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Thunderbird Club

#25,301
EdO. said:
Back to the "my bridge inserts are pulling out" subject. I cannot find a friggin' pack of flat toothpicks anywhere. Searched all the local grocery stores, Walmart etc, no one around here carries flat toothpicks period. Looking at alternatives and open to suggestions.
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Wooden matchsticks (check camping supply stores). Make sure you remove the head else this may occur.
upload_2017-2-12_10-20-30.png
 
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#25,302
EdO. said:
Back to the "my bridge inserts are pulling out" subject. I cannot find a friggin' pack of flat toothpicks anywhere. Searched all the local grocery stores, Walmart etc, no one around here carries flat toothpicks period. Looking at alternatives and open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
Just buy round toothpicks.

Then lay a piece of sandpaper on the counter, lay a toothpick on the sandpaper and give it a few swipes until you've got a bit of a flat side on the pick. Then flip the toothpick over and do the same to the other side. If you don't have any sandpaper you can do the same thing with the toothpick on your back patio or driveway or some other concrete surface.

Once you've flattened the picks and before you put wood glue on them cut them to length by standing one up in the hole and marking the pick to match the hole depth then removing it and cutting it off at that point, then cut all the others to match. Do the same thing for the picks that will go in the other hole.

Remember, when you pound the stud inserts back in the bass body to use a block of wood on top of the insert, don't hit the inserts directly with a hammer or you'll ding them up. Also, when starting the insert in the hole, tap lightly at first and make sure the insert is going in straight and not some goofy angle.

If for some reason you get any wood glue on the body just wipe if off with a moist cloth or paper towel followed by a dry paper towel. if you let the glue dry on the finish it will be harder to get off.
 
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#25,304
kat888 said:
Now, if y'all wanna talk about overrated, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones...
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I would not say that I am fan boy for the Stones, but I do like more of their work than the Beatles. Actually I think there are a lot of bands I was into later that were influenced by their ratty sound so I appreciate their influence. I came of age more in the Glam years (Bowie/Ziggy, Mott, NY Dolls, Alice, KISS, ETC) or really probably got into that stuff by the time I was 10. My best friends brother was into a lot of that stuff so we got to listen to it with him. I've reconnected with an old friend/guitarist and we are writing stuff that is totally in that Keef style/sound but with more the feel of bands like Dogs D'amour, Hanoi Rocks, and Dolls feel. Despite my vast range of music styles and bands I listen to, I always fall back into what I call a Trash Rock feel/sound when it comes to what I want to play.
 
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#25,309
EdO. said:
Back to the "my bridge inserts are pulling out" subject. I cannot find a friggin' pack of flat toothpicks anywhere. Searched all the local grocery stores, Walmart etc, no one around here carries flat toothpicks period. Looking at alternatives and open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
I read quite a bit about the inserts pulling out on here when I was doing research on my Epi bird. That's the main reason I replaced the strings with extra lights. I'm hoping they put less tension on the bridge.
 
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#25,311
Drestakil said:
I read quite a bit about the inserts pulling out on here when I was doing research on my Epi bird. That's the main reason I replaced the strings with extra lights. I'm hoping they put less tension on the bridge.
Click to expand...

I just don't get the problem... Out of 14 basses with 3-point bridges I've only had one bridge do that, which I superglued back in...
 
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#25,314
GBassNorth said:
Just buy round toothpicks.

Then lay a piece of sandpaper on the counter, lay a toothpick on the sandpaper and give it a few swipes until you've got a bit of a flat side on the pick. Then flip the toothpick over and do the same to the other side. If you don't have any sandpaper you can do the same thing with the toothpick on your back patio or driveway or some other concrete surface.

Once you've flattened the picks and before you put wood glue on them cut them to length by standing one up in the hole and marking the pick to match the hole depth then removing it and cutting it off at that point, then cut all the others to match. Do the same thing for the picks that will go in the other hole.

Remember, when you pound the stud inserts back in the bass body to use a block of wood on top of the insert, don't hit the inserts directly with a hammer or you'll ding them up. Also, when starting the insert in the hole, tap lightly at first and make sure the insert is going in straight and not some goofy angle.

If for some reason you get any wood glue on the body just wipe if off with a moist cloth or paper towel followed by a dry paper towel. if you let the glue dry on the finish it will be harder to get off.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've got a pretty good idea of how to deal with it. Just basically bitching about not being able to find the flat ones. Can't ever be simple can it? :rolleyes:
 
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#25,315
hillerup said:
I just don't get the problem... Out of 14 basses with 3-point bridges I've only had one bridge do that, which I superglued back in...
Click to expand...

Good on you Michael. Sometimes decisions have to be made.

Is it likely I'll ever want/need to swap the bridge out for something other than a 3-point? Is this an investment not a player? Is this a vintage instrument/Does it have any realistic resale value?

If the answer is 'no', if it's not a Gibson, Cataldo, Lull, whatever, there's nothing wrong with a spot of superglue.
 
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#25,319
Mike.C. said:
Am I searching the wrong Sweetwater?

Epiphone thunderbird | Sweetwater
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Mike, just call them, the info is so new it's not on their website. I called the same day this info came to us and spoke with my sales guy, told him what it was and he got on it. I have a confirmed order for an Alpine White one.
 
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