weezerboy Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 heyo, so my weird old guitar came, and quite suprisingly the output doesnt work unless i hold the lead between my legs, which is slightly unconventional soooo i come to removing the scratchplate, yet of course, with the guitar being around 40 years old...the screws are dead...nothing for the screwdriver to cling onto, any ideas of how to get these out? and incase anyone mentions it, i dont have access to a drill for drilling the screws out cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miro Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 hmmm, by what you've said, try pliers. Only if the screw's head got broken... then that's a problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 Try taking a dremel(if you got one) and make a slit in the screw with a thin cutting disk for a flat-head screwdriver to fit into. If you dont have a dremel then go get one It has saved me a dozen of times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 Try taking a dremel(if you got one) and make a slit in the screw with a thin cutting disk for a flat-head screwdriver to fit into. If you dont have a dremel then go get one It has saved me a dozen of times... ← I second that. Just make sure you don't nick the pickguard (unless you had planned on replacing it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 First off, what's wrong with holding the lead between your legs? Perchance, you could get a groupie to do it for you? Second off, 50% of everything I work on has stripped screw heads. The method I use (I don't drill em less I have to) is to take a driver of the correct flavor (Phillips or straight) and VERY lightly tap on the driver whilst rotating it in the desired direction (out or anti-clockwise, in your case) a very small amount. You only get a quarter-degree of rotation per tap but it beats, uhhh....., well it beats something. Best of luck as it is a slow process that can't be rushed. Tap, don't HIT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 First off, what's wrong with holding the lead between your legs? Perchance, you could get a groupie to do it for you? ← thedoctor, I think you have something there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted June 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 thanks doc, i'll try it tomorrow. and as to whats wrong with getting a groupie to hold it between my legs? well first off, i dont have any...and if i did then they would be holding something between my legs, and it wouldn't be a lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 (edited) Thedoctor's suggestion is excellent. If that doesn't work, and you're nervous about using a Dremel near the piece, get a stripped screw extractor. Sears carries them, and if you don't have access to a Sears, I'm sure any decent hardware store should have one. In a pinch, I've used a hacksaw blade to carefully cut into the screw head, but this works best if the head is raised above the surface. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Edited June 27, 2005 by GodBlessTexas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 I am pretty sure he can't get a hacksaw blade anywhere near these screws without totally EFFING up the pickgaurd or control cover. You can't use an extracter cause they don't make them that small, and if you were to drill, which you would have to do to use an extractor, just as the head of the screw became seperated from the thread portion, it would run the remaining screw in so far you would never see it again. This is the most common prob I have with music-store dragged in mods. Someone has been there before me and made a reasonably easy task a real booger. In case you haven't noticed, "booger" is one of my favorite terms. Booger, booger, boog...oh, that's enough for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 How's about posting some pics of the screws in question (if you can get good enough pics)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Gripper just made a good suggestion to me. Get ahold of a 5/64" left-hand drill bit (no that is not a joke) and try to drill them out. I forgot that we used to do that with the larger bolts in machine covers. Should cost about $4.00 and last forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WES Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Didn't Bob Villa do a commercial for the Craftsman "Easy Outs"....? Bob is pretty convincing, and according to him you could take any screw out with that set... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 I am pretty sure he can't get a hacksaw blade anywhere near these screws without totally EFFING up the pickgaurd or control cover. You can't use an extracter cause they don't make them that small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Didn't Bob Villa do a commercial for the Craftsman "Easy Outs"....? Bob is pretty convincing, and according to him you could take any screw out with that set... ← I think the smallest size "Easy Out" is a #4, which is probably too big for the screws in question. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted July 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 heres some oversized images so you can see what im up against here: http://www.thehappytent.com/dscn1034.jpg http://www.thehappytent.com/dscn1035.jpg http://www.thehappytent.com/dscn1037.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Ouch! I think your screwed! Pun fully intended! I hope you figure it out, is there any way you would be willing to get a new pickguard? As then there would be many easy solutions. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoodsguitars Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Can you possibly get some flush end nippers/fretwire cutters on them? If you can get them to bite you may be able to back them out. You may be able to get a large phillips with an extremely sharp point to bite enough to unscrew them. Backwoods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Wow, that is not pretty. Rust. Makes it harder but there is one way left. Tape everything around the screw to limit further scratches and get a couple nails or a sharpened small center punch. Tap from the inside of the screw's former drive-slots in a counterclockwise direction. Your job here is not so much to rotate the screw as it is to keep the nail/punch engaged in part of the screw. Move around 90 degrees as you get a few taps in at each location. SLOW and EASY. You are tryingto loosen it, not turn it. After a minute or two, the rust should have powdered and (with luck) the screws should start to turn. If the nail bends, even a little, pitch it and get another. Did I mention SLOW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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