hey guys, i feel a little stupid asking this but here goes. I just picked up a new john mayer strat with the vintage style tremolo, and i have no idea how to set the bridge up to move. all my other guitars have had fixed bridges so i'm brand new to the concept of a tremolo. thanks.
need a little strat help
- Thread starter MrHat
- Start date
Re: need a little strat help
put the bar in and it should be able to drop the pitch down.
if you want it to float so you can raise the pitch as well, you need to do one of three things.
1-use heavier strings, the extra tension will pull the trem off the body
2-remove one spring from the trem cavity
3-back the screws attached to the trem claw out a little bit
all these things change the ratio of tension of the strings to bridge springs
if you do any of those things, youll probably need to adjust the bridge height as the action will probably be higher than when the bridge was set to drop pitch only
put the bar in and it should be able to drop the pitch down.
if you want it to float so you can raise the pitch as well, you need to do one of three things.
1-use heavier strings, the extra tension will pull the trem off the body
2-remove one spring from the trem cavity
3-back the screws attached to the trem claw out a little bit
all these things change the ratio of tension of the strings to bridge springs
if you do any of those things, youll probably need to adjust the bridge height as the action will probably be higher than when the bridge was set to drop pitch only
thespricket
New member
Re: need a little strat help
yeah, the fender website has a great section on setting up their guitars.
Personally on my strat i like to keep 3 springs on, and tighten the screws in the back of the guitar (the ones jeremy mentioned).
dont fool with the screws on the actual bridge as much.
there can be a gap between the bridge and the body, so you can make the pitch move up with the bar. But i wouldnt recommend it cuz if you do the bridge is weaker and moves when you so much as bend a string with your fretting hand. This makes the pitch of all the strings go down cuz it pulls the bridge down.
the way i check mine is i tighen or loosen the screws in the trem cavity untill when i bend a string (usually the B at the 12th fret) the bridge dosent move.
i think the reason your bridge isnt moving us cuz you have more than 3 springs.
yeah, the fender website has a great section on setting up their guitars.
Personally on my strat i like to keep 3 springs on, and tighten the screws in the back of the guitar (the ones jeremy mentioned).
dont fool with the screws on the actual bridge as much.
there can be a gap between the bridge and the body, so you can make the pitch move up with the bar. But i wouldnt recommend it cuz if you do the bridge is weaker and moves when you so much as bend a string with your fretting hand. This makes the pitch of all the strings go down cuz it pulls the bridge down.
the way i check mine is i tighen or loosen the screws in the trem cavity untill when i bend a string (usually the B at the 12th fret) the bridge dosent move.
i think the reason your bridge isnt moving us cuz you have more than 3 springs.
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