Need gold Rainbow II tailpiece

Hi Folks!

I have a beautiful Rainbow II that I've played for years, but a small crack in the (gold) tailpiece has developed into a complete break.  I love this guitar, but I really need to get a new tailpiece.  I really like the sculptured Westone shape of the tailpiece, and I'm not even sure that a generic nickel tailpiece would match the spacing of the studs, not to mention that a nickel tailpiece would look hideous next to the rest of the gold hardware on this otherwise beatiful guitar.  I have Gibsons, Fenders, Guilds, Peaveys and Ovations, but the Rainbow II is my baby!

Can anyone point me to a source for a new tailpiece (or even a second-hand one with good gold plating)?

BTW, I knew the designer of the Rainbow II.  His name was Bobby Caldwell, and he worked for SLM and was a local legend in the St. Louis music scene.  I understand that SLM sent him to Matsumoku at some point to design a new Electra/Westone guitar.  Bobby was an ES-335 enthusiast, and he incorporated some of the design concepts of the ES-335 into what eventually became the Rainbow II!  Not only that, but he played a Rainbow II as the leader of the backup band at the International Steel Guitar Conventions, which were held at the Milennium Hotel here in St. Louis up until the death of DeWitt (Scotty) Scott a few years ago.

Mike Harmon
mharmon at att dot net

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No Help but im looking for one as well, same guitar same fault

Hi fellas, sorry to hear about your bad luck. Unfortunately there is not much good news to offer.

I believe the same stop tail was also used on the Prestige line (I don't own either model). Prestige owners are in the same pickle as you, the part was made of pot metal and it bends under tension over time and eventually snaps.

There is no off the shelf replacement because the stud centres are non-standard, so the only remedy is to either fabricate one of brass, or plug the original stud holes and re-drill.

Any other guitar and it might be headed for the dumpster, but these are beautiful instruments and worth the effort to repair.

Steve, I have moved your sales offer post to the For Sale Forum
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