It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:17 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 8:14 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:04 am
Posts: 214
Location: Ft Lauderdale Florida
Good morning ... since no question is a dumb question ... I have 5 springs currently in my Strat trem cavity and the guitar is set up perfectly. Giving it a good cleaning and would like to replace the springs with Fender shinny new ones. Can I remove 1 at a time (without loosening the claw screws) / replace it and go on to the next one without creating any "set up" issues? .... Kind of like changing 1 string at a time on floating bridge guitars? ... Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 9:25 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
I take it that your trem is set floating - if it's decked, there would be no issues, except a bit more difficult to take the maxxed trem springs out and put them in.
So:
When you loosen the strings (tune down), the trem springs become looser and you can swap one spring at a time.
But I can't guarantee you won't need to check and adjust afterwards, those shiny new springs may have a different tension than the old ones.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 9:46 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
I'l put a piece of wood between tremolo block and body or between bridge and body.

You may need a tremolo set up.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 1:47 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
jromanov wrote:
I have 5 springs currently in my Strat trem cavity and the guitar is set up perfectly.


:!:

The guitar is not broke......don't "fix" it.

:roll:

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 2:07 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Retroverbial wrote:
jromanov wrote:
I have 5 springs currently in my Strat trem cavity and the guitar is set up perfectly.


:!:

The guitar is not broke......don't "fix" it.

:roll:

Arjay


+1


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 3:24 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:21 pm
Posts: 394
Location: Oklahoma
You will surely have a different tension with new springs requiring a trem/claw adjustment to get it back where you had it. As was previously said, mark your old setting by blocking or taking measurements before changing springs. I recently added 2 springs because I wanted a stiffer feel, but wanted to keep it floating. The only setup was to the claw. String height and relief stayed the same, but make sure you measure all this as well. Never know. My setup sometimes changes with the wind. :)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 5:04 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
It's a proven scientific fact that bright, shiny, brand new trem springs will take at least a year to break in and that's assuming no less than 3 hours of play time every day of the year.
Up until they're broken in they'll just keep causing your tone to alternate between amazingly good and amazingly crappy until the oscillations get shorter and they start to stabilize and level out.
That's why if you do a search you won't find very many threads about spring life and recommended change out times.
Nobody really does it because it's just too much of a hassle.
If you really need to know how to do it the trick is to change one spring at a time and leave at least a couple of months between each changed spring.
It takes a while but then your guitar will only be 20% wonky at any given time.

Yer new here so we don't know you very well yet but we hope you have a sense of humour.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Replacing tremolo springs?
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 5:11 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
BMW-KTM wrote:
It's a proven scientific fact that bright, shiny, brand new trem springs will take at least a year to break in and that's assuming no less than 3 hours of play time every day of the year.
Up until they're broken in they'll just keep causing your tone to alternate between amazingly good and amazingly crappy until the oscillations get shorter and they start to stabilize and level out.
That's why if you do a search you won't find very many threads about spring life and recommended change out times.
Nobody really does it because it's just too much of a hassle.
If you really need to know how to do it the trick is to change one spring at a time and leave at least a couple of months between each changed spring.
It takes a while but then your guitar will only be 20% wonky at any given time.

Yer new here so we don't know you very well yet but we hope you have a sense of humour.


Image

:mrgreen:

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: