I also found I was constantly changing pitch as I rest my right hand on the bridge a fair bit. If you’re a Strat player who doesn’t find much utility in the trem system, you might consider doing this too. If this is your first visit, be sure to
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I recently bought a new American Fender Stratocaster and after playing it for about a week I noticed that the tremolo bridge was floating - and I want it flush (I DONT USE THE TREMOLO BAR). They are here to help. ). Plus, the ability to pull back on the arm is a beautiful thing when doing light vibrato. reply #4. While we were discussing this, he revealed he rarely used the tremolo and kept the bar swung back out of the way when he played. There is definitely a tone in that. You say you didn't change string gauge, but did you compare all the string sizes? I noticed there were only two springs holding the tremolo to the claw, which explained why the bridge was tilting forward so much (Photo 2). Old habits die hard, or never. TDPRI, short for Telecaster Discussion Page Reissue, is the leading online community and marketplace for Telecaster guitars. I didn't change the string gauge but maybe I should've stretched them out a bit first. By apl in forum Free Ads for Music/Recording Equipment, By guitarhero32 in forum Guitars and Basses, Recording with tablets & smartphones (iOS & Android). This is discussed among Strat players as much as modern vs. vintage bridges are discussed among Tele players. I know this has something to do with the trem but it seems it was seated closer to the body before I restrung. Psalm 100:1, 2004 50th Anniversary Deluxe American Strat, SETH-N BRIDGE, ANT 2 SURFER MIDDLE, ANT 2 DLX MINI HUM NECK. In this video Dave discusses options for how to set up a traditional/vintage 6-screw tremolo system. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, On PremierGuitar.com, "Sponsored Content" refers to articles, videos, or audio recordings that are produced or curated by an advertiser but that, Guitar Shop 101: Touch-up a String Nut with Super Glue, Guitar Shop 101: Using Super Glue in Guitar Repair, Guitar Shop 101: Happy Little (String) Trees, Guitar Shop 101: How to Repair Delaminated Neck Binding, Guitar Shop 101: A Player’s Guide to Tuning Keys, Guitar Shop 101: Five Ways to Use a Digital Multimeter, Guitar Shop 101: How to Replace a Zero Fret, Guitar Shop 101: Tips for Replacing a Strat-Style 5-Way Switch, 1. Floating most of the time. This holds true for every step of a setup, including adjusting a truss rod, setting saddle height, and intonating the strings. Stripped-out holes must be doweled and re-drilled, otherwise the screws will continue to strip out more wood and will eventually slip out of the hole. It is only what works for you. If you find you miss your trem, you can always return to a floating bridge setup. It’s crucial to know the intended tuning and string gauges before you set up a Strat. After the bridge is floating properly, you will probably notice that the string action has raised slightly. Hard - Give the claw screws a turn or two to tighten them up. Thanks a mil, have no massive need for up-wiggle; I'm not Jeff Beck (yet!). Win a Broadcaster or one of 3 Teles! People used to play my Stratocaster and say "God. In fact, my main players don't even have a tremolo on them (just realized that.. ha). Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. "They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are a little dicier." #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
If you put on a new set of strings and the bridge position changes, then there is a difference in the string tension. Tech experts from Seymour Duncan are regularly on this forum, and are clearly labeled as employees of Seymour Duncan. It all depends on how much upwards travel you want though. My client explained he strings up with .010-.046 sets and tunes to standard pitch (unlike some Strat players who tune down a half-step à la Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan). The back edge of the bridge comes up, and the strings pull the bridge off of the body. I also found I was constantly changing pitch as I rest my right hand on the bridge a fair bit. I play a Standard Stratocaster with a six-screw (“vintage”) floating tremolo bridge. The goal is to tighten the springs enough so the tremolo doesn’t move when you bend a string. tone forum. select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. If you find you miss your trem, you can always return to a floating bridge setup. before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To contact the forum owner hit the Contact Us link. Also, hex core wound strings may have a different tension when tuned up to pitch from the same gauge round core string. When the note returns to its original pitch, the bottom of the bridge plate will be flush with the … 10 years ago. First Look: Hughes & Kettner Spirit Nano Series. (I explain that process in the DIY video “How to Float a Strat Trem.”) Evaluating the guitar. If you neglect to do this, you may have to redo your work. This Strat had spent some time on the road, but it was in good shape. All Rights Reserved Discussion in 'Stratocaster Discussion Forum' started by rocksteady Max, Apr 29, 2008. Based on this, I recommended he allow me to lock his tremolo down—or “deck” it against the body. To learn more about John’s repair and restoration workshops for players, technicians, and retail employees, visit guitarservices.com. I prefer mine flush to the body. Floating Bridge. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. Talk with your fellow tone freaks on the web's liveliest (and friendliest!) It provides players with a way of achieving vibrato (minor pitch waves) without bending the strings through your fingers. Privacy Policy | Stringfellow. Hi all. There is no correct way. The front of the bridge is flush with the body so if it's parallel there will be no upward travel. Floating bridges were first introduced on archtop guitars way back in the 1920s. There are three possible configurations of the Stratocaster Tremolo: Floating, Decked, and Blocked. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Not quite. ... Fender Stratocaster Guitar Forum. ). It's a personal choice thing. I used to have mine set up to float and it stayed in tune really well but I don't find myself needing it that way now. Will this bridge fit my Mexican Strat body? The advantage here, aside from it only taking a couple minutes, is that since the bridge isn't floating compound bends will be in tune, and attack/sustain will be more like a fixed bridge. Floating the trem allows the bridge to be pushed down which loosens the string tension, and pulled up which tightens the string tension. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. It depends on how tight the springs are and how many you have on there. I knew this would resolve many of the tuning issues he was having. Strat-Talk.com is an independent, member supported forum and is not affiliated with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. His primary concern was that he was having a problem staying in tune, especially when bending one string while holding another. Stringfellow. To start viewing messages,
Curious to see what you all prefer...I'm not normally a vibrato bar user and get most of my vibrato from my fingers...Some of my strats float about 1/8" off the body,but the others are on the body... Re: Strat Guys....Bridge...Floating Or Decked? /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. To enter. reply #4. Main Stratocaster Guitar Discussion Forum, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. This page was generated at 08:16 PM. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. So generally there's maybe a 5° angle, not the 15° seen here. Slammed down like a hard tail. A floating tremolo means that the bridge is balanced between the tension of the strings, and the tension of the bridge springs. It wasn't always that way. I practically never use the tremolo arm, and I’d like to experiment more with alternate tunings, so I’m thinking about “decking” the bridge – making it flush with the guitar body.