dubwise Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 It seems like the bridge is the problem. The buzz mutes when I touch the dridge. Definitely not frets. When a string starts buzzing Im knocked out of tune at the same time. This is a Gotoh bridge. I added an aluminum stoptail as well. Any advice from the forum?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 they make these little rolls of white tape.. for plumbing.. it stretches into the threads, to prevent leaks. I've had good luck with this stuff on guitars, using it to keep any nut/bolt combination from wiggling. You can even double it up. Pull the bridge off, wrap it with that stuff.. first do it by stretching it around the threads.. screw the thing back into the bushings..and see how it works.. BUT.. if you can thread the posts into the bushings .. oh say.. 1/4" or 3/8".. and still feel it sort of wiggly.. take it apart and wrap it again. the stuff is soft.. so it will scrunch up as the threads pass over it.. and be tight. and it wont stick. your pieces will come right back off. the only thing you have to be careful about is not having it show. .you know, something sticking out the top. cheap and often works. That will do if it's loose threads. The other thing that comes to mind is the bushings. with the bridge off and the posts in you should be able to move the posts a bit.. but LOOK CLOSE.. is the bushing loose? On my sheri, the bridge bushing could be pulled out by the fingers grabbing the post.. that's way too loose! the bushing should be tight in the hole. If it's not, not only will it allow the bridge to move forward and back.. screwing up your intonation, it can make noise, and it sucks your tone, too! A good solution there, for the home repair, is our trusty old tooth picks. Now.. a bushing is normally put in with a drill press.. so you don't want to pull that bushing out and then hammer it in. But.. you can use some toothpicks.. be prepared to cut them to shape.. just use a sharp knife or exacto blade.. a box cutter. a razor blade.. nice and tiny and set them around the bushing so that they tighten it up. You have to be able to pull that bushing out.. screw the post in.. and work it until it comes out. If it's right, it wont come out. You should be able to tell if it really is moving. You CAN tap it in.. using a screwdriver handle sideways on top of the bushing.. and tapping with another screwdriver handle.. just be patient and tap a lot instead of hard. When you get it close to the top, put one screwdriver on it handle first and tap the end with the other screwdriver handle. Those are the two things I'd check. and that's the easiest fix for it. It's rather a bit of a 'hack' job in that the bushing should fit perfectly tight to start with, but it WILL do the job, it wont show, and it beats telling you to drill out the holes, build a dowel of hardwood and then reinsert the bushings. Hope this leads to success. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Oh.. another thing to look at is the intonation adjustment screws.. they should be tight. and the bridge saddles should be fairly tight. you can use that plumbers tape there, too, but you have to pull the bridge off and don't lose any tiny parts, and getting it to not show will be a minor pain. But I think it's more likely, since it goes out of tune.. that the posts are too loose, or the bushing isn't tight in it's hole. hard to guess! TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubwise Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 Twang, Good call on the teflon tape.......that's a great idea. I'm sure that will help. I don't think its the bushings....I didn't change those because, as you said they can be set in pretty tight which mine are Since thread on the Gotoh posts fit, I figured using the gotoh bushings wasn't necessary. Ill try the teflon tape around the post threads. Also, have you ever had to wrap the posts at the top where the bridge meets the posts. Might that be where the rattle is coming from? Thanks for the detailed input you've provided. I will post the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 The string pressure should be enough..6 tight strings there......and you're using posts that match the bridge so they should be close tolerance. But I suppose it could happen.... I don't see how a rattle could come from there, really. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Sorry to be flippant but it doesn't seem to be much of an upgrade...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 nothing wrong with a gotoh really is there? I dunno if it's better metal, but I'd suppose so. gotoh makes some pretty good stuff. I haven't tried the aluminum tail.. some swear by them. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubwise Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Ya know its hard to say about the aluminum tail. This dot is my first semi-hollow. I put the bridge and the tailpiece in at the same time as a Duncan Jazz/PG combo (the real upgrade). Hands down the Gotoh bridge was worth it. I'm able to intonate with more precision than the original and It's definitely a better unit overall than the cheap original. Tonewise, I cant say the alum tail makes it a better guitar. Maybe I should have used the Gotoh bushings after all. It did feel like a tighter fit. I really didn't want to pull the factory bushings out. I kinda think mixing the old and the new is why Im buzzing. Do you think the teflon tape might work on other guitars for increased tuning stability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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