H525 Issue. Need some advice/help

[Nosignal]

Hi everyone, I have a question/concern I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with. I got my first heritage/hollowbody guitar a couple months ago and I’ve been enjoying it. I’ve had a few issues - I had to file out the high e&B string bridge slots because the strings kept popping out. I got that fixed and sorted out with no problem.

*This may be ridiculous and a tad neurotic of me* I’ve also discovered a little gap in contact with the bridge bushing for the TOM bridge and the top of the body on the low E side of the bridge. I’ve never owned a hollow body so I’m not sure if this is normal.

As you can see, the left is the higher e string and the right is the low E string. I wouldn’t think much about it, but I can easily (w/strings full tension) apply some pressure with my thumb and feel the body move around the bushing on the low E side. It feels like if I keep going I could just pull that bushing right out of the body. I’ve not released the string tension to see if the bushing actually does pop out or not. Though, on the high e side I am unable to feel any movement.

I’m just wondering if this is “normal” or if something is messed up.

As always, any help is appreciated, thanks!

[HANGAR18]

[tulk1]

I would think that is not right. It should sit flush to the body. Your Heritage has a 1 year warranty. If you bought it new, use it. Contact your dealer first to see if they can help. If not, then contact Heritage and see if they will work directly with you. Start with Ren at the factory. My opinion, anyway.

[Thundersteel]

If the top wood is arched, then I would think it's normal; but that looks a little excessive to me.

[tbonesullivan]

Is the bridge screw at a right angle to the strings? If it's a carved top, there is really no way for it to be perfectly flush.

[Kuz]

If the top wood is arched, then I would think it's normal; but that looks a little excessive to me.

 

+1. This exactly

[Gitfiddler]

525's are lam tops. There is a solid piece of wood under the top where that bridge stud is screwed into. Yours appears to either be not fully screwed down, or was not done properly. It should seat flush with the body. Worse case is that the wood underneath the bridge was soft, and the stud moved.

 

If it were my guitar I'd take it to a pro to have it checked out.

 

Here is a close-up of my 525 that has the same Tone Pros set-up as yours.

 

 

[Nosignal]

I talked to Ren this morning. He seemed to think that the bushing wasn't seated properly. He told me to try and take the strings off and tap it in a bit. I'm not quite sure if that's the problem. I've taken a couple pictures of the inside where both posts are seated. Not sure if everything looks in order or not.

[Hfan]

I fixed a used SG I found on CL that had a wobbly nashville bridge, the holes were not drilled correctly (ovaled)..take off the strings and see..maybe you can just press it in or maybe there is debris in the hole..with the strings on no way of telling.

[Nosignal]

So I took the strings off and found that the bushing is in fact all the way seated. Though I was able to take the post out with my fingers. I took a picture of the bushing hole. I'm guessing that this is just the way it's supposed to be.

[Hfan]

If you remove the stud, does it go in crooked the whole way? I'd guess yes. Couldn't see how it would start straight and then cock to an angle like that. The proper way to fix that if it's drilled crooked (coming from an amateur tinkerer FWIW etc) is to fill the hole with a glued in dowl and re drill. If it starts straight somehow it may be an easier fix. Once it is all the way in it has no wobble? It has a tight fit at that angle? That would bug me.

[Spectrum13]

I suggest looking into replacing the bridge and posts with the Faber BSWKIT steel studs. Should not need to plug it.

[Nosignal]

Upon looking more, I think the issue is that the top of the guitar is too curved to let both bushings set flush on the top. I'm not sure if this is how it's supposed to be, but it looks like there's not much else I can do. There's no wiggle in either bushing, they both fit tight.

 

I do have a valid warranty. But I'd hate to ship this to michigan and wait for it to come back and still have the same problem.

 

I took a picture to help illustrate the curve of the top a bit more (at least that's what I tried to do).

[chico]

Yea hold off on the shipping, but definitely make the correct step one and start with the dealer.

