You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → springs strat tremelo
I bought a standard strat...nice axe...tremelo bridge equipped with three tension springs, I don't use tremelo bar, will adding two more springs help it stay in tune better? Anyone ever deal with this issue?
<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">
I have a strat.I custom cut a piece of wood to fit in the space below the springs.I didn't need to add 2 more springs.A guitar tech told me thats what he did and it has worked just fine.The guitar stays in tune.You may have a block of scrap wood.If not go to Home Depot.They have plenty of scap wood that you could get for free.
If you loosen the strings, the bridge will lay all the way down. I wedged a piece of shim in there, then jammed a bunch of felt around it. This keeps the bridge flat against the body, and muffles some of the ringing . It will stabalize your tuning quite a bit, too.
Adding the two springs will certainly bring the bridge closer to the body of the guitar, and it'll move less, so it should stay in tune more.
If your having tuning problems, then there's a few other areas which could be causing it as well, not just the bridge. Things such as old strings, checking intonation, etc etc If you're looking to lock it down, then the other posters ideas make a lot of sense.
Most well set up strats wont need 5 springs on them to keep them in tune, 3 is usually more than enough. I've used 5 before, but I was using 13-62 strings and playing a lot of SRV.
Hope this helps
<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>heyjoe73 wrote on Fri, 15 December 2006 19:40</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
If your having tuning problems, then there's a few other areas which could be causing it as well, not just the bridge. Things such as old strings, checking intonation, etc etc If you're looking to lock it down, then the other posters ideas make a lot of sense.
Most well set up strats wont need 5 springs on them to keep them in tune, 3 is usually more than enough.
Hope this helps
</td></tr></table>
A correct set up by a qualified guitar tech can make a world of difference. A set up is like fine tuning your car so it run to it's optimum in the guitars case playable at it's best. One thing that you did not mention is if you put on a new set of strings. If you do not strech your new strings enough then you will continually be out of tune, even if you just tuned up. You did mention that you don't use the tremolo, don't even screw on the handle.
Good luck
Bootleger
Bootleger guitars. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_cool.gif" border=0 alt="Cool">
that also depends on your strings...like somone said earlier i play a lot of hendrix and vaughn and use heavy gauge strings and wit five springs mine is still of the body id definately go for shims or install a hard tail where the trim once was
Hi,
I also added some thicker strings and had the same issue. I added a shim and now it works great. I will say that my strat stayed in tune even with the thicker strings. My issue was that the bridge was raised too much. Now with the shim, it sounds great and stays in tune even better.
<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>fourr3al wrote on Fri, 12 January 2007 00:23</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Hi,
I also added some thicker strings and had the same issue. I added a shim and now it works great. I will say that my strat stayed in tune even with the thicker strings. My issue was that the bridge was raised too much. Now with the shim, it sounds great and stays in tune even better.
</td></tr></table>
fourr3al,
Per your quote above you added a shim, are you speaking of a wood shim in between your trem block and body cavity? Strats have adjustable saddles if your bridge was to high why didn't you just lower the saddles? Just curious.
Bootleger.
Hi Bootleger,
For me it was a good solution because I don't play the tremolo.The point you make is very valid, but what I found was not only the bridge being high but the angle on the back part of the bridge. I want to say that the Fender guidlines say about 1/8 inch, but after I added the thicker strings it was twice that. This creates quite a bit of tension on the stock three springs and well as the 6 wood screws in the front of the bridge. I figure latter on down the road I could easly add two more springs and adjust the tremolo if I want to start using the whammy bar. Basically adding the shim makes my strat a hard tail in about 2 minutes. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">
I understand your statment now. The tension of the heavier gauge strings was pulling your bridge forward. By placing the shim in between the trem block and the body cavity it relieved the stress of the string tension.
This still would not correct your action height. (I am not trying to demean you in any way, I am trying to help trouble shoot your problem and come up with a solution for repair. That you may do yourself and not cost an arm and a leg).
A possible solution to relieve some of the string tension on your bridge would have been to tighten the spring block screws drawing the string block closer to the body. (you don't need to now do to the trem block shim).
This would have pulled the rear of the bridge back towards the strap end of the body lowering the bridge rise.
If your looking for Fender specs go to their website @ fender.com. There are free down loads and tutorials.
I suggest that you drill a hole (1/8" diameter) in your trem block shim and get a sheet metal screw (about a # 8x 7/8 inch, about a buck at Lowe's).
You can screw it in when you want to pull your trem block out. If it's a tight fit you don't want to pry it out with a screw driver and chance damaging your guitar body.
Good luck,
Bootleger <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_cool.gif" border=0 alt="Cool">
Bootlegger guitars.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → springs strat tremelo
