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Setting up a Strat floating tremolo for specific interval raises & tuning stabiliy


Pedaltones

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Probably many of you know this trick but anyway...

 

This guy sets up the trem so at full pull-up on the arm the G, B & E strings raise at specific intervals.

 

G up 1 1/2 steps

B up 1 step

E up 1/2 step

 

2:48 on skips the intro waffle and gets straight into it.

 

[video=youtube;7luUzgDwwcs]

 

I first saw this idea on this Carl Verheyen video but had no idea how to set up for these intervals. The difference in this one is that Verheyen has the spring claw in the back angled (for more spring tension on the bass strings' side), which is unlike the parallel setup in the above video.

According to him this creates greater tuning stability.

 

2:00 on

 

[video=youtube;Iy-F7iSIopA]

 

Does anyone else set up their strats like this and do you find it to be da bomb diggidy?

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There's even a set of Verheyen strings that are supposedly perfect for this type of setup.

 

 

Are they custom guage or regular?

 

Edit: found them. 9 - 46. I wonder is this an optimum guage for this or more likely - just marketing.

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boy howdy that is a beautiful strat my man.

 

I have not done up my strat like that YET, I just got a gold tremolo system for my strat that I have yet to put on. I am planning on doing this however. I'm nervous about changing the whole system out 'cause as you probably know strats are sensitive little guitars. I played with my action and floating tremolo and saddle heights for a long time to get them where they are now. Right now the guitar is perfect. I use the tremolo arm a lot so tuning stability was a must. I don't know the exact measurements, but I went from the factory specs then tweaked and tweaked and tweaked. Its was a pain, but it just plays so nice now. The amount of springs on your trem make a diference. basically you want it 1/8" floating, fret an A on the E string, bend the arm until it hits the body, that note should be a b flat, adjust the springs until it is. Its fun to play with the setup, but once you have it right, I don't want to touch it again :lol: anyway... I'll put gold tremolo system on some day.

 

Edit: yeah, I mis read your OP, no I haven't even looked into setting each string for different intervals.

 

 

 

2012-04-12_21-36-33_631.jpg

 

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I got a strat about a month ago from a friend. Not wired or set up at all. So I wanted to learn how to do a setup (wiring was something I could already do, although it had a custom pickup configuration that caused a bit of headache).

 

Found this exact series of videos on strat setup and set up my guitar to his specs. Plays just awesomely now, and the trem is a really nice height, action is great, intonation is great, and you get that pitch series of bends for those top strings.

 

Using Ernie Ball Light-top/Heavy-bottom (10-52 gauges)

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There's even a set of Verheyen strings that are supposedly perfect for this type of setup.

 

 

These are light top heavy bottom strings, but one notch lighter. I have 10-52 Ernies - the typical gauges for 10s on the top three, then typical gauges for 11's on the bottom three. Verheyen is setting up the top three strings like a 9 set, then bottom three from a 10 set. Probably the same overall tension you just would adjust the vibrato tension strings to compensate.

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Thanks :thu:

I like the mirror guards on black bodies. Is yours all stock?

 

I am hesitant to try this in case I balls it up. It takes me hours to set up trems to where I like them normally. Those edited videos make it look a breeze - but they lie to you, they lie right to your trusting face!

When you say you set it about 1/8" from the body - you adjust the E only so it's a half step on pull-up but don't bother setting the B & G strings OR do like that guy in the video but use the E string as the starting point to get the other 2 strings to their respective intervals at max pull up? (sorry of the question is slightly long winded & unclear)

 

I only use 3 springs myself with a set of 10's.

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Follow the nice Italian man's instructions. I had NEVER set up a guitar before and I was able to get this on the second try (first try I was afraid of how much spring tension I was making, so I set the strings to bend less. After talking with an experienced guitar tech I wasn't as afraid of the instrument anymore and got it set up right).

 

Seriously, use the post-it notes. It makes it a fockin' breeze.

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I got a strat about a month ago from a friend. Not wired or set up at all. So I wanted to learn how to do a setup (wiring was something I could already do, although it had a custom pickup configuration that caused a bit of headache).


Found this exact series of videos on strat setup and set up my guitar to his specs. Plays just awesomely now, and the trem is a really nice height, action is great, intonation is great, and you get that pitch series of bends for those top strings.


Using Ernie Ball Light-top/Heavy-bottom (10-52 gauges)

 

 

Intersting. You found 10's light top/heavy bottom work just as well - so the bottom takes the more tension. Did you angle the trem claw also? If so did you use a specific angle of just what looked approximate?

