bobmeyrick Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 The H150 TB came with Schaller pickups and hardware, and my first change was to replace the pickups with SD Phat Cats, which I think I detailed in a previous thread. I scored a used Gibson Nashville bridge and tailpiece off eBay a while ago, but the notches on the saddles weren't quite right. I finally got round to replacing those saddles with a set of Graphtechs. The bridge replacement was straightforward, the posts fitting the bushes without a problem. However, when I came to replace the tailpiece studs I hit a problem. Usually swapping a Schaller tailpiece is easy - the studs are Imperial thread on both the Schaller and Nashville tailpieces. However these were metric - how to remove the bushes and replace them with the Imperial threaded one? Luckily I had some long M8 bolts, so it was a case of screwing in the bolt until it touched the wood at the bottom of the hole and then gradually tightening it so that it drew the bush out. The replacement Imperial thread bushes were the same external diameter and fitted perfectly! Here's the bush being removed... Here's the finished article,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Nice work!!! You must be very confident in removing those bushing yourself!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmeyrick Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Nice work!!! You must be very confident in removing those bushing yourself!! I was a bit apprehensive at first, but a bit of research gave some clues. One suggestion I came across was to put a ball bearing at the bottom of the hole and use the stud to ease out the bushing. Not having any ball bearings to hand, I had a look in my garage and found a pack of long M8 bolts - ideal! It was a case of taking it slowly, and as I tightened the bolt the bushing gradually eased itself out. Luckily the the Imperial ones were the same size - they pushed in most of the way and a gentle tap with a hammer (with a piece of wood on top of the bushing of course!) got them firmly seated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Looks great, congrats! I did a similiar thing replacing the bushings... Just inserted screw upside down, and put the stud back on. It accomplished the same thing. Worked great the way you did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Looks good How do those Phat Cats sound in there? I've got a set in my 535. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmeyrick Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Looks good How do those Phat Cats sound in there? I've got a set in my 535. They sound great - a bit more edge and bite than humbuckers, but with pretty much the same power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Well, you've changed an unusual guitar to a different sort of unusual guitar. I really like the beauty of its simplicity. Phat Cats- good choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokedtires Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Well, you've changed an unusual guitar to a different sort of unusual guitar. I really like the beauty of its simplicity. Phat Cats- good choice! I agree, very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbright Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Good work there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydog52 Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I love it when a plan comes together. Way to work with what you have on hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chico Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Nice lookin axe. I'm with Kuz nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavesNotHere Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Nice work. Looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Nice work. Looking good. +1 It would frighten me to force the inserts out relying on the back of the guitar to provide force. I think I'd rent a brake or bushing puller and reinforce the top. It's good your adventures ended successfully. She's lookin' good! Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genericmusic Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Well done. Looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmeyrick Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 It would frighten me to force the inserts out relying on the back of the guitar to provide force. Glad you commented after I'd done the job! I think if I'd seen that the bushing wasn't moving I'd have stopped and gone shame-faced to my friendly local luthier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Glad you commented after I'd done the job! I think if I'd seen that the bushing wasn't moving I'd have stopped and gone shame-faced to my friendly local luthier... Yes, I can be real handy with that post trauma, 20-20 vision. I prefer the new look of your guitar. She's classy; nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmeyrick Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 Yes, I can be real handy with that post trauma, 20-20 vision. I prefer the new look of your guitar. She's classy; nice work. None more black! It sounds better too - the stopbar tailpiece makes a difference, as do the Graphtech saddles. The slots in them align the strings perfectly over the pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Nice 150! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 None more black! It sounds better too - the stopbar tailpiece makes a difference, as do the Graphtech saddles. The slots in them align the strings perfectly over the pickups. Pretty AND functional. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 looks good, bobeyrick!! I agree with Steiner...while I *have* used an upside down screw in the hole, and also a small piece of dowel, to get those out....I don't like risking pushing thru ( on my old warhorse 357 the wood is only about 1/4" thick there ) or the fact that whatever you use is going to dig into the wood. plus I don't like messing with the contact area of the studs, ideally I think they should sit flat on the bottom of those holes. often the holes are deeper than the inserts, which is why I like using longer steel inserts that bottom out nicely. yes techically the "dent" would be inside the stud radius, but still bothers me. I prefer to use a 1" thick chunk of pine with a hole slightly larger than the stud hole...then use some bigger washers and a long bolt with the same thread as the stud. pulls right out!! and zero damage to the gtr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 oops bobmeyrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 looks good, bobeyrick!! I agree with Steiner...while I *have* used an upside down screw in the hole, and also a small piece of dowel, to get those out....I don't like risking pushing thru ( on my old warhorse 357 the wood is only about 1/4" thick there ) or the fact that whatever you use is going to dig into the wood. plus I don't like messing with the contact area of the studs, ideally I think they should sit flat on the bottom of those holes. often the holes are deeper than the inserts, which is why I like using longer steel inserts that bottom out nicely. yes techically the "dent" would be inside the stud radius, but still bothers me. I prefer to use a 1" thick chunk of pine with a hole slightly larger than the stud hole...then use some bigger washers and a long bolt with the same thread as the stud. pulls right out!! and zero damage to the gtr That's an excellent idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 ...and if you're ever in Colombia, they have the perfect tool....I got this packaged with a bottle of "Aguardiente" which is their anise/licorice flavoured alcohol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmeyrick Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 looks good, bobeyrick!! I agree with Steiner...while I *have* used an upside down screw in the hole, and also a small piece of dowel, to get those out....I don't like risking pushing thru ( on my old warhorse 357 the wood is only about 1/4" thick there ) or the fact that whatever you use is going to dig into the wood. plus I don't like messing with the contact area of the studs, ideally I think they should sit flat on the bottom of those holes. often the holes are deeper than the inserts, which is why I like using longer steel inserts that bottom out nicely. yes techically the "dent" would be inside the stud radius, but still bothers me. I prefer to use a 1" thick chunk of pine with a hole slightly larger than the stud hole...then use some bigger washers and a long bolt with the same thread as the stud. pulls right out!! and zero damage to the gtr That's an excellent idea! Agreed. That's what I like about this place - the wealth of advice and information available. Just to make sure I have the procedure clear, the piece of pine with the hole rests against the top of the guitar. The bolt passes through the washers and the pine, and is screwed into the insert. As the bolt is tightened, the head of the bolt pushes against the washer/pine rather than the wood at the bottom of the hole. The insert is pulled out by by the force against the pine rather than the wood at the bottom of the hole. If I ever need to to this again, I'll use this method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 yep it works well...I would also put a cloth between the pine & the top even though pine is soft wood, and the top is mostly flat there, if you haven't rounded the edges off you might get marks in the finish pinetop perkins and you may need a couple washers stacked up, for longer inserts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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