Fix Bridges With Wax. Sharpen My Axe

[@RudyAyoub]

Oh I have that same guitar

[@dtower3316]

Why are you here

[@mishunny]

What about the wax resonance proprieties? Should I use my grandma's old candles so I won't lose my vintage sound? Jokes aside,. I love this kind of videos. Very helpful and precise!

[@43SLOWJOH]

Ear wax actually provides a more earthy, brown tone

[@jeffmariajenson9751]

Wax toilet ring from a pre-sale house.

[@jeffmariajenson9751]

*pre-war

[@DIGITAL7Media]

Candle wax from an old Italian monetary prove to work best.

[@veronalights]

Vintage pure bees wax is best lol

[@dan.murray]

I have the same model Gretsch and color and this has driven me crazy from day 1. Thanks for the tip.

[@davereichert]

I have an Ibanez Artcore AF75 and this drove me bonkers. I employed a small drop of clear gel-nail polish on each of the screw heads to stop them from rattling, while being sure to protect the body of the guitar in the process from any possible drips. It doesn't set super hard and excess on the metal bridge will scrape off easily with a fingernail or sharper guitar pick.

[@droogii1142]

Really appreciate you taking the time to do these types of videos. This could save a load of guitar players a lot of time and money.

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: Never tried wax, sound like it would work. I have double checked intonation and put paper under the bridge, before dripping clear nail polish in all the gaps. It works good, without taking anything apart

[@barbmelle3136]

I think nail polish is lacquer, at least it smells like it

[@tdrake59]

I use clear nail polish for this and for any other screws that tend to work loose over time e.g. strap button screws. Works great and no trouble removing the screws later.

[@dalepal]

Great tip showing an easy fix to the bridge rattle. I’m glad my TonePros bridge on my Schecter doesn’t have the problem.

[@jeffmariajenson9751]

The clear nail polish thing worked great for me. You can't see it. I just loosened strings to remove them and brushed a tiny amount on.

[@stevieboy444]

Phil, I love these "how to" vids. Please keep doing them. Thanks.

[@paulrawnsley3963]

Thank you! The 'B' saddle screw rattles like it is too loose in the hole so I just threw out my intonation and wound the saddle right to the back... it "works" but this will hopefully fix it for real! Thank you again.

[@paulrawnsley3963]

On a Gretsch 5622T.

[@chrstopherthomas6952]

Thanks man. You make everything so much easier.

[@skeetschuler1859]

Thanks Philip great tip

[@qddk9545]

I had the same problem on an Epiphone Casino. A better fix is to change the bridge to a Gotoh GE103B, but be careful to get one with the right post diameter holes. The problem is seen on many guitars with Tune-O-Matic bridges.

[@cyb3r3vil30]

That's a handy trick Thankz 4 your time and share!

[@casperboo5465]

This is a great tip Phill, luving these tech tips, thank you and thank you for your time, much appreciated, Cheers

[@KevinPlaysGuitar]

Great idea! I replaced mines with a compton bridge.

[@Grandpa.Dan8881]

I have been hot wax dipping my bridges, after setting the intonation. Works great, but is a little more work. Even cured the bridge on my VM Jag...

[@Bubbles4uk]

I used the pen spring method plus wax... who knows which worked but all good now!

[@caseyking8394]

Hey Phil, thanks for the video, I just purchased a gretsch and this has been an issue for me. Love the guitar, but the rattle has been annoying.

[@mountainmanmusic3846]

Another classic Phillip McKnight video!✌🏻

[@donaldwrissler9059]

In an emergency (studio/stage) you can also use liquid latex (liquid Skin) or other emergency bandages. Just use them on metals only, due to the acetone base.

[@petebrown3715]

Thanks Phil. I have a suggestion. How about a how to on adjusting pick up height. If that's been done by you how about truss rod adjustment on a new guitar or top 5 things to do with a new guitar after purchase.

