Delberthot Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) Yeah, I couldn't think of any other way of putting this. I would like to install a normal bridge onto my Epi Thunderbird but seem to have the opposite problem to most in that I can't get the little ferrule thingies that sit inside the body out. I've tried screwing the screw things in and pulling with a pair of pliers but that hasn't worked. I've thought about heating up the metal with a soldering iron to melt the glue but it would probably also have the effect of making the ferrule thingies expand with the heat. I don't want to exert too much force in case I damage the body. Any ideas. Edited March 21, 2012 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Stewmac in the States sell a dedicated 'knob and bushing puller' (insert smutty remarks here). I'm not suggesting you pay the high price they show but looking at the picture of the device may give you an idea of creating something similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm betting they're a reverse threaded thing... Only way I can see of removing it if that's the case would be to put a longish bolt in there, exert lateral pressure on it and turn it the opposite way you'd expect to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 [quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1332361862' post='1587385'] Stewmac in the States sell a dedicated 'knob and bushing puller' (insert smutty remarks here). I'm not suggesting you pay the high price they show but looking at the picture of the device may give you an idea of creating something similar? [/quote] The ferrules in the body are flush so I wouldn't get anything under them but if I put the bolts all the way in the that would give me something to pull on. I'll see if I can put something together at the weekend. As far as I know the inserts are splined so it'll be the combined effect of the jaggy bits and the glue that are keeping them from coming out. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'm going to have another go at the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 i've done this a couple of times and have yet to find a bushing that was glued in, they've all been a tight splined push fit. the method i use is i think similar to what the Bass Doc was suggesting, and almost identical to the method outlined in the link below (but i used the original bolt as i didn't have another that fitted.) [url="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-Tune-o-Matic-bushings-from-Les-Paul-/"]http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-Tune-o-Matic-bushings-from-Les-Paul-/[/url] a bit of something soft under the lower washer is a good idea to protect the finish, and don't forget the earth wire! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1332420463' post='1588006'] i've done this a couple of times and have yet to find a bushing that was glued in, they've all been a tight splined push fit. the method i use is i think similar to what the Bass Doc was suggesting, and almost identical to the method outlined in the link below (but i used the original bolt as i didn't have another that fitted.) [url="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-Tune-o-Matic-bushings-from-Les-Paul-/"]http://www.instructa...from-Les-Paul-/[/url] a bit of something soft under the lower washer is a good idea to protect the finish, and don't forget the earth wire! Matt [/quote] I've seen that done on my SG & it worked. I don't know if it's an ingenious idea by a 14 year old kid, or something they've been doing for years. Though IIRC there was more than just a big washer on mine to protect the finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I learnt this from a guitar tech about 10 years ago, the link was simply an easy way to explain the method, i think it might be as old as the hills! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 That looks like the ideal solution. Thanks everyone for the tips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Well in the end I forgot to go to the hardware shop for the washers and whatnot so I very carefully put one of the screws in, put a bit of material around it and tapped all round with a rubber mallet. Each one easily came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 That link looks very complicated for something that's quite simple. All you need is something solid, like a small bolt for example, that you can drop down inside the bushing. It needs to be about half as long as the depth of the hole. Then screw the Epi bridge screw into the bushing. When the screw reaches whatever it is you dropped in the hole, keep turning and it will start to leaver the bushing out. Once it's out as far as it will go with the screw you should be able to pull it the rest of the way. Only thing to watch is the earth wire for the bridge is fed through a small hole and trapped up against the bushing on the control cavity side of the bridge. The wire is very thin and easy to break, plus if you're installing a different bridge, you'll need to reroute the earth wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
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.