335 Bridge Problem
Moderator: jingle_jangle
335 Bridge Problem
I need help with the bridge for my '66 335. The 4 height adj. screws keep coming undone, messing up everything. Until very recently, the screws never had anything on them. I then met Chris from Pick of the Ricks and he gave me springs (at my request). I took the guitar in to the shop and asked that they be put on. Instead, the tech put on 4 rubber O ring things, which appear to do nothing. I don't know why he didn't put on the springs and he wasn't there to ask (I still have them). I figured he knew something I didn't. So now I've lost one "O" ring because it fell off during heavy playing as the screws keep moving. So how do I keep them from moving very much? What was on this guitar from the factory? Rings? Springs? Magical things? Please help as this problem really stinks!
O rings can be had from hardware stores , you just have to look .NOT the Home Depot giant types , but the neighborhood types .
Another place to go would be a place that rebuilds air compressors .they use O rings that are fairly small .
Here is what you might do to fix this .
Clear nail polish.
It can be removed and easily 'broken' to re-adjust the height.
I have had a debate with john Hall over this before .I do see his point of saying that LOCKTITE does work , but it is also either red or blue and color wise , most guys I know don't want that on there bridge.
I does take an hour to set up .
DON"T use clear Cyanoacrylate glues ... these are a pain to clean up and set rock hard quickly on metal.
A blob on the bottom of the screws under the chassis will do it .
Springs can also be had from the same type of Hardware store .
Another place to go would be a place that rebuilds air compressors .they use O rings that are fairly small .
Here is what you might do to fix this .
Clear nail polish.
It can be removed and easily 'broken' to re-adjust the height.
I have had a debate with john Hall over this before .I do see his point of saying that LOCKTITE does work , but it is also either red or blue and color wise , most guys I know don't want that on there bridge.
I does take an hour to set up .
DON"T use clear Cyanoacrylate glues ... these are a pain to clean up and set rock hard quickly on metal.
A blob on the bottom of the screws under the chassis will do it .
Springs can also be had from the same type of Hardware store .
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
Thanks Mark. Again, I have the springs. My question is this: What is factory stock, and what works the best. How are the O rings supposed to work? Do the springs work better? I am opposed to Locktite because #1 I am a slob and #2 if it was meant to be on the Rick, RIC would have put it there! Is this a design "flaw", or am I being too hard on my guitar?
Does poor picking tend to do this (I don't know what poor picking would be...lol). And what the heck would I do with the clear nail polish? Thanks for clarification.
I'm not the brightest bulb and need full disclosure and opinion from you, the expert!
Does poor picking tend to do this (I don't know what poor picking would be...lol). And what the heck would I do with the clear nail polish? Thanks for clarification.
I'm not the brightest bulb and need full disclosure and opinion from you, the expert!
good question on the "O" rings.
In theory , they grip the screw so it won't wobble.
reality .... they kind of work .
On some bridges to tooling just did not work well .
There are several types of taps and there are better ways to make that mousetrap .BUT that was then and this is now .
The springs work better than the "O" ring in reality , but they can be changed out to a stiffer spring.
In the case of sloppy threads , the spring WITH some nail polish will definately do the trick.
You are NOT too hard on your guitar .This is a case of threads being loose.There is no way you did something .
Paint the clear nail polish onto the threads and do this UNDER the bridge chassis.The screws should be tightened into the chassis until they stop , then brush the threads with the nail polish .
Reset the height and let it harden.
It should stay put after that .
In theory , they grip the screw so it won't wobble.
reality .... they kind of work .
On some bridges to tooling just did not work well .
There are several types of taps and there are better ways to make that mousetrap .BUT that was then and this is now .
The springs work better than the "O" ring in reality , but they can be changed out to a stiffer spring.
In the case of sloppy threads , the spring WITH some nail polish will definately do the trick.
You are NOT too hard on your guitar .This is a case of threads being loose.There is no way you did something .
Paint the clear nail polish onto the threads and do this UNDER the bridge chassis.The screws should be tightened into the chassis until they stop , then brush the threads with the nail polish .
Reset the height and let it harden.
It should stay put after that .
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
I asked about this same issue last year and got replies from both Mark the MD and John Hall about using Loctite or finding nuts to affix to the bridge height screws. Well, my procrastinating ways paid off in that I didn't try the Loctite. Used the clear nail polish (my wife gave me a strange look when I asked to use hers) and it did the trick beautifully. Can't see it at all and the screws stay put. Thanks again Mark for a simple yet effective solution.
The theory behind use of springs or o-rings would be the same: keep tension applied between the actual screw threads and the four threaded holes of the bridge "span". I suspect that what has happened is that the tap in the bridge span was "sloppy" or that the screws were a low-grade/inferior "class" thread and that the external threading of the screw and the internal threading of the tapped holes were too loose. The result being that when possible, they rattle/vibrate themselves into unscrewing. This would be compounded by a three point contact (ie: one of the screws was a half turn too short, so the entire bridge would "wobble").
Upward pressure provided by a spring (around the screw, between the bottom of the bridge span and the top of the bridge mounting plate) would provide tension. The o-ring/grommet would also do the same although the method would be slightly different - relying instead on the o-ring gripping the screw and the actual compression of the rubber/neoprene.
The "Locktite" (TM) or clear nail polish solution relies on the hardened fluid to remove slop between the threads as well as preventing the screws from turning because there is essentially "blockage" on the helix of the thread.
Coating the threads in this way is completely un-doable and virtually un-seeable.
A similar technique is often employed via the use of a "jam" nut. You could run small nuts up the screw to the underside of the bridge span and then adjusting the four screws would require a sequence of loosening/tightening the pair of screw/nut.
Upward pressure provided by a spring (around the screw, between the bottom of the bridge span and the top of the bridge mounting plate) would provide tension. The o-ring/grommet would also do the same although the method would be slightly different - relying instead on the o-ring gripping the screw and the actual compression of the rubber/neoprene.
The "Locktite" (TM) or clear nail polish solution relies on the hardened fluid to remove slop between the threads as well as preventing the screws from turning because there is essentially "blockage" on the helix of the thread.
Coating the threads in this way is completely un-doable and virtually un-seeable.
A similar technique is often employed via the use of a "jam" nut. You could run small nuts up the screw to the underside of the bridge span and then adjusting the four screws would require a sequence of loosening/tightening the pair of screw/nut.