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Post subject: How to make a bridge float?
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:53 pm
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Is doing this a matter of taking off springs, or is there more to it? I use .10 strings if that helps at all...
Thanks in advance.

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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:02 pm
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Well to make a bridge float, it is necessary to destroy it and watch it float in the water...

Naw, but seriously, I think the springs may need to be adjusted and the trem claw should be properly adjusted. I remember this from when a tech was working on making my Strat a hardtail.


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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:42 pm
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My instrution manual states that it should have a 1/8" float to it. Some people like it and some do not. It is a matter of loosening the claw clamp a little and possibly re-intonating the guitar. Did the guitar come with the trem flush to the body. Was it bought used? Did you change to 10's without adjusting the guitar?

This may help. Good luck

http://www.fender.com/support/stratocaster.php

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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:17 pm
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OK, you want one bridge removed from the guitar added to a glass of root beer.



A floating bridge is a balancing act. The string tension pulls the back of the bridge up. To compensate you have springs and a claw to pull the back of the bridge back down. You can use 2, 3, 4, or 5 springs depending on how stiff you want your trem to operate. The ideal height for the back of the bridge is 1/8 of an inch. After the guitar is tuned to pitch and you have decided how many springs you want to use the claw screws are adjusted either in or out until the height of the back of the bridge is 1/8 of an inch.

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:56 am
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CAFeathers wrote:
A floating bridge is a balancing act. The string tension pulls the back of the bridge up. To compensate you have springs and a claw to pull the back of the bridge back down. You can use 2, 3, 4, or 5 springs depending on how stiff you want your trem to operate. The ideal height for the back of the bridge is 1/8 of an inch. After the guitar is tuned to pitch and you have decided how many springs you want to use the claw screws are adjusted either in or out until the height of the back of the bridge is 1/8 of an inch.
8)


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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:25 pm
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I guess i got the guitar used, handmedown from my brother, i used to use 9s but after christmas i got an 8 pack of daddrio 10s...is this extraordinarily bad for the guitar? May I ask where the claw screws are? and finally, I like to hold the Tremolo on my fathers strat and it gives it a mellower tone, would 2 or 3 springs do this for me?

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:36 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
OK, you want one bridge removed from the guitar added to a glass of root beer.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:46 pm
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INVINCIBLE1214 wrote:
I guess i got the guitar used, handmedown from my brother, i used to use 9s but after christmas i got an 8 pack of daddrio 10s...is this extraordinarily bad for the guitar? May I ask where the claw screws are? and finally, I like to hold the Tremolo on my fathers strat and it gives it a mellower tone, would 2 or 3 springs do this for me?


Turn the guitar over and remove the plate, (9 screws). The claw is that thing the springs connect to and is attached to the wood body of the guitar with two long wood screws. When you put heavier gage strings on, you'll need to either tighten these two screws or add another spring.

Don't worry about the heavier gage strings. Stevie Ray Vaughan was the extreme in this and used really heavy gage strings, 0.013 - 0.058 and even known to have gone as heavy as 0.018 - 0.074. However, he also tuned down a half step so he could bend a little easier. You're not going to hurt the guitar, you just need to compensate for the added stress on the bridge.

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:56 pm
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Ok, i opened up the back of my guitar, and it was pretty obvious what the claw was. So I loosened those screws, and have three springs, so that suckers floating :D Thanks for all the help guys :)

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:33 pm
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i love a nice floating bridge 8)

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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:09 pm
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couldn't resist ;)

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dang -- made myself homesick...... :(

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