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Wittner Tailpiece Wire
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The Wittner Tailpiece Wire is manufactured
in Germany by Wittner GMBH & Co. KG. It is an easily mounted,
flexible, high-tension stainless steel cable - that securely
and safely attaches the tailpiece to the endpin unit. The cable
is unbreakable under normal use and is flexible without any stretching.
It also features a shrink-wrapped plastic coating in black - which
besides looking great - serves to protect both endpin unit and
bottom saddle.
Yes - the cable is 43.6cm long and has a fine thread cut into
the last 4.0cm of each end. When fitting the wire - small brass
hole stops are mounted onto each thread to enable an easy and quick
length adjustment of the cable.
The Wittner Tailpiece Wire can only be used
on "hollowed" tailpieces.
These are tailpieces that have the tailwire holes running directly
into a recess or cutaway in the lower back face. When fitted the
wire ends and adjustable hole stops are hidden in the recess -
discreetly from view.
The manufactures state on the front of the packet that the wire
is suitable for all 3/4, 1/2 or 1/4 size instruments. That basically
means instruments that have a length of back (LOB) measurement
up to 111.0cm. It is possible that the wire will fit some 4/4 size
instruments - i.e. with a LOB of 112.0cm - 115.0cm - but the main
criteria that should be considered in determining whether or not
the product is suitable for your instrument - is the distance between
the cable recess at the bottom (back-side) of the endpin unit and
the highest point of the bottom saddle. We calculate that this
distance must be no longer than 14.0cm. This figure also assumes
that the lower part of your tailpiece - from the top of the cable-hole
to the lowest point of the tailpiece - is the standard measurement
of 6.0cm.
The company dates back to 1895 when Gustav Wittner founded a factory
in Germany to produce metronomes. Modern production methods and
high standards of quality enabled the company to expand into a
medium-sized industrial plant that produced the widest range of
Metronomes in the world. Today the company is run by the third
generation of Wittner in the city of Isny in the South-Western
state of Baden-Wurttemberg. In addition to the metronomes the company
manufactures a wide range of high quality musical instrument accessories
that include tailpieces, pegs and chinrests made from a composite
material. Other products include string adjusters, tuning forks,
music stands, guitar capos and storage and cleaning products for
CD's and DVD's.
Incredibly simple. This is what you do;
a) Remove - by unscrewing - both of the brass hole
stops from the threaded ends of the steel cable.
b) Thread one end of the cable through one of the holes at the
bottom of the tailpiece and replace one of the brass hole stops.
c) Thread the other end of the cable through the other hole of
the tailpiece and replace the second hole stop.
d) With the instrument on its back - allow the tailpiece to rest
on a cloth in the correct position.
e) Adjust the wire to length by using your fingers to screw the
brass hole stops further up or down the threaded ends.
That's it. Job done. All that you have to do now is reassemble
the instrument.
Yes - the Wittner Tailpiece Wire really is a brilliant product.
Installation takes a mere few seconds.
It is fully adjustable, it is flexible, it doesn't stretch, it
doesn't require any tools to fit, once fitted it doesn't require
any maintenance at all - and it is unbreakable under normal use.
Not only is the product ingenious - it is "outstanding-ingenious" -
if there is such term.
Yes - buy one now. If you haven't already got one of these things
fitted to your instrument - then it would be well worth investing
in one - just to be able to carry it around in one of the pockets
of your bass cover. You never know - it could just get you out
of a very difficult situation should your existing tailwire break
while you are away on tour with an orchestra or band.
If you are setting up an instrument or just replacing a broken
tailwire - then this product is an absolute God-send. In one -
it takes away all the pain and worry about this highly important
element of a bass set up. The simplicity, practicality and smooth
functionality of the design coupled with the high quality and good
looks of the product's manufacture - make The Wittner Tailpiece
in our view - an award winning bit of kit. Nice one Wittner!
Length of wire: 43.6cm (average)
Diameter of wire: 4.0mm (average)
Length of adjusters (hole-stops): 12.5mm (average)
Diameter of adjusters (hole stops): 6.0mm (average)
Total weight: 27.5gm (average)
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