Ask Grumpy Old Luthier BCRGreg Thread

[BCRGreg]

Two questions:

1. can I find threaded inserts and the proper bolts to go with it at a hardware store to use in a bolt-on neck?

2. Are there problems with putting two pickups of any kind (specifically a strong rail-style humbucking single coil and a noiseless single) right next to each other al la steve morse style? I've been getting different opinions upon the question, Seymour Duncan's tech support telling me no problems and a forum member saying "magnetic interfernce". I'm just confused to heck.

1. If you have a store that caters to cabinet makers and the like, yes.

2. I have not had any problems with Magnetic Anything doing that.

 

[nagha]

Hi Greg,

I want to replace the covers on my Epiphone Black Beauty 3 that I picked up used. I see Gibson charging first born blood and various covers on Amazon for far less. I get that they're gold coated but are the Gibson ones worth the price?

Also, some are for bridge others for neck. I have a middle as well. How do I choose? Does it matter? I'd like to replace them with ones without holes. Is that permissible?

Sorry if these are stupid questions... but I searched the forums and can't find an answer.

N

 

[BCRGreg]

I cannot tell you if parts that I have no experience with will work.

 

[schoeftinger]

Carefully coat it with water thin CA Glue (I use Hot Shot SuperT, pink bottle) Wipe the maple with acetone and apply the CA glue. Let it dry and then scuff it with 800 grit to hide the shine.

Now that was quick - I actually missed the message.
I'll do that and post back how it worked.

As always, thanks for helping!

 

[SteveC]

Couple of quick ones, Greg...

1. I'm getting a little binding at the nut on the LP on G & D. I've tried all the usual suspects (graphite, nut sauce, etc.) and eventually, it comes back. What can I use to open the slots "just a little". I don't have a nut file set. Any reasonable substitutes?

2. I installed a Faber locking ABR. It came with pre-notched saddles, that thankfully are notched in the correct places, but seem a tad shallow. Is this worth addressing? It plays & sounds fine and the strings don't pop out. Leave it alone?

thanks - steve

 

[BCRGreg]

Couple of quick ones, Greg...

1. I'm getting a little binding at the nut on the LP on G & D. I've tried all the usual suspects (graphite, nut sauce, etc.) and eventually, it comes back. What can I use to open the slots "just a little". I don't have a nut file set. Any reasonable substitutes?

2. I installed a Faber locking ABR. It came with pre-notched saddles, that thankfully are notched in the correct places, but seem a tad shallow. Is this worth addressing? It plays & sounds fine and the strings don't pop out. Leave it alone?

thanks - steve

1. 3M black 600 grit folded in half and worked back and forth in the slot.

2. Read number 1.

 

[SteveC]

Thank you, sir!

 

[NLAALN]

Hi Greg,

sorry if this has been asked before, but a search didn't yield a definitive answer... I got hold of a 91 LP Studio Lite (Sunburst) with gold hardware that has corroded beyond salvage. So, I would like to replace the tuners, bridge and tailpiece with - if possible - the original parts, or something close to it.
Would those fit:
- Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge 0167-G
- Gotoh Stop tailpiece 5850-G
- Genuine Gibson tuners ?

Thanks a lot in advance for any useful info !

Cheers, NLAALN

 

[BCRGreg]

Hi Greg,

sorry if this has been asked before, but a search didn't yield a definitive answer... I got hold of a 91 LP Studio Lite (Sunburst) with gold hardware that has corroded beyond salvage. So, I would like to replace the tuners, bridge and tailpiece with - if possible - the original parts, or something close to it.
Would those fit:
- Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge 0167-G
- Gotoh Stop tailpiece 5850-G
- Genuine Gibson tuners ?

Thanks a lot in advance for any useful info !

Cheers, NLAALN

This thread is about repairs, by a guy that owns a store. Please don't ask me to recommend products bought somewhere OTHER than my store. If you would like to make a purchase, please contact me directly.

I am here to help get folks out of a jam, not to be a personal shopping assistant.

 

[Kyle76]

Greg, I'm installing covers over Dimarzio PAF pickups on a Trad I recently bought. Do I need to use wax, something else or nothing?

 

[BCRGreg]

Greg, I'm installing covers over Dimarzio PAF pickups on a Trad I recently bought. Do I need to use wax, something else or nothing?

