NGD and a question 1982 S-500

Hello everyone! I'm new here. Just picked up a nice 1982 S-500. This thing is amazing! Absolutely on the the best guitars I have ever owned. It came with the original case, registration card, warranty card, letter on how to set it up, and tools. I do have a question though. The tremolo arm will not stay in the guitar. Everything I have researched says to tighten the set screw where the arm goes into the bridge. That tightens the plastic insert which puts tension on the arm. My insert has no set screw or hole for a set screw. Was this something that was not on early models? Everything appears to be stock. I called Chris at G&L and am currently waiting for his return call. (2 days now). When I look into the hole I don't see a plastic insert. Was this model just equipped with the insert only and no set screw? The bridge is stamped patent pending. I have added links to 2 pics of the bridge to help. If anyone can help I would greatly appriciate it. Also since I'm new I'm hoping the links work...not really good with the tech stuff on posting pics and stuff from other sites.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92509396@N04/8408712588/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92509396@N04/8408711060/

First thing is first:


1982 G&L S-500 by Afungus Amungus, on Flickr

Welcome and congrats on the S-500!

Here are your bridge photos:


1982 S-500 tremolo by Afungus Amungus, on Flickr


1982 S-500 tremolo by Afungus Amungus, on Flickr

Thanks for putting the pics up. I kept trying and getting errors. Probably since I was trying to do it from my phone.

Welcome!

See Welcome! Read This First as it has details for posting inline photos.

Here is a close up of my 1982 S-500 showing the set screw on the side of the trem socket:



The location of this set screw could be different on yours and your photos don't show all sides of the trem socket.
Also, can you post a photo of the trem bar showing the end which would be inserted into the socket?

So why doesn't mine have that? That looks like all the other ones I have seen. Do you think that some kind of replacement part was used? If that it the case then why replace it with something that had no hole for the set screw? The trem arm would have kept falling out or the previous owner never used it. Also why make a replacement part with no hole, defeats the purpose of replacing it.

So why doesn't mine have that? That looks like all the other ones I have seen. Do you think that some kind of replacement part was used? If that it the case then why replace it with something that had no hole for the set screw? The trem arm would have kept falling out or the previous owner never used it. Also why make a replacement part with no hole, defeats the purpose of replacing it.

Is your trem arm threaded at the end which is inserted into the socket? And if so, try screwing it inside the socket.
That's why I asked for a photo of your trem arm. I don't recall whether or not the old style trem attachments were used
on some of the early S-500s. Perhaps others in the know will chime in.

The arm is not threaded. It has a slit on the end of it.

I can post a link again. My phone won't let me copy the image URL. It says that it can't determine the image size. So here is the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92509396@N04/8409449128/in/photostream/

The arm is not threaded. It has a slit on the end of it.

I can post a link again. My phone won't let me copy the image URL. It says that it can't determine the image size. So here is the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92509396@N04/8409449128/in/photostream/

Flickr doesn't make it easy with their scripts and theatre views etc.

I think I got it;



You could probably change that out for one with a set screw...remember ,the early mid 80's was still a formative time
G&L's products, parts...etc. Hope it doesn't cause too much distress...that a beautiful S-500!!

Thanks! I'm really happy with the guitar. If I have to switch out the piece that is no big deal but if there was something else I would rather keep it stock. I'm just amazed that no one else has had this issue. Do I somehow have the only stock tremolo arm insert without a set screw hole? Maybe mine is a very special tremolo... It's just strange that guitars with lower serial numbers than mine have the set screw, but mine has nothing...hmmmm

Ok got home and took some more pics of the tremolo arm insert. Here they are:

Thanks! I'm really happy with the guitar. If I have to switch out the piece that is no big deal but if there was something else I would rather keep it stock. I'm just amazed that no one else has had this issue. Do I somehow have the only stock tremolo arm insert without a set screw hole? Maybe mine is a very special tremolo... It's just strange that guitars with lower serial numbers than mine have the set screw, but mine has nothing...hmmmm

The date stamps in the neck pocket are the best way to get a good idea when the guitar was assembled,
yours might be a good example of how , in the beginning ,the bridges with serial stamps were placed in a box and grabbed somewhat randomly.
Maybe next time you change strings /polish frets you could look at the date stamps if your feeling adventurous.
I'll look at some early bridges that I have and see what's on what. ( my curiosity is at a soft peak )

Elwood

Congrats on the S-500, and welcome to the G&LDP!

I've just rummaged through my G&L closet. My '82 S-500 and SC-2 both have bridges like yours (without a set screw). The serial numbers are very close to yours - G011630 and G011399. My next oldest DFV-equipped guitar is an '80 F-100 (serial number G000504 - this bridge must have come from the initial order), and my next newest is an '83 Nighthawk (G014834). Both of them have set screws. I think the logical explanation is that a batch of bridges in that G-011XXX range came from the manufacturer without the set screw for some reason. Based on some of the insight Fred has provided about the early days at G&L, I'm guessing they would have kept the instruments going out the door rather than waiting for a new batch of bridges to arrive - as long as quality wasn't impacted. That's just a guess on my part, though. Hopefully Fred will see this thread and comment.

BTW, the arm for my S-500 is just like yours. A previous owner pinched the ends together, so it seats all the way down into the socket. I don't use the vibrato much, but I've never had a problem with the arm coming out. The SC-2's arm was lost by the previous owner.

Ken

Wow, thanks for the conformation. I thought I was going mad. I am now wondering if I just need a plastic insert or something. Does any of your guitars with the same tremolo as mine have a plastic insert or something? If not then I'm not sure how the bar stays in. Unless I need to widen the split end of the tremolo arm.

How deeply does yours sit in the socket? Mine bottoms out.

Ken

Mine bottoms out too. Seems to go all the way down.