It slides off laterally. Either towards the head stock or away from it, depending on how it's orientated. Sometimes they are very tight and you need to wiggle it a little while sliding it.
My mandolin had a similar tailpiece. It was also very tight. I very carefully bent the sides out a tiny bit to lessen the tightness of the fit and it was much easier from that point on getting it off to change strings. It didn't need much, you still want a snug fit. I took it off the instrument when doing it, because you don't want to put any pressures on the other parts of the tailpiece or instrument when doing it. Again, ever so slight, not even enough to feel a movement.
Yeah, I've never experienced that before, but it is a cheap import a friend picked up at the thrift store. I adjusted the action and put on new strings.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Ken, in that case, a bit of lube is a good idea. None that I've had were ever that tight.
John, I sprayed a little silcone along both side edges, but it is still holding on there. In fact, I have to put on leather work gloves and push from the bridge side of the tailpiece to tail end of the mandolin to get it off. It's not going to slide off. I can assure you of that.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Yes, that's a mandolin tailpiece. On mine, I usually lift up from the front edge of the cover to get it off, then slide it back on from the butt end of the instrument. Spring tension holds it in place. I'm not sure lubricating the contact surfaces is a good idea. You want the cover to grip the base and not slide off too easily.
You pull the top piece off. Pull it away by pulling toward the bent end which is where it attached to the instrument. You may need to turn it over and spray a little lubricant along the edges to help it out. It is meant to be tight so it does not fall off the instrument. That type of tail piece is typical of mandolins. If you need me to, I can run down to my shop and photograph one on a mandolin that I've had in for some work. I'll pull it off and show you what it looks. Let me know quickly as I'll be away Saturday and Sunday.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
No hinge, but it looks like a box lid around the edges.
James,
That looks like a mandolin tailpiece to me. If so, the pointed decorative end should lift up to reveal the string ends. In other words, there should be a hinge on the other end of the tailpiece. If it's tight, maybe dab a little WD-40 on it from a Q-tip.
My new strumstick has this tailpiece on it. How do these open? Seems like a friction fit, but it's really tight and I don't want to break anything.
