Homepage Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar Maestro Vibrola Installing….

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  • #24430
    Greaso
    Participant

    Hi, i recently ordered a maestro vibrola for my Gibson sg, and umm.. i honestly have no clue on how to install it. Any help i would GREATLY appreciate it.

    Thanks,
    Greaso

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    • #76218
      Anonymous
      Guest

      Hang on – don’t go by the strap button for aligning the vibrola unit! Don’t take it for granted that they are always dead center. What works best is: after having the strings removed, replace both E strings with simple thread, tie them to the tuners, just make those threads go from the top nut over the bridge to the outer slots of the vibrola.
      Then add some tension to the threads and you can see if they make a straight line from nut to vibrola. Needless to say… it should be a straight line. Mark your drill holes… and there you go.
      OK it’s a bit late but who knows, someone might read it and find it yelpful!

    • #79325
      lee_UK
      Participant

      Theres no template for doing this, the only way to do it is to lay the main Vibrola flat on the guitar, get it central by judging the strap button to the middle of the Vibrola, make sure the bottom part of the Vibrola is near flush to the back edge of the guitar, then i used a marker pen to plot the holes through the Vibrola.
      Make sure you don’t drill all the way through!
      And don’t forget to make the drill hole smaller than the screw shank.
      Measurements for the placement of the Vibrola are not critical because you still use the Tuneomatic bridge, which will still be in its original position, so your intonation and action is still set by this.

    • #79314
      Greaso
      Participant

      could you help me a tad more? i neeed to know where to drill the holes and stuff, sorry..

    • #79320
      Greaso
      Participant

      Mine is an AllParts copy thing, and i paid 175$.

    • #79330
      lee_UK
      Participant

      Im pretty sure the screws came with it and i had to match the drill bit to suit.
      Is yours a Gibson, Epiphone or an allparts replacement unit? and if you don’t mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?

    • #79331
      Greaso
      Participant

      Just one more thing, do you have to buy the screws seperate or do they come with it?

    • #79334
      lee_UK
      Participant

      At last someone said a thank you!!
      Your welcome Greaso, any questions feel free.

    • #79346
      Greaso
      Participant

      thanks a freakin lot!!!!!! i owe you one

    • #79308
      lee_UK
      Participant

      #http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2341/dsc01394me5.jpg

      This is a recent picture of the beauty, i use this one as my main gigging guitar, no engraving on the Maestro, but you cant have everything, well i suppose you can if you have the money.

    • #79318
      lee_UK
      Participant

      I put one of these on my SG a couple of years ago.
      Got mine from allparts.com as they were not available from Gibson as a replacement. I think i paid £180 once all the tax was paid, it was quite easy to install.
      You need to take off the strings, remove the stop tail piece on the guitar (thats the bit that the strings go through).
      My Maestro had 2 or 3 screws holding it to the body, you need to place the unit on the body of the guitar, and get it straight, you will find the underside of the part that the strings go through on the maestro will fit nicely where the old stop piece used to be.
      Mark the place for the 2 or 3 holes to be drilled.
      VERY IMPORTANT: make sure you use the right size drill for the screws you are putting in. You don’t want it too big as the screws will not be tight enough.
      You only get one chance at doing it.
      Then you screw the Maestro to the guitar body put on the cover plate (mine was secured with 4 tiny screws) , and attach the arm.
      I can take some pictures of mine if you need any more help.

      Lee.

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