Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

[RockinProf]

Hi again all,

Just a curiosity question. Does anyone have experience with trem block swaps? reading a little about brass, stone and tungsten trem blocks and how they add articulation, sustain and all things good. Is this difference actually audible in a band mix or a subtle difference you might only catch in isolation with the right set up?

Thanks

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Makes a difference in particular if you float the vibrato where plucking the strings causes some momentum to build up in the bridge/block. Different mass will absorb the strings' energy at different rates.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I would think that *anything* the string actually touches would make a difference. Now, it might be good or bad, and I certainly couldn't put a percentage on how much it changes. I think the people selling them know this, so they might stretch the claims a bit.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Blocks do make a difference. A brass block will usually help warm up a bright guitar, and a brass block on a floyd helps take away the metallic zing you can sometimes get with a floyd. Mild steel blocks usually improve the tone on strats that originally had zinc blocks.

Allan Holdsworth had aluminum blocks installed on the Dimarzio vintage style trems he used on his personal Charvels. I recently did a parts Charvel project that became a replica of a Holdsworth type single humbcker Charvel with an aluminum block vintage style trem. Sounds real good. Excellent sustain. A big part of his legato lead sound I found.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I just ordered a 42mm big block for my Kramer project!!

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I've had good luck with replacing cheap trem blocks. Not a night and day difference and its not going to turn your $300 guitar into a $3,000 one...but I've heard and felt a better difference, more so on the feel personally.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

What companies are making blocks these days?

 

[dystrust]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Blocks do make a difference. A brass block will usually help warm up a bright guitar, and a brass block on a floyd helps take away the metallic zing you can sometimes get with a floyd. Mild steel blocks usually improve the tone on strats that originally had zinc blocks.

Conversely a zinc block can tame the mud from a basswood body. My Charvel Model 1A has a basswood body & zinc block, and it sounds exactly how you'd expect a Strat to sound. I've heard that a more recent manufacturer (Tyler maybe?) came to the same conclusion with their guitars; basswood for light weight and zinc to tame the mud.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

What companies are making blocks these days?

Not sure, I've just ordered online. Had really good luck with solid brass ones that came from a seller on eBay.

Conversely a zinc block can tame the mud from a basswood body. My Charvel Model 1A has a basswood body & zinc block, and it sounds exactly how you'd expect a Strat to sound. I've heard that a more recent manufacturer (Tyler maybe?) came to the same conclusion with their guitars; basswood for light weight and zinc to tame the mud.

I think the main thing is to know why you are replacing something...if just to experiment then go ahead with it. But sometimes the stock parts don't need to be changed...and those Charvel Model series need very little changed at all in my book!

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

IMO, Callaham makes the best blocks, replacement bridges for every type of strat and all other hardware needed. I built my dream strat 12 years ago and every piece of hardware, pickguard, pickguard shield, down to every screw came from Callaham. In fact, I purchased the last full set of gold hardware he had in stock, as he stopped carrying it.

Anyhow, everything in the hardware kit is top shelf quality and I've had zero problems with the guitar. The tuners are the old vintage style where you put that string straight down the tuner shaft and then bend 90 degrees to start winding. They hold tune over time better than any other electric I have, and two have locking tuners.

Check them out. Not the cheapest, but the best.....IMO.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

What companies are making blocks these days?

The 2 I’m aware of are FU Tone and Floyd Rose.
I ordered a Floyd branded one from eBay. $23 vs. FU’s $50

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

IMO, Callaham makes the best blocks, replacement bridges for every type of strat and all other hardware needed. I built my dream strat 12 years ago and every piece of hardware, pickguard, pickguard shield, down to every screw came from Callaham. In fact, I purchased the last full set of gold hardware he had in stock, as he stopped carrying it.

Anyhow, everything in the hardware kit is top shelf quality and I've had zero problems with the guitar. The tuners are the old vintage style where you put that string straight down the tuner shaft and then bend 90 degrees to start winding. They hold tune over time better than any other electric I have, and two have locking tuners.

Check them out. Not the cheapest, but the best.....IMO.

He does have great stuff. I’ve got a set of compensated tele saddles from him.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I wish I could remember where I got the big brass block I put on the Floyd on my Ibanez RG270DX. Going from the stock trem to an OFR with that block, made the guitar sound so beefy, cutting yet heavy. It’s a great metal setup.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

The blocks definitely make a difference. A larger brass block over a stock brass isn't a huge one, but material changes to make a very perceptible difference. Brass warms up the tone from a zinc, titanium gives you a brighter, more defined tone.

 

[raistlin]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I had one made from a guy over at Strat-talk, under the handle celtrocka. Good solid stuff, and a bit cheaper than Callaham's.

 

[LLL]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Callaham is my go-to supplier for 6 or 2 hole strat trems. Yes, there is a difference.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Conversely a zinc block can tame the mud from a basswood body. My Charvel Model 1A has a basswood body & zinc block, and it sounds exactly how you'd expect a Strat to sound. I've heard that a more recent manufacturer (Tyler maybe?) came to the same conclusion with their guitars; basswood for light weight and zinc to tame the mud.

My Holdsworth project used a basswood body. It's not muddy but fat with the aluminum block. It also uses an ebony fret board.

Holdsworth had three Charvels custom made. One was basswood, I think that was the white one?? One was a Malaysian pine species. He also had a spruce one that was sprayed clear. The spruce one originally had a maple fret board neck but he swapped it out for an ebony fret board one to match his other two Charvels after awhile. He also had a neck pickup installed on that one later on. I don't recall if he later installed a custom Kahler prototype on it or not. Most of the Holdsworth models made for other customers were basswood, and usually used a vintage style trem with a steel block. Although, I have seen the standard Charvel brass vintage tremolo on one. You could order them anyway you wanted, so there are very few exactly alike. Bill Connors had a Holdsworth style Charvel with I think a swamp ash body, but maybe alder, and a brown sunburst finish. I think it used a Dimarzio trem with a steel block.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

Ebony would be a great part of the sound.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Alternate trem blocks, real difference or marketing?

I wish I could remember where I got the big brass block I put on the Floyd on my Ibanez RG270DX. Going from the stock trem to an OFR with that block, made the guitar sound so beefy, cutting yet heavy. It’s a great metal setup.

We had a bit of a thing for KGC blocks for a short while....there were a couple of samples that were passed through the members so they could see if they liked them.