Members cadaver_occulta Posted June 20, 2007 Members Share Posted June 20, 2007 just out of pure curiosity...can a normal,ho-hum, everyday tremolo(like a standard strat trem) be modified to float? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zerimas Posted June 20, 2007 Members Share Posted June 20, 2007 Yes, any trem can be set to float. Check out the section on refloating a Floyd in this article: http://www.musicgearsource.com/colar1.html The advice can easily be applied to just about any trem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted June 20, 2007 Members Share Posted June 20, 2007 Standard Strat trems are floating trems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thebrownkey Posted June 20, 2007 Members Share Posted June 20, 2007 Standard Strat trems are floating trems. definately, but folks who have only played/bought used ones may think they are all screwed down to dive only, when in reality thats just a very common thing alot of folks do to thier floating fender trems....block and flatten that sucker so it only dives! with a good slick nut (graphtec tremnut, earvana, etc.) i find even the floating trems hold tune well if used in moderation. seems like its usually a nut problem and not a design problem, but thats another thread! to the poster - fender strats trems are setup floating already from the factory/store, its just that lots of folk flatten them and block them to help tuning stability. usually after a few dives/warbles the strings are out of tune. oils and lubes help (put them on the nut), but a good slick replacment nut like i mentioned can aid in tuning stability alot...the important part is that its filed properly and smoothly by a good tech with exp. but an easy fix is to blck and flatten it to dive only, that takes away the extra "play" in the trem making the tuning more stable by taking away the floating aspect if you want your strats trem to float, consider a good slick nut. replacing hat fender stock nut is an improvement from the get-go anyway! the graphtec tremnut is superslick, great for trems. the earvana (black one is all im familiar) seems to be made of the same slick material plus the benifit of better intonation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members clarky Posted June 20, 2007 Members Share Posted June 20, 2007 if I recall correctly..when you buy a new Strat - which I did a zillion years ago - it comes with a little manual - which I've lost.. lol.. in there is a little diagram showing their [Fender] recommended height from the back of the bridge to the body..I seem to recall something like 1/4" [which could well be utter crap cos my crap brain which is crap]...whatever the exact height, these bridges are intended to float.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cadaver_occulta Posted June 21, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 21, 2007 i must ask you to pardon me (because im very slow) but could someone explain to me how that would work on a normal non-locking tremolo...it just seems like a lot to do with the fine tuners to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted June 21, 2007 Members Share Posted June 21, 2007 i must ask you to pardon me (because im very slow) but could someone explain to me how that would work on a normal non-locking tremolo...it just seems like a lot to do with the fine tuners to me... Well, you have springs attached to the tremolo block that are counteracting the tension from the strings. The two opposing forces hold the bridge in place. Not sure where you're going with the fine tuners thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jacksix Posted June 21, 2007 Members Share Posted June 21, 2007 It's not worth floating unless it helps set the action and string height the way you want. I don't get even a half step of upward pitch change when I pull back. I was used to that because my first guitars were accidentally set like that. Are the newer two point trems routed differently to allow you to pull back further? That's the only way I think it would make it worth it. I'm thinking of dropping my bridge again soon. -Jacksix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thebrownkey Posted June 21, 2007 Members Share Posted June 21, 2007 i must ask you to pardon me (because im very slow) but could someone explain to me how that would work on a normal non-locking tremolo...it just seems like a lot to do with the fine tuners to me... were not sure which reply you are meaning here- if its about the nut, well stock nuts are fine if smoothed/filed by a competant tech. but usually they have small burrs in them (hard to see but there). see, the bridge floats because of equal tension from the string guage themselves- and the springs in the back of the tremelo. now when setup well and floating, think about the points where the strings come into contact with: nut, string trees, saddles and tuners. when you use the trem, the strings slacken (slide) on the nut and the saddles, then slide back when returning to pitch. lots of folks with a trem that has crappy tuning stability immediately blame the tuners, when more often its a poorly cut nut (again hard/impossible to see), and sometimes a burr in the string saddles. those burrs and "not-so-smooth nuts can pinch the strings as they glide and really mess with tuning stability. so you see, the trem system is a balancing act, and for good stability this requires those points where the strings slide across when using the trem be smooth and slick - not burred or poorly filed. using something like nut sauce, lubes, 3 in 1, machine oil on the nutslots, saddles, and under the string trees can help alot. but if its a hardware issue - replacing them will work better. sometimes you do get a smooth nut from the factory and lubing its enough. but usually with fender (not knocking them, i love my strats) the nuts are cut too damn high and poorly filed. i get a replacement like the earvana or graphtec (both equally smooth IMO, but earvana wins for extra benifits), i get a lower filed nut which first of all eases up the playing. the feel is not as"stiff" as with high nutslots. its almost like going down a guage in strings. but also they are made of material claimed to be 500% more slippery than graphite and i believe them. i dont have to use lube with those nuts, but i still put some on the saddles and under the string trees. its easy to lube under string trees, just dip tooth floss in machine oil or lube and "floss" under the saddles. anyway- its not hard to do but best left to a tech if youve never done it (nut replacement and filed). it shouldnt cost much and IMO is almost a must if you plan on using fender trems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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