Hamer Blitz

[chorizo]

Hey guys!

I bought a hamer blitz some time ago on ebay, but I have some problems with the tuning stability of the floyd.

I took it to several luthiers but they couldnt fix the problem.The last one changed the baseplate into a licensed schaller ( made in germany)which is better now but not perfect.

There used to be an OFR on it when I got it.

The luthier couldnt find new trem posts because the ones that floyd are using now are based on the metric system and way thinner/smaller. He also said the trem is floating too high above the body.

Anyways, I think new trem-posts could solve the problem but where can I find them???

I came acrosse these ones

http://www.fretsonthenet.com/hardware.htm#JT6_Tremolo_Posts

but the guy who is making them said they were pretty specific to the charvel/jackson brand.

But they seem to be similar in a way ( cylindric form,bigger than the usual ones etc.)

other ideas:

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/gbridge_studs.htm

---> scroll down to american series bridge pivot screws ( not for floyd guitars though..)

dunno if these are the same:

http://angela.com/stratamericanstandardbri...pivotscrew.aspx

here are some pics!

Hope you guys can help me!!!

[Jem]

The luthier couldnt find new trem posts because the ones that floyd are using now are based on the metric system and way thinner/smaller.

Not true. Earlier models with OFR's did not have inserts in the body, it's just a screw straight into the body - i would say, depending on year, your's came with screws straight into the body and someone's changed it to inserts as the straight screws have a nasty habit of tilting and the pivot posts you've got there don't look like anything Schaller did - this is probably why your guy said they changed the thread which they haven't, you just have some inserts and posts that aren't Schaller (who have always made the OFR's). You can get Schaller spec ones (not 100% sure they're Schaller but they are exactly to spec) from Allparts but i think the problem is that the inserts that someone's already used in your guitar are bigger. Can you get a caliper and tell me the OD of the inserts in millimetres - i bet they're 12mm'ish like the Gotoh ones, not 10mm like the Schaller one's.

Edited to say your's do look like the TRS one's used on the cheaper Jacksons - not good !

[Jeff R]

If the problem is the trem not returning to correct pitch when you use it and let go of it, yep, it's probably wear/groove on the studs. The closeup of the stud in the third pic sure looks like a worn stud.

I've cleaned mine up with a dremel to buy time when I didn't have replacements readily available. You can also reduce the pitch-return problem by putting some 3-in-1 oil at the contact points. Tiny dab on each point, and then work the bar to work it into the contact point. Won't fix it, it just reduces it.

Another quick trick - experiment with tiny turns in either direction on both posts, individually and together. Granted, your "perfect" action may be off ever so slightly but you may be able to dodge the burr/groove that's the primary culprit.

The other simple trick -- barely yank or barely tap the bar down after you use it to return it to pitch. My Ibanez PGM has the factory studs for a nicer replacement bridge and I have to do that to keep it perfect tune when I play it. If I can sneak that tap or yank into a song while playing live, you can too

Seriously, guys playing stock strats with non-locking systems have been doing that for years. I remember EVH saying in an interview years ago before he got his Floyds, everytime he depressed the bar on one of his strats he had to snap his "B" string on the way back up to keep it from hanging in the nut. Just something he had to do to keep it in tune. All while he was wailing away.

FYI, the height of the bridge in relation to the body shouldn't be an issue if everything's all fresh and set up right. The only way you can fix that is a neck reset reducing the angle of the neck to the body. That's somewhat intensive and expensive haha!

[chorizo]

hey jeff!

the luthier already polished the studs but it didnt solve the problem.

I tried almost everything you mentioned , but you know. It´s that striving for perfection...

and about the neckangle... the neck is not bolt on

I just want to find pivot studs that fit into the existing bushings!

as soon as I find the time I will try to measure the bushings to see if its 10 or 12 mm-ish

they are definetly too wide for the current floyd studs.

what do guys think about the jt-6 studs??

how many different stud sizes do exist btw (apart from the ibanez and gotoh stuff)

[Guest JackButler]

Those studs in the pic above look a lot like jt-6 Jackson studs to me..

fwiw.. the earliest version of the jt-6 Jackson tremelo was indeed made by Schaller.. then later sent overseas.

