Strat Trem setup question

[4mal]

Is it possible to have the bridge on th body but still have a light tension trem setup ?

How far off the body is typical ?

I'm running a 50's Classic with the 6 point trem. Mostly the trem is there for surf tunes. Any point to upgrading the trem and if so, to what ?

Thanks!

[mellecaster]

If you want fairly light Trem Action, it's gonna haff to float a little..do a Google search on Tremolo set-up...and you should be reading for hours.....

[fenson]

[quote=4mal;1166716]Is it possible to have the bridge on th body but still have a light tension trem setup ?

How far off the body is typical ?

I'm running a 50's Classic with the 6 point trem. Mostly the trem is there for surf tunes. Any point to upgrading the trem and if so, to what ?

Float it to get the most use out of it IMO 1/8in . the only upgrade you might want is a steel block Callaham , but if you get one you will need his trem arm as well. www.callahamguitars.com the vintage repro one for you start

[Tremo]

If you float your bridge, you leave yourself open for potential problems you must be aware of. First off, if you rest your palm on the bridge, you might push it down and detune yourself sharp, so watch for that. Secondly, with loose springs, as you bend a note, the bridge will rise even more, so it is fighting you as you bend.

I crank mine down flush, and tighten the springs to the point where it does not begin to lift off the body until I have bent a string up at least a full step. Mine doesn't fight me.

[Mark Davis]

Originally Posted by Tremo

If you float your bridge, you leave yourself open for potential problems you must be aware of. First off, if you rest your palm on the bridge, you might push it down and detune yourself sharp, so watch for that. Secondly, with loose springs, as you bend a note, the bridge will rise even more, so it is fighting you as you bend.

I crank mine down flush, and tighten the springs to the point where it does not begin to lift off the body until I have bent a string up at least a full step. Mine doesn't fight me.

Thats exactly how I set mine.

First thing I do is loosen the strings and loosen all the 6 screws that hold down the trem to the body. Then I insert this little gauge I made with a hole punch and business card and screw down all the screws till they just touch the business card. Then what I have is the screws just barely up off the bridgeplate. Then I screw down the 2 outside screws tight.

Then I set the spring claw as above the bridge lays flat against the body but the bridge will barely move if I do a 1 or 1 1/2 step bend.

You still retain a little up bar movement but not much.

This makes for a very stable trem system once you get it all balanced out it stays in tune great!

[Axis29]

My MII Affinity is cranked down to the body and the tension is pretty tight. It stays in tune, but requires a little action to begin letting the note go. I did this to maintain tuning stability as it was more important to me than begin able to use the trem arm.

MY CP50's is floating (two point trem) and stays in perfect tune, but takes very minor action to push or pull a note out of tune. I find I use the trem arm on this guitar more, but still, only slightly. I use it in the surf/rockabilly manner.

I would think if you cranks the screws down to the body, it would limit the action of the trem. If you crank in on the claw screws, you also add tension to the trem and reduce the action of the trem. But, I'm nto an expert at setting up Strat trems much. I've had a couple over the years: vintage, Floyd Rose and this modern one on my CP 50's and they've all required different food for playing....

[Vizcaster]

It is possible to go back and forth, depending on your string gauge. I had my bridge floating 1/8" above the top with three springs and .010 gauge high E string. When you add a fourth spring, voila, the bridge comes down tight to the top and won't raise when you bend the strings. Then you can remove the fourth spring and go back to floating with three springs - all without adjusting the trem spring claw.

American Standard trems have black springs that are harder to find, vintage ones take the more commonly available nickel springs.

Try it both ways, but for surf trem the bridge was designed to float. Shredder dive bombs are another story.

[4mal]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Thats exactly how I set mine.

First thing I do is loosen the strings and loosen all the 6 screws that hold down the trem to the body. Then I insert this little gauge I made with a hole punch and business card and screw down all the screws till they just touch the business card. Then what I have is the screws just barely up off the bridgeplate. Then I screw down the 2 outside screws tight.

Then I set the spring claw as above the bridge lays flat against the body but the bridge will barely move if I do a 1 or 1 1/2 step bend.

You still retain a little up bar movement but not much.

This makes for a very stable trem system once you get it all balanced out it stays in tune great!

Interesting - so when your'e finally setup - the outside two screws are locked down and the inner 4 are up a bit... Do you remove the pickguard for this operation ?

[Dave_O]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Thats exactly how I set mine.

First thing I do is loosen the strings and loosen all the 6 screws that hold down the trem to the body. Then I insert this little gauge I made with a hole punch and business card and screw down all the screws till they just touch the business card. Then what I have is the screws just barely up off the bridgeplate. Then I screw down the 2 outside screws tight.

Then I set the spring claw as above the bridge lays flat against the body but the bridge will barely move if I do a 1 or 1 1/2 step bend.

You still retain a little up bar movement but not much.

This makes for a very stable trem system once you get it all balanced out it stays in tune great!

I know this is an oldish post but......Mark Davis, you are DA MAN. I'm not much of a Strat guy, and don't really know my way around them that much. A friend gave me his Squier to set up and the trem was giving me mucho grief. So I turned to the trusty TDPRI and the forum for "that other Fender" and, lo and behold, the answers are here!!! I set it up exactly like your post and it stays in tune, and I still have a little upbend to play with. Thanks again, Mark!!

[WickedGTR]

I use a different rule of thumb to set up my trem- I like to set the float so that a full pull up on the bar raises the G string 1 whole step (2 frets). Maybe even a little more than that-

It has the advantage that you know you can get a specific note on the pull- that 'measurement' setups do not....

It seems to work on all the strats I have set up- and it gives me a very light touch trem with my light (.009's) strings.

[buddastrat]

Me too. I like the G to pull up a minor third. I actually check it to a tuner.