ASAT bridge screw got rusty.

Hi!
I'm quite a newbie as I posted my first message in the G&L porn thread. Since I had the camera in the room I thought it would have been nice to take other few pics. This circumstance unveiled me a secret about my guitar... She is dirty! I mean, not dirty in a metaphorical way, but in a literal one!



Could you see the left screw? It is much worse in person... It is very rusty and the top of the screw is starting to consuming itself. Don't take me wrong, I'm not one of those guys who wants his guitar to remain immaculate for the rest of its life, but I think it's healthier for my instrument to be fixable. If - the later the better - I will encounter a problem regarding the bridge, I would need to take off that screw.
So, does anyone know which kind of screw is it? I'm not a screw expert, but I could become one!

Thank you!
Luigi

Luigi, these are Hex screws and hopefully you have the hex wrenches that came with your guitar. One of them will fit. Before I did anything else, I would apply a drop of 3 in 1 oil in each bridge screw hole with the guitar laying flat and leave it for a day. Then I would use the hex wrench that fits and try to loosen it. It will most likely let loose. If there is a small part of the screw sticking out of the bottom of the saddle you may be able to remove from the bottom with a needle nose vise grip. Whenever I change strings, I use 3 in 1 oil on the saddles where the strings follow and put a small drop in each adjustment screw hole for this reason. That will prevent trouble in the future. Once you have removed the screw you should be able to get a new one at a local hardware store or a local G&L dealer if you have one.-- Darwin

Hi Darwin,
thanks for the tip! But, maybe due to my lacking of English language proficiency, I wasn't be able to let you understand which is the screw that worries me
I'm not worried about saddle screws, even though the low E saddle is inevitably starting to wear out.
If you look at the picture, you will notice that just at the left of the low E saddle there is a screw full of dirt. That is the one that worries me (it doesn't seem an hex screw, but it is more like a "normal" one). If you make a comparison with the symmetrical opposite screw - the one that stays at the right of the high E saddle - you will see how much difference there is!

Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it!
Luigi

Hi Darwin,
thanks for the tip! But, maybe due to my lacking of English language proficiency, I wasn't be able to let you understand which is the screw that worries me
I'm not worried about saddle screws, even though the low E saddle is inevitably starting to wear out.
If you look at the picture, you will notice that just at the left of the low E saddle there is a screw full of dirt. That is the one that worries me (it doesn't seem an hex screw, but it is more like a "normal" one). If you make a comparison with the symmetrical opposite screw - the one that stays at the right of the high E saddle - you will see how much difference there is!

Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it!
Luigi

I think even though he was talking about the saddle set screws, Darwin's advise is good. It is just Phillips, but you can remove the bridge (If there is a lot of corrosion I would be safe like Darwin suggested and add some penetrating oil well before hand), clean and lightly lube the holes, and replace the screws and be back in business. Just a little petroleum or silicon lubricant will really slow down the corrosion.

Thank you for the advise.
I have to say that there is not a lot of corrosion, but it is something I'd like to do before it'll be too late.
So, do you think I could find this kind of screws easily in any hardware shop? As my name suggests I live in Europe, maybe the screws here are in different standards from the US ones.
I'm sorry to overwhelm you with so many questions, but this guitar is very important for me... I'm sure you can understand me

When you get that screw out take it to a specialist store - they'll be able to look at it and give you one virtually identical. If hardware stores in Europe are as crap as the ones here then they'll only have two types of screws - too big and too small!

When you get that screw out take it to a specialist store - they'll be able to look at it and give you one virtually identical. If hardware stores in Europe are as crap as the ones here then they'll only have two types of screws - too big and too small!

Thanks for the reply!

All good answers here. Here's a bit more detail...
When replacing a screw 3 things (primarily) matter in sizing- overall length, diameter, and thread pitch. You (or an experienced hardware person) can usually "eyeball" these by comparing the old to the proposed replacement. The choice between Phillips head (cross shaped pattern) or slotted head (straight slot) is not critical, though many prefer Phillips for aesthetics and because there is generally less likelihood of slippage when turning the screw.

The main other thing to consider is the material the screw is made from. Brass is pretty but also relatively soft and will oxidize overtime. Zinc plated screws are very common and also tend to be soft and oxidize. Maybe a good alternative for you is stainless steel. While not exactly hard it does not corrode and has a nice aesthetic appeal in a chromed bridge. Chrome plated screws are less commonly available in a hardware stores, but you might get lucky if that's what you're after. Usually they are plated over brass.

If it was my guitar I'd opt for stainless steel and replace both the right and left screws...

Wow, thanks for that reply! Very useful indeed