screwing the trem down on a Strat (oh, and NGD!)....

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wordywordy Frets: 67

just got this delivered the other day.

Its a G&L Special Collection Legacy with swamp ash body, finished in what they call 'honey ale'.  Am loving the guitar, very loud acoustically and a lovely satin finish all over.

The thing is I've very little interest in the trem, so I'd like to screw it down, but I've never done it.

Would it just be a case of loosening off some of the string tension, then screwing down those two allen key screws (see below) till theyre tight?  Anything to watch out for?

Cheers - and here she is....

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the bridge...

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Comments

  • IvisonGuitarsIvisonGuitars Frets: 6838
    edited January 2014 tFB Trader
    I'd leave the allen bolts as they are.

    If it's the same as a Strat, just loosen off the strings, take the back plate/trem cavity cover off and then screw the two screws that hold the 'jaw' that holds the trem springs to the body until the trem base plate sits flush with the body.

    You may need to string to pitch to make sure it still sits flush under tension, if not, then repeat :-)

    Hope that makes sense!
    http://www.ivisonguitars.com
    (formerly miserneil)
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  • jd0272jd0272 Frets: 3867
    Can you not just remove the springs and put a wooden wedge (round the back like) between the block and the route face? That's what I did with my Strat.
    "You do all the 'widdly widdly' bits, and just leave the hard stuff to me."
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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700

    Or add a couple of springs.........

    Slacken the strings, put in 5 springs, tension strings to pitch and more upward movement can be taken out by adjusting the spring claw.

    You'll probably need to check/adjust the intonation when it's done.

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • jd0272 said:
    Can you not just remove the springs and put a wooden wedge (round the back like) between the block and the route face? That's what I did with my Strat.
    Much easier to just tighten the trem claw/add springs.
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  • That's lovely, a really gorgeous colour.

    I'd recommend mike-l's idea, of adding a couple of springs. It's very strong and stable, and you don't run any risk of getting something wrong by over-tightening anything.

    If you must have sex with a frog, wear a condom. If you want the frog to have fun, rib it.
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    Much easier to just tighten the trem claw/add springs.
    this,  I put 5 springs on my strat,  tightened the claw.  Rock solid, and I do, do quite severe bends.

    For me it actually sounds different when using a solid block,  I tried it, but prefer the springs
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ChrisMusicChrisMusic Frets: 1133
    Nice guitar wordy, an with a name like 'honey ale' what's not to like.  Bit of a looker and I'll bet it plays really well, good NGD.   :)

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  • jd0272jd0272 Frets: 3867
    guitargeek62;135009" said:
    jd0272 said:

    Can you not just remove the springs and put a wooden wedge (round the back like) between the block and the route face? That's what I did with my Strat.





    Much easier to just tighten the trem claw/add springs.


    Probly, I had no use for the trem so the random wedge worked for me.
    "You do all the 'widdly widdly' bits, and just leave the hard stuff to me."
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  • wordywordy Frets: 67

    thanks chaps for the advice and for the kind comments.

    I'd had this done on a couple of strats but always by a tech during setup, and I'd never enquired as to how it was done. I can see now it calls for some more thought, before I attempt anything.

    Fancied a natural finish strat for a while... lovely pale satin neck on it too... I put a bit of lemon oil on the fingerboard the other night, and I'm slowly tweaking the truss rod every day to get the action where I want it.

    Hopefully will get to plug in for a few hours this weekend and really put it through its paces.

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  • fretfinderfretfinder Frets: 4978
    bertie said:
    Much easier to just tighten the trem claw/add springs.
    this,  I put 5 springs on my strat,  tightened the claw.  Rock solid, and I do, do quite severe bends.

    For me it actually sounds different when using a solid block,  I tried it, but prefer the springs
    Me too. I once had a guitar set up by Chandler Guitars and I'd wedged a wooden block in to block the trem and they removed it and did the 5 springs and claw tightening method, works much better. It's easier to do with a traditional style trem with 6 screws holding the bridge to the body. I've also tried it with PRS and US Standard Strat two-point trems and it requires a little more trial and error with those in my experience.
    250+ positive trading feedbacks: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57830/
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