Stetsbar advice needed

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MBG
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Stetsbar advice needed

Post by MBG »

Hi peeps, I'm in a need of advice.

I've recently acquired LTD EC256 for an absolute bargain, and as I had a stetsbar lying around, I figured that this could be the perfect guitar to mount it on.

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So, as a direct retrofit unit, stetsbar's base plase has two recesses to accomodate for LP stud inserts. The inserts on LTD are unfortunately a bit too wide, and don't quite fit the recesses on a base plate. As a result, the base plate rests on top of those inserts making the action just a tad too high.

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The action is not terrible, but these guitars are made for shredding and it leaving it like this wouldn't do it justice. Also, the stetsbar operation is soft as butter, I can see why people absolutely love it.

I remember reading that few members here had experience with stetsbar, and just wondering if anyone had similar issue. If they did, how did they deal with it?

First thing that comes to mind would be grinding the rim of the inserts to fit the base plate recess, or just taking em out completely. But then it doesn't make it a direct retrofit anymore, and I'd hate tinkering with the guitar because, as my experience indicates, these "surgeries" almost always become a 100 times the hassle than originally percieved.
Winging it since '86 :roll:

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by Bg »

Yeah I've had that in the past, I'll have a look at my current setup, I'm pretty sure I just removed the inserts - if you wind a long bolt of the same thread in there, it will push the insert out. Or if you don't have a longer bolt, just put something in the bottom to pack it out (small nuts or something?).

Oh and don't worry about removing them, they are simply a push fit, just don't lose them for when you want to sell and keep the stetsbar ;) Mine has been on 3 guitars at least.

The stetsbar is an amazing piece of engineering!
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by Bg »

Yep, I took them out. They come out ridiculously easily, might even pull out if you put the bolts in and pull them with pliers...
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by MBG »

Thanks BG,

Much appreciated, I may as well do that then. I knew these inserts are push-in elements (ie. no gle) but it never occured me that they could be removed as easily as screwing in the longer screw. So thanks!

Would you usually pad the stetsbar where the plate touches the finish?

Concerned a bit as the guutar top is curved, and the plate is straight and flat.
Winging it since '86 :roll:

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by Bg »

I never bothered, but I guess you could put something in there if you're worried, even just a bit of paper or card or something? I bought mine years ago and can't remember if it came with anything.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by Bg »

oh and let us know how you get on :) I love my stetsbar, it just works and stays in tune :)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by MBG »

Bg wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 4:46 pm oh and let us know how you get on :) I love my stetsbar, it just works and stays in tune :)
I'll record something and put it in this thread. Yeah, I love it too. It operates so smoothly, and I didn't need to fiddle with it much - basically chuck it on the guitar, tune it and voila. No hours-long setups needed. And stays in tune perfectly - I am amazed.

I can't believe I've hung to this piece of hardware for nearly ten years and never actually mount it on a guitar.

There was an official stetsbar competition back then, and the first prize was a stetsbar mounted guitar. The second two were stetsbar of winners choice... so, the response wasn't that good and out of five participants I was the third placed to grab this :shifty:

On the other hand, because of curved top, there is also a curve between the stud inserts, and at the midspan, the base plate is sitting approximately 0.5mm from the body :thumbdown: so not much benefit from taking the stud inserts out... I guess for now I'll stick with what I have, and maybe in the future replace the saddle part on it for something with lower profile (e.g. grind down the base of some misc TOM bridge I have lying around...)
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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by MBG »

As promised, test driving the stetsbar - what an amazing gadget!

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by evamontello »

the music played on the guitar is something)

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Re: Stetsbar advice needed

Post by Bg »

MBG wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 7:49 pm As promised, test driving the stetsbar - what an amazing gadget!

sounds great and a nice bit of gary :)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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