Calling all Strat guys!

JB_From_Hell

JB_From_Hell

Jomo's Nimions
I've got a Strat on the way, and have a few questions about general setup stuff. Typically, I put 5 springs in non-locking trems, crank them down as tight as possible, and never use the bar.

I'm leaving this one in typical Strat form, so I was wondering, is it possible to use the tremelo and stay in tune? I know that if it's not floating it's easier, but beyond that, is there a magic number of springs to use in the back, or a "best" way to arrange them? Are locking tuners and a graphite nut the only real option? I like heavy strings (at least 11), but do lighter ones work better?

Any help here is much appreciated :D
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

JB_From_Hell said:
I've got a Strat on the way, and have a few questions about general setup stuff. Typically, I put 5 springs in non-locking trems, crank them down as tight as possible, and never use the bar.

I'm leaving this one in typical Strat form, so I was wondering, is it possible to use the tremelo and stay in tune? I know that if it's not floating it's easier, but beyond that, is there a magic number of springs to use in the back, or a "best" way to arrange them? Are locking tuners and a graphite nut the only real option? I like heavy strings (at least 11), but do lighter ones work better?

Any help here is much appreciated :D
Click to expand...


Hey bro...I have had real good results lately with a vintage trem. Just do a real good set-up on it. I keep my trem floating (about 75% down/25% up), a well cut bone nut, and I even have vintage keys. I have 3 springs in it right now and it works great. I think I am gonna get a slipstone nut from Stew-Mac (it's supposed to sound like bone, but it's slick like graphite), as well as a set of the vintage Kluson locking keys...but in truth It pretty damn good now! I'm using light top/heavy bottom (which is almost the same as 11's) on my Fenders and 11's on everything else. Depending on how hard you use the trem I think you'll be just fine stock as along as it's got a good set-up. BTW...which Strat are you getting?
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

Higher gauge strings are going to give you more tension, so you may want to consider backing off of the 5 springs may be a good idea.

For an idea of when different springs are needed, I use to use all 5 on my Grosh. I decided to get a Callaham steel trem block. I put in the trem block (which added weight) and one day the pivot screws actually broke and one end of each of the screws was stuck inside the guitar body. I shipped it to Don himself to take it out and set it up and when he finished, he used 3. He told me he's never seen anything like that, I certainly haven't either :saeek:

With 10's, I don't see any reason not to have it with all 5, but with higher gauges, maybe less springs would put more ease on the individual parts of the bridge holding it all together. I definitely don't want to see anyone go through what I went through (I'm glad it all turned out ok and I got a professional setup done by the man himself, which is great).
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

from reading through the stuff that SRV's tech did to Stevie's strat, I learned to lube every moving part in sight, either with graphite, Nut Sauce, teflon, or whatever

I also think your touch on the trem plays its part - I just don't think they were designed to take a lot of wild divebombs
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

I was planning on setting up my strat for .11's some time in the next week or two and was planning on clamping down the bridge as tight as it goes since I have no use for the tremolo. From this thread I'm getting the feeling that this will be too much tension?
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

I like to use enough spring tension to keep bent notes from causing others to go flat.
Usually 3 or 4 heavy chrome springs. Make sure the nut slots are wide enough to accomodate 1 string gauge larger than you use......folded sandpaper usually does the trick. Try to keep only 2 winds around the tuner posts, with the pinch-lock method.
I use white teflon powder, which I buy at the hobby store.....it's for lubing model airplane engines, and it's much cleaner than black graphite. Make sure you stretch the heck out of your strings after putting them on. Use it for mild vibrato, not divebombing. If you abuse your trem, buy a Floyd equipped guitar. Oh yeah, and don't forget to intonate the guitar perfectly, since it changes if it's not anchored down anymore.
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

I'm not expecting to do any Floyd-esque acrobatics with a vintage trem, maybe some Alex Lifeson kind of stuff.

Guy, it's Kac's MIM strat he had on the Trading Post last week. I'm trading him my 7 string Ibanez RG for it. He already put some kick ass pickups in the Strat, so a graphite nut will probably be the first thing I do. I made a bone nut (from a blank :) ) for my acoustic a few years ago, and it made a huge difference in tone. Is the graphite one gonna change the tone, or just make for better tuning stability?

One more question, with non-locking tuners, what is the optimum number of string wraps? I think about 2-3 for the wound strings, and 3-4 for the plain ones works best.
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

Graphite nut would be a good idea. I would personally prefer the Fender LSR Roller nut. It works wonders. I have it installed in my other strat, that I also plan on adding locking tuners to.
I wouldn't change the tuners on the strat you're getting because they are fender vintage tuners...
But I think a nut change would help keep it in tune. I've always used 5 springs on the tremelo and it's seemed to work fine for me, It of course has 5 on it now.

I can't wait to get the 7 and throw some duncans in there.
Rock On :smoker:
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

JB_From_Hell said:
I'm not expecting to do any Floyd-esque acrobatics with a vintage trem, maybe some Alex Lifeson kind of stuff.

Guy, it's Kac's MIM strat he had on the Trading Post last week. I'm trading him my 7 string Ibanez RG for it. He already put some kick ass pickups in the Strat, so a graphite nut will probably be the first thing I do. I made a bone nut (from a blank :) ) for my acoustic a few years ago, and it made a huge difference in tone. Is the graphite one gonna change the tone, or just make for better tuning stability?

One more question, with non-locking tuners, what is the optimum number of string wraps? I think about 2-3 for the wound strings, and 3-4 for the plain ones works best.
Click to expand...


Graphite will change the tone...it will soften the atack, which you might like and you might not. If you do not like it then try slip stone

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/String_nuts/5/String_Nuts.html

This stuff is suposed to sounds just as good as bone, and work better that graphite!!!

good luck
 
Re: Calling all Strat guys!

I should probably go about upgrading my strat in the way of locking tuners and a graphite nut....or something along those lines...just last night at our gig, I had to tune between songs, I'm kinda hard on the tremolo...if I've got it available, I'm gonna use it pretty extremely...I use my strat's tremolo like some people would use their floyd rose..and it's definitely not designed for that type of thing, but I don't like floyd roses...so this is what I do. but no, mine did not hold tune at all if you're going to do EXCESSIVE divebombing, but I make up for it by having a floor tuner and tuning when I have to, and if I'm going to do excessive dive bombing, I tend to do it in the outro of the song so I don't have to suffer through an out of tune guitar for half a song after the solo :)
 
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