So how do I remove these???

[clay49]

Hi guys...I'm getting ready to dive into my refinish project (stripping poly of my Gibson Les Paul Special HB...yikes), and I guess I need to remove these bridge anchors so I can get all the finish up around them as well:



How in the heck do I get these out without tearing up the guitar???

Thanks!

[Tinman]

Here's how I do it. Get a small hardwood block, say 3/4" thick. Drill a hole halfway through that thickness with a bit that is slightly larger than the diameter of the bushing that you are pointing to in the pic. Using the same center, drill the rest of the way through with a bit thats slightly larger than the diameter of the posts that thread into the bushings. Now, get an inch-long screw or bolt at the hardware store that matches the thread of the bushings. A hex head bolt is best if its available, but a panhead will do as well, as long as the bolt/screw cannot pass through the smaller diameter hole that you drilled in the block. Put a couple layers of masking tape on the underside of the block (the side with the larger hole) to protect the guitar's surface, or use small bits of cloth. Put the large hole over the bushing, slip the bolt in the smaller hole through the top and thread it into the bushing until it bottoms out on the top of your block. Now, get your wrench or screwdriver and tighten that bolt. The bushing will get pulled straight out.

[1bender]

+1...the key is to have them come straight out...should pop out easy...post pics when you get the guitar done!

[John Coloccia]

Buy a bushing puller or take it to your local repair shop and ask him to yank them out. There is a trick where you can thread in a screw and bottom out on the body or a dowel that you stick in there. The one time I tried it the screw just sunk into the body. The bushing puller works well but it is probably not worth buying if you only do it once (stew mac sells one for $40 if I remember right). I guess it depends how much your local guy charges for this. If you weren't refinishing it I'd recommend scoring the finish around the bushing to prevent cracking when you yank them out.

[John Coloccia]

Originally Posted by Tinman

Here's how I do it. Get a small hardwood block, say 3/4" thick. Drill a hole halfway through that thickness with a bit that is slightly larger than the diameter of the bushing that you are pointing to in the pic. Using the same center, drill the rest of the way through with a bit thats slightly larger than the diameter of the posts that thread into the bushings. Now, get an inch-long screw or bolt at the hardware store that matches the thread of the bushings. A hex head bolt is best if its available, but a panhead will do as well, as long as the bolt/screw cannot pass through the smaller diameter hole that you drilled in the block. Put a couple layers of masking tape on the underside of the block (the side with the larger hole) to protect the guitar's surface, or use small bits of cloth. Put the large hole over the bushing, slip the bolt in the smaller hole through the top and thread it into the bushing until it bottoms out on the top of your block. Now, get your wrench or screwdriver and tighten that bolt. The bushing will get pulled straight out.

Now why didn't I think of that? Neat.

[clay49]

Oh, I'll post pictures for you guys...heck, YOU'RE GOING TO HELP ME THROUGH THIS ENTIRE THING!!! It's my first time. I'm going to strip it myself, and send it off to be sprayed (white gloss nitro)....

[Amp360]

I have used the method above but usually for the stud anchors. To be honest, on the last SG I refined I just heated them up with a soldering iron, put a pair of needle nose pliers on them and they came right out.

[tartanphantom]

This method works quite well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsZ9zBX2eDU