trem assy replacement

My son strat is a highway 1 he says when he uses the trem it goes out of tune easily and he can't play a whole song with out stopping to re tune. So I got some locking tuners. Have not installed them as of yet but wondering if I need a new trem block also. Which do you recommend? Vintage style is whats on the highway 1.

I bet the problem is in the NUT not the trem or the tuners. Have someone look at that before you start repalcing things.
The strings will bind in the nut, causing it to go out of tune. Have a guitar tech look at that as it requiers nut files some practice to be good at doing it.
Bet that'll make it right.

Scott

+1 on the problem being in the nut. On my Hwy 1s I put pencil lead on the nut and that took care of it. Also making sure the strings are anchored correctly on the tuners and stretched allways helps. The locking tuners will help with any string slippage there.

The '06 upgrade Highway One's already have a redesigned trem block made of heavier metal, maybe even the steel that Fender says it is, compared to the zinc in older blocks. At the same time they narrowed the string spacing at the saddles a bit. Before that you'd have the same bridge on a Highway One that you'd find on a MIM.

Try putting a fourth trem spring on there if you have the bridge floating, or even set it up with five springs tightened so the bridge plate is flat to the top if you want more tuning stability.

BUT you've already been given the best advice: have a tech tweak the nut a bit. All tuning stability problems start at the nut since the strings need to slide there when the trem is used. A pro setup, especially now that the neck on a new guitar has had time to settle, will make a world of difference and won't be a waste of money. The guitar store "free" setup, on the other hand...

+1 on pencil graphite and a tech lookign at the nut. Big Bends Nut Sauce applied at string changes to all points of string contact, plus a good stretching of the strings (stretch, retune, repeat until they stay at pitch when stretched) also works for me.

There's also a graphite product available at Musicians friend that I use on all contact points (saddles and nut). I changed to locking tuners, LSR roller nut, and replaced my trem block to a Callaham (if yours is steel w steel saddles skip it)and I stay in tune pretty good.

PK

Vaseline in in the nut slots works way better than graphite and it's easier to deal with.

If the string tree is screwed all the way down to the headstock, put a spacer in to lessen the break angle. Put some vaseline under the tree too.

Pay careful attention to how you wind the strings on the tuners- less wraps work better, and don't let the overlap.

You don't need locking tuners to stay in tune- your tuning problems are not due to your tuners 'slipping'. It's most likely due to friction and/or setup issues. A block will make zero difference in tuning stability.

+1 on vaseline. Prior to lubing the nut and saddles my guitar would go out of tune with any movement of the trem bar. After the lube the nut and saddles, it hardly ever goes out of tune, even with heavy duth tren usage.

I don't know if you can return those locking tuners, but I find a set of Gotoh 'kluson' style tuners with conversion bushings fits great on a Highway One headstock and if the strings are properly installed, will go a long way to resolving any tuning issues. Don't try and make do with old strings, and know at least IMO that a bigger guage string, plus extra trem springs to offset them with improve stability a whole lot.
If those are old strings, that's definitely job #1 to replace them.

if you get a new trem Fender part # 099-2049-000.

Your wallet may not, but your tone will thank you. ;)

Hi guys.
I jumped over to you guys from the telecaster side to let you know that I have aquired a set of strat. controls. Everythings there except the switch.
All the 3 pots are stamped 6617 500k. Cool HUH.
I'm a tele man. I know this is not a selling site, but this was a fantastic find, Stratocaster forum guys get first shot in my book.
Like I said, I'm a tele guy, and I already have a set of 1948s pots in my guitar.
I haven't quite figured out photo bucket yet, but if you would like pictures , contact me at
telemasters1@sbcglobal.net

Hi guys.
I jumped over to you guys from the telecaster side to let you know that I have aquired a set of strat. controls. Everythings there except the switch.
All the 3 pots are stamped 6617 500k. Cool HUH.
I'm a tele man. I know this is not a selling site, but this was a fantastic find, Stratocaster forum guys get first shot in my book.
Like I said, I'm a tele guy, and I already have a set of 1948s pots in my guitar.
I haven't quite figured out photo bucket yet, but if you would like pictures , contact me at
telemasters1@sbcglobal.net


Ever see the TDPRI classified section ?? :smile:

usually nut and tree strings are the first place to look at improving.

is nut cut for stringf gage he's using.
did the strings come on the guiotar? maybe there's rust or grunnge under the strinngs at the nut.

first rule of strat wanging is lubricate the nut with a dry graphite powder or a micro dab of vaseline. string trees should also get a dab of the petro jelly.

the plain strings are usually the cuprits.

locking tuners are a help also after you look at these first factors.

don't get me started on saddles, trem blocks and top wanger plates and springs, and locking nuts and........

my shpelling rckusses?