Tremolo post fit question... Never seen this before!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I did a setup on my Soloist last night and I noticed the bass side tremolo bushing was flush with the body and the treble side was down about 1/8". I push on the bass side, and it goes down.

Then I pull it back up, and out. Pulled both of them right out of there! Never seen this... I've always seen tremolo post bushings fit so tight you'd need a puller or something to budge them.

It's tough to describe how loose/tight they are but let's say that with the stud 10 threads or so into the bushing that gave me enough grip on the stud to pull the bushings out, and I have to press fairly hard to get them back in.

They don't move when using the tremolo (even "abusing" it by letting the guitar hang from the bar & shaking it)

So here's my question... Is this "normal" on a recessed OFR? I could epoxy them in or something but I don't want them to crack the wood, either.

[DonP]

I've heard of using wood glue. The mosture in the glue will swell the wood, making it a tight fit, but it will still let you pull the bushings if you need to.

[84sups]

I've heard of using wood glue. The mosture in the glue will swell the wood, making it a tight fit, but it will still let you pull the bushings if you need to.

+1

[Grandturk]

So let's say you want to pull the bushings on purpose - what are the accepted methods for this?

[sully]

So let's say you want to pull the bushings on purpose - what are the accepted methods for this?

i use an old post that fits in the bushing that needs to be removed, protective cover for the face of the guitar, and the claw end of a hammer. i'm hardcore.

sully

[Grandturk]

i use an old post that fits in the bushing that needs to be removed, protective cover for the face of the guitar, and the claw end of a hammer. i'm hardcore.

sully

Yowch... I'll pass on that method!

I'll bet that that's the only way to do it, though, huh?

[atdguitars]

Yowch... I'll pass on that method!

I'll bet that that's the only way to do it, though, huh?

Throw a small padded block under the hammer so it doesn't pull at such a harsh angle. The block makes it lift more than pull.

[sully]

Yowch... I'll pass on that method!

I'll bet that that's the only way to do it, though, huh?

it's really not harsh at all; i learned it from a Jackson CS employee!

Lay something protective (some scrap wood, etc) next to the post, screw in your "stunt" post, get the claw underneath, and rock it out gently. works like a charm.

sully

[Grandturk]

So here's the $50,000 question:

Is it actually worth doing? I replaced the Korean Floyd on my SD1 with an OFR... should I even bother?

[straycat]

I take a soldering iron and heat the bushing to soften the glue then the bushing comes right out with no mess.
Use a non water based wood glue and put a little glue toward the bottom(not on the very bottom) of the bushing and a little at the top of the bushing hole this drags the glue up the bushing and down in the hole and gives you an even distribution of the glue and then press downward gently.make sure the bushing goes in straight.Really an easy fix.
Grandturk if the posts and studs are fine I wouldn't bother.

[Model1VH2]

it's really not harsh at all; i learned it from a Jackson CS employee!

Lay something protective (some scrap wood, etc) next to the post, screw in your "stunt" post, get the claw underneath, and rock it out gently. works like a charm.

sully

+1 ... I do the same.
The protective scrap block helps offers leverage as well.
I guess I'm hard core too.

[Newc]

Meh. I use vise-grips. Grab the head of the post, plant both feet on the body, and pull for your freedom

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

So here's the $50,000 question:

Is it actually worth doing? I replaced the Korean Floyd on my SD1 with an OFR... should I even bother?

Hell no, at least not to me. The studs themselves are probably worth swapping (at least from what I've seen on the Floyd on my Sam Ash Soloist, they don't appear to be hardened steel like the OFR/Schaller posts they have on Warmoth's site or that probably came with your new OFR) but from what I understand they will screw right into the existing bushings.

Don't they? I haven't tried it but I've heard that claimed.

Anyway, so it sounds like a very small amount of epoxy would be the right thing to use and should "let go" with a little heat should I ever need to change the bushings (and I have no idea why I would since I'm almost positive they're OFR/Schaller compatible.)

<- I'm used to doing repair work on guitars I don't like this much.

[Grandturk]

from what I understand they will screw right into the existing bushings.

Don't they? I haven't tried it but I've heard that claimed.

Oh yeah, they do. I wonder if the bushings are even any different. Mine (the Korean Floyd on the SD1) came with a German nut - so I guess they don't make the nuts in Korea. Do they make the rest of the hardware in Korea? Trem claw? Screws? Studs? Bushings?

[DonP]

So here's the $50,000 question:

Is it actually worth doing? I replaced the Korean Floyd on my SD1 with an OFR... should I even bother?

I'll say if the threads are finer (better control of action) and fit better (better tone) it may be worth it. I don't know how bad the Korean post threads are.