1985 Strat

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

.5) Check the controls out (check, static in the switch)
1) Check fret buzz and string height (no buzz, I like the action)
1.5) Dive the whammy bar and check for any string binding at the nut. (no binding)
2) Check neck straightness and adjust especially if the truss rod adjustment is at body end of neck. I think yours would be at the headstock. (pretty straight, I need to make an adjustment.....might need a shorted stright edge, maybe I'll just cut this one....)
2.1)Check nut height (where should I be with this?)

Sounds like you have a good guitar! So far!

The nut: If there's no string buzz when you play the strings open, good!
If the nut height is too high, when you play notes at the first fret, you'll have to press hard, and the string will sound out of tune. (sharp)

So in reality, if it feels nice when you play a barred F chord, and sounds in tune ,,,then,,, haha,,, move on!!

The reason I had you check the neck straightness now, is to check the nut. You the neck right to see if the nut is the right height.
If you want to measure, the bottom of the high E string should be .02" higher than the the top of the first fret.
Now that I know the neck is straight and frets are good, I'M feeling good!
If you don't feel like measuring, no hay problema,,, next step!

sennin

Here's the bridge.....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/Stratbridge.jpg

Just noticed something.....3 of the little rollers, aren't rolling freely....

What should I do to free them up?

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

Here's the bridge.....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/Stratbridge.jpg

Just noticed something.....3 of the little rollers, aren't rolling freely....

What should I do to free them up?

It's probably corrosion from sweat that did it. Maybe some beer, too.
That's common, and they may be hard to find.

Ok,,, the universal fix for everything in the world of squeaks and stickiness!


WD-40! I wouldn't spray it all over, but if you can work it into the joints where the rollers are, then take some needle nosed pliers and see if you can work them to get them moving. Wrap some cloth or plastic around the rollers so they don't get scratched by the pliers. Actually if you have any bike lube oil, that should work, too. Maybe spray some into a cup and use q-tips to get it in the joints. Try to mask around the wood and other parts so you don't overspray too much..

If they absolutely aren't going to move, then polish those things where the strings ride over them with some steel wool and the guitar will still work. They just make smoother action when you're using the whammy. Then we'll deal with them later.

who's_pearljam?

Also, I was just looking at the pic, those 6 phillips head screws are the intonating screws. They move the saddle back and forth. (THe saddle is the thing holding the rollers)
You want to get those things working freely while you're at it. Lube them up and see if they turn. They tend to freeze right where they enter the back of each saddle.
Those screws tent to strip easily, too, so use the right screwdriver and turn back and forth a bit to see if they free up after wd-40 it.

That's from sweat again! That guitar has played in some steamy atmosphere nightclubs! :cool:

If the screws don't turn,,,, we'll worry about that later. The bridge saddles look like they're adjusted in the general realm of where they're right.



I just did a close up on the pic. You also want to free up those allen nuts in front of the bridge. They adjust the height of the rollers and the strings. Cross your fingers that THEY work!

who's_pearljam?

I just got home again, and I was trying to see what your bridge is.

I think that's a Schaller designed locking bridge type II.
Hard to find parts for, and they cost, so that should give incentive to get those parts moving!
Those empty holes just above the phillips head screws were the locking screws for the strings. You don't need them, and I never liked those screws because they scraped my hands all the time. Do you have a locking nut on that thing? (It would be a metal nut with allen screws) Probably not if the previous owner didn't have the screws in the bridge.
That was definitely an 80's thing for those big teased hair guitar god stage posing whammy bar divers!

sennin

Screws and allens move free.

Pick gaurd is off, and everything looks pretty good inside.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/PickGuard.jpg

sennin

I just moved, so I'm not sure when any wd-40 is.

sennin

who's_pearljam? wrote:

I just got home again, and I was trying to see what your bridge is.

I think that's a Schaller designed locking bridge type II.
Hard to find parts for, and they cost, so that should give incentive to get those parts moving!
Those empty holes just above the phillips head screws were the locking screws for the strings. You don't need them, and I never liked those screws because they scraped my hands all the time. Do you have a locking nut on that thing? (It would be a metal nut with allen screws) Probably not if the previous owner didn't have the screws in the bridge.
That was definitely an 80's thing for those big teased hair guitar god stage posing whammy bar divers!

