Removing worn height adjustment screws from a saddle.

musicalstash

Any ideas on the next course of action of trying to remove two worn height adjustment screws on a Wilkinson convertible trem unit 

I have tried soaking in wd40 and heating up with no joy, they have rounded out so can't  get a grip on them plus look to be rusty. 

I have looked for replacements but struggling to find gold VS ones in the UK.

Any ideas
Thanks 

Funkfingers

1) Unfasten the lock screws for the offending saddles. 

2) Clamp one or other of the saddle height adjustment grub screws in a vice so that the saddle can be rotated approximately half a turn. (This will permanently destroy the threads but the screws are already ruined.)

3) Rotate the saddle anti-clockwise half a turn. 

4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the grub screw can either be turned by hand or the saddle can be lifted off the top of the screw.

5) Clamp the second grub screw in the vice. Hopefully, you have the clearance to rotate the saddle anti-clockwise in a continuous circle.

Roland

What tools do you have? Below are a metalworkers ideas. @ICBM will have guitar repairers experience, and might say something different.

If there’s a decent length of screw protruding you might be able to grab it with pliers. Have them at a right angle to the screw so that the jaws can grip. 

If the pliers don’t work then you could cut a slot with a junior hacksaw (a normal hacksaw blade is too wide) and try a flat blade screwdriver. 

If you have a pillar drill and 1.5mm bit then you could very carefully drill through the centre of the screw, and it will fall apart. You won’t achieve this without a pillar drill. You might have to persuade it to fall apart with a sharp pointed item.

If none of that works then get a new saddle.

ICBM

One of the annoying problems with Wilkinsons is that the saddle height screws often don't protrude far enough below the saddles to grip them, even with a vice with fairly sharp-edged jaws.

If that's the case, the only remedy is to drill them out. What you should find is that when the drill gets some way into the screw, it creates enough friction to grip the screw and drive it out rather than cutting further.

musicalstash

ICBM said:

One of the annoying problems with Wilkinsons is that the saddle height screws often don't protrude far enough below the saddles to grip them, even with a vice with fairly sharp-edged jaws.

If that's the case, the only remedy is to drill them out. What you should find is that when the drill gets some way into the screw, it creates enough friction to grip the screw and drive it out rather than cutting further.

Yes there not enough clearance to grab the adjuster from underneath or above ,  I've only got a small hand drill and from past experience normally end up damaging the thread whe trying to drill screws out .

I may try and cut a slot in the base of the adjuster and try screwing it out but not too sure how to go about it, I was hoping that the allen key adjuster was reversible and could access it from the bottom.

It's the two adjusters one on the E and the other on the A string . 

https://ibb.co/SXCdqLz

https://ibb.co/Rh0Y7TW

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

One of the annoying problems with Wilkinson[VS]s is that the saddle height screws often don't protrude far enough below the saddles to grip them

It might be possible to turn this to your advantage.

If adjusted in accordance with Wilkinson instructions, the two E saddles should sit flush on the vibrato baseplate. Hence, no grub screws required.

The distance by which the A, D, G and B saddle grub screws protrude is a direct reflection of the fingerboard radius.

ICBM

musicalstash said:

It's the two adjusters one on the E and the other on the A string .

Funkfingers said:

It might be possible to turn this to your advantage.

If adjusted in accordance with Wilkinson instructions, the two E saddles should sit flush on the vibrato baseplate. Hence, no grub screws required.

The distance by which the A, D, G and B saddle grub screws protrude is a direct reflection of the fingerboard radius.

If it's only those two, do this. Use the damaged ones for the Es - the slightly lower of the two for the high E - and adjust the others to suit.

I prefer a small amount of grub screw protruding even on the high E, I find the saddle tends to slip more if there's none at all.

musicalstash

Thanks will get them swapped over for now but I am looking to sell on the guitar and from experience I know buyers mess around with stuff and even though there is no need to adjust they still want it to move.

I've just tried drilling the adjusters out but 2 broken drill  bits later it hasn't done much.

Just found this online and maybe the best option,  it says it's for a vs50 bridge but hopefully they'll do the job. 

https://guitarpartscenter.eu/en_US/p/FRAMUSWilkinson-VS50-single-bridge-saddle-GD/14031

ICBM

Actually, there's someone on here who has a full set of saddles... they're a bit corroded but that might go with your bridge. I have no idea if he'd be willing to sell them as they're original parts of the guitar they came off, but you can always ask!

@AK99

musicalstash

Thanks will drop him a message , may attempt to drill the adjusters again as I am not too  sure I used the right drill bits. I used 1.5mm bought from toolstation, is it worth trying again with another brand. 

Roland

Yes

Jazzthat

Sometimes , you can use star driver in worn Allen slot . Otherwise like above drilling it out .

musicalstash

Ordered a couple if replacement saddles from framus which were supposed to be suitable for all VS teems , look very similar but about 2mm taller.
. Would it be best to to use them for the two E strings and adjust the other saddles in line with them . 

Would the extra mass much off a difference to the tone? 


https://ibb.co/Ky8yXvP

LastMantra

You could maybe use a pointy little screwdriver and give it a tap in with a hammer see if it grips?

Also heat and cool the grub a few times.

Funkfingers

Give it your awl. 

ICBM

musicalstash said:

Would it be best to to use them for the two E strings and adjust the other saddles in line with them .

If they're taller, use them for the G and D.

musicalstash said: 

Would the extra mass much off a difference to the tone?

Probably not.

musicalstash

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Would it be best to to use them for the two E strings and adjust the other saddles in line with them .

If they're taller, use them for the G and D.

musicalstash said: 

Would the extra mass much off a difference to the tone?

Probably not.

thanks , all sorted now , just need  to figure out how to set the convertible bridge .  Thanks again for all the help 

ICBM

musicalstash said:

just need  to figure out how to set the convertible bridge .

Good luck with that .

My advice would be to remove the locking cam from the backplate and set the arm high enough that it can't foul the plate at all. They're an absolute nightmare to make work properly and reliably.