Volume pointer nails, where to find?

[Guildedagain]

Anyone know a source for the round headed pointers Guild inset into the body on archtops?

I'm missing one, and of course it bugs me.

 

[fronobulax]

Someone (@mellowgerman ?) reported visiting a hardware store and finding something in brads and finishing nails.

 

[mavuser]

message Hans

 

[GAD]

Definately @hansmoust

If memory serves they are some kind of decorative nail as Frono mentioned.

 

[SFIV1967]

@Stefan Eff : Stefan, where did you find the little nails you used on your Goldtop? Any source and type used?

Ralf

 

[Uke]

I have no answer to your question, but I appreciate your asking -- I now know what those little brass dots are next to the controls on my
'65 SF2 !!

 

[theonemanband]

Those small brass (or brass coated) picture hanging pins look very similar, and you could replace all four if "perfect matching" is an issue for you.

 

[Stefan Eff]

@Stefan Eff : Stefan, where did you find the little nails you used on your Goldtop? Any source and type used?

Ralf

Here you go:

Just drill a very small hole and stick those nails in with a drop of tite bond or delayed drying super glue.
Since you’re also located in germany I can send you a handful, no problem
If you‘d like to buy: Bauhaus.

 

[Guildedagain]

Were these just right?

 

[Stefan Eff]

Were these just right?

I don’t see any difference.

 

[SFIV1967]

Since you’re also located in germany I can send you a handful, no problem
If you‘d like to buy: Bauhaus.

Thanks for the offer, I don't need any. I was just curious as we were never able to locate a suitable source and had this question before in the past a few times.
I had measured the size of them on my 1967 Starfire IV, they are about 7.5 mm long, 1.2 mm diameter nails with 2.5 mm head size. The head is flat on the bottom and domed like a mushroom.
They are made from iron, not steel.

2.5mm is about 0.1"
1.2mm is about 0.049".
7.5mm is about 19/64"

Online I was unable to find such size of nails when I looked in the past.
So the nails you found are exactly 1,2mm diameter and 13mm long (vs. 7.5mm for the originals). The length of the nail is not important, you can always file them shorter, means you don't need to glue them in if the hole is small enough. Now if the head diameter is also 2.5mm that would be perfect.

I'm just not sure about the metall, they look like brass in your picture here.

BAUHAUS shows them in 3 versions but has only one generic picture for all:
Brass (Messing), Nickel-plated Brass (Vernickelt) and Brass-Plated Steel (Vermessingt).
Sounds like Nickel-plated brass might be the correct version.

I have to say they look pretty good on your guitar, is that a different metall (as they look silver) from the one in the blister you showed?

Ralf

 

[Stefan Eff]

Hey Ralf,

didn‘t measure the head diameter so far but they do look very close.
Yup, length isn’t important since they disappear in the guitar and the color is a deep golden brass, same like the originals. The holes from the Pickguardscrews are larger than 1.2 mm so I needed to glue them with a tiny drop of glue. Worked like a charm.

 

[Guildedagain]

Very nice. I find these pointers to be classier than the Gibson counterparts.