cello spike replacement

Oct 10, 2004 6 Replies

Does anyone know how to remove a cello spike assembly? My son requires a longer spike and I would like to try to replace it myself.


We'd all like a longer spike. Just tell him size doesn't matter.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

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Check the following two web sites. They may have the information you need.

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On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 14:51:56 GMT, Lazarus Long calmly ranted:

I wonder if they're also hide-glued.

-- SAVE THE PARROTS! Eschew the use of poly! ----------

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Poly-free Website Development

Check out this group:

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You'll have to have a new longer spike first. The spike comes mounted in a standard tapered wood plug.

You'll have to remove the strings, bridge, and tail piece. Once this is removed, you can just pull out the existing spike with its wood plug and replace it with the new one. Installation is reverse of removal but with lots of caveats:

  1. The new tapered wood plug might not fit in the existing hole. You need to ream it with a special tapered tool.
  2. The sound post might fall off and need to be set properly.
  3. Bridge position must be set properly.

Unless you have the tools and strong inclination to learn the trade, I would pay a violin shop to do the work.

David

The endpin is held in by the tailpiece. Loosen the strings, and the black (?) hoop around the endpin assembly will loosen. That's tapered into the bottom of the cello, you can loosen that by gripping it firmly and rotating it to loosen from the cello. Once you have that in your hand, you'll see which of the several possible ways of putting the pin into the wooden piece have been used.

When I replaced mine, I used a piece of bar stock, sharpened the end, and on the top I threaded it & secured a shoulder nut at the top with some loctite. What's wrong with the current one, too short maybe?

Dave Hinz

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