budget bassist Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Last night i was tightening the screws on the bridge on my tobias because i noticed the end of it doesn't actually touch the body, not sure if that's right or not, but one of the screws sheared off. It's a 5 string bass and a 6 screw bridge, will it be fine with only 5 screws or am i going to have to get the end of the screw out and replace it? and if so how? as it's still in the body. I can post pictures if need be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='budget bassist' post='176351' date='Apr 14 2008, 03:48 PM']Last night i was tightening the screws on the bridge on my tobias because i noticed the end of it doesn't actually touch the body, not sure if that's right or not, but one of the screws sheared off. It's a 5 string bass and a 6 screw bridge, will it be fine with only 5 screws or am i going to have to get the end of the screw out and replace it? and if so how? as it's still in the body. I can post pictures if need be[/quote] I got a sheared screw from of a thumb rest out of a bass once. I just used a pair of pliers and patience. Depends where it's sheared - and how much of screw is there for purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 If there is some of it still proud of teh body, you will need to take the bridge off and use a set of Vise/Molegrips on the end. If its level with the top of the body its best left to an expert as you need to drill it out (that is unless you are confident enough to do it?). PS depends what bass it is.... The Badass on my H1 P bass doesnt actually touch all teh way 'round as teh body is contoured. Not a problem just poor design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 Damn, it broke off about 3mm down from the head... there's no way i can get some pliers on the end of that. I could ask my dad to drill it out for me maybe. Also the top of my tobias is completely flat so i dunno. the bridge is pretty crap anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subthumper Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='budget bassist' post='176572' date='Apr 14 2008, 07:10 PM']Damn, it broke off about 3mm down from the head... there's no way i can get some pliers on the end of that. I could ask my dad to drill it out for me maybe. Also the top of my tobias is completely flat so i dunno. the bridge is pretty crap anyway.[/quote] You may be able to get a small diameter easy out. Its basically a self tapping screw that has a left handed thread. You drill a small pilot hole and then screw in the easy out. When it bottoms out inside the sheared screw it starts to wind out. The best people to ask about these would be an engineering tool supplier. If you drill out the existing screw you may not get out all the metal and still not be able to put in a new screw anyway. Good luck. Cheers Just Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 could you use a dab of glue on the end on an allen key, and then stick that to what's left of the screw and rotate it out ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Was expecting Nick to drop this in, but ain't seen him about. Frank Aust (see reccomended techs thread) showed me. drill a tiny hole either side and use pointy pliers/wire cutters to slowly rotate it, starts painstaking, but gets easier, then standard dowel and glue and redrill hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I had a pickup screw shear off in my Pentabuzz. What a saga! (In fact I had two, come to think of it but I wiggled the second one loose). This screw was too small a diameter to drill into. I ended up heating the sucker up with a super hot soldering iron and charring it loose. Then I drilled the hole out with a larger diameter bit and plugged with PVA'd dowel. It did a great job in the end but I wasn't that comfortable watching smoke coming out of the bass and I was sh*t scared I was going to poke the screw out the back of the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 hmm, but wouldn't that mean you couldn't use the hole again anyway? ^^^ Also considering there's 5 screws left do you think it would be stable if i just left it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='176834' date='Apr 15 2008, 08:23 AM']Then I drilled the hole out with a larger diameter bit and plugged with PVA'd dowel. It did a great job in the end but I wasn't that comfortable watching smoke coming out of the bass and I was sh*t scared I was going to poke the screw out the back of the bass.[/quote] As Steve said, you burn out the old broken screw. you then drill out a bigger hole and plug it with dowel. You can then drill a new hole! 5 screws is probably enough in reality! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Yeah, i might leave it as it is for fear of causing further damage unless my intonation goes out the window it the bridge pings off or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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