Screws slipping on Fender vintage bridge!

BassDudeSA · #1 10-06-2011, 07:01 PM

Hello, every time I buy a bass with one of these bridges, it happens, EVERY time! I just received a beautiful new Fender AVRI '57. It comes with the slotted vintage style bridge with the saddles that can each be raised or lowered with a regular small screw driver. I had this same exact problem with two previous Fender 60s reissues. I have the saddles set where I want them, and as I play the screws loosen and come up and the bridge lowers. The vibration of the strings are loosening these dang screws.

I played a gig the other night and kept wondering why I had to keep retuning. I'm surprised I didn't notice at first but my saddles were lowering as I played. Then I found one of the screws on the floor, that saddle had sunk to the bottom of the bridge and one of the screws fell right out! When I turn these screws they feel perfectly fine, they are the right size, and they don't feel loose, but they move when I play. Buggin' me. What is the solution guys? How do I lock these screws in without altering the bass?

JLS · #2 10-06-2011, 07:05 PM

Nail polish or Loctite.

BassDudeSA · #3 10-06-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLS

Nail polish or Loctite.

Thanks, I've heard of loctite before, and I know my wife has the polish here, but how would I apply it? Just spread a little over the screw when in place? Would it crack off or does it hold it in place?

JTE · #4 10-06-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassDudeSA

Thanks, I've heard of loctite before, and I know my wife has the polish here, but how would I apply it? Just spread a little over the screw when in place? Would it crack off or does it hold it in place?

Put some on the threads while they're exposed, then set them where you need them. Let it set up a while before you play it.

Seems weird though. It happens once in a while on these, but three different ones with severe problems us weird. I've had my VS '62 P since 1983 and never had the saddles drift.

John

walterw · #5 10-06-2011, 07:38 PM

with jazz basses, those bridges get held together nicely by the strings, since the string spread is wider than the saddle spread. with P-basses?

if you can spread out the string spacing a little, it will help hold the saddles together.

either way, if the screws are drifting out of the saddles that easily, then +1 to the loctite.

bassteban · #6 10-06-2011, 07:38 PM

Make SURE you use BLUE Loctite- the red is much more permanent. The directions tell you to apply a bit on the threads you want to stop moving & let dry before reassembling; I've slopped a smidge on and slapped stuff back together w/good results(usually bicycle parts).

walterw · #7 10-06-2011, 07:45 PM

hell, i'll just drip a bit of (yes, blue) loctite right into the screw hole so that it wicks down into the threads, with the bass already strung and set up.

no need to make a project of this.

BassDudeSA · #8 10-06-2011, 09:05 PM

Sounds good, thanks guys! Looks like I'll be going to the hardware store to buy some BLUE Loctite!

fhm555 · #9 10-07-2011, 10:03 AM

If you use the method Walter described, you should be able to adjust it a time or two before it needs more loctite.

The vintage bridge I just got has plenty of room between the saddles and height screws to wick some thread lock down between them. Hold the bottle in your (closed) hand for a minute before you shake and apply it, and you will get a little better coverage.

Caca de Kick · #10 10-08-2011, 12:53 AM

If I use blue loctite, I'll use a toothpick to apply it onto the threads. It only takes a very tiny bit to go a long way.
I've used Elmers white glue before too.

bassbenj · #11 10-08-2011, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

If I use blue loctite, I'll use a toothpick to apply it onto the threads. It only takes a very tiny bit to go a long way.
I've used Elmers white glue before too.

+1

I've have great results with blue locktite. It seems much more permanent than nail polish or Moo Glue. And you still can break it loose if you need to. The permanent locktite is designed for huge bolts you loosen with a giant wrench! While "plastic" is supposed to be softer than metal, On that red locktite, I'm not so sure!
Word to the wise!

Zooberwerx · #12 10-08-2011, 08:49 AM

The green Loctite-esque agents are designed to be more "wickable" but, like the red, requires heat treatment for removal. The blue Loctite gums-up the works in such a way that even subsequent adjustments are unlikely to shift with time and/or use.

Riis

walterw · #13 10-08-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fhm555

Hold the bottle in your (closed) hand for a minute before you shake and apply it, and you will get a little better coverage.

I did not know that.

fhm555 · #14 10-09-2011, 03:30 AM

Just a little heat does wonders with loctite when applying it.

Conversely, a soldering iron tip held against the head of a screw that's stuck in too much loctite will (usually) loosen it up enough to get it out without stripping or breaking. This works really well on small fasteners installed with red.

96tbird · #15 10-09-2011, 07:38 AM

Yeah, just do not use red! Pia. Lol. Pure bee's wax works good too, its sticky and fills the threads, holding the screw in place but allows easy adjustment.

TomB · #16 10-09-2011, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

hell, i'll just drip a bit of (yes, blue) loctite right into the screw hole so that it wicks down into the threads, with the bass already strung and set up.

no need to make a project of this.

Nail polish applied the same as above works fine, IME.

pnchad · #17 10-09-2011, 08:09 AM

is as old as Fender basses

the old fashioned fix, done on a break, is some kind of stiff thread/string (whatever is handy) wrapped around the threads of the screw.

The lock-tight is probably better but in a pinch...

BassDudeSA · #18 10-09-2011, 08:13 AM

Thanks for all the tips guys. I bought some of the blue Loctite "super glue" gel. Probably tomorrow I'll just very sparingly apply it to the screws and see what happenes. Sounds as if it'll do the trick!

walterw · #19 10-09-2011, 02:48 PM

"super glue gel"?

i think that's not what you're looking for. "loctite" is a brand name, and they make regular superglue, too. you want their "threadlocker".

BassDudeSA · #20 10-09-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

"super glue gel"?

i think that's not what you're looking for. "loctite" is a brand name, and they make regular superglue, too. you want their "threadlocker".

Huh? I bought the Loctite blue gel (they also had red and green, maybe even black too) but under the Loctite brand name it says "Super Glue" gel, no drip, no mess! Good on ceramic, paper, wood, rubber, leather, metal and plastics. There are other kinds of blue?

Reminds me of when my wife tells me to pick up some over the counter medicine or some kind of cleaner from the grocery store. I get there and there are 10 different varieties of each brand! Specifically, which one? If I just take a guess I usually get the wrong one!