Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

[super rad stuff]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

Can I add one?

If your trem springs are squeaking, wrap them in PTFE tape. It damps the vibrations and stops the squeaking.

i did that last time i worked on my stepdad's strat, though it was just a piece of electrical tape.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

great info! Thanks!
I been using black nail polish on my chips. have on guit were I had some deep wounds and built it up with many layers.. So Ive been trying to figure how to even it and keep the shine.. Where do you get the micro mesh??

I have Meguire carnauba wax that I use for big waxing and use Dunlop 65n for the regular..

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

i did that last time i worked on my stepdad's strat, though it was just a piece of electrical tape.

Yes, anything that will damp the vibration can be made to work, but I use PTFE as it's neat and so light it doesn't affect spring return performance.

Cling film works too.

PTFE tape has dozens of uses. If your threaded trem arm is loose wrap it in PTFE to cushion it. Wrap it round the threads of trem pivot post to make them run smoothly and take up the looseness.

Any other ideas for it?

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

great info! Thanks!
I been using black nail polish on my chips. have on guit were I had some deep wounds and built it up with many layers.. So Ive been trying to figure how to even it and keep the shine.. Where do you get the micro mesh??

I have Meguire carnauba wax that I use for big waxing and use Dunlop 65n for the regular..

Most nail polishes these days are acrylic so they are similar to nitro-cellulose, however you will never exactly match the gloss and texture between two different lacquer formulae, particularly on flat areas. The best you can hope for is to minimise it.

 

[beandip]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?NameProdHeader=Micro-Mesh

I also have some that I picked up at an auto body shop that contain some courser grits. 150, 220, 320, 480, and 600 to be exact. If I could find an 800 grit mesh I'd be set in never having to buy sandpaper again.

The stuff lasts for ages. With the regular use I give it, I've had them for a year and they still have plenty of life left.

 

[mojorisen]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

Random tips and tricks

3. In a pinch, a hacksaw blade, a thin handsaw and a few grits of sandpaper can be used as nut slotting files. Say you’ve ordered a “pre-slotted” shaped nut. We all know that they’re never really slotted, just marked for the proper string spacing, and they’re much too high. Well, I spoke about how to lower the nut in my last article. For your two larger strings, wrap the hacksaw blade in 220 grit sandpaper, and following the downward angle of the precut slots, drop the depth to where you’d like it to be. Remember to follow the radius of the fretboard (I’ll talk about making radius gauges here in a minute). For the D, and G strings, the bare hacksaw blade will give you a good rough cut, followed by a piece of 220 folded to round out the bottom of the slot. For the B and E strings, use your thin cut saw blade. Remember to follow the radius. How do you know you’re at the right height? I’d suggest for a novice to just cut the nut slots deep enough to properly seat the strings, and then lower the nut accordingly. Follow up the nut slots with sandpaper of various grits to 600, and then use the burnishing technique above.

What I usually do if I replace the nut is file the bottom of the nut until it's the right height rather than file the slots, I don't want to mess with the accuarcy of the cuts.

On new bridges or bridge saddles that are not slotted, I let the string itself form the slot instead of filing the slots. and before it's asked, I do not have a problem with the string sliding off the saddle. There's enough tension between the stop bar and the bridge that it keeps the string in place, plus after a short time a slot is cut into the saddle by the string.

Also, something thing I do on acoustics, I find the bridge height is usually a bit high for my liking so I file the bottom of the the bridge down.

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

This should be common knowledge but I don't recall seeing it yet:

When operating on a bolt-on neck, when you need to access the electronics on a front-routed you don't need to cut the strings. Instead put a capo on the first fret and then unscrew the neck (but watch out for the neck to jump forward when you loosen the last screw. Set the neck aside and do your quick job. For longer jobs cutting the strings is the only real option though. I use the capo trick when I need to peek under the pickguard because it keeps some tension over the nut and to the string posts and so you don't lose your strings' tuning when you screw the neck back in (although you'll need fine tuning of course).

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

When operating on a bolt-on neck, when you need to access the electronics on a front-routed you don't need to cut the strings. Instead put a capo on the first fret and then unscrew the neck (but watch out for the neck to jump forward when you loosen the last screw. Set the neck aside and do your quick job. For longer jobs cutting the strings is the only real option though. I use the capo trick when I need to peek under the pickguard because it keeps some tension over the nut and to the string posts and so you don't lose your strings' tuning when you screw the neck back in (although you'll need fine tuning of course).

Haha! I do that! At last i don't feel all alone in the world...

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

What I usually do if I replace the nut is file the bottom of the nut until it's the right height rather than file the slots, I don't want to mess with the accuarcy of the cuts.

If I may say so, I feel this is wrong thinking; if the slots had been cut accurately you wouldn't need to be lowering the nut. The likelihood is that they have been very roughly slotted, all the strings are at slightly different heights and you lose the opportunity to correct the slot profile, which is most likely wrong.

And, if you don't get it right, you have to correct six slots instead of just one...

It's OK as a short cut though if the strings are really high at the nut...

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

This should be common knowledge but I don't recall seeing it yet:

When operating on a bolt-on neck, when you need to access the electronics on a front-routed you don't need to cut the strings. Instead put a capo on the first fret and then unscrew the neck (but watch out for the neck to jump forward when you loosen the last screw. Set the neck aside and do your quick job. For longer jobs cutting the strings is the only real option though. I use the capo trick when I need to peek under the pickguard because it keeps some tension over the nut and to the string posts and so you don't lose your strings' tuning when you screw the neck back in (although you'll need fine tuning of course).

never dared though.

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

Well your sig says you got all Fenders, try it sometime. YOu might just want to see your wiring and the inner greebling, I think it's pretty cool.

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

Some people just don't have the cojones to spanner their own axe.

Don't knock it, it pays my bills...

 

[beandip]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

I always slacken the strings, but still capo at the first. Came in handy more than you know when I sat down one day with 5 different pickgaurds with different pickups and decided to do a shootout.

I'll get around to writing another article here in a few days, sorry about the hold up fellas.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Random Tips and Tricks You Probably Heard Of But Never Understood

Well your sig says you got all Fenders, try it sometime. YOu might just want to see your wiring and the inner greebling, I think it's pretty cool.

nah ive seen it, just never done it by taking off the neck. my necks are usually bolted on pretty tight, i dont like the idea of taking them off and on when i can just move strings outta the way.