Floyd Posts

[mustaine-who?]

I have a problem on my Jackson Professional guitars. When I change strings, I usually fold the string packet in 1/2 and place under the rear of the JT580s to keep the trem fairly flat and keep it from tilting back into the routed cavity. But when I do this, one side of the trem raises up, and pulls the "bushing" that the floyd post screws into out of the guitar body a little. After I get a little tension on the strings...I usually tap it back into place and then tune.

Is there anything I can do to keep that bushing in place? Replace with real Floyd posts that screw into the actual wood?

[Tekky]

I had this problem with my Dinky Reverse. Ultimately what is happening is that the tension of your strings are crushing the wood in front of the posts. This, in turn, opens up the hole a little bit and your bushings slide out.

To fix this here's what needs to happen... Someone (you, or an experienced luthier or tech) needs to remove the busings, drill out the holes a little bit, and fill with glue and dowel. From there, the holes need to be re-drilled and the bushings replaced.

[FreddyG]

if the bushing holes are not too deformed or loose, I usually just superglue the bushings in. Those bushing need to be absolutely solid to maintain tuning stability.
Before anyone goes crazy about my superglue comment, I'd like to point out that if you ever need to pull the bushing out, no problem...you just heat it up with a soldering iron and pull it out.

[mustaine-who?]

I

I have to be honest...I've looked at the holes real close...and they are not oblong or worn or anything. in fact...there's a little resistance when they do slide out. My super-duper guitar tech (Del Langeans...makes a lot of handmade acoustics and classicals for the Nashville crowd) didn't even notice it when I took it in to get its initial intonation.

I think I'll try the super glue...

[Tekky]

You won't particularly notice it. And if your tech didn't notice it during an intonation, then that's an indication that it's getting progressively worse.

[FreddyG]

if you are going to superglue it, here's how:
First make sure that the bushing holes do not go through the body (into the spring cavity for example....cause anywhere the glue can escape due to gravity, it will!)
Mask the guitar body with plastic (garbage bag will do) leaving just the area of the bushings exposed, you don't want to accidentally drop glue on the guitar's finish.
It is advisable to remove the bridge and the posts.
Make sure the bushing is sitting exactly where you want it. Use thin super glue and "wick" it between the wood and the bushing one drop at a time using a toothpick or syringe or "pipette".
Make sure you don't get any glue on the threads of the post or bushing!
After a dozen or so drops of superglue per bushing leave the guitar lying on the bench for 20 minutes just to be safe. you don't want to flip the guitar over and have the glue run out and over the finish.
That's it!
re-assemble and whammy till you drop

[mustaine-who?]

Thanks

Thanks Bro!!

[MetalMedal II]

This has happened to me and I used wood glue with good results. When the strings are off, the springs on the block basically act like a lever pulling on the posts, so if they're not tightly wedged in there, they could come out. Wood glue is a lot more forgiving than superglue - less bonded fingers!

[z1n]

This has happened to me and I used wood glue with good results. When the strings are off, the springs on the block basically act like a lever pulling on the posts, so if they're not tightly wedged in there, they could come out. Wood glue is a lot more forgiving than superglue - less bonded fingers!

Yea I've used wood glue too. Works great. Never tried superglue.

[DrDoug]

Wood glue here too. One danger of superglue is the fumes can mar a finish. If you cover the finish with something and the fumes get under it, it will leave a whitish film that can damage the finish if you don't remove the cover immediately after applying the glue and fitting the post bushing.

Cyanoacrylate is very corrosive in its liquid state, same with the fumes. I will stick to wood glue.

[JACKSONFREAK]

I just had this experiance to the extreme. With the trem posts breaking through the wood into the bridge pup cavity. I got washers that fit snuggly aroung the post pushings. And glued them to the top of the guitar. It looks a bit more obtrusive. But dont right it works great and distributes the tension evenly over a wider surface all the way around the bushings. You can recess the washers and paint over them. Or use ones that are the same color of the floyd. To make it look like its part of it.
Just an idea.
Gil

[Mr Metal]

Have also used wood glue with great results

[Sunbane]

Don't glue it in. If you'd ever have to pull the bushings, you've screwed yourself.

We have luthier types here who recommend coating the inner walls of the hole with glue, letting it dry, and then putting the bushing back in. That is a solution that would fix the problem (by making the fit more snug), and give you more future options methinks.

[FreddyG]

Don't glue it in. If you'd ever have to pull the bushings, you've screwed yourself.

We have luthier types here who recommend coating the inner walls of the hole with glue, letting it dry, and then putting the bushing back in.

well I'm one of those luthier types who does this stuff every day, and so if you're not comfortable with super glue then sure, give white glue a go.
If you had read my first post you'd see that I explained how simple it is to remove if you want to.
But i'll stick to my guns (no pun intended!)
Super glue will cure hard and absolutley freeze those bushings in place. Zero movement.... and I beleive the tone transfer of superglue is superior. better high freq response, not as damped as white glue. Sunbane, you talk about coating the inner walls with glue....well that's the beauty of superglue...because it is water thin it has what is called cappillary action, meaning it will penetrate into any crack, so not only will it coat the walls but the wood cells around the bushings will soak up some glue as well strengthening the wood area around the bushing.
Regarding the white film issue that somebody mentioned....that's not going to happen here. It only happens when there is an exposed puddle of superglue that is allowed to air dry. with my method you'll be applying one drop at a time which will wick into the crack between the bushing and the wood immediately.
Cheers,
Freddy

[mustaine-who?]

Thanks

Thanks for all the replies peeps...I really appreciate it!

Super glue it is....