Decked trem but notes still sour on pedal steel type bends

[badinfinities]

I've been down this road before. The claw needs to be flush to the cavity, 5 springs, and blocked.

I personally don't like that set-up for a Strat. If I want to do pedal steel bends, I grab my hardtail Strat or my Tele.

 

[RCinMempho]

You may also try placing something in the space between the trem route and the trem block. I've tried this when setting up a Floyd and found it difficult to get the perfect thickness, but that was for keeping it balanced, not decked. Might be easier in your case.

Maybe a small block of wood, sanded to thickness. Perhaps @Peegoo or @Freeman Keller have suggestions. Here's an example from reddit:


There are commercial options as well, I think.

I blocked my trem but found the wood thing too troublesome. Stacks of quarters held together with Scotch tape. This allows you to get exactly the right size and you don't have to cut any wood. Two maybe three stacks. I forget. I did it once and haven't looked at it in years.

 

[Holy smokes]

I’ve a factory blocked -am sp. - no problems with the trem . Using wood. It’s even finished. No springs no claw . It’s a hardtail. With a little less wood . Nothing wrong with that. I bought it for 500 probably because of the internet. So thank you you crazy internet bias.

 

[MichaelD83]

Yet one more reason I play a Nashville Tele.

Need a tele and a strat in my life

 

[MichaelD83]

Feel to the TREM - yes. That is pretty much inevitable. Feel to the action/play - not so much, but also depends how you play. String gauge is obviously part of the equation. Decide on that first!

I prefer full-floating trems. I have never seen much point to having a trem that doesn't trem.

Play very light touch running 9s. I like the neck w very little relief so the guitar is super snappy but yet slinky.

Different strokes for different folks - I don’t ever use the trem so it’s useless to me. I do need to do country pedal steel bends - my Hardtail strat spoiled me bad

 

[BigPapa-53]

I run three on my floating trem. Why would you think three would be enough to deck it?

 

[Stringlover]

I have 4 springs in my 2014 and 5 in the 1999. You need more springs.

I do pedal steel bends with no issues.

 

[Dostradamas]

Play very light touch running 9s. I like the neck w very little relief so the guitar is super snappy but yet slinky.

Different strokes for different folks - I don’t ever use the trem so it’s useless to me. I do need to do country pedal steel bends - my Hardtail strat spoiled me bad

Why keep the trem if you have no use and problems with it?
Practically free and completely reversible to try.

A block and string tension works great for me.

 

[cousinpaul]

Try this:

With strings slack, loosen the 6 bridge mounting screws until the bridge plate rests absolutely flat on the guitar's body. Bring strings to pitch. Tighten the claw, using whatever combination of springs, to the point where spring tension will not allow the arm to be pulled upward and your most insane bends will return in tune. Check to make sure the bridge plate stays flat and use the least amount of claw tension you can get away with.

At this point, you'll notice that you can still push the arm downward, making the strings go flat. IME, it won't dive-bomb that well but might be perfect for a song like "Wicked Game".

 

[Jakedog]

I only read the first page, so forgive me if this has come up. But could it be rubber neck syndrome? A couple years ago I bought a Godin S Style I really loved. Had to let it go. Rubber neck. Totally rubber neck.

Five springs, bridge decked, none of the steel stuff would play in tune. Finally figured out the neck was rubber. I could drone the low E, start bending the high E, and physically see the neck bow and hear the low E drop like it was being de-tuned. It was worse bending the B and G strings. You can forget about big bendy triad steel stuff. It wouldn’t do it.

Not all maple is created equal. I have encountered this on a few different guitars over the years.

 

[MichaelD83]

I only read the first page, so forgive me if this has come up. But could it be rubber neck syndrome? A couple years ago I bought a Godin S Style I really loved. Had to let it go. Rubber neck. Totally rubber neck.

Five springs, bridge decked, none of the steel stuff would play in tune. Finally figured out the neck was rubber. I could drone the low E, start bending the high E, and physically see the neck bow and hear the low E drop like it was being de-tuned. It was worse bending the B and G strings. You can forget about big bendy triad steel stuff. It wouldn’t do it.

Not all maple is created equal. I have encountered this on a few different guitars over the years.

I hope and pray not! I’m guessing not - spring tension I think was weakened from being in a “V” shape for an extended period (before I bought the guitar). When I ran then parallel and cranked in the claw all the way, the bridge was decked but still slightly lifted on bends. My other MIJ strat neck is much thinner and does not suffer from this problem- this new one is quite substantial in comparison

New set of springs coming tomorrow!

 

[telemnemonics]

KISS and deck it harder!

 

[MichaelD83]

KISS and deck it harder!

If I deck any harder I’ll pinch the ground wire !

 

[cousinpaul]

I wonder if rubber neck syndrome might have something to do with the truss rod. It would make sense that a set-up would be required when going from a floating bridge to a decked bridge.

 

[MichaelD83]

I’ll be darned - 5 new fender pure vintage springs and it still goes sour just a smidge!

Now what ?

 

[willietheweirdo]

I’ll be darned - 5 new fender pure vintage springs and it still goes sour just a smidge!

Now what ?

Solder the ground wire to th'other side of the claw?

 

[Jakedog]

I wonder if rubber neck syndrome might have something to do with the truss rod. It would make sense that a set-up would be required when going from a floating bridge to a decked bridge.

Sometimes that’s a factor. I had a Les Paul back in the day a guy gave me. For free. Because it would not stay in tune. At all. I got to playing it, and he was right. So I got to working on it. Nut, saddles, then I finally thought to check the truss rod. It was totally slack. The guitar played perfectly. Relief was fabulous. But all I did was snug it up enough so it wasn’t loose, and it stayed in tune perfectly.

 

[thescarecrow]

I’ll be darned - 5 new fender pure vintage springs and it still goes sour just a smidge!

Now what ?

Block the trem.

 

[MichaelD83]

Why the heck aren’t the 5 decking ?

 

[MichaelD83]

I’ll be darned - 5 new fender pure vintage springs and it still goes sour just a smidge!