[@thomasraven]

Nice tip! Would you consider showing us how to do a restring and/or bridge setup for a floating bridge that isn't pinned? I had a hollow body guitar with a floating bridge and I eventually sold it because the floating bridge drove me crazy. Even when I changed one string at a time, I was nervous that it would move and need to be intonated all over again. I saw that some people marked where theirs was but I wasn't too keen on putting marks on a very expensive guitar.

[@k9er233]

Use low tack masking tape for temporary bridge location marking.

[@ryanbennethum914]

Awesome advice! Thank you!

[@MrMongo321]

Thanks Phil!

[@johnnybravoski7048]

Brilliant Phil, thanks!

[@Iheartdgd]

Thank you so much phil!

[@KozmykJ]

I'd Keep the wax N' melt it down Pluck some Floss N' swish it aroun' Not used wax yet for that job BUT I Have used Little strips of cardboard alongside the saddles and fishing line squeezed into gaps to take up play. My best solution so far has been to apply tiny amounts of Loctite thread sealer to the screws both where they go through the saddles And where they go through the bridge frame. On cheaper TOM bridges the tolerances are pants. Movin' to Montana soon Gonna be a Dental Floss tycoon

[@TimKaseyMythHealer]

Seems like you could cut a little piece of silicone rubber capillary hose to slip around the intonation screw, 1-2 mm longer than the gap.

[@stepvanjoe3469]

My Gibson les Paul Tribute came out of the box without any retainer wire or anything on the bridge. Is it missing ? Or did they not use them ? Or did they do something else to retain the saddles? I do not see rubber bushings either. Get more buzz at the headstock break angle from the nut, wifes hair tie fixed that.

[@christiaandemarezoyens4720]

I saw in a guitar forum people say they fixed this with Super Glue. I’m glad I stopped here because this is easier and safer to solve the problem. Thanks for that!

[@dougwilson7336]

Thats great tip, thanks. I have that one You used " that" gretsch in one of your videos. Now let's see you play it in one. Lol

[@kirbonite]

btw... if you don't want to use wax., Honey works as well. (people always ask me about ants) I'm a banjo player. I have honey on all the retaining brackets and all my input jacks. No ants

[@EuropaMan]

What about bees?

[@glennhurley3026]

That's my exact guitar, rattles like a 70 year old chain smoker! Screws always loosening needing a nudge, I was thinking Loc Tite. Cannot understand why a $1200 list guitar would ship with such an obvious issue. Gretsch should be ashamed!

[@N0tEnuffMana]

My thoughts exactly.

[@DanishingAct]

Had a buddy in high school tell me he fixed his by melting a glue stick down and using that instead of the wax. Always though he was full of it, now I'm just baffled.

[@MyButtsBeenWiped]

Now, that is a Great Tech Tip ! I really like the Tech Tip Tuesdays ! Thanks, Phil, For All That You Do !

[@GuitarrasMaratea]

Great tip!

[@EuropaMan]

Great tip Phillip. Have you had an experience with upgrading to the Tru-Arc bridge on a Gretsch. I own a G5422 and I am thinking about changing over to one. Appreciate your videos.

[@jeremiahbeck3292]

You should do more sharpen my axe videos

[@jcarb001]

What about white lithium grease? It’s stainless..... Great tip by the way. Thank you.

[@estabanb55]

Phil, how do you know which way a bridge goes on a Gretsch?

[@jerrygsheldon]

Yo Phil, dig your channel. Question for you. At 28 seconds into your video - my gretch has the screw poking out beyond the bridge next to the Low E string like yours does. sometimes when i play or palm mute it scratches/pokes my hand and is kinda annoying. what can i do, or what do you recommend to prevent that from happening? at this point i am considering filing down or trying to coat it in like wax/latex or somethings so it doesn't hurt my hand. please let me know

[@rickkoehler3796]

Why not use something like purple 222 thread locker?

[@tapresl]

I just bought the same guitar. Before I found this video, I was considering replacing the bridge with a Compton. I can save money by waxing my factory bridge but if there's a tone advantage that justifies the cost of the Compton, I'd buy it. What are your thoughts?

[@SirBitingBen]

Can I ask how to stop the rattling on my strats trem? I dropped a spring in there, and it holds place, but if I use it, i can hear the bar loudly butting the bridge. If I tighten it, it feels uncomfortable to use. I donno if this is just my strat or a common thing; ive only played one with a trem arm.

