Strat trem help?

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:53 pm

I'm having a bit of an issue with the trem on my 70's Classic Mex Strat. The arm can be pushed down and the trem goes down in pitch fine and its pretty smooth. The problem comes when I try to bend it up in pitch It gets very stiff and takes a helluva lot of force to get it to work.

I don't have any idea what it could be. I've tried loosening the screws that attach the trem to the guitar so there isn't as much friction but that hasn't solved my problem.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:20 pm

in "zero" position, does the trem have 3-4 mms of space between the back and the body?

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:52 pm

Indeed it does.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:54 pm

and you say you have given the springs some slack?
what kinda trem is it?
does it have the pan bevel on the bottom?

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:22 pm

I don't know what the pan bevel is to be honest mate. I'll try slacking off the trem springs a fair bit and see if that helps. I'll report back later or maybe tomorrow as I'm nursing the worst fucking hangover of the century. It's the Vintage Synchronised Tremolo. The one with the 6 screws.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 5:23 pm

im not good with paint of photo shop but basically if you just had the top part of the trem, no block and no saddles you would notice that on the underside where the screws are you will see a bevel(most of the time) and that should be a good indication of how high your springs should be.

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:21 pm

I sorted it out a bit. But to get it to be loose enough to pull back easilly, it makes the angle of the trem a bit too extreme.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:54 pm

thats odd, my best guess is that your screws are too tight, but you say you gave em some slack, so withoutseeing it i cannot really diagnose it.

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:58 pm

Need pics. I reckon you should just route for a Mustang trem and put one of those one instead :D

iCEByTes · Post by **iCEByTes** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm

if you need an cheap thing and works well to return every time your tremolo to 0 and Fix the constant flyng , this thing is the tremm setter

-> http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... etter.html

i got on White beauty and Gritante

Tremm setter improve well the tunning, fix the back to 0 and Kill the constant flyng the tremolo stay all the time fixed and just up when you want ... , even more if you get lock tunners and good nut like bone or graphtech or brass

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:06 am

A tremsetter would make his problem worse, I believe. He is finding it too hard to bend for upward pitch when the bridge is in the floating position, it seems to me a stabilizer would only make it MORE stiff.

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:42 pm

I really forgot about this thread. It's not even buried so I've not really got an excuse, sorry guys, I feel ignorant now.

. Well, I've loosened the trem springs and got a decent angle but I can't actually pull the bridge plate down to the body as it gets too stiff when it gets about 3/4 of the way. If I loosen the springs off anymore then the angle will be too drastic to even be able to go down in pitch.

Icey - The tremsetter is unnecessary, I don't have problems with my trem returning to pitch.

iCEByTes · Post by **iCEByTes** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:37 am

tryed change the coils positions

like 2 in V , 3 in marijuana position \|/ , 4 Supr ||||

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:57 pm

I think pictures would help us figure out what is going on here.

also, how many springs are you using and what size strings are you using? You have to balance the pull between the springs and strings. I usually have the trem claw way loose. 3 springs for size 9 strings, 4 springs for size 10 strings, I never tried bigger than that on a strat but I'll guess 5 springs for 11s, and bigger than that tighten the trem claw to get more tension.