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Post subject: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fake?
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:47 am
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I just bought my first fender strat over the net. Ive owned a strat before, but it wasn't fender. Finally bought the real thing and well, its the real thing. Incomparable to other strats.
Its a 2015 fender american standard stratocaster.
Anyways, there is something that appears strange to me.
my fram of reference was the other strat I had, so I will be talking about it.
On my other strat, it had a wilkinson trem. When the bridge was tight to the body (and not floating slightly up), the trem arm was at a 90 degree angle to the body and it was possible to swing the trem arm in a 360 degree trajectory.

However, on the new fender strat, when the bridge is tight to the body, the arm is at an angle of around 75 degrees, which means I cannot swing it round 360 as its trajectory takes it into the jack cable. It screws in at an angle. It is quite annoying...
Is this normal for fender? It seems like a strange design flaw...
Or maybe the guy sold me a flawed one?

Thanks very much for your help!

I will include some pics:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9wVW7ayPr7xHFFZn9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4KyeuufkJTW5F3fT9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VmjeqpPzkvcegba76


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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:29 am
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The angle in the pics (next time, no links but pics straight on the forum, please) looks about normal. When you rotate the arm in the playing position, and your trem is set at factory specs angle, the arm is where it was planned to be. I don't think Leo originally thought about helicoptering the trem arm... :wink:

I'd suggest you set the guitar up perfectly (use a pro if needed), then give it and yourself some time to get used to one another.
But players who don't like the stock trem arm (angle, length, whatnut) have been doing mods forever. So, later, if you choose, you can bend the arm to your liking. BUT: breaking it is at your own risk - check the web for hints.

And one major advantage of the Strat's design popularity is, replacing parts is possible, and there is an unlimited amount of aftermarket parts. If you don't like the stock bridge, get a different one.


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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:33 am
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I'm sorry but all the pics look the same to me.
All of a hand touching a bridge.
Am I missing something here?

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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:08 am
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jmattis wrote:

I'd suggest you set the guitar up perfectly (use a pro if needed), then give it and yourself some time to get used to one another...


This ;-)

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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:37 am
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I use the trem arm from an Ibanez guitar on my Strat. I was surprised that it fit because it has a larger diameter. I think it's threaded at 10-32, but I'm not 100% on that. It screwed in easily though. I like its thickness and angle, plus it sits a little higher and has no tip. Using the Ibanez arm is my personal preference. The reason I bring this up is because, as jmattis said, there are lots of things to try. That's one reason why Strats are so great.

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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:35 am
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The bridge plate is a little low, the back should be 1/8" off the deck.
The arm is normal. Yes, it will hit the cable and can't be spun freely all the way around.
Lifting the back of the bridge plate will make the arm level whether in a forward or backward position, but it will still not clear the cable.

As suggested above, a proper setup will optimize everything. You can loosen the trem springs to see how it will look and feel, but that will impact your string height and intonation, so is really the 2nd or 3rd step in the setup... not the last step.

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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 3:26 pm
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Quote:
Ive owned a strat before, but it wasn't fender
Therein lies the answer, surely? You're not comparing like with like!

Agree with others; floating the bridge will help. As will bending the arm. But what you have there is a decked trem, where the arm will probably foul the plug on any Strat. All looks pretty normal to me. Did you want a decked trem, then...?

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: For experts - have I bought a real strat or a flawed/fak
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 3:48 pm
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Thank you very much for all your replies and help!
I will try to apply what you have suggested


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