Strats, Trems and Tunings

bermudianbrit

Hi all,

 

I recently acquired a Fender Eric Johnson sig strat from @trude (who was, incidentally, a pleasure to deal with), and so I officially own my first strat. I have had it set-up with 10s but am encountering a few issues.

The strat came with 3 trem springs instead of the typical 5 found on these signature instruments. The tech who set it up assured me that this would not alter the tuning stability. Unfortunately, I commonly engage in tone bends, vibrato ETC. I’m not a wild trem user but I’ve noticed that it simply does not stay in tune particularly well when subjected to the abuse that my Tele regularly receives.

This could be due to new strings, so I’m going to let it bed in for a few days, but I wanted to know if this was an effect of having two fewer springs than normal, or if something else was going on.

 

Thanks

 

ICBM

The number of springs doesn't really affect the tuning stability, it's more to compensate for different string gauges. When the Strat was designed, the normal gauges were much heavier and so five springs were provided. Three springs is the usual set-up for 9s or 10s.

It is possible to set it up with more springs and the claw screw adjustment backed off to give the same overall tension, which some people prefer (notably Jimi Hendrix), but this changes the stiffness of the arm movement rather than the tuning stability.

If it's not returning to tune properly, the problem is either friction at the bridge, or at the nut or string trees, or strings slipping on the machinehead posts. Which way is the tuning sticking? If you push the arm down and release, or if you bend a string hard - which pulls the bridge forward as well - does the tuning then go flat or sharp?

If it goes flat - in the same direction as the bridge has been moved - then the problem is at the bridge end, and if it goes sharp - in the opposite direction as the bridge has moved - then it's at the headstock end. Assuming the strings aren't slipping on the posts, anyway - but if your Tele doesn't then it sounds like you've strung it properly.

bermudianbrit

Hi

Tuning always goes flat. The trem is only permitted to pull downward so it is flush with the body, just as EJ strats usually come.

ICBM

bermudianbrit said:

Tuning always goes flat. The trem is only permitted to pull downward so it is flush with the body, just as EJ strats usually come.

It sounds like it may be binding on the underside of the bridge - that's common when they're set up like that, usually because the six pivot screws are too tight. They should be only tight enough that the bridge will lie loosely and fully flat on the top of the body when there are no strings or springs fitted - any tighter and the angle under the front edge of the bridge will bind against the wood so the bridge won't go back to truly flat.

Personally, I find setting them like that actually increases tuning problems compared to setting them floating, which I know is contrary to popular belief.

bermudianbrit

ok. thanks so much.