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Post subject: My turn to ask for help, re: Trem Springs, Trem Claw, Nut...
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:41 am
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So I picked up a new Strat a couple weeks ago, came pre-loaded with 5 springs (like the ones off the vintage trem) on the "new" 2-point bridge system w/ steel "vintage-style" saddles. I hammer on it a tiny bit, and everything goes wayyy sharp. So I adjust my tuning and start playing, but everything immediately goes wayyy flat... I bring it up with the guy at the local shop, he says get a Floyd Rose...after informing him that my MIA stays in-tune after wailing on the arm for 20+ minutes, he advises me to take out one spring at a time, testing in-between. I'm down to 3 springs (the 2 extreme springs angled, like it would be from the factory), and the bottom 3 strings stay in-tune, but the top 3 will go slightly sharp (I'm using .10 - .52s). I haven't tried playing with the trem claw yet...don't know if I should?

I also can hear what sounds like "stretching" or otherwise "stress" on the strings aroud the nut, causing me to think that there is excessive friction or the string is getting caught? I haven't tried running over the contact points on the nut with a pencil yet...

Any advice / tips would be greatly appreciated =]

\m/

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:01 am
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best advice on trem set up i ever heard is here

http://www.gitaarnet.nl/video/carlverheyen/carlverheyen-setup-hoog.ram
unfortunatley you need realplayer to view it, get the free version here

http://uk.real.com/player/more/

its well worth trying that guys way, i set my hotrod up like it and its stable as anything, it still goes out a bit after serious abuse but only 1/4 a tone on the high E. If this setup doesnt help it could be the tremposts worn, it can happen very quickly and even getting a floyd fitted wont stop it unless the trem posts are changed too, as its the bridge not going back int the right place. as opposed to the strings slipping on the machineheads or catching on the nut. Also try raising the string tree my squire has the string tree 8mm off the headstock my hotrod about 5mm.

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:30 am
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Thanks man, I'll check it out when I get home from work (no Player here and can't download :()

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:55 am
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Sounds like an issue with the nut to me. I would have the the nut slots checked out.

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:52 pm
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Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:54 pm
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bss wrote:
Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?


I don't know if lube would fix it or not. Sounds like it was not cut just right. It should be checked out by a Tech.

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:05 pm
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I dropped it off last week with a tech for a set-up...they didn't say anything...I just got it back, and I'll need it for my "tour" in a couple weeks...I'll try the pencil thing first, if that doesn't work, I'll lay off the arm until I get back...

Thanks you guys =]

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:05 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
bss wrote:
Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?


I don't know if lube would fix it or not. Sounds like it was not cut just right. It should be checked out by a Tech.

Chet, when you switch string sizes aren't you supposed to have the nut re-cut for that particular string size? If the guitar had 9s on it and he moved up to 10s he should have this checked.?


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:07 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
bss wrote:
Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?


I don't know if lube would fix it or not. Sounds like it was not cut just right. It should be checked out by a Tech.

Chet, when you switch string sizes aren't you supposed to have the nut re-cut for that particular string size? If the guitar had 9s on it and he moved up to 10s he should have this checked.?


Switching from 9' to 10's should not be a problem, UNLESS the nut was not cut right in the first place. It happens, even on the best built guitars. Fixing it is an easy job for a good tech.

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:12 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
fhopkins wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
bss wrote:
Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?


I don't know if lube would fix it or not. Sounds like it was not cut just right. It should be checked out by a Tech.

Chet, when you switch string sizes aren't you supposed to have the nut re-cut for that particular string size? If the guitar had 9s on it and he moved up to 10s he should have this checked.?


Switching from 9' to 10's should not be a problem, UNLESS the nut was not cut right in the first place. It happens, even on the best built guitars. Fixing it is an easy job for a good tech.


10-4 Thanks!


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:17 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
fhopkins wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
bss wrote:
Maybe he could just "lube the nut" with chap stick or somthing?


I don't know if lube would fix it or not. Sounds like it was not cut just right. It should be checked out by a Tech.

Chet, when you switch string sizes aren't you supposed to have the nut re-cut for that particular string size? If the guitar had 9s on it and he moved up to 10s he should have this checked.?


Switching from 9' to 10's should not be a problem, UNLESS the nut was not cut right in the first place. It happens, even on the best built guitars. Fixing it is an easy job for a good tech.


10-4 Thanks!



:wink:

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:19 pm
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Nothing to add to the above remarks about the nut: that's all good advice.

But I just thought to re-emphasise what Nikininja said about the trem posts. Now I don't know if it is really true, but I did read that EVH has his Floyd switched out every two weeks, including the posts, due to wear between the knife edge and the post.

Now, even if that is an urban myth, it is worth looking at that point of friction. Heavy wear on that edge can distort it enough to interfer with its return to pitch after whammy or string bending.

Worth a look - and a replacement regular tremolo is a whole lot cheaper than getting a Floyd fitted...

Cheers - C


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:48 pm
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Yeah, I wasn't planning on getting a Floyd installed...I'm not doing anything that heavy...I did have the Strat set-up for the .10 - .52s (I think it had .09s when I bought it), so they should have made the appropriate adjustments to the nut...I'll look into the trem posts and the nut though, just to be safe.

Thanks guys =]

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:19 pm
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The nut job is well worth doing whether its the problem or not, prevention is better than cure. Would any tech would hand back a guitar with a sticky nut problem. Its too easy to spot on re-stringing and too easy to cure to be worth losing repeat customers. I'm not familiar with fenders 2 point trem it doesnt look too different from a floyd in its operation in that blades pivot on 2 posts and can safely tell you its very easy to destroy a floyd inside a month. Considering the fender 2 point trem and its similarity to the synchronized trem would it be possible to turn the pivot posts half a turn and lower the saddles via the allen screws. If so its a easy checkpoint and it will get you out of a bind quickly. Its not the ultimate solution to post/blade wear but i've got a few idea's about that too.

On the sticky nut, i had to address that problem on my new hotrod :( , is that usual on a £1200 guitar. If so fender need to do something about their QC. Ive seen budget guitars with cleaner cuts. It was the only problem though and the initial setup of action intonation p/up height and trem set only took half hour. I'd usually take 1.5 hours (avg) on a new guitar.

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