SwedishLuthier Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 (edited) use the teflon tape around the threads. ← Jup, I was thinking Teflon tape. But I have another idea that I wonder if anyone have tested: What if I put short Allen key screws like strat intonation screws “below” the studs and the posts tightened against those ? I know that it will be very hard to adjust the height of the studs. I will have to take the studs out, adjust the Allen key screw and put everything together, and repeat. To stop the Allen key screw to spin along with the stud I was thinking of putting Teflon tape on THOSE. Nothing to stop string transfer to the body but still a nice solid fit between the posts and the bushings. Anyone who have tested that? Edited September 19, 2005 by SwedishLuthier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Have you installed the inserts yet? As I mentioned, the Wilkinson studs fit really well into a different set of inserts I have here (the studs were black, the inserts were chrome, I didn't like the look). And have you contacted Tone Pros about this issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 No, I have not installed the inserts yet. I am maybe a week away from mounting the inserts. I haven’t contacted Tone Pros. I bought the stuff from Stewmac, and my experience is that they don't handle that type of quality question that well. I got some P90 routing templates that were WAY oversized. When I asked them about this, they responded that it was to accept the finish build-up. But the templates were over 2 mm to big all around, and they didn’t answer at all when I questioned a finish thickness on the inside of the pickup cavity of more that 2 mm. So I don’t think that they will have anything at all to say about this. Maybe I will mail Tone Pros directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian d Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Maybe I will mail Tone Pros directly. ← Good idea. My experience with their customer support has been stellar! They have a great product and go to lengths to make sure that the customer is happy. FWIW, I have no connection to the company other than being a very satisfied customer. Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Definitely...Stew Mac is just a reseller, the best they can do is shrug their shoulders and possibly accept a return. Tone Pros should give you service--especially if you tell them its for a guitar you're showing off at a guitar show (you never know, you might be able to work out an endorsement type deal). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 One more note, Steve's Studs and Bushings are rock solid, in my experience. I have three sets, and they are all perfect. They are made out of steel and hardened steel (your choice). His bridges and studs fit together snugly, so you don't need the tone pros set screws at all. The stuff Wes said about the platers is true. They are generally very inconsistent from what Steve tells me. His first batch of vintage stopbar repros had to be sold as "reliced" pieces because the platers did such a crappy job. He's since found new platers, but they are very inconsistent on meeting delivery dates. Anyway, lots of Historic Les Paul owners are pretty happy with his stuff. I agree with Wes partially, but I think that things fitting snugly is a sign of higher quality. Slop in a stud and bushing set is often (probaby mistakenly so) associated with lower quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 I've sent Tone Pros a mail about the problem. Let's se what they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted September 21, 2005 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 I have got some amazing response from Tone Pros about this. First they were almost disbelieving me about the poor fit in the posts/bushings. Then I sent them some measurements I made, showing that the bridge could (IMO) wiggle a lot forth and back. They now will send me new parts from their custom Shop with Air express!!! Excellent customer support. I’ll get back with more info when the new parts arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 I have got some amazing response from Tone Pros about this. First they were almost disbelieving me about the poor fit in the posts/bushings. Then I sent them some measurements I made, showing that the bridge could (IMO) wiggle a lot forth and back. They now will send me new parts from their custom Shop with Air express!!! Excellent customer support. I’ll get back with more info when the new parts arrive. ← Very cool...wish Wilkinson were that interested in providing service... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Okay, you guys are going to flip out with my new idea... Remember I'm working with a Badass that needs to stand slightly taller than an ordinary bridge. I'm thinking I can pick up a fairly thick threaded rod and a piece of chrome tubing. First thing is to cut the rod into the appropriate length. Next I mill/grind/smooth a section toward the top of the rod--that's where the Badass bridge ends will fit...obviously I'm going to make that section so that the Badass fits nice and snugly. But for good measure, I use a thin nut (as used on tuners for example) that locks down on the threaded rod --locking the badass in place and at the same time forming the top of the stud. Okay, so far, I've just reinvented the Tone Pros studs, right? I can stop there and use the inserts I already have. But I'm thinking for added stability, why not make