String ball pin holder snapped. Suggestions?

Pete Honychurch · From: British Columbia, Canada

Hi, I was changing strings on my Excel universal 12 string yesterday and normally after changing strings on any instrument I stretch them to keep them from slipping.
When I was doing this stretching yesterday on the low E the pin that holds the ball end in place broke off. Bummer.
I am guessing this means pulling the whole shebang apart to fix? That is beyond my capabilities. Not very impressed with the metal used for the pins. Just a rolled piece of metal, rather flimsy. It broke off flush and I don't even know if it can be drilled out as the pin is harder than the aluminum surrounding it.
Any suggestions on an easy fix for this?
Thanks, Pete

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

No easy fix. The finger has to be pulled and a new hole drilled above the one already there, pin inserted. Coiled pins are stronger than slotted pins. Slotted pins aren't strong enough. I just went through this.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

are you sure there isn't a way to get the broken stub out? then you just have to reinsert a new pin and all the physics stay the same.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

...or at least, if you're going to drill anyway, drill the original hole same size (or smaller) to get the old pin out of the original hole.

if you're disassembling the whole changer you could also just replace the whole finger assembly on that string with a new one. that would be easiest if the finger is available cheaply.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Looks like the changer will have to be pulled, no matter. I would call the manufacturer. There may be a chance they deep drilled the hole and another pin could be driven in the same hole. If Not. Trying to drill a steel bolt or pin out of alumnium is a NO NO. I would just come above or below it and drill a new hole if neccessary. The steel pin will make the drill dig out into the alumnium and make the hole to big to use the original hole. Once you get the finger out take it to a local machine shop. Some machine shops have a GooRoo that is good at handling this situation. There is a way to get them out but it takes a lot of equipment to do it. Good Luck and getting it back to playing.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Well, you should probably contact Mitsuo or someone at the Excel company for information on how to remove the broken stud. As stated, steel in aluminum is nearly impossible to drill out. Particularly this piece as it is most likely a tempered roll pin or tension pin they're sometimes called.

A trick we used in the auto repair business for similar situations is to thread the proper sized sheet metal or wood screw up inside the broken piece and pry it out using a dulled pair of sidecutters, diagonals, however you refer to them. Make sure you get a good bite and use a small plastic or wood block between the finger and the pliers to pry against.

You may only have one or two chances prying before cutting through the donor screw so be firm and exact. Roll pins are tempered and tough to get a good bite on sometimes. You shouldn't have any problem finding a replacement roll pin at a good hardware store.

Otherwise, after removing the finger from the changer a competent machinist can probably repair it for you.

The best solution might be to just order a new finger from Excel.

Pete Honychurch · From: British Columbia, Canada

Thanks for all the great replies you guys. I think I will contact the builder about getting a new finger, good idea. I guess that taking the bridge apart is going to be a royal pain. I have never done anything like that.

Russ Wever · From: Kansas City

Chances are that the ball-end of the
string was on the pin, of course, but
away from contacting the changer finger.

From now on be sure that all of the ball-ends
of the strings are seated against the changer
finger.

This keeps the pin 'seeing' the string tension
as a shearing force (which it can withstand)
rather than a bending force.
~Russ
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Pete Honychurch · From: British Columbia, Canada

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

jerry...thanx..good advice on the screw grab. i like that. course it would take a very small screw in this case, but cool concept.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Been there, done that...... on a push-pull. Didn't have the string ball end pushed flush against the changer finger. Drilled a new hole and placed a pin just above the old pin as a temp fix and eventually replaced the finger when I rebuilt it the next year

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I had same thing happen to an old Emmons I had. I didn't even take off changer, just drill below I believe and inserted another roll pin. Played it like that for years.
_________________
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Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

I'd go with Jerry's idea. I'm a newbie to the forum coming from a musical instrument maker/machinist/woodworker background, but seems like a piece of drill rod would be a good replacement. You might go to a competent machine shop to fix the old part, or get a new part.
_________________
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"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

...worth a shot. Sort of a homemade puller. [Actually, a machinist may have or be able to fabricate a better one. Like a dental or surgical slide hammer type of impact puller.]

Yes, requires a very small screw. Stainless steel probably best. No alum. or soft metals...will twist right off. Needs to be a phillips head for good blade contact.
Getting it to bite into the tempered metal could be problematic and it still may twist off or break in two, then there you are...

I'd give it a try, but it's not my guitar.

If you decide to contact Excel, you might get www.scottysmusic.com to intercede for you. He's the Excel dealer and may be able to help you in getting a new part. Good Luck. JO.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Like a few above, this exact same thing happened on my Sho-Bud Pro III years back and I repaired it just like mentioned above.

It was a simple fix and took all of 5 min.

I drilled out the hole with the next larger sized drill bit .( make sure the string ball fits ) I did not remove the changer or finger. Cut off the drill bit and that will replaced the pin. I Never looked back. Of course the material you use for the pin can be all sorts of stuff, stock rod, perhaps even welding rod, lots of choices. Bring a string with you to Home Depot..get the largest rod you can that the ball still fits over.

Another issue with some of the OLD style riveted fingers,such as early Sho-Buds. When the rivet wears, and it will, push the changer axle out and replace it slowly with a screw driver or rod ( a tad smaller in diameter) as the axle rod is being removed. SWAP the finger with the bad rivet with one of the other fingers that does not have an active pull. This didn't take 5 min but perhaps 30 min. The only rods/springs you have to remove are the one's on the bad finger.

t
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