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Original message:486 days 5 hours 31 minutes ago

Member: Hammett_Fan

1
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Helo fellow guitarists , i have been playing for about a year.
but now the screws at the top of my neck (as you can see on the image i have posted)are getting my nerves.
you have to screw it hard to make it stuck, but now i screw for a wile and it get's harder and harder , and suddenly its loose again.
its the screw thats attaching the e and a strings.
ive tried to put the screw in the two other holes , works perfect.
im quite wure its something in the hole thats broke.
what to do about it do i have to replace the whole thing or what ?

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Reply:486 days 5 hours 15 minutes ago
Member: Xarkzila

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Are the screws going into the wood? If so, a little Gorilla Glue and some toothpicks will resolve the issue. Glue the toothpicks into the existing hole and then, after it's dry, insert the screws back into the repaired hole.

I'm not all that familiar with the setup, so it's also possible that there are threaded inserts. If this is the case and they're stripped, you'd be best off taking it to a tech to have them replaced. Can't actually see how the screws are attached from the pic.

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Reply:486 days 5 hours 9 minutes ago
Member: Xarkzila

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Oh, yeah... You should be able to easily tell if there's an insert. Are the screws wood screws or metal screws? If they're wood, then the first solution should work. If they're metal, then it's either off to the tech, or attempt to find the inserts of the correct size at the local hardware store. Replacement of these inserts is a lot more difficult than gluing toothpicks, so consider carefully if you're willing to attempt it. Should be a relatively inexpensive repair at the shop if that's the case.

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Reply:486 days 5 hours ago
Member: Richey

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Are the threads on the lock stripped?

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Reply:486 days 2 hours 48 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002

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I would think this is a classic case of overtightening. The threads are probably stripped. You'll probably have to buy a new locking nut from Ibanez.

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Reply:486 days 1 hours 35 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG

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Yup. Sounds like the threads in the nut are stripped.

"Tighteining" means you only gotta go 1/4th of a turn past where resistance starts to build up. You don't need to call in Hercules to tighten them for you... The more you overtighten, the sooner they wear...

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Reply:485 days 14 hours 33 minutes ago
Member: Hammett_Fan

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ok if they now are stripped is it my folt that tightend the screws too hard or is it a factory folt? maybe it just happens from time to time

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Reply:485 days 14 hours 12 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002

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It's more than likely your fault, if you've ever changed strings on your guitar. If you never have then yeah it might be the store you bought it from.

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Reply:485 days 11 hours 36 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG

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Screws and screw holes are not easily stripped right out of the box. Someone overtightened the poor screw after retuning or restringing the guitar, and possibly did so more than once...

Anyway, I'm surprised you got the screw holes stripped. I used to over-tighten too, but I only managed to strip the heads of the hex screws... And it's a cheap ibanez too.

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Reply:485 days 5 hours 22 minutes ago
Member: Hammett_Fan

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ive resently changed strings from 009 to 010's might that be the problem ?

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Reply:483 days 11 hours 51 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG

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The thicker strings? No. Hell I did the same just yesterday :D and they're ok. I've even put 11 at some point!

No. The problem is that you, and possibly people in the shop before you if it was on display, have pushed the screw too much.
Or it could be that it was defective out of the factory and gave in to pressure more easily than it should. My first guitar had no threads in the whammy arm holder at all and I had to take it back!

Anyway. What happened, happened. Get a new nut and in the future don't overtighten and you'll be ok.

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Reply:482 days 5 hours 5 minutes ago
Member: Hammett_Fan

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thanks for all the tips, you guys have been awsome :D

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