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  #1  
Old 01-03-2022, 07:32 PM
rccosta rccosta is offline
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Default Ball-end Dimensions?

Does anyone know if all ball-ends are standard sizes for steel string acoustic guitars?

Can anyone provide the outer diameter of a D'addario steel string? I saw 0.155" for a Taylor Elixir string and that's all I can find, but trying to figure out if that matches others.
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Old 01-04-2022, 06:38 AM
flatfinger flatfinger is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rccosta View Post
Does anyone know if all ball-ends are standard sizes for steel string acoustic guitars?

Can anyone provide the outer diameter of a D'addario steel string? I saw 0.155" for a Taylor Elixir string and that's all I can find, but trying to figure out if that matches others.
I measured an old set of D’addarios in my junk pile and the ball ends were 0.157”. Also measured an old set of Pyramid flatwounds - same 0.157”
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Old 01-04-2022, 06:53 AM
RogerHaggstrom RogerHaggstrom is offline
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Should be 4 mm.
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Old 01-05-2022, 01:58 PM
Taylor Ham Taylor Ham is offline
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Default Ball-end Dimensions?

There seems to be a bit of variation, particularly by the fact that some mfr chamfer the edges of their ball ends, and some don't.

The major dimensions seem to be about 5/32" nominal diameter and less than 1/8" long. The internal diameter may also vary, I think it's around .080".
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Old 01-07-2022, 07:42 AM
Quickstep192 Quickstep192 is offline
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OK, you’ve got my curiosity up.

What’s the reason for wanting this info?

BTW, I recall the ends on Martin Titanium Strings being different. They’re not wrapped around the ball end, but rather swaged onto the string. They’re also solid, with no hole in the center. I’m going on memory, but I think they were slightly larger too.
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Old 01-13-2022, 02:13 PM
rccosta rccosta is offline
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Reason is just that I'm making a pinless bridge a la Greenfield guitars, and wanted to make sure the channel at the back of the bridge that serves as the anchor for the ball ends was sufficiently deep as to hide the ball ends, but not excessively deep as to have them buried inside the bridge.
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  #7  
Old 01-14-2022, 03:02 AM
Taylor Ham Taylor Ham is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rccosta View Post
Reason is just that I'm making a pinless bridge a la Greenfield guitars, and wanted to make sure the channel at the back of the bridge that serves as the anchor for the ball ends was sufficiently deep as to hide the ball ends, but not excessively deep as to have them buried inside the bridge.


In that case you need the diagonal measurement of the cylindrical end.

A 3/16" hole 3/16" deep should cover it.

You can make a mockup of one string path to test it out, and use an E string to check the minimum size of the hole needed to pass one through. The locking windings will double the string thickness close to the ball.
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Old 01-14-2022, 07:31 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rccosta View Post
Reason is just that I'm making a pinless bridge a la Greenfield guitars, and wanted to make sure the channel at the back of the bridge that serves as the anchor for the ball ends was sufficiently deep as to hide the ball ends, but not excessively deep as to have them buried inside the bridge.
Be very careful in sizing your channel. If the total width of your channel isn't large enough the wedging action of the ball against the channel sides will split out the back edge of the bridge. As related in the previous post, you have to consider the diagonal dimension across the "ball" which is actually a cylinder.

I know this first hand.
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