I just recently got myself a Trinity College bouzouki, and popped a string. In my youthful fervor I tried to fix it myself without thinking it through, now I've created quite a mess...
Can anyone send me a picture or tell me which strings go on which hooks on the inside of the tailpiece?
It's somewhat misleading to title this thread "repair help" changing strings is not a repair as it happens all the time. I do not know offhand if your string courses are unison or octave, but coming from the middle outwards...your middle two strings (& string courses) go into the pegs that are the farthest away from the nut. and the lower and higher strings go into the pegs that are closer to the nut. Just think if you were designing it, it is the setup that does not cause the strings to bump into each other on the other side of the nut, this is hard to describe in words so try a google images search, go to google, type your search (Bouzouki) and then when it gives results, click images and it will switch to image results.
I guess the easiest advice about your bridge would be to take it to your local luthier, personally I have always toyed with my own bridge on banjos that I've owned and played thhrough the years. It just needs to be placed so that the 12th fret is exactly an octave higher than the corresponding open string. Sometimes this requires you to place the bridge at an angle being closer to the bridge on the lower strings, as they can be much thicker (depending on the guage) so they need a slightly longer sounding length.
It just occurred to me that your string courses are probably octaves on the lower two courses and unison on the higher two. I would always put the lower string where it will be struck first on the down stroke. your center two strings will be a high d and a high a. High D goes into the peg farthest from the nut on the "left" side (with the sound hole facing you) the two high a strings go into the two pegs on the right side farthest from the nut. the one in the middle going into the farther peg.
As for the bridge, the TC has a 26 1/4" scale so setting the bridge that far from the nut should be close enough until you take it to somebody to have it properly setup.
When you do get the bridge in it's properly set up position, put two tiny indentations in the top with a small pin, to mark its position. I did this on my bouzouki, and it really helps if it ever moves during string changing, etc.
Using an electronic tuner if you can't hear the difference......
......just ensure that the octave note produced by lightly touching the string OVER the 12th fret is the same as the note produced by actually fretting it - best to try this on top and bottom strings first - if the fretted note is sharp the bridge needs to be slipped slightly towards the tailpiece, or that side of the bridge anyway. Probably, on the bass side, best to use the lower octave strings as the guide for this. TC/Ozark/Johnson 'zouks have a compensated bridge, so there should be allowances for the different string gauges, but the whole bridge does need to be slanted slightly, the bass side slightly closer to the tailpiece.
If the bridge has been fitted for any length of time there should be a slight pale shadow on the wood where the light hasn't begun to darken the wood and varnish.
If I'm moving/changing the bridge for any reason, I always put a strip of masking tape at each end of the bridge and pencil on the alignment of the two sides of the bridge, so I can replace it accurately.
I hope you weren't trying to change all the stings at once ? One at a time, take it up to tension, then do the next one, is the best way to cope. That way there is only one empty machine and tailpiece loop at any time - avoids de-stressing and re-stressing neck and soundboard too much at once as well.
Irish Bouzouki repair help
Irish Bouzouki repair help
I just recently got myself a Trinity College bouzouki, and popped a string. In my youthful fervor I tried to fix it myself without thinking it through, now I've created quite a mess...
Can anyone send me a picture or tell me which strings go on which hooks on the inside of the tailpiece?
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by GreenBard
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
I also managed to let the bridge slip from its original place -_-,
if anyone could help me with that...
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by GreenBard
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
It's somewhat misleading to title this thread "repair help" changing strings is not a repair as it happens all the time. I do not know offhand if your string courses are unison or octave, but coming from the middle outwards...your middle two strings (& string courses) go into the pegs that are the farthest away from the nut. and the lower and higher strings go into the pegs that are closer to the nut. Just think if you were designing it, it is the setup that does not cause the strings to bump into each other on the other side of the nut, this is hard to describe in words so try a google images search, go to google, type your search (Bouzouki) and then when it gives results, click images and it will switch to image results.
I guess the easiest advice about your bridge would be to take it to your local luthier, personally I have always toyed with my own bridge on banjos that I've owned and played thhrough the years. It just needs to be placed so that the 12th fret is exactly an octave higher than the corresponding open string. Sometimes this requires you to place the bridge at an angle being closer to the bridge on the lower strings, as they can be much thicker (depending on the guage) so they need a slightly longer sounding length.
PS, I hope this isn't a trick
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
It just occurred to me that your string courses are probably octaves on the lower two courses and unison on the higher two. I would always put the lower string where it will be struck first on the down stroke. your center two strings will be a high d and a high a. High D goes into the peg farthest from the nut on the "left" side (with the sound hole facing you) the two high a strings go into the two pegs on the right side farthest from the nut. the one in the middle going into the farther peg.
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.musicwithease.com/mandolin.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.musicwithease.com/mandolin-pictures.html&usg=__aw8XGH7ErOjnpFGOCpf8tW1VBhk=&h=306&w=544&sz=45&hl=en&start=14&sig2=cwyS-0K3neFI524yxKpVVg&um=1&tbnid=8BGiEJwsxGkLRM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmandolin%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=PP8mS4-JMovQM-_o_dUL
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
Here you go for the stringing - which hook for which string?
http://www.frets.com/FRETSpages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html
As for the bridge, the TC has a 26 1/4" scale so setting the bridge that far from the nut should be close enough until you take it to somebody to have it properly setup.
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by jimtowat
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
When you do get the bridge in it's properly set up position, put two tiny indentations in the top with a small pin, to mark its position. I did this on my bouzouki, and it really helps if it ever moves during string changing, etc.
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Mike C
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
Greenbard..Where do you live?
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by seaniemcg
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
Using an electronic tuner if you can't hear the difference......
......just ensure that the octave note produced by lightly touching the string OVER the 12th fret is the same as the note produced by actually fretting it - best to try this on top and bottom strings first - if the fretted note is sharp the bridge needs to be slipped slightly towards the tailpiece, or that side of the bridge anyway. Probably, on the bass side, best to use the lower octave strings as the guide for this. TC/Ozark/Johnson 'zouks have a compensated bridge, so there should be allowances for the different string gauges, but the whole bridge does need to be slanted slightly, the bass side slightly closer to the tailpiece.
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
If the bridge has been fitted for any length of time there should be a slight pale shadow on the wood where the light hasn't begun to darken the wood and varnish.
If I'm moving/changing the bridge for any reason, I always put a strip of masking tape at each end of the bridge and pencil on the alignment of the two sides of the bridge, so I can replace it accurately.
I hope you weren't trying to change all the stings at once ? One at a time, take it up to tension, then do the next one, is the best way to cope. That way there is only one empty machine and tailpiece loop at any time - avoids de-stressing and re-stressing neck and soundboard too much at once as well.
# Posted on December 15th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
..."change the stRings all at once"......
....sack the spellchecker !
# Posted on December 16th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Irish Bouzouki repair help
Wow thanks for all the help everyone!
# Posted on December 16th 2009 by GreenBard