Open Gretsch Surgery

You may wish to look away now!

Just seein' it lyin' there with all tubes goin' in and out of it! fnup fnup

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  • jd0272jd0272 Frets: 3867
    Bassist changed out the pickups on his Anniversary model. Said it was the most nightmare-ish of nightmare things he's ever done! ;)
    "You do all the 'widdly widdly' bits, and just leave the hard stuff to me."
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I had my reservations, but I started doing some research and found out about the tubes trick. Once that issue is overcome, it doesn't seem too much tougher than doing a solid body.

    For the jack, I sawed off the tapered end of a paint brush, attached a line to it and rammed it into the jack so that I can pull it back through when I'm done.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I got the tubing from this place near my house. They were very helpful.

    http://www.advancedfluidsolutions.co.uk/about-us-1-w.asp
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  • cracking stuff. whats the plans for it?
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    Well, it's had this problem for a while where every so often it will just squeal like a banshee.

    There's no build up of sound like when a guitar feeds back - it just starts up like as though you'd flicked a switch.

    It's often accompanied by a crackle around the jack, and blowing into the jack tends to sort it out.

    It's been getting more and more frequent so it's time to sort it out.

    I'm going to check the wires and resolder the connections. Also, because they are so cheap and seemingly popular, I'm going to try some Artec mini-filtertrons in place of the Gretsch standard-size humbuckers (it's an Electromatic).
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I've tried to bring the jack through, but the earth wire seems to be secured somewhere way back towards the strap pin, but I can't quite see where.

    Could it be earthed where the Bigsby is screwed in next to the strap pin?
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  • Yes it probably is. Take off the Bigsby and there will be a wire sandwiched between it and the body.
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  • The tubing is definitely the best way to do this. I've done 2 or 3 335/Casino types - once with cotton thread and twice with tubing. Never going back!
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • I've done this once with cotton thread and it left me mentally scarred! ~X(  8-}

    Anyone got a direct link to the correct type of tubing? Just in case I have to do it again. I've heard it called 'surgical tubing' but it seems like @DannyP has used some kind of pneumatic tubing from that link?


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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I also bought 2 metres, inside diameter was 3/8" from http://www.advancedfluidsolutions.co.uk

    I paid £4.50 which I suppose is slightly steep for 2m of tube

    If I was buying it again, I'd get 1 size smaller as it's quite stretchy.

    @GuitarMonkey thanks, I'll whip the bigsby off this weekend.
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  • I can generally get my fingers far enough in through the f-holes without the need for tubing or string :)
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  • @marauder ; @DannyP ; Thanks for the links.

    One thing occurs to me though. When you remove the nut on the pot and place the tubing over the thread, how do you stop the pot being pushed back into the guitar body? When I used cotton I tied it around the thread before fully removing the nut.
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  • The tubing goes only on the shaft, not the thread, before you fully remove the nut.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    @marauder ; @DannyP ; Thanks for the links.

    One thing occurs to me though. When you remove the nut on the pot and place the tubing over the thread, how do you stop the pot being pushed back into the guitar body? When I used cotton I tied it around the thread before fully removing the nut.
    I was able to get a finger inside to support the back of the pot in each case. For the master vol, I put my fingers through the neck p/u cavity and for the other 3 pots, I went via the f-hole.

    If that were not possible, you could grab the base of the thread with thin needle-nose pliers as you removed the nut I guess, but it'd be fiddly and risky.
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  • GuitarMonkey said:

    The tubing goes only on the shaft, not the thread, before you fully remove the nut.
    Oh, right, I get it now.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    edited September 2014
    The lugs on the new pickups won't go through the existing routs :x

    I need to rasp about 1mm from either side before they'll fit.

    There's just no such thing as a straight forward job, is there?
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    Its called slicone tubing, I believe
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    All done, and it all seems to work

    Used look like this with the big pickups
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    Now looks like this - sorry for the crap pic taken in poor light on the laptop.
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    I was going to get chrome p/u rings but all the Artec stockists I can find are awaiting stock. I'm not sure whether to hold out or stick with the black.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    Prefer the chrome meself....
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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