Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Can you get longer screws/springs to connect saddles to bridge? Put flat heads on the baseplate, then adjust the saddles over the top of them. Won't be pretty, but it's not major surgery!


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That's a great idea!

I thought about replacing the screws with flat ones, but I didn't think about the saddle screws. Thanks!

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

No surprise. I've even worked on Gibson and Fender stuff that was out a quarter inch. Jigs slip, people make mistakes, etc.

Really? Well, I guess they do mass produce. I'm sure there are plenty of mistakes to be made.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Really? Well, I guess they do mass produce. I'm sure there are plenty of mistakes to be made.

After 39 years in a repair shop I've seen a LOT of crap from the big boys. Also - lots of sweet stuff.

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

After 39 years in a repair shop I've seen a LOT of crap from the big boys. Also - lots of sweet stuff.

I gotta say, I'm jealous. I've been looking around for jobs at music stores, but all the ones where I live are full staffed already, so I gotta learn everything I can on my own for now ��

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Started out working on crap I bought to practice on, improved my skills. Eventually was invited by a music store to do service for them. When they built a new store - I got a nice shop. Was an authorized Gibson and Fender service tech for 13 years there, with plenty of action shipped in and all the walk in biz. When the store was sold, I didn't like the new owner (drunken drug user), so I took my act back home. Now I do work for several stores - just pick it up and take it back. Had to decide between having fun talking to clients, or doing the work. I chose the work, plus it pays better. Now I have eBay and Reverb stores, and am a Duncan and Hipshot dealer. I buy broken stuff off Craigslist, fix it, and flip it on eBay. Work as little or as much as I desire. ALSO - have many nephews and nieces who all play because I started them out with ukes, basses, guitars and so on - so when they need work, they call me. It keeps me busy.

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Started out working on crap I bought to practice on, improved my skills. Eventually was invited by a music store to do service for them. When they built a new store - I got a nice shop. Was an authorized Gibson and Fender service tech for 13 years there, with plenty of action shipped in and all the walk in biz. When the store was sold, I didn't like the new owner (drunken drug user), so I took my act back home. Now I do work for several stores - just pick it up and take it back. Had to decide between having fun talking to clients, or doing the work. I chose the work, plus it pays better. Now I have eBay and Reverb stores, and am a Duncan and Hipshot dealer. I buy broken stuff off Craigslist, fix it, and flip it on eBay. Work as little or as much as I desire. ALSO - have many nephews and nieces who all play because I started them out with ukes, basses, guitars and so on - so when they need work, they call me. It keeps me busy.

You're living a pretty nice life. Be proud.

 

[dotsdad]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Put all of the screws into the tremolo plate. If you dont have all 6, at least fill the outsid holes. There is no screw on the high e, the string youre having trouble with. Notice in the picture that the bridge slid about 1/8" forward from wher it should be.. The screws are there to hold the bridge in place

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

I still wanna see how the neck heel is fitting into the pocket... I'm willing to bet there's space.

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

I still wanna see how the neck heel is fitting into the pocket... I'm willing to bet there's space.

It's in there pretty tight actually. It's hard to get a good picture because the fretboard hangs over a bit, but I've taken it off to see.

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Put all of the screws into the tremolo plate. If you dont have all 6, at least fill the outsid holes. There is no screw on the high e, the string youre having trouble with. Notice in the picture that the bridge slid about 1/8" forward from wher it should be.. The screws are there to hold the bridge in place

The issue is actually that's it needs to be placed about a quarter inch further in the other direction (towards the neck). And I know that I need to fill those screw holes.

I'm going to get flat screws to replace all of those (the three that aren't in as well) and longer screws for the saddles, along with some new springs if I can find em.

Thanks for stopping by though

 

[EDX]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

interesting to say the least. what app do you use? the one i trust for intonation is called Pitchlab ( on a $90 android phone), possibly stupid idea, but have you tried to screw the saddles in?, making the scale longer to see if it does anything for the intonation as strings have a point where they're actually intonated and a point where while they will be near to intonation they will never be intonated (as the saddles don't have enough travel), as said possibly stupid idea

what i can totally assure you is that the baseplate of that bridge is too short, if you end up shaving off the neck heel remember always measure twice and cut once

 

[AWhitaker]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

interesting to say the least. what app do you use? the one i trust for intonation is called Pitchlab ( on a $90 android phone), possibly stupid idea, but have you tried to screw the saddles in?, making the scale longer to see if it does anything for the intonation as strings have a point where they're actually intonated and a point where while they will be near to intonation they will never be intonated (as the saddles don't have enough travel), as said possibly stupid idea

what i can totally assure you is that the baseplate of that bridge is too short, if you end up shaving off the neck heel remember always measure twice and cut once

The app is called iStroboSoft. It's $10 on the App Store.

And, I've put the screws in to check. As I thought, it's simply too far from the neck.

I'll be going to a hardware store to replace screws in a few days.

 

[ginormous]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

Would shims be useful here, until you get the pocket sorted out?
One between the back of the neck and the pocket, and perhaps one at the heel just above where the neck meets the base of the pocket.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Cheap guitar, fixing up. Big issue.

I've done similar surgery on really cheap guitars long ago.

Moving the neck back (by trimming the neck heel OR the body cavity) will work. While you are at it you can certainly put a shim between the neck and the body to jack it up as much as you like. Personally I would shim at the back of the neck only, to put it at a slight angle, rather than raising the whole thing up but that is just a personal preference. I've done that to several guitars just to raise up the bridge saddles where I like them. If you want to get really fancy about it you can buy these angled shims from StewMac (http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...s_and_Wood/StewMac_Neck_Shims_for_Guitar.html). They are kind of pricey, but made out of better wood than shim stock. You can even use a metal shim - Bigsby has a kit to raise the neck and bridge on a Telecaster in order to make a B5 work on them, and the shims are aluminum.

I play decent guitars these days but I still have a really cheap tele-style thing and I shimmed the neck at an angle so that the bridge saddles are just about as high as they can go, just to make it feel more Gibson-ish.