Straight off the Brown Truck!

[Bass-Adrenaline]

Well, ive run into a snag....

OK, i think i have a problem here and if so im not so happy with warmoth.....

The body i ordered is drilled for hipshot a style bridge with string thru.

Well, the bridge is mounted to the body by 3 screws. The problem is it looks like warmoth drilled the center bridge mount hole the wrong size. Its large like the string thru holes.

 

[OzziePete]

Well, ive run into a snag....

OK, i think i have a problem here and if so im not so happy with warmoth.....

The body i ordered is drilled for hipshot a style bridge with string thru.

Well, the bridge is mounted to the body by 3 screws. The problem is it looks like warmoth drilled the center bridge mount hole the wrong size. Its large like the string thru holes.

Ooh man you'd hate to have to send that body back for one screw size! :doh:

Do you have the Hipshot bridge yet? If so, does the middle screw fit?

It might be that the Warmoth bridge uses a larger screw for the middle. At least that's what I'm hoping for!

In any case the body is reparable if you still want to keep it if it is wrong, but that's not the point of the issue is it? You expect things done properly in the first place.

 

[Bass-Adrenaline]

Yeah, well i dont plan on simply returning the body because of the screw hole. I picked out the top for this body and payed a lot for it. I tried a screw from a friends hipshot bridge and the middle hole was to big. My bridge will be here in a few days if all goes well so ill see how those screws work out. You are correct, it may be an easy fix but thats not the issue. Like you said, its kind of expected to be done right to begin with. Im not really mad at warmoth but a bit dissapointed. As long as it gets worked out one way or another ill be happy.

 

[tubby.twins]

This middle hole is present on all Gecko bodies, even if they have been routed for other bridges which use this hole (e.g. Takeuchi) or those which don't (e.g. Kahler).

The hole is used as a "reference" marker for the CNC machines which carve the body as well as the routes on the front and back.  As far as I know there is no way to order a Gecko body without this hole.

I've never had a problem getting the middle screw on the Takeuchi to hold.  It just doesn't have a lot of wood inside to grab.  For the Kahler it doesn't matter since that hole is covered up by the steel plate, and no screws need to go there.

If your Hipshot bridge screw doesn't hold, you would probably be able to plug the hole with a small dowel or a pair of toothpicks, and then re-drill in the correct size.

 

[Bass-Adrenaline]

Yeah i looked around and from what Eric said you are correct. O well, i shall see how it goes. Maybe ill luck out and the scrwws my friend had were a bit small.

 

[lafromla1]

What about a single screw insert for the middle hole?  Wouldn't that solve the problem?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

If not opposed to the dowel and plug method, it would be easy to mark the hole for redrilling because the bridge's outer 2 holes make the middle hole act like a jig.  Never seen and good as new.  However, because the bridge is string thru, the strings are pushing the bridge against the body and 2 are probably adequate as it is not supporting a sheer-type load like if the strings were top mounted.

 

[Cagey]

What about a single screw insert for the middle hole?  Wouldn't that solve the problem?

That's a good idea, although it might be a tad tricky, since there's already a hole there. The hole would have to be drilled out a bit larger still, and the insert placed very exactly because there's no room for slop like there is for wood screw holes. A few thousands off center or a few degrees out of square, and a machine screw isn't going to set down as nice as one might like.

I think if it was me, I'd be more inclined to follow STDCs advice and just use the two outside holes, for the reason he gives - three are probably overkill for the kind of load it's going to see, which is going to involve more compression than shear. The screws are more for insuring positional location than making a tight connection.

 

[AprioriMark]

This is part of the reason I'm considering replacing the neck on my D5 rather than building a Gecko.

-Mark