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Post subject: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 5:40 am
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Hello,

I have recently faced with very strange issue with my vintage stratocaster: the tremolo arm has not been installed properly within the vintage tremolo system, thus looking like mismatch between arm and the hole of the tremolo bridge. I have no idea of the source of the problem - probably because it I used several years the tremolo arm without any problem.

What I have done was only alterations of sensitivity of the whole tremolo system (via adjustment of the 2 bolts indide the guitar, thus altering the tension of the springs), but actually don't know why it results in the fact that tremolo arm can not be longer installed :-) At the same time there are no any problems with the mechanics o f the guitar - everything stays in tune properly. This is the guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTIpUoHEqJ0


I will be thankful for everybody for the suggestions regarding fixing of the tremolo system issue!

Gleb


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 1:56 pm
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Difficult to answer without a photo of the problem.
Assuming your strat does not have a cast 70s mazac bridge a common issue occurs when the hole is slightly misaligned with the bridge block.
Remove the saddles and then loosen the screws that attach the block to the bridge plate then align the the hole in the plate with the block.
Re tighten the screws and put the saddles back on.
Hope that helps. :D


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 2:57 pm
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What he said. ^^^

It's possible the block wasn't as tight as it could have been.
The block may have shifted slightly when the arm came out.
Might want to install the arm while the block is loose and ensure the arm is centered through the hole in the plate when tightening the block back up nice and tight.
Hopefully that will eliminate any further issues.

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 9:40 pm
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Hey guys,

exactly regarding this miss-match in the tremolo holo I have tried to ask in my first post.

Here I have enclosed some photos of the tremolo system from both sides.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8XsRt ... sp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8XsRt ... sp=sharing

Does it required to make such regulation via 2 bolts and spring tension on the back side ? Does the tremolo was tuned properly from this perspective, assuming that the aim was hard tremolo becuse the arm was not used? Or alternatively to fix problem with the arm installation I should to relax 6 bolts on the front side on the bridge?

Thanks !!

Gleb


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 11:08 pm
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There is something very strange about your "vintage" guitar.

It's a rosewood fretboard with wide-spaced dots at the 12th fret as seen on pre-1964 guitars, yet it has the larger CBS-era headstock.

The bridge saddles are not correctly stamped for them to be US-made parts -- the two "FENDER" logos should be inverted from one another.

And the trem block seems to be made of zinc alloy, not the steel that would generally be found in a pre-1972 MIA vintage instrument.

I'm sorry but that dog don't hunt.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 11:17 pm
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As I know that particular guitar is made from us neck and mex body - see more photos below

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 12:21 am
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NOT VINTAGE.

Not even original.

It is a partscaster.

And the reason your trem arm does not fit through the bridge plate is because the bridge plate is an import (probably from Japan) and the trem block is Mexican. They're not designed to fit together and deliberately so. The only way to straighten out that mess is to replace the entire bridge assembly -- either all Japanese, all Mexican, or all US. In the case of the latter option, that bridge assembly also affords the benefit of a steel trem block.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 12:50 am
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Yep, you are right.
It's amazingly that I have used tremolo plate installed within this Mexican system several years without problem. What can you say regarding the body and the neck as a several parts?


Retroverbial wrote:
NOT VINTAGE.

Not even original.

It is a partscaster.

And the reason your trem arm does not fit through the bridge plate is because the bridge plate is an import (probably from Japan) and the trem block is Mexican. They're not designed to fit together and deliberately so. The only way to straighten out that mess is to replace the entire bridge assembly -- either all Japanese, all Mexican, or all US. In the case of the latter option, that bridge assembly also affords the benefit of a steel trem block.

Arjay


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:15 am
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The body is likely a MIM Standard Strat.

The neck is a fake.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:26 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
The body is likely a MIM Standard Strat.

The neck is a fake.

Arjay


I guess the neck should corresponds to that kind of 1968 strat's
http://www.fendercustomshop.com/series/ ... ood-black/


here is my video with this guitar for the sound checj - it sounds much better that faked strat :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTIpUoHEqJ0


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:34 am
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The pedigree of a guitar (be it partscaster, "strat-like object", or genuine Fender) doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how it sounds.

Most of my eleven Strats are partscasters, built using only real Fender components. And they all sound exactly like they're supposed to.

From the youtube audio, yours sounded pretty good too.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:49 am
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Yep, but it should be really equipped with thecustom shop us neck, corresponded to the 1968 strat. At least all who has seen thisguitar told me that it consist of great neck and very cheap body :-)

Retroverbial wrote:
The pedigree of a guitar (be it partscaster, "strat-like object", or genuine Fender) doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how it sounds.

Most of my eleven Strats are partscasters, built using only real Fender components. And they all sound exactly like they're supposed to.

From the youtube audio, yours sounded pretty good too.

Arjay


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:27 am
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Gleb Novikov,

Your post is wrong is it not a vintage guitar :(

I would not say neck is a Custom Shop neck, just a decals ?


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 12:14 pm
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Exactly the same neck like in my strat.


"There is no way out" - at least the neck is not fake !
Rare video where the tremolo switch was installed properly :-)


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Post subject: Re: Issue with the tremolo arm on Vintage stratocaster
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:04 pm
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No......the neck is a forgery.

Just as I said before.

Arjay

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