Early mim Stratocaster original trem problems. w. solution

[grumphh]

 

You're most welcome. Frankly, I think the results you're getting with the match sticks will match (pardon the pun) or exceed those of the nails... the nails stand a good chance of introducing a rattle, and, because the nails won't compress due to the force of the spring pressing down on them, may fall out when you begin wailing on the whammy...

 

 

Hadn't thought about the rattle, but now that you mention it, yeah, if the nail isnt perfectly straight (or the base of the block) that could lead to problems.

[timmyfirst]

What do you mean "maple fingerboard"? The entire neck is one piece of maple and frets are set into that - at least as far as i can see. The original cheap-to-manufacture Fender way And the rosewood board neck is actually a little thicker overall compared to the maple. Anyway, i really think that different philosophies about guitar tone clash here between us, i place much more importance on setups and pickups than i do on hardware details. ...meaning that yes, i cannot entirely dismiss that different hardware may alter the sound - only i believe that it doesn't matter as much, as you do. Otoh, i believe that setting up relief profiles, string height and adjusting pickup height is extremely important when going for a specific tone... We just differ in our opinions

 

You should perhaps start thinking about hardware then! I changed the saddles on my mex strat to graphtechs, that made a huge difference to the tone, as did the changing of the machineheads. Ignoring the difference in hardware is like ignoring the difference between a set of 10's and a set of 11's. Set-ups and pick-ups make a difference, but a set of pick-ups arent going to make the guitar resonate in a different way.

[grumphh]

 

You should perhaps start thinking about hardware then! I changed the saddles on my mex strat to graphtechs, that made a huge difference to the tone, as did the changing of the machineheads. Ignoring the difference in hardware is like ignoring the difference between a set of 10's and a set of 11's. Set-ups and pick-ups make a difference, but a set of pick-ups arent going to make the guitar resonate in a different way.

 

I am actually considering doing something to the saddles - but not so much because i believe in different materials sonic qualities, but rather because the ones on the '93 seem rather worn.

And a nice clean burr/groove free saddle will definitely let the strings ring out better.

 

However, there is something to be said for changes in hardware - i did try removing one of the springs today to see if there would be any difference with only two springs as opposed to three, and there was a difference. Tone got thinner, so i changed right back to three springs. Lesson learned.

[RaVenCAD]

Two comments I've noticed.. First is the one about not believing a bigger block will sound better. You'd be right, it doesn't sound "better", because "better" is subjective.. It does sound "different" though, plus it'll give you more sustain.

 

The second is about not believing the different saddle material will have a different sound.. You couldn't be more wrong.

 

Here is where your fix is going to fail: Go set your trem up floating, then wail on it up and down. Those matches are going to work their way out eventually. Your best bet is a properly sized block. It doesn't have to be brass, or titanium, or gold or maple from Noah's arc. All it needs to be is sized properly. Pull your current block out, measure it, then get one a few mm bigger. Easy, done, end of argument.

[grumphh]

 

Two comments I've noticed.. First is the one about not believing a bigger block will sound better. You'd be right, it doesn't sound "better", because "better" is subjective.. It does sound "different" though, plus it'll give you more sustain. The second is about not believing the different saddle material will have a different sound.. You couldn't be more wrong. Here is where your fix is going to fail: Go set your trem up floating, then wail on it up and down. Those matches are going to work their way out eventually. Your best bet is a properly sized block. It doesn't have to be brass, or titanium, or gold or maple from Noah's arc. All it needs to be is sized properly. Pull your current block out, measure it, then get one a few mm bigger. Easy, done, end of argument.

 

Show me measurements of that added sustain.

Not subjective claims.

 

As for saddle material tone influence, and all the other stuff like vintage sized springs and so on.

Not going to turn a sows ear into a silk purse. - and in fact probably not even turn the sows ear into at least a leather purse...

 

If you can't bother reading my posts, i'll state it a third time:

I am not using these guitars professionally, so if one of the matchstick pieces falls out, i can just replace it (takes all of a minute) and no harm is done.

(And that said, i use the trem for some gentle wobbling - for divebombs and the like i have other guitars - so the likelyhood of the spacer falling out is small)

 

If i were using these guitars professionally, i would most definitely fix the problem with a stable solution (such as a bigger block).

 

But i am simply not anal enough to need to keep my guitars in "roadworthy condition" - when there is absolutely no chance that they will ever see any road whatsoever, and on top of that, i am perfectly happy about the way they sound.

 

Look, my main purpose with this thread was to alert people to the fact that these guitars (i.e. early mim strats) may* simply be built wrong from the start - and that a really simple solution for this creaking trem problem exists.

 

Not to have to defend some viewpoint about modding guitars - which is something i personally simply don't believe in. Call it a religious conviction...

Others may mod their guitars as much as they wish, i just don't care enough to do it.

 

 

*may, because i could by chance have gotten hold of two duds...