I created a bespoke brass tailpiece and string divider for an elaborate and ornate electric guitar, which had to look as classy as the guitar. My client was happier with the design of this handmade tailpiece than the commercial ones he had seen, which was very gratifying to me.
Materials
Processes
CARDBOARD & SCRAP SHEET METAL MOCK-UPS MADE DESIGNING EASIER
My client and I went through many iterations to find the right look. First, I made cardboard patterns for mock-ups to make designing easier. Brass is not cheap and challenging to get from suppliers, so mock-ups are the best way to see the shape. I then switched from cardboard to scrap sheet metal to get the shape of the bend and the right look.
Why didn't I use 3D CAD drawings? Here's why: It's better to see the physical piece on the guitar rather than try to imagine it in a drawing. Also, I fabricated this tailpiece from scratch and not from a casting.
intricacies & Difficulties of the project
The brass tailpiece required gentle forming to create a slight arc. The tail had to curve down and be angled so the strings would rest properly on the bridge. At the steel mock-up trial stage, I narrowed the smallest end.
The silver soldering process went without a hitch, and finally, the electric guitar had a bespoke tailpiece with the string mount silver-soldered to it.
Then, I polished the top of the tailpiece, and a local company nickel-plated the whole tailpiece.
This project was particularly difficult because I had to create a hydraulic press die and fabricate the die from individual parts welded to create its unique form.
