CapeFran
Joined: Jan 23, 2015
Posts: 24
New Orleans
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 09:37 AM
First of all, I call it a tremolo even though it's technically vibrato--good enough for Leo, good enough for me.
I have a backup cheap but surprisingly well built Squier VM Strat that I've been setting up. When I got it, the trem claw was screwed all the way in, making it very difficult to engage the trem, and it was flat against the guitar so it could only bend pitch down.
I backed out the claw screws a bit (and angled it a little), but found that when I backed them out far enough to get the big float that I was looking for, I lost too much tension in the bridge (pretty normal string bends were causing the bridge to move a lot) and there was too much "play" in engaging the trem arm.
My question is, will adding additional spring or springs (3 in there currently) let me keep the claw closer (and float higher) while adding resistance to the tremolo? I use .11 gauge strings on it.
— Ghost Coast
Last edited: Sep 11, 2015 09:38:43
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 09:48 AM
CapeFran wrote:
My question is, will adding additional spring or springs (3 in there currently) let me keep the claw closer (and float higher) while adding resistance to the tremolo? I use .11 gauge strings on it.
Three springs were good enough for Leo.
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Bob_Kennedy
Joined: Feb 27, 2012
Posts: 316
Mesa, AZ.
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 09:54 AM
The springs that are supplied with import trems are kinda weak. You can add 2 more, but they will eventually become slack. Look into swapping them out with Fender American springs. They are consistently good & will retain there tension. You should only need 3 of those.
— Otto & The Ottomans
Kennedy Custom Guitars
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 09:55 AM
You could try some Callaham springs like I did recently, they were slightly stronger and cheap to experiment with.
This video helped me a lot.
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CapeFran
Joined: Jan 23, 2015
Posts: 24
New Orleans
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 10:01 AM
Three springs were good enough for Leo.
True, but there are 5 spring cavities. With 3 springs I can either move the claw close and have a loose bar and bridge, or claw far and a bridge flat against the body.
I know this is elementary stuff for the mechanically minded, but is there a difference between the tension needed for activation of the springs versus tension needed to suspend the bridge in a specific floating location? Or is there just a sum total of resistance provided by the entire trem setup through the combination of springs and distance?
I will also try swapping out the springs for Fender American. 3 stronger springs could make the difference. I'll let you know how it goes once I get them.
— Ghost Coast
Last edited: Sep 11, 2015 10:03:02
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1304
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 10:03 AM
An additional spring will create more tension and bring the bridge closer to the body, but I think 4 springs aren't necessary and add too much tension. I have mine set up with 3 springs and the claw is backed out at an angle just enough to give me a minor 3rd on the G string, a whole step on the B and a half step on the high E when I pull the bar all the way back. My bridge is about a 1/8" off the body on the bass side, and about a 1/16th on the treble side. I used to have it set up with 5 springs and the bridge flat against the body - and I would just muscle it to use the vibrato. I broke a lot of vibrato bars that way. No fun trying to get the broken end out of the screw hole either!
This guy has the best advice for setting up a strat as perfectly as possible:
https://youtu.be/OUkKZy8U_gA
https://youtu.be/O0Oyc6slYRc
Following his method, my strat stays in tune no matter how I abuse the trem. Check out his other videos too - tons of useful knowledge there.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
Last edited: Sep 11, 2015 10:05:02
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CapeFran
Joined: Jan 23, 2015
Posts: 24
New Orleans
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 10:06 AM
This guy has the best advice for setting up a strat as perfectly as possible:
https://youtu.be/OUkKZy8U_gA
Following his method, my strat stays in tune no matter how I abuse the trem. Check out his other videos too - tons of useful knowledge there.
I've been watching his videos and look forward to trying it. In one of his videos he said if you bend the strings, they'll go out of tune until you do another full "dive bomb." Do you find this to be the case? Also, what gauge strings do you use? I've seen someone that said .11s are too big to balance the bridge, but that seems ridiculous to me.
— Ghost Coast
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1304
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 10:21 AM
CapeFran wrote:
This guy has the best advice for setting up a strat as perfectly as possible:
https://youtu.be/OUkKZy8U_gA
Following his method, my strat stays in tune no matter how I abuse the trem. Check out his other videos too - tons of useful knowledge there.
I've been watching his videos and look forward to trying it. In one of his videos he said if you bend the strings, they'll go out of tune until you do another full "dive bomb." Do you find this to be the case? Also, what gauge strings do you use? I've seen someone that said .11s are too big to balance the bridge, but that seems ridiculous to me.
Yes it's the case. just a quick tap on the bar puts everything back into balance. It's all about balancing the tension. 11's aren't too big. I used 11's for over a decade, until they caused an awful up bow - but that was more from lack of maintenance and enviormental factors, like flying in a plane with it without loosening the tension, and overtigtening the truss rod one too many times. 11's are fine
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
Last edited: Sep 11, 2015 10:22:56
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1304
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Posted on Sep 11 2015 10:25 AM
I should clarify that the strings don't just go out of tune when you bend, but sometimes they get hung up on the nut as you release the bend, and a quick tap remedies this
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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