Dumb guy question, but help!!

[JackAlan]

Hi Everyone,

Well, my 2007 325c64 JG just arrived the other day and is warm enough to get into it this AM. Looks great!! Here's my question, the strings were shot, maybe originals and I went to replace. And I wanted to clean & wax up the top too. Before I go any further, I KNOW, I KNOW, I needed to have checked to see if I had an illustration and memorized how this con-sarn vibrato piece went together. Dumb, dumb dumb. Having trouble getting a good feel on the parts. Of course the parts separated & the spring loaded horseshoe like piece tumbled onto the floor & may be end for end. I can't find ANY photos of the pieces apart or even good ones together. My question is this:

1) What type of gap should there be between the Vibrato sting bridge & the Vibrato mounting plate when hooked up to the spring metal plate that joins them? Photo's that I can find of a 325c64 show enough space to get strings thru without taking apart. My gap is almost tight with strings/saddle touching the mounting plate

2) Does the "horseshoe spring piece", don't know the proper name yet, go only a certain way into the two other pieces that it joins? By that I mean, it can be flipped 180 degrees and it "looks" like it's symmetrically bent, at least to me right now.

Thanks for the help. Got her cleaned up and would like to try it out this afternoon with the new strings, but I don't want to assy. this incorrectly (if that is possible). I'd rather take the forum spanking for messing it up than mess up the guitar.

Jack

[scotty]

Try looking at few of these http://www.rickresource.com/register/ga ... =0&month=0

http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg
http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg

[deaconblues]

RE: the gap. You're looking at it with the strings off, right? Then naturally it's going to be smaller because the spring isn't at full tension. Once the strings are on, the pressure will cause the spring to flex and the gap to open.


Oh yeah, and change them one by one next time!!!

[JackAlan]

After I wrote this, and had walked away from thinking about it, dooonk! Yeah jack ( as in jerk) , the springs going to close you duffess! But thanks for the help just in case my head hadn't cleared from the naptha cleaner.

I will change then out in the future one at a time, but about ever year or two I like to clean ALL of the guitar (and the pots/switches too). Since this hadn't been cleaned yet it got the $7.50 wash & wax with an additional $2.50 wax strip. I won't do that disassemble now for at least enough time TO FORGET HOW I PUT IT TOGETHER AGAIN.

But, no right/wrong way on that spring then?

Thanks for the help. Buffed up right nice and looks ni-on good as new or at least as close as it's going to get.

Jack.

P.S. Just looked at more photo's and even when it was strung up in tune no way did I have THAT BIG A GAP. That looks like 3/8"-1/2" in the photo's. I was truly wondering how the heck I'd ever change stings w/o taking it apart.

See what I mean. This is a photo from the fellow that I bought it from. Didn't think I could get the low E thru the groove.
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae25 ... Bridge.jpg

[JackAlan]

Got her back together & strung up. I have a lot of bridge buzzing with the strings not laying hard on the brass bridge rollers. Action was set for 3/32" low E & 2/32" for high E. Is that about right for a 325 or too low? Also, should the bridge allen adjuster screws be set to dead level the bridge front to back? Had to slide the string assy of tailpiece over to the low E side a fair amount to get the strings to line up with the brass rollers.

Thanks again. It's very close now. Still don't have much more than 2/32" between the sting part & the mount part of the Vibrato assy. Everyone else's photo sure looks much more than that to me. Standard Ric strings 12's on the guitar too.

Jack

[doctorwho]

I'm not a luthier, but my 'rule of thumb' for setting the action is to set it as low without string buzz on any of the upper frets. I usually lower the bridge gradually to the point of the first bit of buzz, then I raise it up by 1/8-1/4 turn of the adjusting screws (with the strings detuned to lower tension so as not to strip the threads of the adjusting screws or bridge itself).

With regard to bridge 'levelness', I usually have my bridges level, but IMO it isn't critical.

I would recommend that you post your set-up questions also in The Vibrola section where the luthiers will be sure to see it.

[paologregorio]

Speaking from experience, a nice gap in the Accent VB is your friend; it makes for easier string changes if just one breaks, or when you want to change them one by one. IIRC, there's no front or back to the leaf spring-the angle's the same on both sides.

All of my Rick six strings have Accent vibrato TPs.