I have a question. I bought a new fender stratocaster blacktop hh mim yesterday and they forgot to give me the tremelo bar. The store I bought it from was farther from my house, new store I wanted to see it big mistake it cost me more than I wanted to spend, and they sent me to a closer store. I did not think to take the quitar with me they gave me the one for my guitar but it is hard to thread in. Is this common and what is the best way to install it without breaking anything? The manager told me to turn it back and forth but be careful not to break it. Also how far do I thread it in all the way or just part way ?

They've probably given you the wrong bar for your guitar, these bars should not be hard to thread in in any way.

You thread it in until the action is as you like it. I have mine so that it's screwed in far enough that it sticks in position where i leave it. Some people like the bar to be looser and for it to drop straight down as soon as they let go of it. It's down to personal taste.

Remember there should be a little spring in the hole to support the bar and to provide resistance against the bar as you tighten it down. if you don't have this the bar will keep on tightening and tightening until it's in a pretty unusable position. You need that little spring. If it's not in the hole tell them to get you one as it should be with the guitar.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

A lot of folks leave it in the case. I don't even use mine anymore unless I'm playing my old Ventures or Surfer stuff. Some times new threads may have a bur in them. In that case you may need to run a clean out tap through them. Make sure you don't cross thread them. (use the correct tap) or you'll really mes things up. It might be a good idea to let a Tech do it for you.
----Danny,