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"Jack-less"? Is that a word?... In any case, I have always and reflexively used an endpin jack with my tailpieces. Until that is one failed spectacularly. The cheap mystery pot metal from China just snapped at the weak spot where the plastic sleeve inside ends and its just a tiny amount of metal holding everything together. I've decided having a jack in the back is just not a great solution anyway and moved the jack to the treble rim like most Gibson Archtops have. That left me with the question of what to put in its place to hold the tailpiece.

For now I just shoved a piece of 1/2" Aluminum rod to hold everything together. But of course now I'm nervous about what I should get to replace it that will be strong enough to hold up to the tailpiece pulling on it. I have seen the "No Jack" retrofits:

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Endpins_and_Bridge_Pins/NoJak_Endpin.html

Of course I can plug the existing hole with a wood dowel and drill for a traditional endpin:

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Endpins_and_Bridge_Pins/Waverly_Ebony_Endpin.html

After having the heart stopping experience of having what sounded like an explosion in my lap when this thing broke, everything looks suspect. I need a solution for this guitar and future guitars. Can't have this happen on a guitar I sell. That normal ebony pin seems very small suddenly.

This guy sells beefy ones meant as a retrofit, but at his prices I could buy my own mini-lathe and turn it myself:

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/plugs.asp

Has anyone else had a problem of failing endpins? Will a basic wood endpin hold up to the pull of 185lbs worth of strings? I asked this question on "another" forum and got some Captain Obvious answers. I'm hoping some of the people here who tend to be more repair oriented will have experience to share (Hesh... I'm talking to you )

No one? Really? How about Hesh? No one ever brought in an archtop with an endpin snapped off? Anyone else out there building with a strap tailpiece?

First thought after seeing that sweet carbon fibre weave on the top is to use a carbon fibre tube for your endpin! Should be plenty strong enough.

Can you tell us any more about that guitar? Is there already a thread about it? Looks amazing!

I have an idea....

In any case I was thinking maybe buying a regular ebony pin and drilling out 1/8" center to epoxy in a brass rod. I think the brass would give it toughness to resist snapping. Of course I still don't know if I am searching for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I can't trust those endpin jacks for the job, but will a regular ebony endpin be strong enough?

I'm not hearing from the repair pro's that this is a problem. "Those sacconi straps are a REAL problem. You need a serious endpin like product XX." Nothing but crickets and a distant hawk screech. I think I saw a tumbleweed roll by. So maybe I should just buy a regular $5 pin and forget about it.




I did a show and tell when I made the first one:

http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45742

I've also made a couple of ones with an oval sound hole. I think they sound great. Plus the unexpected bonus that other than the nut I can swap nylon and steel strings and they both sound great! I've been to one show with them, and you would have thought I painted them in some kind of beautiful but toxic goo. Lots of people hovered and gave nervous sidelong glances, but few people seemed willing to touch the things. The guitar world is VERY conservative.

> I'm not hearing from the repair pro's that this is a problem. "Those sacconi straps are a REAL problem. You need a serious endpin like product XX."

I'm not a pro but turned two end pins (one ebony, one maple) that have held up for six months now.

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- Keith