Should I worry?

[Marko M]

Hi all,

I have been playing my SS500 minutes ago and even though I had my headphones on I heard something fell on the floor.
Couldn't find it at first but then I saw it. Its this little part, looks like some sort of screw. It fell of in direction away from my guitar so I presume it must be from the guitar.

Checked it out. Seems nothing is missing but am still slightly panicking.

Can some one tell me what it is, is it a guitar part/screw...???

here are the pics

http://imageshack.us/a/img841/7523/img1967mz.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img145/2290/img1968qf.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img9/2795/img1969yj.jpg

thanks.

[Fred Finisher]

Marko,
Although I am not at all familiar with the Tribute line of guitars, That looks to me like the set screw for the tremolo bar. It is used to place tension on the bar so that it does not flop around. I'm not sure if they are still installed with a nylon insert so you might want to look around to see if there is one of those on the floor also. i hope this helps,
Fred

[Marko M]

Hi Fred,

Interestingly enough it did happen after i removed my tremolo stick (i believe its called whammy bar, correct me if am wrong).
Looked on the floor but couldn't find nothing, can you describe it a bit, so I know what to look or exactly?

Is this a serious issue? What should i do?

[Miles Smiles]

I think Fred is right with the screw. The nylon insert is probably still in there.

So put in the screw in again, and tighten it that way, the vibrato arm stays in place, so there's some pressure on the screw too and it wont fall out again.

This is a set of that screws and bushers:

http://www.glguitars.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=39

[Marko M]

Ok, so I should put it in here?

And then tighten it?
There is no nylon part to be found...

[Fred Finisher]

Thanks Miles, I knew someone on here could do a better job with the pictures.
Marko, if the bushing fell out you will feel a metal on metal grind when you reinsert the set screw. You can replace it with any small piece of plastic until you get the right part. By the way, if it fell out that easily, you might want to put a small drop of Loctite (removeable) on the set screw so that it doesn't happen again.
Fred

[Fred Finisher]

Yes

[Marko M]

Thanks for the help guys.

[Fred Finisher]

You're welcome!

[Marko M]

I just have to write my experience down.

So when you told me to put that alan screw back in I was inserting it from the top side of the "tremolo hole" and was wondering what the heck am I doing wrong.
Then today I brought it to a guitar guru and he said, its over here on the side. I just had to laugh at what kind of noob I am when it comes to guitars

At least now I know what do do in case it happens again. And that bushing was in all along.

Just wanted to let you know.

Take care all.

[Fred Finisher]

That's funny Marko, glad to hear you're back to playing condition.
Fred

[Miles Smiles]

Ooops.
Guess, I gave up too early on finding a picture showing the right hole.

[Marko M]

And you would think that by age 31 a man should know all the holes

I wont open another topic but continue here. Now I have another issue.
I hear crackling in the amp when I lightly touch the strings if I hold them or the bridge it stops.

So I believe is grounding/earthing problem.
Yesterday when I got the tremolo screw fixed the guy told me to peel off the pick guard foil and so I did.
Now I wonder if thats the issue or did he mess anything up while adjusting the bridge.

Which one is it more likely to be the cause?

[Craig]

And you would think that by age 31 a man should know all the holes

I wont open another topic but continue here. Now I have another issue.
I hear crackling in the amp when I lightly touch the strings if I hold them or the bridge it stops.

So I believe is grounding/earthing problem.
Yesterday when I got the tremolo screw fixed the guy told me to peel off the pick guard foil and so I did.
Now I wonder if thats the issue or did he mess anything up while adjusting the bridge.

Which one is it more likely to be the cause?

See this post in the G&L Knowledgebase: G&L Tech Tips sub-forum: Pickguard Static Noise.

Hope this helps.