89 540S old newbie

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Author Message   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 11:18 am:    Hi all, I got an 89 S540 (I'm pretty sure) at a pawn shop yesterday for $200 with original case. I've had a DT 400 since 83 but I always wanted a whammy, looked into hacking the Destroyer but cooler heads prevailed, in my search became "aware" of the S bodies and fell in love, ebay, 7 pawn shops and 4 retail stores later, here I am. This thing is NOT prestine by any stretch but I think it will serve. I'm pretty geeked about. Question 1: Do the volume and tone knobs just pull off? Both were loose, looking inside the volume had been resoldered and none too well. There was quite a bit of noise kicking in right around 80%, I resoldered last night but no diff. I will clean it but, I'd like to tighten it too, clueless. Question 2: The neck seems decent to my inexperienced eye, I think I can school myself into getting a good setup out of it but the back side is pretty dinged up. Is there an exceptable fix for this? Sand and refinish? or is there a clear filler one can use then sand back down? It isn't atroucious but, you know, now that I have it I want to mess with it. Question3 pick rash, lots of elbow grease with Mequire's polish or is there a better way? or don't bother? Question 4 What's the smaller secondary toggle switch supposed to do? Thanks in advance I'm totally stoked to be "back in the game" and to have found this resouce.   Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 11:41 am:    Do your vol/tone knobs have an eye glasses screw on the side of them? I know the newer ones do, which is the way to tighen and losen them. If not, you can probably pull them off, but I'd use caution. I found that using two spoons (one on each side) is the best and safest way to remove strat style knobs. I'd defer to the more crafty folks on this site for recommendations on your neck dings. How deep are they, do they really bother you? I think that secondary switch is for coil taps. Also, it'd be interesting to see if your guitar has the Ibanez backstop (tremsetter) installed in it. Open up the tremolo cavity and see if it has the device. Those seem to be in high demand on eBay, and if you scored one in your guitar. I've had good luck using polish and a clean/fine cloth to remove pick swirls, but at the end of it all, you got a good deal!   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 2:26 pm:    no set screw in the knobs, I stopped short of the spoon method until I know for sure that's how they come off. Neck dings aren't too bad but I feel 'em, if there's relatively easy fix fine, if not I'll ignore it. I'd love to find a wiring diagram for this thing, found some generic ones but would like to know where the wires are supposed to go. Not sure on the what you mean by "tremsetter". I looked in there and it appears to be standard issue Edge from what I know (precious little). Good deal? I hope so. Ebay has the 540s going for $350-$500 for a nice one. This one isn't too bad, thing about Ebay is you don't know until it's in your hand. This one I had looked at and written off as too far gone ($265). Continued hunting and began to realize I wasn't touching one for less then $300. Went back and decided it wasn't too bad when I talked him down to $215. That's before I knew the case was there and nice shape. No whammy but Firehouse said they'd get me one for under $15.   Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 2:30 pm:    You only have 1 5-way selector... You probably already found this.. http://www.ibanez.com/wiring/wire.asp?y=1994&w=S540 Here's a picture of the tremsetter.   Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 2:32 pm:    I thought those came stock on the older Sabre's.   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 4:03 pm:    Tremsetter: I don't remember seeing that in there. Wiring: thanks that helps, but mine has no middle SC PU, little difference, I think the pot's just dirty, I hope to coax the knob off so I can get it out and attack it with pot cleaner. Then, I get to get an education on setting up a floating trem...   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 5:10 pm:    Jvandyke, I usually pull off stubborn knobs using a couple really heavy guitar picks (Dunlop 208s). I use them as levers, applying the same amount of force on both sides so as not to bend the shaft. For cleaning, I recommend car products (silicone free if possible). Paint cleaner, polish followed by wax. I use Meguiars deep Crystal products as recommended by Spiro. Dents in the neck are tough. They can be filled, but it's tough to not sand through the thin finish when sending the filler level. Slow curing clear epoxy is what I use (another Spiro recommendation). -Sven   Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 6:07 pm:    Funkle, do you have to remove the clear coat on the neck before applying the epoxy? If it were me, I'd probably get a guitarbage guitar first to practice on before attempting on anything worth keeping. Also, instead of the 2 pick method, try two spoons. I found it to be easier it is to evenly distribute the force. And the round smooth backside of the spoon gives you some 'leverage' for those stubborn knobs.   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Sunday, February 19, 2006 - 11:08 pm:    Still fighting the knobs. Tonight I realized turning either the volume or tone to 80% will induce considerable buzz. I was thinking a dirty pot but if both do it the same way, seems something else is amiss. I tried the spoons but that sucker won't budge! Also the little toggle doesn't seem to do anything as far as I can tell. Here's a pic for fun (it's huge) http://homepage.mac.com/jvandyke/wiring.JPG   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 12:26 pm:    Had success with the spoons finally, man where those knobs tight! Had to find thinner spoons, put down a bit of low tack painter's masking tape on the body first, just to reduce scratch potential. Both nuts were loosey goosey, not now! bit of lock tite (medium grade) too. Also shot both pots with cleaner and it seems, (fingers crossed) that took care of the buzz (more testing needed). So, it appears I've resolved all issues, other than buffing out some scratches. thanks guys. I'm liking this axe alot even though the strings are crap and I've got no bar and the setup ain't right. I'm hoping after I tweak the above, I'll be in Ibanez nirvana.   Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 1:00 pm:    Good to hear. Looks like someone has been in there with a solder gun after she left the factory, but if it's working fine then I'd leave it. Otherwise, if I were you I'd probably take it to a professional. Still curious why that coil tap switch doesn't work.   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 2:42 pm:    I assume the coil tap toggle is supposed to knock out one of the coils of the doubles to simulate a single? So no matter where I'm at on the 3-way pickup selector, I can have double coil or single depending on coil tap. I assume I'd hear a difference in tone, which I don't, sounds to me like it's stuck on double, which is where I'd want it most of the time anyway, will experiment.   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 8:47 am:    Guess I'm not in the clear after all, I messed with the coil tap toggle and it appears to be the cause of all the noise after all. I'll attack that tonight. Hoping a good cleaning will kick in shape. It does appear to do something, or at least try, as (other than the annoying noise) it changes the tone a bit. with the toggle "up" I have that horrific buzz at anything past 80%, with it "down", no buzz. Not even sure which position is which. Maybe I'll start a new thread and ask?   Jvandyke Username: Jvandyke Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 9:07 am:    too many variables, now it doesn't appear to be the 540 at all, as my Destroyer started buzzing too......I think my RP3 has gone flaky.

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