I'm restoring an HM Strat. The HM's, the HRRs and perhaps other Strats with recessed Floyds or Kahler Steeler trems typically have something like a rubber with a felt-like texture in the recessed area below the string retaining screws. Is replacement material like that available somewhere?

I've never seen it but if it is, you'll probably be paying a whole lot for a whole little.

Do what I do: I take an old mouse pad and trim off a portion of it. I then peel off its top fabric part. Next, I thin (if necessary) and final shape this portion as appropriate. Lastly, I use some Elmer's white glue to hold it in place, using moderately light pressure on the piece until it has fully dried.

Mouse pad material cut to suit is also a good substitute for height adjustment springs under a pickup that is mounted directly to a guitar's body or even as a custom spacer for elevating non-adjustable pickups such as the "Dog Ear" P-90 on original Les Paul Juniors.

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You dig?

mmm yeah, not sure what that stuff is. It looks like mouse pad material, only thinner.
Mine's an '88 with factory fitted Kahler. I never took much notice of the pad.



I would think it nearly impossible to get the original part. Maybe something like wet-suit material could be used ..... thermal gloves?... or just rubber, you'll find something.

Japanese guitars from this era are SUPERB !

........Mark.

Hi StratoDogster: the material is neoprene rubber. The same thing that both wet suits and mouse mats are made from (as mentioned by the others). Neoprene is available from suppliers in thickesses of 0.5 mm upwards. That's all very well, but it is sold in big sheets off huge rolls: for example a quick Google finds me one supplier offering it in 51 inch wide lengths, around $75 per yard. Which I suspect is more than you wish to spend.

Some possibilities. Now you know it is called neoprene you could search Ebay where you will find it for sale - see if you can locate some that is thin enough and in a small enough sized piece for your needs. Or: I have sometimes seen neoprene sold in hardware stores as non-slip matting for use on worktops.

Or just take Martian's excellent suggestion and cannibalise an old mouse mat. (Though not all of them are backed with neoprene: you have to find one that is.) Probably the most cost effective way of getting what you require.

I'd politely suggest against chopping up a wet-suit. Not only would that be an amazing waste of the suit you will also find that the rubber is too thick. I believe even my lightest wet suit is 2 mm, which is far too thick for your needs. My thickest is 7 mm - which would not do your Floyd Rose up-bends any favors!

Good luck - C

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Thanks for the comments everyone. The mouse pad idea sounds like it would work and would be a good option, however, I think I found something that should also work well and is inexpensive: The rubber pad that goes on the bottm of an MXR pedal. I see that the MXR padding is available as a replacement part for around $5. I used to have a 1980 MXR Distortion plus. If the padding is still the same is it was on the one I had, it's similar to what I'm looking for and I'd just have to trim it and stick it in place.

Here is an example on eBay:

Dunlop MXR pedal rubber slide pad, medium ECB502

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

Hi!

This is what I used: MAXI Foam padding.

Various colors:
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_ ... Categories

Its cheap and its perfect for the application. I used it on my strat when I built it, and couldn't be happier. The adhesive it uses is very low-tack, similar to a "post-it note" but yes, stronger. That means its perfect for NOT harming your guitars finish and you can remove it without a fuss if you need to (cleaning or trem adjustments for example). Its nice and thin (while still offering excellent protection) and easily cut to any shape.

HTH,

ORCRiST

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Maxi pads huh? never would have thought of that!

Seriously though, that also looks like a really good option. I might give that a try. Lots of good ideas in this thread.