Anybody ever have a trem bar get "stuck" in the guitar?

[bduersch]

Today's semi-ridiculous question... I have a relatively new USA Legacy that the trem bar is impossible to remove. I've tried removing the set screw on the side, tried removing it at different angles... nothing seems to work. It's pretty much locked in there, which is problematic if I need to take the guitar anywhere and transport it in a case.

Any ideas?

--B

[blargfromouterspace]

WD40 and brute force seems to fix most problems.

[Craig]

Today's semi-ridiculous question... I have a relatively new USA Legacy that the trem bar is impossible to remove. I've tried removing the set screw on the side, tried removing it at different angles... nothing seems to work. It's pretty much locked in there, which is problematic if I need to take the guitar anywhere and transport it in a case.

Any ideas?

--B

Remove the set screw and see if the nylon bushing is in there. If so, try removing it. It sounds like the bushing may have jammed between the trem bar and the inside of the socket.
Try rotating the trem bar like you are unscrewing a bolt or screw while gently pulling up. If that does not work and the bar rotates, see if doing several rotations (clockwise and
counter clockwise) will loosen the bar making it rotate easier, then try gently pulling up and pushing down several times while also rotating the bar. Applying a small amount of penetrating oil down the socket
might help as well.

Hope this helps.

[manuel bonino]

got the same problem but my bar rotates freely and I can't understand what the problem is. I don't wanna force 'cause I'm afraid the bar can break or bend.
The bridge works perfectly but the "stuck" bar is the the main problem at the moment....

[Muleya]

A couple "last resort" ideas if nothing else works:

You might try to use something like a needle nose pliers that you can leverage between the bridge and right where the arm bends...it should be strong enough there you wouldn't break the bar. Of course, you'd want to be careful...it wouldn't be hard to slip and cause some serious damage to the top of the guitar. I'd probably try to tape some towels down to protect the top in case you'd slip.

A very last resort: Get someone to help you...grab the bar right where it bends with a vicegrip while someone else holds the guitar down (maybe putting pressure on the bridge), then pull straight up...though you might be careful not to pull too hard!

[darwinohm]

As a last resort, I would raise the back of the tremplate and lock it with something soft between the tremplate and the body. I would then carefully remove the nut on the trem bar sleeve and remove it. The you could use a punch or almost anything and keep the damage anywhere from none to minimal depending how careful you are.--Darwin.

[manuel bonino]

Thanks folks.
I'll let you know if your tips work.
Bye
Manuel

[Xochitl]

I wouldn't try to make any kind of leverage with hard tools over the guitar. You should separate your trem bar from the plate by unbolting it from the back cavity and try whatever you have to far from the guitar. The trem bar and its socket would cost you around thirty/forty dollars to replace; nicks on the body are another story. Keep it safe for your guitar.

[manuel bonino]

The problem is that I removed the bolt on the back but nothing happened though...I believe I'll keep it just as it is. Thank you anyway.

[otis66]

First try to remove the trem arm tension screw and see if the broken trem will just fall from the verbrato socket. Second, If you look under the trem plate you will see a nut that holds the trem arm socket. Remove the bridge then remove the vibrato arm socket. You can try knocking the broken trem arm from the vibrato arm socket or replace the socket. $12.95 on the G&L online store. If too much force is neede to knock out the trem arm from the bridge will be damaged.
What prob happened is the nylon tension bushing feel out and you tighted the set screw onto the trem arm. This would put a grove in the trem arm and also prevent you from removing the arm from the socket.

[Falcon64]

This just happened to me with my 2018 Skyhawk. I loosened the bridge far enough that I could get a wrench on the nut under the bridge. My arm was so tight when I moved it back and forth, a small amount of metal shavings were evident. I took the arm and housing out of the guitar. I needed full access away from the guitar. I put WD-40 in the top of the arm hole and in the bottom where there is another hole. I suppose, it would be possible to punch it out through that hole, but that wasn't my approach. I clamped a vice grip on to the housing using a thick winter leather glove (with lining) as protection for the chrome finish. It still gripped it tight with no damage. I worked the now lubricated arm back and forth until i could tell it was loosening a little. Eventually I was able to pull the arm out but it still took a surprising amount of effort. The Skyhawk has a smaller, different shaped trem arm. I wonder if I just inserted it a little too deep. I really don't know what caused it to happen, but I lubricated the tip that inserts with some vaseline and made sure not to go too far. Seems to be working fine now and no damage to the guitar.

[Craig]

This just happened to me with my 2018 Skyhawk. I loosened the bridge far enough that I could get a wrench on the nut under the bridge. My arm was so tight when I moved it back and forth, a small amount of metal shavings were evident. I took the arm and housing out of the guitar. I needed full access away from the guitar. I put WD-40 in the top of the arm hole and in the bottom where there is another hole. I suppose, it would be possible to punch it out through that hole, but that wasn't my approach. I clamped a vice grip on to the housing using a thick winter leather glove (with lining) as protection for the chrome finish. It still gripped it tight with no damage. I worked the now lubricated arm back and forth until i could tell it was loosening a little. Eventually I was able to pull the arm out but it still took a surprising amount of effort. The Skyhawk has a smaller, different shaped trem arm. I wonder if I just inserted it a little too deep. I really don't know what caused it to happen, but I lubricated the tip that inserts with some vaseline and made sure not to go too far. Seems to be working fine now and no damage to the guitar.

The fact that you saw some metal shavings, It sounds like the nylon bushing is missing and the metal allen screw is scoring your trem bar.
You definitely want to have the nylon bushing in there, so as not to cause any further scoring of the the trem bar. Remove the trem bar and
look closely for scoring. I suggest you contact the selling dealer and ask them to get you some replacement nylon bushings and if the trem
bar is scored, also, ask for a replacement bar.

Hope this helps.