 

Also how many springs on your tremolo?

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Thanks
:thu:
I like the mirror guards on black bodies. Is yours all stock?


I am hesitant to try this in case I balls it up. It takes me hours to set up trems to where I like them normally. Those edited videos make it look a breeze - but they lie to you, they lie right to your trusting face!

When you say you set it about 1/8" from the body - you adjust the E only so it's a half step on pull-up but don't bother setting the B & G strings OR do like that guy in the video but use the E string as the starting point to get the other 2 strings to their respective intervals at max pull up? (sorry of the question is slightly long winded & unclear)


I only use 3 springs myself with a set of 10's.

 

Well, I said that, then realized you wanted different intervals. OOPS mis-read. But what I was saying was for having all the stings on one interval. Repeat that with each string. I don't know about this approach your going for, never tried that. :lol:

I have a book about setting up your floating trem, there is nothing in there about doing it like this :( but basically they warn you that, the amount of springs you use and the gauge string your using weigh heavily on how you set it up. So, you can get close with these instructions but in the end your going to have to monkey around with it. I mean, professionals always make it look like a breeze don't they? HA! I remember soldering my first pot, nothing was a breeze about that. So, I doubt it will be so smooth the first go at it :poke:

 

oh my guitar is not stock, I saw that pick-guard in a guitar shop while waiting for my laundry to be finished and was like, hey now, I'm going to buy this guy for $15 :) . other than that, I have a little '59 in the bridge and some vintage like single coils in the middle and neck. I have gold input jack plate, tuners and tremolo system and tremolo arm, that I've yet to put on.

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Intersting. You found 10's light top/heavy bottom work just as well - so the bottom takes the more tension. Did you angle the trem claw also? If so did you use a specific angle of just what looked approximate?


Also how many springs on your tremolo?

 

 

Three springs in the back chamber. I feel they're pulled pretty tight, but the guitar tech I talked to said it was totally fine - I had asked him if I should put two more springs in there so I could back the tension off of them but he said to leave it. I did not angle the claw at all, although I heard that you could do that. I tried it while I was doing the setup the second time but it didn't seem to really do anything for stability, so I just made it straight and have been quite happy with it. If I were to do it again I would try the thing where you don't set the springs up parallel to each other. I saw that some people put the three springs so that they are closer at the claw and farther at the bridge side. Probably doesn't really do anything but who knows. Can't really remember the reason behind that idea now...

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Three springs in the back chamber. I feel they're pulled pretty tight, but the guitar tech I talked to said it was totally fine - I had asked him if I should put two more springs in there so I could back the tension off of them but he said to leave it. I did not angle the claw at all, although I heard that you could do that. I tried it while I was doing the setup the second time but it didn't seem to really do anything for stability, so I just made it straight and have been quite happy with it. If I were to do it again I would try the thing where you don't set the springs up parallel to each other. I saw that some people put the three springs so that they are closer at the claw and farther at the bridge side. Probably doesn't really do anything but who knows. Can't really remember the reason behind that idea now...

 

I'll stick with the 3 springs so myself and won't bother with anything exotic like differently spaced springs :lol: You've given me the tentative confidence only a noob can experience. :thu:

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Ahh I see - you get a half step raise across the board (sounds like a line-dance move
:idea::lol:
) Do you use 10 guage and 3 springs for that?


I got me a set of vintage noiseless in mine but am thinking about trying hot noiseless. Will you change the mirror guard if you install the gold hardware? Personally I think the chrome goes better with that guard but you don't really know 'till your looking at it.


I bought a soldering iron but still haven't broken my hot cherry
:cry:

GOLD EVERYTHING! (:() she's my gold toothed whore

I'm using 10s right now. Three springs, moving to four springs. I've tried those hot noiseless, and they were too much for me. I thought I had a damn boost pedal on. Really pushed the amp, too much for my taste. I like a lower output anyway. Break that cherry man, Soldering and pickup switching gets easier the more you do it :idea:

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GOLD EVERYTHING! (
:(
) she's my gold toothed whore

 

She's an OG

 

[video=youtube;EG2xjCH9cTI]

 

I'm using 10s right now. Three springs, moving to four springs. I've tried those hot noiseless, and they were too much for me. I thought I had a damn boost pedal on. Really pushed the amp, too much for my taste. I like a lower output anyway. Break that cherry man, Soldering and pickup switching gets easier the more you do it
:idea:

 

Constant boostage? Now you've given me pause for thought. I don't wanna be no perma-pumped chump :cry:

 

Who needs that the whole time? :idk:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

09-1.gif?w=436&h=374

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