Strat trem question

Lt. Bob said:
I never use a trem but I WAY prefer the sound of a strat that has a trem to one that doesn't and I also don't like the trem blocked for the same reason.
The springs resonate almost like a little built in reverb so a trem strat, to me, sounds very different than a hard tail.
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You got me there LT, I've never considered that in 30 years... Live and learn. I shall investigate..
 
muttley600 said:
You got me there LT, I've never considered that in 30 years... Live and learn. I shall investigate..
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if you take a strat with a trem and chop a chord you can clearly hear the springs ringing. They won't ring as long as a reverb spring of course but the sound is clearly there and, for me, it affects the overall sound of the thing. So hard tails are ...... ummm, for lack of a better term, drier sounding.
It's not a nite and day difference but it's there.

I imagine the difference would be even greater with a floating trem but I've always set my trems where they don't float.
 
Lt. Bob said:
if you take a strat with a trem and chop a chord you can clearly hear the springs ringing. They won't ring as long as a reverb spring of course but the sound is clearly there and, for me, it affects the overall sound of the thing. So hard tails are ...... ummm, for lack of a better term, drier sounding.
It's not a nite and day difference but it's there.

I imagine the difference would be even greater with a floating trem but I've always set my trems where they don't float.
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I only have two strats and both are locked down. I'm going to float one and check it out... Can't really experiment on a customers guit..:o
 
Lt. Bob said:
if you take a strat with a trem and chop a chord you can clearly hear the springs ringing. They won't ring as long as a reverb spring of course but the sound is clearly there and, for me, it affects the overall sound of the thing. So hard tails are ...... ummm, for lack of a better term, drier sounding.
It's not a nite and day difference but it's there.

I imagine the difference would be even greater with a floating trem but I've always set my trems where they don't float.
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I've noticed this unplugged, of course. I've never really tried it plugged in. There's too many variables that have to be the same in order for me to conclude a sound difference.
 
CrowsofFritz said:
I've noticed this unplugged, of course. I've never really tried it plugged in. There's too many variables that have to be the same in order for me to conclude a sound difference.
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Normally I would say you have a point but the variable in this case is solitary. When making comparison on guitar mod that is rare.
 
i keep my strat in tune by tuning it a certain way. i pull back on the wang bar after i make any adjustment. when all the strings are in tune i can pull back on the bar and check and they are still in tune. bending strings makes them flat but i can just pull back on the bar and im in tune again.
 
Most headstocks are not drilled precise, and tuner installation is not ideal too...
The only reason to turn tuners is to put them at "the end position" (against string tension), not at someone less stable +/- mid position.
It is done and checked many hundred times and really works, especially with vibrato unit.
 
Ainaudio said:
Most headstocks are not drilled precise, and tuner installation is not ideal too...
The only reason to turn tuners is to put them at "the end position" (against string tension), not at someone less stable +/- mid position.
It is done and checked many hundred times and really works, especially with vibrato unit.
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What? Man, the tuners don't matter. This guitar is 20 years old. All of the sudden the tuners are out of place?
 
Almost all of this thread is over my pay grade. I've got one guitar with a trem sort of like yours, and based on that narrow experience, I'm also thinking it's the nut. Graphite or I have had luck with that 'nut sauce' stuff - but a new one sounds best - James at Rockin Robin recently replaced the nut on my sg (admittedly with no tremolo at all) and all my going out of tune problems went away.

There's my anecdotal analysis to follow all the pro advice earlier in the thread
 
Greg_L said:
What? Man, the tuners don't matter. This guitar is 20 years old. All of the sudden the tuners are out of place?
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It isn't the tuners. The number of people that think tuners present problems always amazes me. They either work or they don't.
 
muttley600 said:
It isn't the tuners. The number of people that think tuners present problems always amazes me. They either work or they don't.
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I agree. I'm no luthier but I know how a tuner works. They're simple worm/pinion gears. They don't slip, they don't slide, they're not loosening under string tension.
 
moresound said:
That would have been me earlier in this thread. :facepalm:

I think it comes from all of those boutique cheapo Asia guitars that I had picked up through out the years.
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even on those cheapos the tuners had nothing to do with it going out of tune.
 
Greg_L said:
I'm kind of surprised to hear from some of you that can actually play say that you don't use a trem. I would think that with your skills, smart use of a trem could really take you further maybe? I don't know. I just make noise with mine. :D
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This is what I was hoping for when I upgraded the entire trem in my 1980's Korea Squier to a GFS steel block.

I used this guide,

Fender Support

to set it up and it took about a week to bed in with a quite heavy usage of the bar every day and re-tuning and re-checking the set-up but now it's stable and solid and stays in tune just about no matter what I do with the bar.
On the occasions that it doesn't return to pitch then all you need do is wang the bar against how out of tune it sounds so if it sounds flat wang the bar up sharply and it should go back in tune and if it's sharp wang it down a touch.

I do enjoy Mr Becks playing in the years after he left the Yardbirds.
 
IfYouDon'tUseItYouLoseIt

IT'S NOT THE SADDLES, OR THE NUT,,,,More than likely an environmental factor. Oxidation, and corrosion builds up after a time even in the most perfect of environments for metals. The best to do is to take the mechanism out for inspection of the screws, and eyelets. Usually cleaning will help unless it is severe corrosion in which a wire brush, and lite filing would have to be done. If not into Dudely DooWright's method, The quicker result could be by just whamming the inbreeds away. The mechanism should float. So vigorously back and forth like you were possessed by Hendrix,,,,,,,,,,or Dan Marino if you know who he is. Watch yer intonation. Huh, Brings to mind of something else that if one doesn't use he'll lose.
 
muttley600 said:
Any more idiots want to droop by and have a crack at solving this without reading the thread?

:laughings:
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Okay sure...oh wait...I read the damned thread. I guess that disqualifies me, yeah?

This thread is actually a good explanation for why I don't set my own Strats up. Take 'em to the freakin' shop and let them deal with it. Everyone is so much happier that way.
 
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