Put tape over the holds on the top of the cover. Turn it over and pour a few tablespoons of melted wax in, followed IMMEDIATELY by the pickup. Let it cool, clear away the excess wax and you are done. If you want to solder the cover to the pickup base, go ahead.

 

[Kyle76]

Thanks!

 

[bolero]

here's one:

I can't raise the bridge P90 high enough to my liking because the screws that go thru & mount it to the body are 1 1/2" and I need approx 1 3/4"

I can't find those screws longer than 1 1/2" ANYWHERE ( I believe they are #4 woodscrew )

so what's the best way to shim something in there to raise the bottom of the cavity? or is there some kind of offset plug I could screw into the holes, then use a machine screw that threads into that?

thx for any advice!

 

[NLAALN]

This thread is about repairs, by a guy that owns a store. Please don't ask me to recommend products bought somewhere OTHER than my store. If you would like to make a purchase, please contact me directly.

Perhaps I should have phrased the question differently... I didn't buy anything (yet), just wanted to make sure that I was looking at the right models. Always good to know that the stuff you're ordering will indeed fit. The one link I used was for illustration purposes only, sorry if it offended you. For what it's worth (not much, apparently): for whatever product, I consider it good manners to shop at the same place that helped me make my decision, and tend to do so too.

 

[BCRGreg]

here's one:

I can't raise the bridge P90 high enough to my liking because the screws that go thru & mount it to the body are 1 1/2" and I need approx 1 3/4"

I can't find those screws longer than 1 1/2" ANYWHERE ( I believe they are #4 woodscrew )

so what's the best way to shim something in there to raise the bottom of the cavity? or is there some kind of offset plug I could screw into the holes, then use a machine screw that threads into that?

thx for any advice!

I make 1/4 in spacers out of mahogany and screw them fast to the bottom of the route(the holes are just outside of the pickups screw holes) and use the stock screws to keep the tone the same. On my personal guitars, the Springs are removed and I have fashioned mahogany parts that hold the pickup and are screwed to the route...giving me more of the body resonance, like a Junior....which has the pickups screwed to the body without springs.

 

[BCRGreg]

Perhaps I should have phrased the question differently... I didn't buy anything (yet), just wanted to make sure that I was looking at the right models. Always good to know that the stuff you're ordering will indeed fit. The one link I used was for illustration purposes only, sorry if it offended you. For what it's worth (not much, apparently): for whatever product, I consider it good manners to shop at the same place that helped me make my decision, and tend to do so too.

Contact me directly and perhaps I can hook you up.

 

[bolero]

I make 1/4 in spacers out of mahogany and screw them fast to the bottom of the route(the holes are just outside of the pickups screw holes) and use the stock screws to keep the tone the same. On my personal guitars, the Springs are removed and I have fashioned mahogany parts that hold the pickup and are screwed to the route...giving me more of the body resonance, like a Junior....which has the pickups screwed to the body without springs.

hey those are both interesting options, I never thought of losing the springs entirely...hmm

THANKS!!

 

[Kyle76]

Greg, I'm still a little confused about waxing pickup covers. I've read about the wax potting process, in which the pickup is dunked into melted wax for 10 to 15 minutes until the wax totally penetrates and seals the coils. Apparently, this is done with both covered and uncovered coils to totally stabilize the windings. Then, I've read where folks do as you suggest -- add a little wax when covering pickups, but this can't be the same as actually potting a pickup, can it? It seems as if this method is merely to fill any gaps between the pickup and the cover, not to totally encase the windings. Then, there are those who tape over the poles before the covering, and I've seen one tutorial where they use silicone caulk instead of any sort of wax. I'm not questioning your expertise (please don't go grumpy on me!), I'm just curious as to whether all of these things are trying to accomplish the same thing and whether they are all equally effective. Of course, there are also those who do nothing at all, including apparently all of the early Gibsons before potting was even thought of.

 

[BCRGreg]

Wax potting the coils is different from what I described. I use the wax to hold the cover in place and fill the void of air between the coils and the cover(the feedback area). Potting the coils is a much more involved process.

I tape over the holes in the cover to keep the wax in and the mess down.

 

[mertzy]

Greg,

Notching saddles, can I just let her rip with a small triangle file or am I over simplifying things?