even and good sound.

HISTORY

Alun Ashworth-Jones known as Al Jones moved to Cornwall. He gradually built up his own business making pick-ups for acoustic instruments  in the 1990's - those Ashworth transducers have been used by the stars, Terry Martin, Mark Knopfler, and Van Morrison. His pickups became really successful because they sounded so good. He told me that in the early days he moaned about how bad the amped sound was in a pub with friends. One

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