 

Interesting discussion.

[Nosignal]

I've made contact with my dealer before actually. I had some problems with the bridge posts not being filed deep enough. They said call heritage because I had a warranty. I live in Ohio and I bought the guitar from Southpaw in TX. So unfortunately, they are even further away from me than heritage is

[HANGAR18]

After reviewing the information presented regarding the bridge, I am now of the opinion (fwiw) that the relationship between the upright posts and the actual bridge and the strings and the fretboard are more important than the stop tabs where the posts meet up with the curvature of the body. If the stop tabs sat flush witht he body, then the posts would be pointing in the wrong direction and the bridge wouldn't fit or be in the correct position either. If you had a flat top guitar body, then yes, the stop tabs ought to sit flush against the body. But because this is a curved, arched top we are talking about, then no, I don't see how it would be possible to have the stop tabs sit fluch with the surface of the body. (Just an opinion.)

[Kuz]

After reviewing the information presented regarding the bridge, I am now of the opinion (fwiw) that the relationship between the upright posts and the actual bridge and the strings and the fretboard are more important than the stop tabs where the posts meet up with the curvature of the body. If the stop tabs sat flush witht he body, then the posts would be pointing in the wrong direction and the bridge wouldn't fit or be in the correct position either. If you had a flat top guitar body, then yes, the stop tabs ought to sit flush against the body. But because this is a curved, arched top we are talking about, then no, I don't see how it would be possible to have the stop tabs sit fluch with the surface of the body. (Just an opinion.)

I agree with this. I have some guitars ( other brands) where the arched top give the same picture as above. If it is rock solid seated (doesn't move or wobble) then I would leave it alone. Just my .02

[Gitfiddler]

After reviewing the information presented regarding the bridge, I am now of the opinion (fwiw) that the relationship between the upright posts and the actual bridge and the strings and the fretboard are more important than the stop tabs where the posts meet up with the curvature of the body. If the stop tabs sat flush witht he body, then the posts would be pointing in the wrong direction and the bridge wouldn't fit or be in the correct position either. If you had a flat top guitar body, then yes, the stop tabs ought to sit flush against the body. But because this is a curved, arched top we are talking about, then no, I don't see how it would be possible to have the stop tabs sit fluch with the surface of the body. (Just an opinion.)

 

 

Kuz:

"I agree with this. I have some guitars ( other brands) where the arched top give the same picture as above. If it is rock solid seated (doesn't move or wobble) then I would leave it alone. Just my .02"

 

 

+2

Yep. Your last photo shows that the hardware is properly aligned, even though the guitar's top is slightly arched. I wouldn't be concerned with it unless there are playability or intonation issues. It looks stable.

[tbonesullivan]

THere is some space on my H150 around the bushings, as it has a nice dish carved top, which means that they just won't sit flush. If it was a flat top they would, but it definitely isn't

[bolero]

I've had loose bushings in gtrs like that once in a while: I just put a little wood glue around the sides of the hole, pushed the studs back in & let it dry overnight before remounting everything

 

hasn't moved since

 

it's not a big deal & not worth shipping anywhere to get fixed, IMO

 

but feel free to talk to a luthier etc. I am just some random guy on the internet

[bolero]

sorry I thought those were tailpiece studs. I wouldn't worry about it if they are just the bridge posts

[Hfan]

I've had loose bushings in gtrs like that once in a while: I just put a little wood glue around the sides of the hole, pushed the studs back in & let it dry overnight before remounting everything

 

hasn't moved since

 

it's not a big deal & not worth shipping anywhere to get fixed, IMO

 

but feel free to talk to a luthier etc. I am just some random guy on the internet

Random guy # 2 here. I have used wood shavings from a plane as shims and used with wood glue and some sand paper wood dust for holes that are a bit too large. The cool thing is the width of the shim is adjustable with the plane's blade adjustment. And the wood shavings are very flexible and can be shaped. .