Silhouette special trem bar stuck - seriously

[Alonso Correa L]

Hi guys, first of all hello everyone, happy to be back round here in MMland.

I used to play some EBMM sterling basses and nowadays im the lucky owner of a dirty and average used EBMM Silhouette special. Just put away everything but cannot pull the trem bar. Its stuck and after looking in forums, i took away the bridge and the trem wont get out of the block. Loosened the allen hex screws that could have retained the bar but didnt succeed. Hammering the block doesnt seem to be a valid alternative right now, id prefer to ask the forum for some "proper" way to pull it out. Date stamp on neck heel says it is a 2002 model.


Pictures attached!!! Thanks in advance!

 

[threeminutesboy]

The main Allen screw is the black one with the black bar that is acting as a spring if this is not working the maybe the vibrato arm is not the right one and unless to pull as it should be try to unscrew it

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Yup! After some minutes of guessing, i got the way those hex screws work... Loosened both and even looked through the gap of the spring: the trem bar moves just a bit out and gets free from the spring but seems to choke with the other mechanism... It shows only one big groove, no thread there and didnt succeded trying to unscrew it. Maybe the wrong tram bar in the wrong tremblock? Just applying more traction may do the trick? I've tried hard already, thats why im asking for input; happy to hear any suggestions!

 

[threeminutesboy]

The trem bar seems to be the original so I don't know what's the problem.

Is the trem arm swing freely and spin around its axis?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Slackening both those Allen screws should do it. Yup, it's a push/pull fit.

So into "Problem Solving Mode" - as a amateur mechanic the adage:-
Does it move? No
Should it move? Yes
therefore WD40 lol
It wouldn't hurt to try.

Maybe apply some "gentle" heat to the trem block to make it expand?

Fix a split collet/clip around the protruding trem bar and prise out - gently!
...... or best of all, contact Customer Services who no doubt have resolved this problem on numerous occasions?

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Funny! Last night, i tryed the following:
Brute force (more or less lol)
Force plus swing
WD40
Mild heat on the block... Ice on the bar...
Force again
Even beat the block with a hammer, but it damages the steel block...

Anyway, feels better to read some of those space age techniques suggested by you too guys!!!

Customer service told me its not usual tha the bar stays stuck after loosing both hex screws... Now sendind them my serial number in case they could provide a replacement... Ill take some better pics tomorrow so you can tell me if everything looks original to you... Stay in touch!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Explain "gentle heat" please... Lol!

 

[Spudmurphy]

ha! well if it melts you've gone too hot!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Ill take that into account!!!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

It's done!
Took away the clip and loosened the little anti-spin hex screw, and usind the existing slot lightly saw the trem bar tip one angle at a time in order to finally "sand" just a little bit of the whole circumference. Then pulling just normal and voilà! I sanded and polished it after, for the pictures of course!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

The pictures!

 

[threeminutesboy]

Good job!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Thanks. Now im dealing with the re-wiring problem. I was given all the original parts from the previous owner, who changed pots, switch, wires and eliminated the silent circuit. I havent succeeded in finding a wiring diagram for this SSH model, nor useful pictures for figuring it out. Found at seymour duncan and other websites some diagrams for this config, with just one volume, but things get somewhat difficult when the time to connect the silent circuit comes... I was even provided a black plastic input jack with multiple connectors that wont even fit in the jack pocket in the guitar... So im stucked until customer service share a diagram with me or maybe succeed finding it online... Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[beej]

It's not that complicated a wiring diagram. Wait for CS, they'll give you one next week.

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Just what u said. Eb CS asked the serial number in order to send me the diagram. Di marzio already sent another one. Unluckily, no free time to do this job until next sunday probably... Cant wait till the moment i can plug it and hear it!!!!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Its done!!! Got a diagram from dimarzio dated 1997, another from EBMM CS dated 1997 which was slightly different from my actual harness and a second one from CS dated 2011 that applies and has only a switch mod. Did the job, put away some leads that were simply cut by the tech removes some excessive and old soldering and finally everything working... As many have reported, and according to the diagram, silent circuit works with the neck position mostly since all the other positions are pickup-hum-free... Neck feels great, just didnt like the strings i had (DR dragonskin); they feel dry on your hands, very uneven tension between strings and the third came like it had rust and was cleaned... Very strange, anyway plays great, today ill test it full volume. Tremolo set flush to the body, trem bar working fine.

Of course if any of you guys need diagrams just ask. Dont know if we're allowed to post em here... Not that is rocket science but...

Thank you all, once more!

 

[Alonso Correa L]

Done! It plays great, if someone needs a diagram just ask!!!