my own inserts? So I cut a couple bits off the chrome tubing (well I could use any tubing of course) and thread the inside to fit the threaded rod. I then add threads on the outside of the tube where it'll screw down into the wood (unless there's a way to add the grooves of normal ferrules?). But I can cut the tube so that it stands proud of the body surface--that will provide a little extra stability. The way I figure it, making my own studs won't cost me too much--the threaded rod isn't expense. Making the inserts will cost a bit more--mostly because I'd have to buy two different sized taps...that'll end up costing me about 40 euros... So this wouldn't be a money-saving idea ;-D ...but there's a coolness factor to it... The only thing would be making it look good --I suppose I could paint it...I've seen chrome autopaint... I know I know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Sound like a cool idea, idch. But there might be a ready made hardware part available instead of threading the tube inside and out. Search you local hardware store for threaded inserts like the ones used for using machine thread screws to bolt a neck. I've seen real large ones that should do the trick. About the tone pros. I cannot believe how responsive they were to my complaints. I got new inserts, new larger locking top nuts AND a complete set of studs and bushings from their custom shop. Great customer support!! Sad to say the new stuff feels just as loose in the threads as the fist pair. I will mount the m anyway and see how they works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Yep, I'll have a look...good tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Very cool...wish Wilkinson were that interested in providing service... ← You do realise you've most likely got a licensed product, right? Somwhere, some time, I saw a (UK) website that apparently had actual Wilkinson-made Wilkinson trems, including the convertible (can't be sold in the US), and various really quite pretty/new designs (other than the good ol VS100 and VS50) that I haven't seen anywhere else. Seem to have neglected bookmarking the site, and google isn't helping, but whatever. And these puppies were expensive. Not quite Khaler expensive, but OFR territory, yes. Wilkinson licenses tons of stuff, and it's then up to the manufacturer (if you can track 'em down) to make good. The best Wilkinson stuff's probably the Gotoh Licensed stuff, but there's a lot of no-name licensed stuff out there as well, and this includes, methinks the stuff GuitarFetish sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted September 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 You do realise you've most likely got a licensed product, right? ← What isn't these days? But yeah, I'm aware of that part. Though I thought they were being made by Gotoh --the one Stewmac carries is, but that's a different model. Of course, 'Gotoh' is probably just licensed stuff too... Sigh...it's a different world. Anyway, the bridge itself looks okay...though I'm expecting the 'black' to rub off pretty quickly...looks like paint, not any kind of plating. For the current project, I"ll be using my good old Badass --it's a PAF version from the early 1970s, so I'm pretty certain it was manufactured by Leo Quan himself...(no, I didn't buy the bridge, it came on my Melody Maker...which I bought a long time ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 You do realise you've most likely got a licensed product, right? ← What isn't these days? But yeah, I'm aware of that part. Though I thought they were being made by Gotoh --the one Stewmac carries is, but that's a different model. Of course, 'Gotoh' is probably just licensed stuff too... Sigh...it's a different world. Anyway, the bridge itself looks okay...though I'm expecting the 'black' to rub off pretty quickly...looks like paint, not any kind of plating. For the current project, I"ll be using my good old Badass --it's a PAF version from the early 1970s, so I'm pretty certain it was manufactured by Leo Quan himself...(no, I didn't buy the bridge, it came on my Melody Maker...which I bought a long time ago) ← Heh. Most Badass bridges are now licensed, and go for just as cheap as the 'wilkinsons'. Thing is, this isn't a bad thing per se. It lets you pick up often perfectly good quality bridges for a fraction of the cost of the 'real thing', they work the same, sound the same, and generally aren't hugely different. If you've got the cash, by all means get an original (if you can), but if you're on a budget, particularly with increasingly good production and quality control in the far east, by all means go for it. The plating on all these things is plating, though. Not very thick, possibly, but plating nonetheless. Then again, you probably paid 1/2 to 1/3 of what a 'real' bridge would run. As for Gotoh, they are, IMO, in the same league as Schaller, possibly even slightly better when it comes to tuning machines. Quality materials at a good price point. And yes, they do make licensed products, just like Schaller, and make them well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 As for Gotoh, they are, IMO, in the same league as Schaller, possibly even slightly better when it comes to tuning machines. Quality materials at a good price point. And yes, they do make licensed products, just like Schaller, and make them well. ← Tone Pros informed me that it is GOTOH that manufactures their locking studs and bushings!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.