Plastic Access Cover on the back of my bass won't come off!

[Baird6869]

Guys and Gals,

This is driving me crazy! I need to get at the electronics of my MTD KZ6 bass and the friggin' plastic cover won't budge. I took the screws out and have tried everything to take this cover off and it won't budge. I have used a suction cup, a small flathead screwdriver and even a carpet knife to try to pop it off from the side.

The original owner never took it off in the few years he had it and I must say, kudo's to MTD.... this cover fits into the route PERFECTLY!

Ant ideas before I take a jackhammer to this thing?

[drunkenrobot]

My old bass used to do that. I just got a knife and pushed it into the crack and prised it up. Heating it up a bit might make the plastic a bit more malleable. Get a hairdryer put it on its lowest setting and point it at the cover for a few minutes.

[Pilgrim]

Prying around the edges MIGHT get it off, or you might make a big chip in the finish.

Try re-starting one of the screws about one thread and see if you can get it to grab the material - or try a slightly larger screw that will grab the plastic - just don't screw it into the wood.

Got a vacuum cleaner with good suction? Try that - maybe with duct tape over the end and fastening from the hose tip to the cover.

If all else fails, you can always drill a hole for another screw in an inconspicuous spot, start a screw in it and use that to pull the cover off.

Any other ideas?

[kdiggity]

You could try backing over it with your car, to see if that helps.

Or mail it to me and I will give it a try. Honest.

[stflbn]

Put a small bend in the end of a paper clip or pin/safety pin or some other small diameter thin metal. reach into a screw hole and hook the edge of the cover. Should pull right out.


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[Baird6869]

Finally got the little b@$t@rd off!

It was so well lodged in that a couple of small chips on the finish at the edge of the cavity came with the cover. Nothing major though.

FWIW.. I tried ALL above suggestions and the only thing that worked was one of those small pointy screwdrivers. I think they are used for etching. Anyways, I squeezed the point between the guard and the wood through the screwhole and pried it off.

I have had likely 30-40 basses and NEVER seen anything like this.

[stflbn]

I'd file around the edges of that sucker and make it a bit looser.

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by stflbn

I'd file around the edges of that sucker and make it a bit looser.

Yup. That was the last think I did before putting it back on.