Broken mounting screws...not fun

I knew something wasn't quite right with my RBX, since the tone and resonance seemed a bit off for the last few weeks.

So I checked the tightness of the mounting screws for my Kahler. I gave the back bottom one a slight twist with a screwdriver...and the head came right off! Then I checked the back top one. Same thing! Ugh! And no, I did not over-torque the screws when I did this. The heads simply rolled right off of the screws.

The front two were still fine, but it obvious that the back two haven't been seated properly for a while now. This affected my sustain and tone, since that meant that my Kahler hasn't been seated tight enough to the body.

I got frustrated, since I now have two broken thread portions of the screws stuck in the holes. Sooo...I have decided to strip the RBX, and re-build my SX. I now have it in pieces, and I am going to spend the next few days getting it dialed up again.

I have also elected to move the bridge J pickup up to between the neck pocket and the P. The J will then become my low/clean channel.

I have also decided to make sure I use really good screws when I re-set the Kahler, since it is now clear that the ones I used before were cheap.

Maybe I'll turn the RBX body into a clock!

The neck is fine. Maybe I'll let it go cheaply if anyone is interested.

That's scary, dude. Good thing it didn't come off more catastrophically.

I know! I thought "what if I had been doing a gig and going for some massive drop, and ended up ripping the trem right out of the body?"

Mhmm. It was recessed, right? That may have helped it from being wrenched out entirely.

Actually, you're probably right, Martin. I just knew something didn't feel right, and now I know why.

I might just bolt the Kahler into my SX using regular bolts and locking washers recessed in the back of the body!

Hahaha that's an interesting idea. Go Traben style on it. Have a whole huge plate of brass that covers the entire backside of the instrument with recesses in it for bolts to go through to the trem.

Ah-ha! Even better! Great idea, Martin!

At that point, just make the whole bass out of brass or steel. Trem molded to the body. No bolts! Excellent sustain! Doubles as an anvil! Metal as hell...

That really, really sucks Eric.

Metal bass though, hmm.......


James Trussart anyone? Works for Geezah.

Hahaha...I still see bolts holding the bridge on, I think.

Maybe the bass' weight is why he's bent over like that?

Chowderboots wrote:

Hahaha...I still see bolts holding the bridge on, I think.

Maybe the bass' weight is why he's bent over like that?

Nah, they're pretty light, completly hollow, and made of aluminium.

Both Geezer and Iommi have solid metal instruments, made for them by a fan, just showed up with them at a gig and gave 'em as a present, too heavy to play standing up.

Huh that's cool. I'll bet they sound crazy!

Now THAT'S metal!

Except the fingerboard...

Ahhh...but the frets are metal.

Does that count?

Aah...good 'nuff.