How to remove a bridge post?

DonRoos

When I bought my Ibanez MG-R it had a damaged bridge post :'(. The one side of the alan key hole had broken off. For chords and barre chords it was ok to play, if a little low. I have started playing a song that needs power chords and found that it was buzzing too much on the bass strings so wanted to adjust the bridge up a bit. With the hole broken I can't get an alen key in so have to slack everything off and turn it with a plier and then re-tune. I have been given some new posts but the thread is different from the existing ones so would have to pull the splined bases out of the guitar to fit them.

Does anyone stock spare posts that might fit my existing thread? This would be the easiest solution.

Is there a way to get these out without a specialised tool? If not, what is a ballpark figure to have someone pull them for me (Cape Town).

Thanks.

AlanRatcliffe

If you replace the anchors with new ones, make sure they are the same outside diameter, otherwise you'll have to drill or fill and then drill new holes.

Removing the old anchors is easy - use the existing posts to pull them out. Make yourself the tool pictured below from some scrap wood and then lever the anchor out with a claw hammer or similar. You can just see mine has some foam rubber tape on the bottom to prevent marring the finish on the guitar.

The one thing to watch out for is body finish overlapping the anchors - if they were pressed in before finishing, the finish overlaps the top of the anchor and it can chip the finish around the posts when you pull them. If you have this, clean the finish away from the anchors before pulling (I use a Dremel, but you can use a blade or small chisel - score the finish around the anchor so it chips away where you want it to and chip away...).

flatfourfan

Alan Ratcliffe wrote If you replace the anchors with new ones, make sure they are the same outside diameter, otherwise you'll have to drill or fill and then drill new holes.

Removing the old anchors is easy - use the existing posts to pull them out. Make yourself the tool pictured below from some scrap wood and then lever the anchor out with a claw hammer or similar. You can just see mine has some foam rubber tape on the bottom to prevent marring the finish on the guitar.

The one thing to watch out for is body finish overlapping the anchors - if they were pressed in before finishing, the finish overlaps the top of the anchor and it can chip the finish around the posts when you pull them. If you have this, clean the finish away from the anchors before pulling (I use a Dremel, but you can use a blade or small chisel - score the finish around the anchor so it chips away where you want it to and chip away...).

I'd recommend not using a claw hammer. Just my opinion, but claw hammers do not pull straight up, they pull off to one side and you can damaged the wood on the anchor hole. Get a scrap block of wood like Alans picture and get a metal plate that will fit under the bolt and the wood, so when you turn the bolt out with a spanner, it'll pull the anchor bolt straight up. I made a very basic tool for when I pulled the posts out of my explorer, took me all of 5 minutes to make it and to pull it out.

DonRoos

Great idea Alan. Unfortunately, my posts do not have a head on like the ones in your photo so I will have to grip it with a vice grip and then use the hammer on the vice grip. I may also see if I can find an old screw with the right thread. If I can find a screw then I can use your idea fff.

Off the the garage to make a tool and search for a screw. Thanks.

flatfourfan

DonRoos wrote Great idea Alan. Unfortunately, my posts do not have a head on like the ones in your photo so I will have to grip it with a vice grip and then use the hammer on the vice grip. I may also see if I can find an old screw with the right thread. If I can find a screw then I can use your idea fff.

Off the the garage to make a tool and search for a screw. Thanks.

You should be able to screw in an M12 or M10 ( i think) bolt into the anchor and pull it out. The threads should be normal metric.

Here's a pic of my hi-tech tool.

AlanRatcliffe

@ flatfourfan - Good point. I actually use a proper post pulling tool, but you can make do with a hammer, just working your way around from different angles.

@ Don - your post should have a groove or indented section - works almost as well.

DonRoos

Thanks Alan and fff. I found a headless bolt with a nut that fit the tread exactly. I then cut a block of wood and drilled a hole large enough for the anchor as per Alan's picture. I then found two washers (small and large) that allowed me to tighten the nut with a spanner and it pulled the anchors out smoothly.

Unfortunately, the new anchors were a smaller diameter so I had to fit a bush to make the new anchors fit tightly. I also had to touch up the wood that was exposed round the anchors and had some model aircraft paint in a slightly darker colour.

Whole job, including making my 'tool' block took only an hour or so. All back together now and have adjusted the bridge height to elminate the buzz I had. Thanks again for the help, I knew I could count on you guys!

At the same time I slacked off the truss rod a bit and adjusted the spring tensioner bracket to increase the preasure on the bridge as I only have two springs in. The action is now close to perfect for my style except that my G string is now buzzing only when played open so I need to replace the bridge to raise that string a bit.

flatfourfan

DonRoos wrote Thanks Alan and fff. I found a headless bolt with a nut that fit the tread exactly. I then cut a block of wood and drilled a hole large enough for the anchor as per Alan's picture. I then found two washers (small and large) that allowed me to tighten the nut with a spanner and it pulled the anchors out smoothly.

Unfortunately, the new anchors were a smaller diameter so I had to fit a bush to make the new anchors fit tightly. I also had to touch up the wood that was exposed round the anchors and had some model aircraft paint in a slightly darker colour.

Whole job, including making my 'tool' block took only an hour or so. All back together now and have adjusted the bridge height to elminate the buzz I had. Thanks again for the help, I knew I could count on you guys!

At the same time I slacked off the truss rod a bit and adjusted the spring tensioner bracket to increase the preasure on the bridge as I only have two springs in. The action is now close to perfect for my style except that my G string is now buzzing only when played open so I need to replace the bridge to raise that string a bit.

all in all a good days work I'd say.................good stuff!!!