Members bluesguyjon Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 i was getting some hendrix-y heavily distorted whammy bar dives out of my system while i was alone in the house earlier, and i guess i was a little too vigorous and broke my whammy bar. unfortunately the breaking point was a little below where the threads end going up to the right angle of the arm, so it's sitting about 2 mm below the lip of the hole. i can't imagine i'm the first person to have this happen to them, so is there any way to get that piece out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members headstash Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 IDK. drill it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 That happened to me with one of the two late 70s Strats I owned in the -- ahem -- late 70s before saying FARKIT and shelling out for a pre-CBS. I solved the problem by selling the guitar. This may not necessarily work for you ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jonPhillips Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Replace with Callaham components. Guaranteed dive-bomb proof and will do wonders for your sustain................................................................. (Did you see what I did there? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members El Glom-o Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 If the bar is broken off within the threaded hole, you'll need a screw extractor (Often referred to by the misnomer "Easy-out". It's never easy.) and the proper size drill bit. Or replace the block. Which is certainly easier than extracting the screw, particularly since you'd want to remove the block from the guitar and the rest of the tremolo assembly anyway before attacking it with the drill bit and extractor. I'm not sure of the prices, but a new block might even be less expensive than the drill bit and extractor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nighthawk15 Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Drill it out. If you use an easy out though make sure you don't break the easy out because they're next to impossible to drill through. If the metal is soft enough you might be able to drill out the middle, then break the shell that's left with a screwdriver and hammer and get it to fall out. Kinda similar to how you drill out a rivet. You run a risk of damaging the threads. on the trem that way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elvisart Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 i was getting some hendrix-y heavily distorted whammy bar dives out of my system while i was alone in the house earlier, and i guess i was a little too vigorous and broke my whammy bar. unfortunately the breaking point was a little below where the threads end going up to the right angle of the arm, so it's sitting about 2 mm below the lip of the hole.i can't imagine i'm the first person to have this happen to them, so is there any way to get that piece out? Try using a small screwdriver (like the ones for glasses) and try moving the broken piece, it may just screw right out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EADGBE Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Any idea what that tremolo arm is made of? Zinc maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nighthawk15 Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Try using a small screwdriver (like the ones for glasses) and try moving the broken piece, it may just screw right out! Come to think of it....that's an epic idea, not sure why I didn't think of that considering its probably not in there too tight:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SeanJovi Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 if you can't get it out, i say get a new block. Preferably a callaham all-steel one. Good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesguyjon Posted February 18, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 yeah, i've been thinking about getting something more durable anyway, considering the gauge strings i use and thus the amount of spring tension needed. i'm a n00b at this kind of thing, but will a stainless steel tremolo bar have more tensile strength than the standard fender ones? (i'll echo what EADGBE said, i dunno what the standard ones are made out of). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metalrulez Posted February 18, 2010 Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 EZ outs can get it out. Or take it to a machine shop. A simple 10 min job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yavin Posted February 18, 2010 Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 It shouldn't be very tight. Maybe a small screw driver with a little downward pressure while you turn it. I would think it would come out. On another note, those must have been some epic dives to break the trem arm! Did you crack the pickguard too?! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kujozilla Posted February 18, 2010 Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 This thread helps me too. Of course my broken trem is on a platinum series BC Rich and I really don't like it. Still though, good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike42 Posted February 18, 2010 Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 If you can access it from the bottom of the bridge plate, try the screwdriver thing, or go at it with a small drill bit. Clockwise rotation from the bottom will be driving it out instead of in. Small bit will likely "hang" in the stub enough to catch it and drive it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Longhair Posted February 18, 2010 Members Share Posted February 18, 2010 New guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesguyjon Posted February 19, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 19, 2010 On another note, those must have been some epic dives to break the trem arm! Did you crack the pickguard too?! lol Nah, it's partly laziness on my part, my guitar isn't set up correctly. I use heavy strings (11s, sometimes 12s), so I have all 5 springs keeping the bridge locked down pretty tight. That, combined with the Star Spangled Banner-esque dives (so yeah actually, pretty epic ) didn't help. And no worries, my awesome Warmoth pick guard is safe. Next time I'll make sure the tension is a little more balanced, I just have to settle on a gauge and keep it that way. Or if I get lazy I'll just take it to a tech . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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