[@Taylcol]

Wrap some teflon tape around the threads of the bar. That should help.

[@balhzz]

I have an American Telecaster that I bought brand new. Not only was the setup on it HORRIBLE, but it rattles... I'm having a heck of a time tracking down where the rattle is coming from. Anyone have luck with the "wax trick" on Tele-style bridges (note mine has the 6 individual saddles vs. the 3 little "bars" where every pair of strings shares one "bar")?

[@pierce2652]

Can you review a Rickenbacker 325c64

[@Bubbles4uk]

I found as my guitar got cold in winter the wax seems to harden and the rattle is back... 😲🥺

[@N0tEnuffMana]

Thank you! This made me so mad. I invested in this Gretsch guitar so my noob self wouldn't have to deal with problems that come with inferior instruments yet here I am.

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Sometimes its just bad luck, but I understand it sucks.

[@markchip1]

Guitars in cars? The greatest issue will be theft!!

[@markchip1]

@Jess Vermont - sorry Jess, but I have to disagree with you there. Guitars on Mars biggest issue will be convincing NASA to let one on board, given the current cost of interplanetary shipping! Even an acoustic... 😉

[@KozmykJ]

And then you're in the man from Mars You go out at night eating cars

[@jarrahparry]

and heat drying out and warping your fret board :/ (yeah it happened to me, rest in peace old red.....rip)

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Yeah, electric guitars are pretty resilient for the most part. Remember, a lot of them are made in Asia where it can be 120 degrees inside with 100% humidity in the day and 45 degrees and dry as a bugle at night all the time and I can assure you most of the factories aren't exactly "climate controlled" that doesn't mean you won't have issues but it's not really that much of a problem unless it just sits in the case untouched for months at a time - what WILL happen almost without fail is issues with the fret wire rusting, getting verde gris or popping out of the board and other metal parts being corroded.

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Now with an acoustic... Totally different ballgame

[@mikerinehart]

SO it's most likely the screws on the bridge that are rattling?

[@neilpatrickhairless]

I've found that on Tuneomatics with the retainer wire, a lot of times the wire comes loose and either makes the whole saddle assembly buzz or the wire itself buzz also. If it has been 100% narrowed down to that, take something and kind of push the wire down between each screw a bit then put a little bit of clear nail polish on the wire so that it doesn't move. You won't really notice the polish and it lasts pretty much until something chips the enamel off purposely.

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Make sure not to overdo bending the wire or applying the nail polish though because that might cause a whole new set of problems altogether.

[@neilpatrickhairless]

If it's the screw, what Phil suggested is how anybody I've seen with that particular problem fix it without buying a totally different type of bridge IE: roller bridges, etcetera

[@scarlettepunk2087]

Very boss, Boss

[@JpsMusic100]

Hey, do you have any advice on how to get a stuck bridge pin out of acoustic guitar?

[@musishoon7950]

Try going from the inside and knocking it out

[@JpsMusic100]

Musishoon already tried that, and a pin puller, but other than that I'm open to ideas. If it helps it's a really old ibanez acoustic guitar, can't figure the model because the label isn't there, And I didn't see any signs of the bridge lifting/warping

[@onpsxmember]

There isn't really anything else. Change in temperature and humidity to help it could be harmful to the rest of the instrument. Get a mirror and a led-light inside and hit it with a small hammer if you can't just press it out with a thick pick and pressure. If the string is still in there (with a ball end, I presume) it might help to wiggle on both ends of the string (one hand inside, one outside) to make it easier for the pin. If you try it from the inside with a small hammer, just go for quick impulses to get it loose and nothing more. Keep all the pins and have something to sort them. The pins on lots of good guitars are especially adjusted to fit that particular bridge hole. So don't mix them up.

[@phreak1118]

You could drill it out...

[@JpsMusic100]

So I've decided to just get a new bridge because there is no way that things coming out, thanks for the ideas though

[@davidkornblatt991]

I just buy a tonepros bridge