# Strat trem pivot studs/bushings too high. Please see pics and advise. Thanks!



## BlackAngusYoung (Mar 31, 2010)

By "Strat," I mean Strat Copy.

The trem pivots on two studs, screwed into metal bushings in the wood. It seems these studs are out too far. See on my picture that the saddles are down as far as they can go, but it needs to be a little lower.









I don't know how these are mounted into the guitar. (This is my first time trying to adjust this part of a guitar.) They won't screw in any further. Is it possible that the whole bushing can be tapped into the wood further? The tops of the bushings are not flush with the wood, as you can see in these pics.

















It seems to me that the problem would be solved if either the bushing were further into the body of the guitar or if the stud were shortened. Can anyone advise me on how to fix this? 
Thanks very much!

-BlackAngusYoung

Also... is there any way to make photos show in the message, rather than showing up as links?


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

its a plug that is pounded into the guitar- then that adjustable part that has the hex head on it is threaded in-
the holes that the plugs are set in are not drilled deep enough for them to sit flush-
if the trem is working and all is fine playability wise, id leave it alone. once you pull those plugs youll need to fill and redrill the holes or theyll have little to grip too.
you could try pulling the adjustable posts out- get a wood dowel in the plug, and whack it with a hammer to make sure its fully seated.
dont screw up the threads!
you could shorten the threaded posts- dunno how they are shaped, see if theres an area below the threaded portion that you could file or grind off-


----------



## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

If it's a bolt on neck then shimming it is probably going to be your best solution. That will let you set the saddles so that the saddle height screws are not all the way down (and sticking up to rub against your palm).

Have a look at this and google some other resources as well:

http://www.ehow.com/video_2375080_how-guitar-neck-shim.html


----------



## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

I'm with gtrguy. Tilting the neck backward with a small shim is you're best bet. You will most certainly have to rajust the pickup heights though, but that shouldn't be a problem.


----------



## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

like the boys said if its a bolt on neck, take the neck off, put a shim i under the neck in the pocket near the end closest to the bridge a playing card or piece of a cigarette pack just folded once.then raise your saddles ,with the screws sticking up that high cant be comfortable


----------



## BlackAngusYoung (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks for the tips. I will try to carefully tap the plug in a bit more if it will go and if not I will try the shim. Thanks for reminding me of the concept of shimming the neck.
This guitar is called a Sledghammer designed by J.B. Player. It's solid (not plywood) and is the best S-type guitar I've tried so far, having never played a real Strat. Still, I don't think it was too expensive to begin with, so I'm hoping there was some shoddy workmanship and they just didn't bother putting the plug in as far as it could go. Thanks for explaining how these are put in.

Now that you mention it... I think there was a shim in there when I got the guitar. I found it at an auction ($60!!!) and it needed some cleaning up and setting up. I took the neck off just to check things out. Hadn't seen a neck shim before but I remember there was one there but I don't remember if I put it back. I think I may have left it out thinking it might not be needed any more with my strings and setup, and I could put it back if I find I do need it. I guess maybe that time has come. (I will check when I get home tonight.)
Unless it is still there... is it ok to add another?

In response to what Fraser said about playability: The trem would work well except that I have it blocked. The reason I want to fix this height thing because the action gets a little too high up the neck. When I bend a high string, the low ones sometimes slip over my fingernails or they sort of give themselves a "pull-off" after the bend. So it kinda sucks to play compared to my Les Paul that has action I like, but pickups and scale length I've recently realized I prefer a Strat to. 
And, yeah, as others said it is annoying to have the adjustment screws sticking out all the way. To me, it looks goofy to have something adjusted all-the-way because it leaves no room for further adjustment. (...especially in this case, where further adjustment is required!)

Thanks again.
I'll let y'all know how it goes.


----------



## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

BlackAngusYoung said:


> Now that you mention it... I think there was a shim in there when I got the guitar. I found it at an auction ($60!!!) and it needed some cleaning up and setting up. I took the neck off just to check things out. Hadn't seen a neck shim before but I remember there was one there but I don't remember if I put it back. I think I may have left it out thinking it might not be needed any more with my strings and setup, and I could put it back if I find I do need it. I guess maybe that time has come. (I will check when I get home tonight.)
> Unless it is still there... is it ok to add another?


I would rather replace it witj a thicker one. And I'd also avoid soft ones, such as a piece of cigarette pack. A piece of hard plastick or hard wood, such as a popsicle stick would work fine.


----------



## BlackAngusYoung (Mar 31, 2010)

Alain Moisan said:


> I would rather replace it witj a thicker one. And I'd also avoid soft ones, such as a piece of cigarette pack. A piece of hard plastick or hard wood, such as a popsicle stick would work fine.


Thanks. I would have guessed a popsicle stick would be too thick. I believe what I saw in there was a very very thin strip of plastic, about the thickness of a "thin" guitar pick, probably not really accomplishing anything.
I did tap the studs in a little further. The plugs are now pretty much flush with the wood. It's better, but the saddle adjustment screws still have to be all the way out.
I will probably try to adjust the neck tonight and will let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for the advice.


----------

