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Post by nitehawk55 on Jan 18, 2007 19:20:52 GMT -7
Was wondering the good points and bad on locking down the trem on Strat's
Does this effect sound much , playability ?
How many of you do this and why ??
Best method on how to/not to do this ??
Do I ask too many questions ?? ;D
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Post by tele1962 on Jan 18, 2007 20:43:37 GMT -7
Can you explain locking? If you don't want the trem on a vintage style trem/bridge, just tighten down the bridge assembly to the body, get screws tighened on face of vibrato platform, then unscrew the bar, and throw it away. Voila! Some guys may put a wood block into the cavity so the vibe block has no place to go, and thereby totally rigid, but that's a bit of overkill. If you tighten everything down without forcing it, then remove the bar...that's as stable as you'll likely need to have it. Going the opposite direction, if you want to float the bridge and have a very usable and or sensitive vibrato/whammy bar assembly, then that's another procedure, and a different style of playing thereafter. If you want the very best floating bridge in North America, ship the guitar to me, and I'll do it!
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jan 18, 2007 20:51:44 GMT -7
I have a friend (no not me ;D) who takes any Strat he has owned and will install all 5 springs on the trem, pulls them tight to lock it down and then raises the action ( saddles ) to a usable height . He does not use a wood block or anything else . He does not use the trem and has always done this to get a hardtail feel . Does this effect the sound much because I've been told the trem assy acts like a tone chamber of sorts .
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Post by Curt on Jan 18, 2007 20:58:24 GMT -7
I just use 3 springs but pull them pretty tight with the adjusting screws underneath, It acts like a hardtail then on rare ocasions I can still get a slight trem effect with my big ol long pinky pulling up on the bridge.
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Post by mward on Jan 19, 2007 4:57:54 GMT -7
I run 5 springs and pull the bridge down flat on the body so I can't pull up but leave the bar in because sometimes I want to dive a little. I'm heavy-handed on the bar so 5 springs is a good amount of resistance and keeps me from going too far. It's all personal preference, I don't think it matters what you do so long as it's set up right. I doubt it would affect sound having it down or floating a little.
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Post by JebusCrebus on Jan 19, 2007 10:07:43 GMT -7
I too have the tremolo on my Strat's against the finish and I use 5 springs on most of them. I find I get more sustain with a bigger percentage of the bridge actually touching wood. I just lower the bridge screws (6 or 2 depending on year of Strat) and add the extra springs in the Trem cavity, you may need to tighten the claw screws a couple of turns as well. I started doing this because I am a heavy left hand bender and the other strings would go out of tune I played 2 notes and only bent one of them. Plus I don't like the feel of a floating bridge when I palm mute the strings. The guitar just seems to tighten up with this setup (in a good way). I can still use the trem I just cant raise the pitch, which I never do/did anyway. The standard tremolo on a Strat never stays in tune really well, especially with radical bends, if your looking to do dive bombing get a Floyd. [glow=limegreen,2,300]-J-[/glow]
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Post by Curt on Jan 19, 2007 21:38:59 GMT -7
get a Floyd. [glow=limegreen,2,300]-J-[/glow] Randall "Pink" Floyd
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Post by RC on Jan 20, 2007 9:32:08 GMT -7
I use 5 springs and have the trem against the paint on all my Strats. I started doing this about 10 years ago and it's eliminated all the tuning issues I had, even when you break a string. I also feel they sustain and resonate much better this way.
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Jan 20, 2007 9:38:05 GMT -7
You tell 'em Russ. I do the same thing.
new
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Post by skydog958 on Jan 20, 2007 18:55:29 GMT -7
The bridge on my Zion (Mannmade) was designed to sit flat on the body, so that works for me. When I first got it was tightened down very hard, so when I got it set up I got the bridge less tight so I could use it but still flush to the top. I think all 5 springs are on it.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jan 20, 2007 19:22:23 GMT -7
Well I went with the 5 springs and tightened the claw bracket down so it has lots of pull and keeps the trem flat against the body . I had to turn all the saddles up aprox 1 full turn to get the proper height for the strings . Right away the guitar has more resonance and ring as well . It makes the bending different too and has a more stable feel....that is you seem to be able to hit the notes with less effort . Thanks for the suggestions guys , I think I'm going to prefer having the trem locked down .
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Post by Hohn on Jan 22, 2007 1:01:02 GMT -7
The bridge on my Zion (Mannmade) was designed to sit flat on the body, so that works for me. When I first got it was tightened down very hard, so when I got it set up I got the bridge less tight so I could use it but still flush to the top. I think all 5 springs are on it. My Zion is the same, and I like it this way a lot. No tuning stability issues. JH
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Post by tele1962 on Jan 22, 2007 6:53:48 GMT -7
Screwing a trem or bridge plate tight to body is all this amounts to, Nitehawk. It's no big deal, and everyone has a fancy way of saying it...but it's basic stuff. 3 springs, 5 springs, bedsprings...been repairiing and adjusting these things for 35 years, professionally and recreationally...and it's all just guys liking to talk about something basic and mindless ( I do it too) Not so basic would be properly floating one! THAT takes a bit of skill
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Post by RC on Jan 22, 2007 10:17:57 GMT -7
Screwing a trem or bridge plate tight to body is all this amounts to, Nitehawk. It's no big deal, and everyone has a fancy way of saying it...but it's basic stuff. 3 springs, 5 springs, bedsprings...been repairiing and adjusting these things for 35 years, professionally and recreationally...and it's all just guys liking to talk about something basic and mindless ( I do it too) Not so basic would be properly floating one! THAT takes a bit of skill Speaking of something basic and mindless isn't this the part of every thread where you remind us of your 35 years of experience or was it one experience for 35 years, I for forget. But go ahead anyway and tell me all about your vintage fenders again.
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Post by tele1962 on Jan 26, 2007 16:04:25 GMT -7
Hahahaha! Yep, and as you can see everytime a tired old theme comes 'round, I'll truck my tired old one out as some sort of balance. And hey! Some people actually like vintage Fenders...go figure.
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Post by Matt H. on Jan 29, 2007 5:49:19 GMT -7
I always had an issue w/ any tremolo. I do the 5 springs and tried the lockdown and used 11's or 12's - and it tunes pretty well and plays fairly tight, but I love to bend one note while holding another either open or fretted -and the whammy always throws the notes off. I also have trouble with the spring chamber - I aways hear extra sound coming from it. I have a thin piece of duct tape going across all five springs so they wont chime at all - probably a bad idea, but it works for me. No matter what you do, it wont act like a hardtail when your playing or tuning. Get a hardtail strat for a second strat - Sounds the same - plays and tunes better JMO Matt H
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Post by bluzsteel on Jan 29, 2007 6:39:09 GMT -7
5 springs , I have to have it tight for steel guitar riffs otherwise say you play a bend in the d position while hitting a open d string if its not set right the open d string go flat with the g string bending
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Post by Danny on Jan 29, 2007 8:56:26 GMT -7
If y'all would like to hear what it sounds like to bend one string while playing another string open, and the effect that the bend has on the open string's pitch when using a floating bridge with minimal tension on the trem springs, follow this link to the Kinman pickups site ... www.kinman.com/html/mediaCentre/sounds.htm... scroll down a bit and click on the sound clip for the "Woodstock Regular set Played Clean". The clip is in five short sections, one for each toggle position. The last section, where the toggle is set to the bridge pickup, is where you'll hear this effect.
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Post by Matt H. on Jan 29, 2007 11:05:13 GMT -7
ferguson, good example. Oh Man, I hate that - The open E going flat with the bend - AAARGH!
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