Removing Top hat knobs??

[BloodRose]

Is there any secret to removing the top hat knobs with the metal inserts? EVERYTIME Ive ever tried to remove em, I break the skirt. on the knob. For some reason they are the most difficult knobs to remove. Tips??

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Have you tried that can thing?

 

[JeffB]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

thick shoelace.

loop it underneath and cross the ends...snug it up, under the knob and apply stead upward even pressure..rock a little if neccessary.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Is there any secret to removing the top hat knobs with the metal inserts? EVERYTIME Ive ever tried to remove em, I break the skirt. on the knob. For some reason they are the most difficult knobs to remove. Tips??

A Long Soup Spoon, or long fat flat head screwdriver and heavy Cardboard under the Spoon/ screwdriver. Gently lift up on the underside of the skirt as you rotate the knob each way throughout it's travel back and forth- don't be in a rush, some of those are VERY stubborn!. Soon that top hat will flip it's lid.

 

[LLL]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Like JeffB suggests, or what I use is an old t-shirt... wrap it as much as I can under the knob, make sure to wrap up on top of the knob (so when you pull the knob won't go flying)... then pull the whole thing up.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

thanks guys!! Will try that!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

And Stew-Mac has a special tool...

Bill

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

I've broken at least one of them every time I've tried removing or replacing a set. Stew-Mac's little tool does work fairly well but often the edge of the Top Hat will still fracture. Now I just keep 4-8 of them in each common color on hand so I can replace one or all of them when they inevitably crack!!!

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Just busted one of teh feckers on my Epi after I got it back from Artie...
Ugh...
PITA.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

bummer bro!! yeah, thats im afraid of. tried removing some before and busted

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Make sure they don't have set screws. Saw a couple like that some years ago.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Yeah, I looked for screws cuz they were being so hard to budge. none..

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Shoestring worked brilliantly!! Thank you!!!!!! Gonna put a shoestring in my tool box!

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

big fan of the Schatten puller tool. I think StewMac carries them, but I found mine on eBay for a better deal.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Shoestring worked brilliantly!! Thank you!!!!!! Gonna put a shoestring in my tool box!

I tear my old T-shirts up to use as rags. I have the bottom seam of one of them in a drawer of the countertop that I use as a workbench. It's a cat toy ... seriously. The cat loves to play with them. It's also what I grab to pull knobs.

 

[metlking]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

Hey ↑↑↑↑ That guy is my luthier when something is out of my skill level! (fretwork/bone nut install).....Super nice guy too!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Removing Top hat knobs??

I've never broken ANY knob removing it, and I've removed hundreds. You just have to be a bit careful and have a 13 year old's understanding of physics.

(What's that they say about a bull in a china shop?!)