Stud Bushings - How To Get Them Out?

[big al]

I have a Jackson that I cannot remove the bushings for the tremelo studs. I have tried threading the stud in and using various pliers and clamps to try to pull it out.
I cannot see any locking scews or devices. It should just be a press fit...right ? Any suggestions ?

[Rich]

Protect the body with a piece of 1 by and use a claw hammer or crow bar. If they're in that good why would you want to remove them?

(cut and finish that's 'sealed' around them with a razor blade or exacto)

[jemsite]

it might be easier (and less damaging) to simply drill them out with a drill press or steady drilling hand ...glen

[Rich]

Stud anchors are press fit, they just need a little serious persuasion sometimes. Drilling them out sounds like overkill to me.

[jemsite]

lets review the choices...

Option A. - ripping them out of soft wood and hoping chunks of the body and paint doesn't come with them

or

Option B. - drilling them in seconds with a high-speed drill ensuring no secondary damage elsewhere

:biggrin: ...glen

[Rich]

Which is exactly why I said to cut the paint around them :biggrin:

[sebastian]

I use a claw hammer as well.
I have 3 or 4 pieces for 1/4 inch thick wood that I use as the stud pulls up.
Put duct tape on the body first then clean off the goo with goo gone.
I pull the stud up a little then add more wood to elevate the hammer or bar.
It comes out easy.

Sebastian

[Kyle Odom]

You could always make a custom slide hammer. *Buy a threaded rod with the same thread pattern, cut it about 18" or so. *Put a big nut or two and some washers on one end. *Take a 2x2 and drill a hole through the center and put it on. *Then just thread the rod onto the bushing and repeatedly slide the wood block up to the nut/washer end with some force and she'll come out. *As long as the finish is clear by a 1/16" or so, you shouldn't have any problems. *Cost you $5 and 10 minutes to make if you have a drill and a Dremel. *No risk of damaging top as there is no contact with it.
There are several ways to get the suckers out without damaging anything. *I think this is my fav.KO

[spiro]

ahhh not for the faint hearted but using a bit of warm water inside the stud to moisten the fibres of wood that are hold them in place works very well..... * But only if you intend on refinishing the guitar as the water sometimes swells the wood around the stud... (easily removed when sand the guit back.....)

[tomizm]

If you do decide to yank them out, might I suggest you put wide packing tape over the hole, and punch out the area where the stud comes out. *This way, if the wood splinters, you have it stuck to the tape, and it can be neatly pressed back into it's exact location with ease. *I learned this from a refretting job tip.

[Kyle Odom]

Good idea Tom, especially in dry climates. *Spiro brings up a good point about moisture. *I personally wouldn't do direct water, but if you kept your guitar closed up in a closet or bathroom with a humidifier running for a day or two before you did the deed you might not experience so much splintering.
Good info abounds
KO

[frankfalbo]

Dynamite.



But if that fails, Here's my way. It's similar to everyone elses. I have junky studs I keep around that I just use for pressing anchors in and taking them out. You can use the actual studs, though. I use a long pair of wire cutters instead of the claw hammer because when closed around the stud it fits right into the knife edge pivot. Like Rich and Sebastian say, you have to keep correcting your angle. Instead of adding wood under the fulcrum I just screw the post in farther as I go along. I've never had a problem except when I didn't clear away the finish. It seems that the finish pulling was partly responsible for chips. *I always kept the chips and just glued them back. Pounding motions and water swelling can encourage cracks between the anchor and the trem cavity. I've had many people bring that repair to me. *And as far as drilling them out, I'd have to say that the risk is far too great. The anchor can split and push itself farther into the side wall of the hole, and the bit could walk to one side. Especially in a soft wood. *

[jemsite]

bump.

[Project Guitar]

Two other methods one of which is simular as some of those above......


(Edited by becalvert at 4:35 pm on Sep. 7, 2001)

[YngVaiTriani]

I'm getting the same mod on my 555 ... possibly ... but I don't understand what you guys are takling about here.