No locking screws....

and no locking nut.....

who's_pearljam?

The inside looks pretty good! It's not shielded, so that'a a good project for the future, in between string changes. I'd blow off the switch and the back of the pots with some air, and put that thing back on!
The switch usually gets static from dust or corrosion. If you blow it in any gaps and where the contacts are, that may help.


If you have any type of petrol oil, like chain lube or just 3in1 oil mix it with some lighter fluid and that's like a "the home version" WD-40 for those emergencies when you don't have WD-40 for those emergencies.
I would imagine mineral oil would do, too, or even a nice olive oil. :cool: No vinagrette, though! To acidic!

It really would be good to get those rollers rolling while it's open like that.
If not, try to polish the path that the string would take along them as best you can so the string sits in a smooth channel. Less likely to break the string that way.

Man,,, that looks good, Sennin. Also if there are any markings on the back of the pickups, write them down, just for the hell of it. Sometimes there's a sticker or a number or letter to tell you what type they are.

who's_pearljam?

Oh, the jack. Is it loose where it connects to the body? Or where that nut connects the sleeve to the metal plate that connects to the body.

who's_pearljam?

I've been trying to learn photoshop elements. haha

sennin

who's_pearljam? wrote:

Oh, the jack. Is it loose where it connects to the body? Or where that nut connects the sleeve to the metal plate that connects to the body.

The sleeve nut was loose. I still don't have all my tool here, I need to get that thing tight....but I have no sockets here!

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

The sleeve nut was loose. I still don't have all my tool here, I need to get that thing tight....but I have no sockets here!

No problem, then! You can fix that from outside the guitar. Just a 1/2 inch socket wrench. you can out a lock washer on it if it keeps happening. That's an easy one!

Any luck with the roller saddles? Sometimes if you keep some oil and lighter fluid combo on there it finally soaks in. If not, I predict new saddles in the future. There are lots of different parts out there. It doesn't even have to be a roller. Graph Tech makes all kinds of replacement parts.

sennin

who's_pearljam? wrote:

No problem, then! You can fix that from outside the guitar. Just a 1/2 inch socket wrench. you can out a lock washer on it if it keeps happening. That's an easy one!

Any luck with the roller saddles? Sometimes if you keep some oil and lighter fluid combo on there it finally soaks in. If not, I predict new saddles in the future. There are lots of different parts out there. It doesn't even have to be a roller. Graph Tech makes all kinds of replacement parts.

1 roller is free....1 roller spins, but needs some work....the last roller is still pretty sticky....

sennin

I don't see any numbers on the pickups.....I even took one totally off.

Now 5 of the 6 rollers spin free.....the last one is stuck. I'll let the oil soak in a bit and try it again later.

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

1 roller is free....1 roller spins, but needs some work....the last roller is still pretty sticky....

Cool! What brand of olive oil did you use?
It'll free up if it moves at all, now. The only thing the rollers are really spinning for is to actually stay in one place under the string when the tremolo and bridge body rotate back and forth when you use the trem bar. That way it's not rubbing and fatiguing the metal on the strings so much. If it gets to moving enough, spin it until you find a good spot to lay the string into and that's where you keep it when you put the strings on.

sennin

Arbequina

Ok! All of them are rolling!!!

sennin

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratTuners.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratHeadstock.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratFrets.jpg

.

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

Arbequina

Ok! All of them are rolling!!!

Arbequina! The guitarist choice! It goes great with a little italian bread, too.

Nice!


Time to string that thing up!
You can handle that, I guess. I don't think there's anything tricky about those trems.

Ok, something I just thought of, too.
Open your tremolo arm package carefully, and make sure it fits. That's not a traditional Strat tremolo and you may need to take it back. I don't know, though.

Then, of course, play it!

Then we adjust the neck and string action at the bridge saddles, the tremolo springs and height, and intonation, then the pickup height and rock out. :cool: That shouldn't be too hard now that everything is moving.

who's_pearljam?

sennin wrote:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratTuners.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratHeadstock.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/goodtruant/Project%20Strat/StratFrets.jpg

.

Those frets look pretty good! No major wear.
Did you polish them? Looks good.