I am looking at a Squire Standard Fat Strat at a local shop, and it has a problem, and I am not sure if it is a big problem.
One of the pivot studs(the bass side stud) is displaced and is leaning forward, toward the neck. It is leaning at about a 20 degree angle. The treble side stud is in its proper perpendicular position.
My question is; Has anyone ever seen this before? How do you repair this problem? The threaded insert has to be reset in order for the stud to align properly. Since the 2 pivot studs take all the force of the string and spring tension, I can imagine there is a lot of pressure pulling on those 2 points. The repair would have to be sturdy. Would the best fix be to drill out the body, install a plug of hardwood(maybe maple) and cut new threads, insert the threaded piece and reassemble???This is a repair I have never done. I will try to get a photo of the guitar on here soon.
I am not sure if this guitar is worth all the effort. what do you think, Thanks.

This is exactly what you need to do. Although not a regular maintenance job obviously, its actually not that hard provided you have access to a decent drill press. but I would try match the dowel plug to the type of wood the guitar is made of, most likely Alder in this case.

Like jay said, I would consider this only if you actually want to learn how to do this kins of repair, or maybe if you are looking at this guitar as a platform to experiment on, maybe do some stuff you wouldn't dare do to a more expensive axe.

A beat up, unplayable(and it is if it is in this shape,) Squier is easily and cheaply replaced. If you can get this axe for next to nothing, and feel like playing with it go for it, but if not skip it, you'll easily find one in better shape.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I'd add something further. As mentioned, ideally you should use the same timber for the plug as the body is made from. And in addition to that, purists would feel that you should carve the plug yourself so that the grain runs across its diameter, not along its length (as on commercially bought dowel).

Some would feel it important that all the grain in that body runs in the same direction, especially around such a crucial area as the post bushing where sound transmission is concentrated. Grain running at right-angles is a reason many believe plywood sounds crappy in guitar bodies.

And the end grain of a regular dowel will look awful in the midst of the body's side grain, too, presuming the timber will be visible afterwards. (You haven't mentioned what finish this guitar has...)

And to add to those suggesting this may be a guitar to pass on, I'd note that it took a huge blow to cause the trem post to shift like that. I wonder what other damage this guitar has sustained? How's the neck joint?

If you can get it for next to nothing and are keen for a project, then by all means go for it. Otherwise, walk on by...

Cheers - C

Here are some bad photos.

I am interested in guitar repair, as I have a small business doing so. This may be an opportunity to learn something new. Squires are a great tool for learning, as they mimic Fender products in construction and design.

Hi again Paisley: thanks for the pix. It's certainly had an unpleasant knock, hasn't it? How's that neck join?

A little hard to be sure from the photo - is that a dark burgundy red finish? Would you try and match that after the repair? If so, how?

And what's the asking price of this wrecked Squier, please?

Cheers - C

They want $120 in present condition. The rest of the guitar is sound. I have never done this kind of repair, and would like experience doing the work. The thing is, if this NEVER happens to 2 pt. trems, how in the world did this occur?? The shop owner didn't even know the problem existed until I pointed it out to them.
You guys are correct in saying that Squires are a dime a dozen. I am not interested in the guitar so much as in the opportunity to learn something about the repair procedure. I wouldn't want my first attempt at this repair to be on a MIA Strat costing $1275

You'll want to pop the pick guard off, and see what's up with the post.

I see really 2 possible reasons for this problem, neither all that good, but one definitely worse than the other.

1) like Ceri said, it might have taken one hell of a bang. You would do well to check out the neck joint too, just to be safe.

2) and arguably the worse potential cause for this, would be if the post hole was drilled too close to the pickup route. If the pickup route is too big, misaligned, or if the bridge post hole itself was misaligned, then there was too little wood to withstand the pressure caused by the tension of the strings. This could be a major issue, in that the whole bridge may be misaligned, or that you might have to do some reinforcement work in repairing a mis-cut pickup route.(See Ceri's excellent 'Saving a Trash Body' thread, for some idea of work that may be involved here.)

Given the price you can get a near perfect Squier for, I would offer as low as possible $50 like Jay said,( maybe even less,) depending on what you see under the hood.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I've seen that one other time before and it had split the wood, not really alot of meat there. After seeing one like that before, I always go for a vintage style bridge ( if ain't broke, don't fix it kind of thing in my mind). I know it is very, very, extremely rare to happen, but I have never seen or heard of it happening with a vintage style. That is my only reason for my prefference. After a buddy showed me his, I was online and came across a repair center that had a pic of one they repaired. Damage was horrible! So bad that they cut out the wood and machined a brass block to be fitted in in it's place. Repair wasn't to horrible (not that great either)looking as most of it was hidden by the bridge. The guy who owned that one really must have had a real attatchment for that guitar. I would have just got another body.