Tut: Removing a Broken Trem Arm w/o Pulling the Trem (pics)

SonataGuitarist · #1 05-09-2007, 02:31 AM

Well I finally broke a trem arm, after thinking it nearly impossible. I tend to be erm, intense with the whammy sometimes (always). I mean come on, who doesn't love a flying g-string harmonic? Anyhow, I occasionally (all the time) lift the guitar by the trem arm during epic harmonic raises. A few days back I was leaning on a stool playing, no strap, and I go for one and SNAP, what a nasty noise that is. Luckily I caught her (practice makes perfect!) and was left with this:

::arg!::

I could have removed the trem and easily dealt with it, but I felt it was time to get creative...

So leave those strings on and grab a screwdriver!
Step 1 - Remove the tiny screw from the tip of the arm holder:

Step 2 - Grab yourself an old low E string. Incidentally I keep a zip bag of old string ends around, don't you?!

Step 3 - Maneuver into the arm holder

SonataGuitarist · #2 05-09-2007, 02:32 AM

Step 4 - Push straight down, hard, but w/o bending the string

If your technique was good, you'll get a prize!

Step 5 - Go to the store and get a new trem bar! Make up an incredibly extravagant story about it (involving dragons) and try to get one for free, it won't work but it'll be fun (I believe it's about $8-$12).

Step 6 - Go home and keep rocking! (But perhaps tone down the antics)

The hardest part of the whole thing is getting that infernal screw back in place with the trem in! In fact, I actually did this about 30mins ago, spent 2 minutes on removal, and about 10 on that screw before giving up, lol, I'll do it tomarrow...

\00/ Enjoy!

Rich · #3 05-09-2007, 02:50 AM

It's easier to use your 1.5mm Allen wrench

Dee · #4 05-09-2007, 02:53 AM

Exactly what I was gonna say. Beat me to it. Anyway, that serves him right for trying to be Herman Li.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonataGuitarist

The hardest part of the whole thing is getting that infernal screw back in place with the trem in! In fact, I actually did this about 30mins ago, spent 2 minutes on removal, and about 10 on that screw before giving up, lol, I'll do it tomarrow...

Ummm, remove the tremolo arm?

SonataGuitarist · #5 05-09-2007, 02:57 AM

Doh!
They were in the same box as the guitar strings come to think of it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee

Ummm, remove the tremolo arm?

Yeah, the actual piece. Vai did this before Herman too

.

Dee · #6 05-09-2007, 03:03 AM

Yeah, doesn't make it any cooler.

What screw are you talking about, though? The one with that attaches the little metal wirey bit?

Rich · #7 05-09-2007, 03:09 AM

The holder screw, and if the spring is aligned against the block, forget it, just pull the trem.

SonataGuitarist · #8 05-09-2007, 03:11 AM

Yeah, its a flashy move, but I think it can be done tastefully. Granted I was being a bit gratituitous at the time!

Edit: Right, holder screw, its a toughy with trem in, it doesnt work with magnetic bits.

Dee · #9 05-09-2007, 06:33 AM

Well, I was just kidding man, go ahead and throw your shapes, have fun.

About that screw, why are you doing it with the bar inserted anyways?!! I don't get it...

fleeeep · #10 05-09-2007, 01:42 PM

same exact thing happened to me during a gig last friday.
Wasn't going nuts at the time but i do give the whammy some serious abuse most of the time.
i was just turning around and it fell off, didn't break in my hand, must have snapped and stayed in there for a little while before dropping off.
played the rest of the gig without using the trem coz the little piece was still stuck inside the arm holder. felt weird not to use the trem at all for nearly half a gig.
good thing that I had a spare one at home.
whereas i love the edge trems and the pop in bars it's a shame that there's a definite design flaw, since they all seem to break at the 2nd bushing.
maybe they could have made the section after the bend longer so the pressure was futher from the bushings???

Dee · #11 05-09-2007, 03:41 PM

I've broken a few of these bars too, in exactly the same place. Last one I broke was when I got my RG 20th, I tried the bar from my RG750 in it first and it snapped as I was trying to push it in. Crap design, IMO. The fact that it uses bushings too, that's a terrible idea. Feels great when you have new bushings but that feeling doesn't last, they go slack too quickly. On top of that, the bushings are stupidly expensive! I won't be buying bags of those for $24 a pop, I use plumbers tape under the bushings and it's all good.