#1
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Compensating sunken biscuit cone?
Hi,
I'm finding the action on my Alligator a bit low these days, and looking sideways at the saddle I think the ebony cap starts a little closer to the cover plate. Hard to judge, easy to miss-eyeball but the instrument has developed a visible belly (or humpback, if you prefer). I don't think the cone is likely to any form of collapse under the much lower tension of nylon strings, but given that the sound well rests on the back it seems possible that the entire construction could have sunken just enough to be noticeable through easier buzzing. I was thinking that one way to compensate the effect would be doing the same thing you do with sagging doors: put in a washer of the right thickness. A huge one, and a very thin one, under the cone. Has anyone ever done such a thing
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I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#2
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No, but that sounds real risky. I'd ask at one of the resonator forums. They have lots of builders and techs who have seen (and fixed) everything.
They'd probably appreciate photos, so if you can take some, that'll help. |
#3
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What would be risky about it? It's just a way to bring the top of the ledge on which the cone rests back to its old height.
The challenge will be to make a "washer" with the correct external and internal diameters, and the question what material to use. Metal should be fine but I'm a bit afraid that the cone will slide around even more easily when I dig in to the strings.
__________________
I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#4
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Quote:
Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#5
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Replacing the cone with a new one is almost certainly your best option. Hope this helps. Wade Hampton Miller |
#6
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Hmmm, the thing is that even light gauge steel strings still have a lot higher total tension than a set of nylon strings, and that the amount of sinking is so small it's barely measureable.
I didn't get the impression that the stock "AmpliSonic" (?) cone is particularly thin, in fact I think I've heard claims of the opposite. Or at least that National cones are thinner. But it being thin does seem like a good explanation why it works so well under nylon strings - and evidently I don't want any regressions in that department... Am I right that the Honey Dripper is the steel-body equivalent of my Alligator, so presumably they both use the same cone and saddle/biscuit assembly? It'd be good to know either way if Beard biscuit cones are an easier replacement than the National ones (in height and exact diameter, I hope). Beard sell one that has a kind of coating to make it less of a dust magnet.
__________________
I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#7
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Quote:
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#8
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I'm aware that no replacement parts *at all* can be obtained any longer from Fender, not even saddles. The cone could never be obtained.
Robin Wales may chime in here, but it is my understanding that the bit about the cones being spun in Eastern Europe is a myth. Maybe they're still being made on machines ones used (or simply built) there, but the current cones are almost certainly just as Chinese as the rest of the instrument (besides, is that a slit eye I see on yours? ). If cones were still being spun in Eastern Europe there should be traces of that fact on the web that don't originate on Fender/Gretsch sites... Do you think your dealer might remember if the replacement was a drop-in?
__________________
I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#9
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It has a regular round hole. I'm using a T-pin to hold it onto the equipment rack in the machine room and that is wht you see.
Quote:
Quote:
Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#10
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Quote:
Oh well, we'll see. The thing is of course that if I'm right and a Beard cone a drop-in replacement it'll be just as much too low as the current cone...
__________________
I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |