Do you need to invest in an expensive tremolo if you plan on replacing the parts?

[unleashthejay]

Do you need to invest in an expensive tremolo if you plan on replacing the saddles & tremolo block and arm? I saw a $12 one on amazon and a $100 on stew Mac. I was planning on buying the cheaper one. Thank you.

 

[unleashthejay]

This is the one I was thinking of getting: link

 

[Hsb]

Not worth it imho, that is a piece that is better to spend $ on, even the FR Special needs to parts replaced and by then, you are almost the cost of a full blown, FR. The cheap ones are made from pot metal, wear out quickly and generally dont stay in tune very well.

Better to spend a bit of $$ on a good bridge than fight it to keep in tune.

 

[unleashthejay]

Not worth it imho, that is a piece that is better to spend $ on, even the FR Special needs to parts replaced and by then, you are almost the cost of a full blown, FR. The cheap ones are made from pot metal, wear out quickly and generally dont stay in tune very well.

Better to spend a bit of $$ on a good bridge than fight it to keep in tune.

Thank you! I'll look for a good vintage Strat one.

 

[uOpt]

Unfortunately the baseplate with the pivot points is important.

And you can run into problems with the fit of aftermarket parts, especially the blocks.

 

[uOpt]

If you want a 6-point with all quality parts why not get a Callaham? Do you want to experiment with variants of parts?

 

[Masta' C]

OP, can you explain what you are intending here? If you buy a decent bridge to begin with, you shouldn't *have* to replace all those parts!

What are you looking for in a bridge?

 

[unleashthejay]

OP, can you explain what you are intending here? If you buy a decent bridge to begin with, you shouldn't *have* to replace all those parts!

What are you looking for in a bridge?

Thank you for your reply and help.

I use the tremolo arm a lot so when I got my first American Strat I replaced the tremolo to stay in tune and to not break any more tremolo arms. I went with a Callaham block (kept the plate of the original strat) the block was great IMO improved sustain and sound somehow and using the arm felt great because you could do a bomb dive with little effort, but then it still would go out of tune so I replaced the original saddles with a Ferra-glide graph tec paired with a slip-stone nut and I tell you this thing never gets out of tune using the tremolo and sounds better all around.

So I'm just wondering if the plate matter since I plan on doing this change.

 

[unleashthejay]

If you want a 6-point with all quality parts why not get a Callaham? Do you want to experiment with variants of parts?

That's exactly what I'm going with, Callahan is great, I have one. Yes, I want to use a Callahan block and Ferra-glide graph tec saddles (this works great on another guitar).

Thank you for your reply and help.

 

[solspirit]

Do you have locking tuners?

 

[uOpt]

That's exactly what I'm going with, Callahan is great, I have one. Yes, I want to use a Callahan block and Ferra-glide graph tec saddles (this works great on another guitar).

Thank you for your reply and help.

If you buy a complete Callaham you can also resell just the saddles when you replace them.

 

[unleashthejay]

Do you have locking tuners?

Not yet but thinking of getting either Fender locking tuners or the hipshot ones.

 

[unleashthejay]

If you buy a complete Callaham you can also resell just the saddles when you replace them.

I would do that but I want it in black which they don't offer. Do you know if the cheaper Wilkinson option here is worth It or should I just pony up and get the ones from stewmac?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...FHESBWAX&psc=1
https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-ha...ntage-tremolo/

 

[uOpt]

I would do that but I want it in black which they don't offer. Do you know if the cheaper Wilkinson option here is worth It or should I just pony up and get the ones from stewmac?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...FHESBWAX&psc=1
https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-ha...ntage-tremolo/

I don't know. I never owned either of those units. FWIW I like that the cheap one has stamped saddles, I think that is important for a Strat.

Do you even know whether your selected future saddles fit the expensive unit?

 

[ErikH]

If you don't want to spend a lot on a 6-screw trem, get the Gotoh. It has a full-size block, bent saddles, durable. I have it on 2 Strat builds and it's been great. Majority of the time it is blocked down acting as a hard tail but I've not had a single issue with them.

 

[unleashthejay]

I don't know. I never owned either of those units. FWIW I like that the cheap one has stamped saddles, I think that is important for a Strat.

Do you even know whether your selected future saddles fit the expensive unit?

Great call out. I think they will. I have these (link below) on another Strat (that has a Callahan block with a slipstone nut and locking tuners) and that guitar never goes out of tune with heavy whammy use. I don't know how much the saddles contribute to that but it's recipe I try to stick to.

I never knew stamped saddles are better for Strats I have to learn more. Thanks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002E4Y9C/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_8?smid=A1RUOWZ2794IXS&psc=1

 

[unleashthejay]

If you don't want to spend a lot on a 6-screw trem, get the Gotoh. It has a full-size block, bent saddles, durable. I have it on 2 Strat builds and it's been great. Majority of the time it is blocked down acting as a hard tail but I've not had a single issue with them.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check them out.