What did I do to my Dano's Pickups?!?!?

[Chiogtr4x]

Hey folks, a little help please, for anyone familiar with Dano's and their pickups...

I guess I was adjusting the height of my 2-pickup 56-U-2 reissue (got it new in the late '90's) and somehow the screws that hold the pickups in place (on the back of the body) are not "threading" into the holes in the pickups. I can't see what's going on here but now the pickups are kind of at their highest point, particularly on the bass side (both pickups) and are kind of loose. Everything works fine its just that I can't adjust the P/U height to lower them a bit- the screws in the back turn but are not really grabbing anything, or they may be going thru whatever mounting holes are on the pickups but not catching so nothing is moving. BTW I put duct tape (yay!) over the 4 screws on the back so they would not fall out- plus these screws I feel are holding the pickups in place but not adjusting. Any suggestions? Did I lose spacers/springs somewhere inside the guitar? thanks, Joe

* hope I'm describing this OK

[HenryAdams]

Sounds like you unscrewed the screws all the way. Its a really simple fix: push down on the pickup a bit. At the same time, fish around with one of the screws in the back of the body. You should feel the screw catch the threads. I assume you can figure it out from there.

If it helps to visualize, here's a picture of what the pickup mounting ears look like:http://www.guitarfetish.com/Pro-Tube...ble_c_191.html

[jkats]

Or it could be that the thread on the holes in the pickup ears has stripped, so that the height adjustment screws won't catch. That happened to me; I took vise grips and mashed the pickup ears flat, and the height adjustment screws caught. Also, you can place foam from a replacement pickup box underneath the pickup to keep the pickups at a reasonable height, closer to the strings than the pickup ears other wise might allow.

[Chiogtr4x]

Thanks guys, I tried Henry Adams suggestion a few times (the Dano has been this way for a few months) and I think the holes must have stripped as the screws don't catch...will go on to a "plan B"- I just get nervous about this kind of stuff as I am not a handy, "fix it" kind of guy- but It looks like I gotta get take the pickups out to fix it, or just leave well-enough alone. I love this guitar though, use it for all kinds of country/blues/R&R gigs...so comfy, great player. Wish I bought the "Jimmy Page" style double-cutaway model too, back in the '90's when I had some $$!