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Author Topic:  Help with my B.D.Custom
Bill Ridgeway

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2008 4:27 pm    
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Well it's a basket case now, Below is a picture of the changer,can anyone identify it for me? Is this a P/P I hear folks referring to all the time? The guitar has a lot or similar components to the few BMI photos I can find on line. Does anyone make a replacement for this one? I believe this guitar may have been a BMI @ 1 time and configured as a 3p/2k and someone done a horrible job of modifying it to a 4p/5k unit. A couple other photos show the task at hand. I'll make a player out of it and it'll be easy on the eye too. Appreciate any and all information.
Bill Ridgeway


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Ron !

 

Post  Posted 13 Aug 2008 4:48 pm    
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Keyhead sure looks like a BMI one.Changer can be a BMI or a Marlen.Although I am not sure if they came like that in All/Pull(Marlen).
Cross rods have a lot of the BMI in um.I never did a lot of research in these two guitars.I almost bought a BMI once but back out after I saw the cross rods.But that was mere a personal preference.
But you might be right when you say that this once was a BMI.

Ron
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2008 4:50 pm    
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No, it's clearly not a push/pull. The parts look somewhat similar to the old Blantons, but it's hard to tell without seeing more. An identical (new) changer is probably out of the question, but any number of used, all-pull changers would probably be substitutable.

What's wrong with that one?
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David Higginbotham

 

From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2008 6:40 pm    
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Those are all BMI parts with the exception of the knee levers. No problem there. I do not see any problem with the changer assembly from the pic you sent. You can add small plastic washers to control any slack sideways. I have rebuilt several BMI guitars and they are pretty rugged and not easily damaged. The crossshafts are easily drilled and and threaded to accomodate your pulls.

In my opinion without looking at the guitar, I think you have good workings for a good guitar!
Best of luck and post pics when you are finished. I also have a project guitar that I am working on that I believe was an MSA Semi-Classic at one time. It has some Shobud parts on it as well, but I have it completely torn down to the body. It was red mica but will be natural lacquered when I finish it.
Dave
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Bill Ridgeway

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2008 7:19 pm    
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Thanks a million for the information. Glad to hear to changer is not a P/P, as the levers are all pull, same as pedals. The changer doesn't seem to have any play in the horiz direction, it does however have a little sloppiness in the axle fit. I think I can drill and ream it out to the next larger drill rod size. I did have to straighten out several of the blades on the changer and also tighten the rivets. Hope it'll work OK. I've ordered an Emmons tuner head for it as these are butchered up. New Grover tuners have arrived and have placed the old Ibanez knobs on them.
Think I'll have a Heinz when I'm done. Maybe that's what I'll call it.
Is it better to use all 1/8" rods? Most of them were already 1/8, with about 5 of them 3/32.
I will have some sort of wood veneer on it when finished, it ws baby blue mica. I'm planning as we speak for what I'll do with the fret board. It won't be a Black/white Emmons like was on it.
Good luck on your project David, hope to see some "completed" photos soon. Bill
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