Hipshot Ultralite fitting - loose in the hole (oo-er)

[fretmeister]

I've got some Hipshot Ultralites to fit to a P bass.

 

The Hipshot bushing is a bit loose in the headstock hole. The Fender one is tight.

 

The Fender bushing is just a push in item and the actual machine head is held in by 4 wood screws on the rear of the headstock. 

The Hipshot bushing has a screw thread and bolts to the machine head holding it in the hole. There is only 1 screw on the UL to stop it rotating in the hole..

 

I could use the Fender bushing with the UL machine head but they would not screw together meaning that it would only be held in place by a single 5mm wood screw, so I'm assuming that is not secure enough.

The inner diameter of the bushing appears to be similar, but the UL bushing is thinner - a smaller outer diameter, hence the movement.

 

Is there any harm in the full Hipshot set up being able to shift in the hole a little if I make sure the tuner is butting up to the side that will bear the tension when the bass is strung up? So it won't actually move in use as it will already be up against the wood properly.

 

Any ideas?

[bubinga5]

I could be totally wrong but there are different sizes with Hipshot tuners.are you sure you have right diameter HIpshot diameter.?

[fretmeister]

There are 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch posts. 

I've got the large ones.

 

As it happens I've been doing some more digging and apparently the do sell larger bushings - but it looks like I'll have to get them from the USA as nobody stocks them!

[ezbass]

5 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

I could be totally wrong but there are different sizes with Hipshot tuners.are you sure you have right diameter HIpshot diameter.?

Yeah, @bubinga5 is right, they do 3/8" and 1/2" fittings. If they are the wrong size and you can't return them, you could try wrapping some masking tape around the bushing to make it fit snugly.

 

EDIT: You beat me to it.

Edited May 1, 2019 by ezbass

[KiOgon]

If you have a bit of heat shrink tubing - that could be good - depending how much gap you have to fill. If not masking tape is a good old fashioned bodge, will last forever!

[fretmeister]

I've found a bit on the Hipshot website that sells thicker bushings.

 

$4 each - bargain.... but $56 is the cheapest shipping option!

 

I'll have to find another way!

[bubinga5]

51 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I've found a bit on the Hipshot website that sells thicker bushings.

 

$4 each - bargain.... but $56 is the cheapest shipping option!

 

I'll have to find another way!

Mate I have some USA UltraLights from my Sei.They are old school HS without the logo, but they are cloverleaf and are USA.  If you let me know the diameter I will check if they will fit. If they fit you can have them for free. 

Edited May 1, 2019 by bubinga5

[fretmeister]

Wow, thank you!

The post is 1/2 inch.

 

The bushing I need is for an 18mm hole. 

[bubinga5]

Ahh sorry I've just seen the bushing bit. Let me know the mm of the outer bushing . You never know.

[fretmeister]

I assume that if the hole is 18mm the diameter of the bushing must be too.

 

Regular ones are for 11/16 inch which is 17mm hole. So if your bushings are larger than 17mm that will be perfect.

[bubinga5]

7 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I assume that if the hole is 18mm the diameter of the bushing must be too.

 

Regular ones are for 11/16 inch which is 17mm hole. So if your bushings are larger than 17mm that will be perfect.

Bummer, the outer of the bush is 14mm across . Was worth a try. 😂

[lou24d53]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

There are 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch posts. 

I've got the large ones.

 

As it happens I've been doing some more digging and apparently the do sell larger bushings - but it looks like I'll have to get them from the USA as nobody stocks them!

Can Bass Direct not order them in for you? 

Only yesterday I placed an order for a Hipshot bridge which they didn't stock, but will order in for me...ten weeks waiting though, but that's to do with manufacturing parts...since they are Hipshot stockists, probably worth a phone call.

[fretmeister]

I’ve sent them a message.

Fingers crossed!

[therealting]

7 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I've found a bit on the Hipshot website that sells thicker bushings.

 

$4 each - bargain.... but $56 is the cheapest shipping option!

Hipshot are great to work with, well worth sending them an email to see what they can do. 

[KK Jale]

I've just been through this last week (with 3/8" licensed Hipshot ultralites which fitted rather loosely in a 14mm hole).  I ended up using shims of coiled-up aluminium cut from a drinks can to line the holes. Worked fine.

Edited May 2, 2019 by KK Jale

[Delberthot]

I had this problem too but used paper cut to the required width and wound it around the outside of the bit that goes through the back until it felt tight in the hole then taped it on. Not ideal but it worked

[Hutton]

I know this doesn't help whatsoever but I just wonder why can Hipshot not make the larger bushings available in the UK. It's surely not a difficult thing to do. 

[ChrisJaxon]

I just fitted some Ultralites to my Squier Jazz and used plumbers white tape to enlarge the bushing. Works a treat.

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, ChrisJaxon said:

I just fitted some Ultralites to my Squier Jazz and used plumbers white tape to enlarge the bushing. Works a treat.

Good old PTFE. If you can't fix something with PTFE, duct tape, Araldite or WD40, it's probably very broken.

[fretmeister]

4 hours ago, ChrisJaxon said:

I just fitted some Ultralites to my Squier Jazz and used plumbers white tape to enlarge the bushing. Works a treat.

Doh!

 

I've got some of that somewhere!

[fretmeister]

Bass Direct are making enquiries about how much they would be if they get some in stock.

[fretmeister]

Bassdirect are getting me a set of 4 for £18 all in.

 

There we go!

[therealting]

7 hours ago, Hutton said:

I know this doesn't help whatsoever but I just wonder why can Hipshot not make the larger bushings available in the UK. It's surely not a difficult thing to do. 

Probably a case of demand and the cost of keeping rarely-needed or asked-for spare parts in stock. 

[Hutton]

On 02/05/2019 at 17:15, fretmeister said:

Bassdirect are getting me a set of 4 for £18 all in.

 

There we go!

That's what we want to hear. Well done Bass Direct!

[uk_lefty]

On 02/05/2019 at 13:10, ezbass said:

Good old PTFE. If you can't fix something with PTFE, duct tape, Araldite or WD40, it's probably very broken

A broken heart?