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Thunderbird Club

#149,661
GBassNorth said:
If you have the two point bridge (like on the VP) the intonation screws are fixed into the bridge and not easily removeable, so it would be very difficult to flip the saddle like you would on a 3 point.

Just thinking out loud, but instead of only working on the bridge end, can you move your saddle back as far as it will go then make up the rest of the difference on the nut end. In essence a compensated nut, which is fairly common, I think my Stingray SR5 had one.
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Looking at my Embassy, it looks like if I remove the claw (string retainer), I should be able to remove the adjustment screw and reverse the saddle.
 
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#149,664
Thumper said:
Looking at my Embassy, it looks like if I remove the claw (string retainer), I should be able to remove the adjustment screw and reverse the saddle.
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Engle said:
The little "nuts" at the front of the bridge are attached somehow.
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Just took a closer look at my 2 point VP bridge. The nut on the intonation screw turns with the screw. It has a nylon washer between it and the bridge to reduce friction. I haven't attempted to take mine apart but I'd assume the nut is attached to the intonation screw with either a force fit or with locktite or some other binder. There's a chance you could break the nut free if it's locktite but it might not and you might just end up boogering the screw head or nut up in the process. If it's a force fit and you break it loose it won't go back together and stay that way, you'll need to superglue it back together and hope it holds.

None of those would be big issues if you could get a replacement bridge or spare parts, if that were the case I'd just tear into it and see how it goes. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any replacement bridges or spare parts for the VP style 2 point. So if you break it, you might have a real problem.

Proceed carefully and keep us posted.
 
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#149,665
JIO said:
Another looks-to-be non-Gibson/Epi custom NR bird. I like the pu positioning - likely delivers a phat sound. :bassist:

View attachment 3785191
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I love that Hipshot D two-piece bridge!! Interesting pickup layout as well.

JIO said:
I would recommend a heat-gun and a flat-blade/2-3" spackle knife with rounded-off corners. (so as not to scar/gouge the wood) Do it outside as fumes are toxic but it will be less messy than strippers. As long as you go slow it removes most of the paint leaving any reside to be easily sanded off. I would definitely not recommend a belt sander, or even an orbital which causes little swirls. Sandpaper on a block of wood to keep it flat does the best job.
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When I stripped the sunburst off my Epi NR I used stripper, coated the body in stripper and put it in a garbage bag in the AZ summer sun, and a heat gun. The heat gun/spackle knife helped the most. Like Jio says, careful not to gouge the wood.
 
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#149,666
Even though i would rather have Lollar TB pickups------this is one of the most beautiful NR I have ever seen
nrt4-jpg.3707699
 
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#149,667
Nocturnal said:
I love that Hipshot D two-piece bridge!! Interesting pickup layout as well.
When I stripped the sunburst off my Epi NR I used stripper, coated the body in stripper and put it in a garbage bag in the AZ summer sun, and a heat gun. The heat gun/s[ackle knife helped the most. Like Jio says, careful not to gouge the wood.
Click to expand...
(In my best Rodney Dangerfield voice) - I tried using a stripper to get the finish off my bass, but she wanted $150 an hour. :D
 
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#149,668
GonePlaid said:
Just remembered: Their logo, even on motorcycles, is three tuning forks.
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Yep. When I first saw that at the Yamaha shop in Augusta, I thought it was either a joke, or the tuning fork had some other relevance to the Japanese. Once I realized they had been a musical instrument company first, it made sense... except for why they made motorcycles. Pretty serious diversification!
 
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#149,669
Engle said:
Depends on your poly removal capabilities. Do you have access to heavy duty paint removal chemicals and/or a decent belt sander?
I’d paint over it.
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I do, but I don't really want to go either route if there's a real choice. It sounds like I'm on the right track wanting to just paint over. Thanks, y'all!
 
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#149,673
Miles_ONeal said:
Yep. When I first saw that at the Yamaha shop in Augusta, I thought it was either a joke, or the tuning fork had some other relevance to the Japanese. Once I realized they had been a musical instrument company first, it made sense... except for why they made motorcycles. Pretty serious diversification!
Click to expand...
A very good friend worked for them for years. He architected the algorithm combinations on the DX-7 and explained that Yamaha would only (with minor exceptions of course) hire recent grads and would assign them to a division for four years. So, if you made a lifelong career at Yamaha, which is typical in Japan as changing companies was (at least 20 years or more ago) frowned upon, you would have the chance to work making musical instruments, industrial generators, pools, SMT pick and place machines, industrial motors, motorcycles and other completely unrelated products. He was also saying that if you messed up they would assign you to very boring (power supply design for example) divisions. Now, if you REALLY fowled things up, they would give you NO tasks and you would sit at your desk reading the paper 40 hours a week in shameful dishonor...don’t know if things changed by now but, what a fascinating culture..
 
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