thanks Roger, someday I will take you up on that offer, your Buzzard will be the best looking and sounding buzzard in the world !!!!
 
David T

Here's the photos you requested:  

 

  Note the first tailpiece is a mockup made from MDF while the second is an actual tailpiece made in brass.

Can I just clarify please Mica that the top picture is the proposed shape (in MDF) and the bottom one is an actual brass bird tailpiece?
 
Thanks!
 
Rog

You are correct, Roger. The top tailpiece is a mock up of the new proposed shape, the bottom picture is an actual bird tailpiece as is found on the Signature model.

To my eye, the bird tailpiece looks a little lost on that bass. I like the mock-up, mostly. Ideally, I'd like the two front edges to curve in a little more - is that possible?
 
What was the verdict from your dad regarding being able to move the knobs round in the electronics cavity?

I've got another question for you Mica - the proposed bridge shape - is it symmetrical?  Or is the top part of it longer than the bottom?

Not really possible to curve the edge facing the bridge in anymore, the strings need some brass to retain against. It's a little hard to see in the photo, but the E string slot comes as close as is comfortable to the edge. Look at the electronics layout photos, you can see the string slots a little better there.  
 
It's absolutely not symmetrical, the bass side of the tailpiece is longer to follow the shape of the body.  
 
As far as layout II it will work, but will require 1 hour additional labor to rewire the Q switch for the neck pickup so far away from the control.

Thanks again for your reply, Mica.
 
Controls - I'll have a think about it and I'll post a reply here, probably tomorrow.  Your suggestion (Roger Layout) I hadn't previously considered and it's got me thinking about my own proposed layout.
 
Tailpiece - I like symmetry.  That's fine coming from me with the design of this bass isn't it?  However, I think that as the bridge, the pick-ups, the stripes thru the neck and the knobs are all (or will be) uniform shapes, that the tailpiece should be uniform too.  Which brings me to my next question...
 
Is it possible to have a slightly scaled up version of the bird tailpiece? Or....a symmetrical version of the proposed tailpiece?
 
Thanks!
 
Rog

The bottom contour of the bass isn't bi-laterally symmetrical, so the Dragon tailpiece (the proposed shape) will not look nice if it is completely symmetrical.  
 
A larger handmade bird tailpiece is certainly possible. Will be two hours of shop time for Mike to make for you.

I'll have to put some thought into this tailpiece.  Does anyone else have any comments?  I'd welcome some additional input into this if anyone has got anything to say.
 
Thanks!
 
Rog

Mica - another control layout question for you. Would it be possible to amend Roger's Layout to form Roger's Layout III?  What I had in mind is swapping the pan and neck filter with each other, and then swapping the volume and bridge filter with each other. Q switches stay as is.
 
Can you let me know if this is possible please?
 
Thanks!
 
Rog

I think the bird tailpiece looks much too civilized on this monster. There probably isn't enough space for the Spyder tailpieces, right? Perhaps the bar, or a variation on the half-moon? It needs to look sharp, like the asymmetrical one but then more pointy.
 
(Message edited by adriaan on October 29, 2003)

Rog,
may I put in another suggestion?
Adriaan spoke about the Spyder tailpieces
and I also think, that these are too long for
the Dragon. But John had on his original Spyders shorter ones, which are approx. half the length of the long ones on the Spyders.
Think about this, if you want I can email you some pics. I think that these shorter single tails would look great on your dragon.
 
Oliver

Ok, since you asked .  Of course this is a matter of individual taste and each person's view is as valid as another's; and it is yours that is the deciding factor.  I agree with Roger on the symetry of the tailpiece with the bridge and pickups.  And I agree with Mica that the proposed Dragon shape would not work if it is symetrical with the bridge; and I think the reason is its size and proximity to the curved edge of the body.  Because of its size and winged shape, it is necessarily closer to the edge and the relationship between its contour and the contour of the body becomes more apparent.  At first I agreed with Roger's observation that the bird tailpiece looked lost on the bass, dwarfed.  However, now I'm thinking that if the bridge and pickups were in place in the picture, the bird would not seem dwarfed at all but would appear right at home next to the bridge.  I'm also wondering if perhaps the bar tailpiece might be a good choice for this application since it would nail down the symetry with the bridge and be substantial enough not to be dwarfed.
 
Dave

Yes please to the pics Oliver, if you could.
 
To everyone else - my brain is now working overtime, please keep the views and observations coming!
 
Rog