Members thunder100 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Hi dear All Can somebody explain me how on the Clapton Startocasters the tremolo is blocked? What does it to the sound and the sustian?What does it to other things? I want to do this(let it do) to my Highway 1 as I almost never use the tremolo arm Give me some pro and cons please thanks Roland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members make trick Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 a piece of wood is stuck behind the trem block. it increases the sound and sustain, those are the pros. the cons is you can't use the trem and lose some of the squishy feeling of a strat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Strat87 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Well answered my friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members niceguy Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 For me, the strongest pro is that it completely stabilizes the tuning, which is important if you like changing tunings or even just retuning one string (drop D, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Can someone explain to me why blocking the trem is so advantageous over just putting a couple of extra springs on the trem? The Strat I play the most has 5 springs in the Trem. I can still dive bomb if needed, but I've never had an issues with tuning stability or down tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members itkindaworks Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 I also like to use 5 springs. It's really stable and it can still be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members inkblot Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 I doubt you would hear a substantial difference in the sound or sustain of the guitar. It might be a little snappier, like a tele, but not much. If you put in 5 springs and tighten the trem claw it's pretty much the same effect. If you never use the trem though, blocking it will get you a little closer to a hardtail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bowe Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Can someone explain to me why blocking the trem is so advantageous over just putting a couple of extra springs on the trem?The Strat I play the most has 5 springs in the Trem. I can still dive bomb if needed, but I've never had an issues with tuning stability or down tuning. if you don't use the trem at all, its better to put in more wood then more metal clapton blocks his trems because he never uses the trem, but doesn't like the sound of a hardtail, thats pretty much the reason why to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 if you don't use the trem at all, its better to put in more wood then more metalclapton blocks his trems because he never uses the trem, but doesn't like the sound of a hardtail, thats pretty much the reason why to do it But that's kinda my point, by adding a chunk of wood?? (I haven't seen one) to the trem cavity, isn't that esentially turning it into a hard tail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cBc Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 The way I understood it, this device prevents Eric Clapton from wiggling yer trem bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 But that's kinda my point, by adding a chunk of wood?? (I haven't seen one) to the trem cavity, isn't that esentially turning it into a hard tail? Nope .. the trem springs add a slight natural reverb to the sound, which is why, even though he doesn't ever use the wigglestick, Ry Cooder doesn't have a hardtail as his main Strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bowe Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 But that's kinda my point, by adding a chunk of wood?? (I haven't seen one) to the trem cavity, isn't that esentially turning it into a hard tail? you've still got a large chunk of wood missing where the springs are,and the fact that there are some springs in there. the only person who knows why he prefers it is Clapton himself. remember some guitarists claim that the tone is better when you take off the plastic cover over the trem springs, we're a fickle bunch who are pretty set in our ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Nope .. the trem springs add a slight natural reverb to the sound, which is why, even though he doesn't ever use the wigglestick, Ry Cooder doesn't have a hardtail as his main Strat. This is what I was curious about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 you've still got a large chunk of wood missing where the springs are, and the fact that there are some springs in there. the only person who knows why he prefers it is Clapton himself. remember some guitarists claim that the tone is better when you take off the plastic cover over the trem springs, we're a fickle bunch who are pretty set in our ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmarsh Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 But that's kinda my point, by adding a chunk of wood?? (I haven't seen one) to the trem cavity, isn't that esentially turning it into a hard tail? I've read that EC believes that the Strat's trem saddles/bridge/block sssembly contributes to it's unique sound and a hardtail bridge just doesn't sound the as good. So blocking the trem keeps what he likes but increases the sustain over having the floating trem. I can certainly believe that the block of wood in there (rather than extra springs) would change the way things reverberate somewhat. For me, though, that's the least of my problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Nope .. the trem springs add a slight natural reverb to the sound, which is why, even though he doesn't ever use the wigglestick, Ry Cooder doesn't have a hardtail as his main Strat. +1 A hardtail Strat has a much faster and more aggressive attack on the note over a blocked trem, it's truly a big step toward Tele tone. With a blocked strat, you still have some of the springy feel and tone, and the attack on the note is still attenuated because of lost rigid bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eminence_Front Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 If you block the Trem and remove the back cover it lets the spirit of SRV into your guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Patuney Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Probably increased the sustain 15-20%. PS Use a nice piece of tonewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roygbiv Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 +1A hardtail Strat has a much faster and more aggressive attack on the note over a blocked trem, it's truly a big step toward Tele tone. With a blocked strat, you still have some of the springy feel and tone, and the attack on the note is still attenuated because of lost rigid bridge. Wyatt and CSM are correct. The springs give the reverb/squishiness. I've actually just blocked a trem with a piece of wood and there's a noticeable difference. The tone goes "KRANG" instead of "SHRANG". BTW, unlike Patuney's photo, I blocked my trem block on both sides with wood and took the springs completely off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmarsh Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Wyatt and CSM are correct. The springs give the reverb/squishiness. I've actually just blocked a trem with a piece of wood and there's a noticeable difference. The tone goes "KRANG" instead of "SHRANG".BTW, unlike Patuney's photo, I blocked my trem block on both sides with wood and took the springs completely off. Cool. Anybody know which way the EC strats are blocked? With or without the springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted November 12, 2008 Members Share Posted November 12, 2008 Cool. Anybody know which way the EC strats are blocked? With or without the springs? With. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thunder100 Posted November 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hi Friends Thanks a lot,I know a bit more now Roland PS:I think I go for one block and the springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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