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Post subject: Squier Strat whammy bar installation help
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:08 pm
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Hello All,

I purchased Squier Strat kit (Affinity series) for my son. I know nothing about electric guitars. It came with a whammy bar that screws in. It also came with a tension spring about 2.5 to 3 inches long. I'm not sure if I even need this spring, but if so, I do not know where it goes.

If I screw the whammy bar in, it doesn't seem to do anything. The bridge doesn't seem to move at all. Any help for a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Kev


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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:31 pm
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hi and welcome to the community. :D

first of all, can you please post some pictures so that it would be easier for us to give our advice regarding this matter.

about the springs, it should come with 3 or 4 springs attached to the claw in the back cavity. for a beginner, 3 should suffice. don't tighten them up (the claw screws) too much as they will put a great pressure towards the bridge plate and the strings. you need the springs to keep your guitar in tune.

i also had Squier Strat Affinity for my first electric guitar (and it is still the best guitar i've ever played) so my personal preference is i will tighten the claw screws till it has only about 1 cm space in between the claw and the body.

the whammy bar is used for doing great tricks and skills while playing electric guitar. search for Steve Vai song Tender Surrender in Youtube, it is full with whammy tricks and skills.

for your guitar, first, screw the bar into its place until it has tighten, but not too tight. then, loosen it a bit by unscrew it in 1 anticlockwise turn. to use it, while strumming or picking a note, hold the bar at its tip and push it towards the pickups position, near the strings, or towards the neck. this is sometimes called Dive. this technique will reduce the strings tension and will create a 'wooish' or vibrating or even pulsating sounds.

do not ever push or pull the bar at the reverse position from what i've stated. you will damage the bridge and bar unit by doing it. for your guitar, i'm pretty sure that it can only be pushed only forward and not backward. unless on a different type of bridge (a floating one), then the bar can be pushed or pulled to create a more dramatic sound.

my apologies if the things that i've written here are incorrect or not up to your expectation. experiment slowly with the bridge and the bar. they're great.

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Post subject: beginners mistake
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:32 pm
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dont screw the whammy bar in all the way if you do it locks the bridge


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Post subject: Re: Squier Strat whammy bar installation help
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:28 pm
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Location: Magnolia, Texas (just north of Houston)
rolldadyce wrote:
Hello All,

I purchased Squier Strat kit (Affinity series) for my son. I know nothing about electric guitars. It came with a whammy bar that screws in. It also came with a tension spring about 2.5 to 3 inches long. I'm not sure if I even need this spring, but if so, I do not know where it goes.

If I screw the whammy bar in, it doesn't seem to do anything. The bridge doesn't seem to move at all. Any help for a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Kev


Welcome to the Forum. Love a father that buys a kid a guitar. When installing the whammy bar, screw it in all the way. Do nnot over tighten it. Once in, unscew it one revolution. To move the Tremolo, bring the bar parallel to the strings and put a downward pressure to the bar. This should cause the bridge to move. It may be a little stiff at first.

As far as that extra tension spring is concerned, but it in a little box. You or your son may need it some day. Some people like 4 or 5 springs on the tremolo. It would be placed in the tremolo access cavity located in the back of the guitar. If you take off the back access plate it will make sense what you do with the spring. It is purely a personal preference.

Hope he enjoys the guitar. Post pics if you can as we here at the Forum love pics of guitars.

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