Adjusting the height of a Mustang vibrato bar?

Fuengi

Picked up a Modern Player Mustang yesterday, restrung it last night and the low E is being held in place by the bar pushing down on it.

How do I adjust the height of the bar to lift it so there is enough space for the strings to move and the vibrato to work? 

ICBM

With the two Allen screws in the holes at each end, which alter the height of the posts.

Fuengi

ICBM said:

With the two Allen screws in the holes at each end, which alter the height of the posts.

Ah, I see. I'll need to pick up an Allen key as don't have one that small, do you know what size they are? 

ICBM

I’m not sure if it’s a Chinese one, I haven’t come across one yet - I think it will be either 3/32”, 2mm or 2.5mm.

It’s worth having a set of keys, they aren’t expensive and guitars use a wide variety of sizes. If possible, get both Imperial and Metric, there are some fittings where the difference is critical - eg Fender USA Standard truss rods. Most American instruments use Imperial, Japanese and Korean use Metric. Chinese can be a problem as they use both!

The adjustment is slightly counterintuitive as turning the key clockwise raises the bar, by the way.

JezWynd

 If possible, get both Imperial and Metric, there are some fittings where the difference is critical 

Ain't that the truth. Never seem to have the right one to hand and it's so tempting to attempt a bodge with watchmaker screwdrivers. Just ordered an Imperial set to adjust Strat saddles.

Fuengi

Went through my allen key collection this afternoon and did find some metric 1.5mm upwards, tried the 2mm and 2.5mm but neither felt like they fitted. 

Tried a 2.5mm from a socket set which did fit, but the shaft was too short to move it more than a fraction. That was a enough to help the strings release though and offer a tiny bit of vibrato. 

I've ordered a set of metric / imperial allen keys which will be here tomorrow but slightly sceptical it will move, it didn't feel easy. 

ICBM

Fuengi said:

I've ordered a set of metric / imperial allen keys which will be here tomorrow but slightly sceptical it will move, it didn't feel easy. 

It isn't - there's a lot of friction between the height screw and the spring underneath. It can help to slacken the strings off.

This should explain why...

Fuengi

ICBM said:

Fuengi said:

I've ordered a set of metric / imperial allen keys which will be here tomorrow but slightly sceptical it will move, it didn't feel easy. 

It isn't - there's a lot of friction between the height screw and the spring underneath. It can help to slacken the strings off.

This should explain why...

I took the vibrato off to look at it when I changed the strings last night, I think it only had two springs though, that has four.

Once the keys are here I'll slacken off the strings and see what I can do. Might even get a set of 11s and out them on although the tuning stability hasn't been too bad since I out them on last night.

Really like the P90s in it, although they could probably be even better with an upgrade. 

ICBM

Fuengi said:

I took the vibrato off to look at it when I changed the strings last night, I think it only had two springs though, that has four.

No, it has two .

It's just very shiny .

Fuengi

ICBM said:

Fuengi said:

I took the vibrato off to look at it when I changed the strings last night, I think it only had two springs though, that has four.

No, it has two .

It's just very shiny .

Ha! Oh yes, I can see now! Thought it looked different to mine 

Is that a replacement? Where best to source one if my Chinese one isn't great? 

Fuengi

ICBM said:

I’m not sure if it’s a Chinese one, I haven’t come across one yet - I think it will be either 3/32”, 2mm or 2.5mm.

It’s worth having a set of keys, they aren’t expensive and guitars use a wide variety of sizes. If possible, get both Imperial and Metric, there are some fittings where the difference is critical - eg Fender USA Standard truss rods. Most American instruments use Imperial, Japanese and Korean use Metric. Chinese can be a problem as they use both!

The adjustment is slightly counterintuitive as turning the key clockwise raises the bar, by the way.

Well that worked!

 3/32" with the strings loosened a bit and it was easily adjusted. I've moved it to what I consider to be pretty high, it's probably 3.5mm - 4mm clear of the plate at the bottom of the cigar but the tuning is reasonably stable. I'm not using the bar, just my hand, for the vibrato so it works easily at that height.

 I’m going to be tempted to stick some 11s on it to aid tuning stability.

ICBM

Fuengi said:

Is that a replacement? Where best to source one if my Chinese one isn't great? 

That picture is from Angela Instruments. I would doubt it's worth changing it though - it's such a simple mechanism there really isn't any way even an 'inferior' one won't perform perfectly well. I would put a little grease on both the pivot points and the spring anchors if you can, that will help avoid friction.

Fuengi said:

I’m going to be tempted to stick some 11s on it to aid tuning stability.

11s are generally a good idea on Mustangs due to both the trem and the short scale. It's possible you may find the nut getting a bit tight though, especially on the lower strings in an 11-50 set. Try it and see, if it's a problem then rubbing the cut-off ends of the wound strings through the slots a few times will often take off enough material to fix it.