[LadyScary]

send it to uncle greg

BCR Greg

[Jem]

and about the neckangle... the neck is not bolt on

what do guys think about the jt-6 studs??

how many different stud sizes do exist btw (apart from the ibanez and gotoh stuff)

Your guitar already has a neck angle so that's just a non issue.

There's probably not that many permutations on size. At a guess M6 for small one's and M8 for larger and probably all the same pitch. If you have a set of calipers measure the stud thread width, if it come at around 7.8mm nominal then Gotoh should fit.

Oh and sending that to our little German friend just to have two studs replaced is a shipping disaster waiting to happen - especially for the sake of $10 !

[LadyScary]

was just my 2 cents he's a wiz with repairs thats all i ment. obviously for the $10 DYI

Does it matter that he's german? or little? the point is he's good at what he does!

and about the neckangle... the neck is not bolt on

what do guys think about the jt-6 studs??

how many different stud sizes do exist btw (apart from the ibanez and gotoh stuff)

Your guitar already has a neck angle so that's just a non issue.

There's probably not that many permutations on size. At a guess M6 for small one's and M8 for larger and probably all the same pitch. If you have a set of calipers measure the stud thread width, if it come at around 7.8mm nominal then Gotoh should fit.

Oh and sending that to our little German friend just to have two studs replaced is a shipping disaster waiting to happen - especially for the sake of $10 !

[BCR Greg]

Those are original studs.

I can recontour them to improve the pitch retention issue. I used to do it all the time for my stage guitars.

Contact me at greg at bcrmusic dot com.

[Jem]

Sending the studs makes more sense.

[chorizo]

I am german too and I live in germany btw

[BCR Greg]

I'm Chermannn, Irrrrrish and Godknowswhat.

[Jem]

I am german too and I live in germany btw

Well, if your in Germany it makes little sense sending them all the way over to Lemoyne. If Greg says these are original then take it as given - he is repairman par excellence and would have seen hundreds, i've just never seen them on a Hamer. Seeing your location i'd send a mail direct to Schaller who will direct you to a local stockist.

Oh, and as for my comments about Mr Platzer, yourself and the above poster are far too young on this board to have whitnessed the years of love we have for each other.....love ya man !

[BCR Greg]

Back atcha.

Those studs were used for a period of one to two months. They were the first attempt at getting away from the wood screws previously used. The insert is big enough that it can weaken the area between the trem route and the bridge pickup route, so a smaller insert was found.

[Jem]

Ah, that's why i only associated them with Jackson. Interesting point about the insert size. I've changed to using Gotoh floyds for new builds but i've been changing the anchors to Schaller as the Gotoh one's are not only wider but are about 1/4" deeper as well which makes it nigh on near impossible to not break into the spring cavity when the trems recessed - obviously i'm barking up the right tree.

[chorizo]

one to two months?

oh no , that doesn´t sound good!

does it mean there are no fitting pivot studs for these bushings?

what about the gotoh-studs?

[BCR Greg]

Nothing.

[Jem]

one to two months?

oh no , that doesn´t sound good!

does it mean there are no fitting pivot studs for these bushings?

what about the gotoh-studs?

One to two months what ? - is that the delivery time they've quoted ? If so thats 5 times quicker than i've been quoted by them lately actually

Edited to say: I'd taken it that the studs that we're on your guitar were like the Jackson type you mentioned hence my comparison with Gotoh. I do not know the thread of the one's Greg mentioned but i can tell you i've just slinked downstairs and confirmed to myself that Gotoh studs and Schaller ones of the type we all know are NOT the same thread - or i'm drunker than i think i am.

[chorizo]

shit...

any other ideas?

[chorizo]

http://zeus.lunarpages.com/~jimshi2/newJac...04174_small.jpg

look at this one!

it looks soo similar to the ones in my hamer...

[Jem]

Talk to them - obviously whatever answer you have is an automated one (it's midnight) so firstly it may be wrong but more importantly the main question is do any other studs fit. If you've asked a specific question you'll only get a specific answer.

[chorizo]

some more...

[BCR Greg]

Send the the studs and I will make them work.

[formula73]

...nothing he can't handle!