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Post subject: Staying in Tune With whammy Usage
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:12 pm
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Hey All--any info on keeping strat in tune when using whammy bar?? I am pretty mild with it and still seem to go out of tune fairly quickly when using it :cry: :?:


Last edited by jagree757 on Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:15 pm
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I had the same problem with every other Strat I've played, including the American Standards. IMO, its better to just totally block it off.


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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:16 pm
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Everyone has this same problem (i think) and to me, its just something you have to live with if you use the whammy bar.


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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:33 pm
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:shock: :? Thanks guys--I kinda thought that was the case--I guess I will go "Whammy-less" :roll:


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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:46 pm
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jagree757 wrote:
:shock: :? Thanks guys--I kinda thought that was the case--I guess I will go "Whammy-less" :roll:

NOOOOO!!!! tremelo arm must b in use at all times ! thats what i believe in! it just adds so much to your sound. I would suggest locking tuners they really help a lot. i have the american deluxe v neck strat and it has locking tuners, i can honestly just dive down and after heavy heavy use i come out ever so slightly flat!


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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:32 pm
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luclovesfender wrote:
... I have the american deluxe v neck strat and it has locking tuners, i can honestly just dive down and after heavy heavy use i come out ever so slightly flat!

Stupid Question #2112-D:
To me the main problem with trem tuning issues is binding that occurs at the nut and/or saddle, along with potentially string stretching. Therefore, with locking tuners, how does locking down the post of the tuner make any difference when I use the trem?

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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:38 pm
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01GT eibach wrote:
luclovesfender wrote:
... I have the american deluxe v neck strat and it has locking tuners, i can honestly just dive down and after heavy heavy use i come out ever so slightly flat!

Stupid Question #2112-D:
To me the main problem with trem tuning issues is binding that occurs at the nut and/or saddle, along with potentially string stretching. Therefore, with locking tuners, how does locking down the post of the tuner make any difference when I use the trem?


I had a locking nut on my '86 MIJ Strat. Still broke strings so I pulled it off.


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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:52 pm
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If you are using the whammy and having problems with the guitar not staying in tune it is a setup issue. The nut and the saddles must be smooth as silk, the balance between the springs and the trem claw must be just right.
I suggest having your guitar professionally setup.

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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:52 pm
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stratmansteve wrote:
I had a locking nut on my '86 MIJ Strat. Still broke strings so I pulled it off.

Fair enough. But I get how a locking (or rolling, for that matter) NUT can help when using trem. I don't get how a locking tuner would. I am not saying they don't ... I would love someone to explain it. Really, I would.

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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:57 pm
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Ive got locking tuners and the lsr roller nut. I stay in tune with the whammy and rarely break strings. i wrap the string twice around the posts. seems to work


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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:35 am
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the only thing you need is bullet end strings to keep your strat in tune
while playing with tremolo arm


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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:26 am
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"Locking tuners" prevent slippage on the tuning peg...
A "locking nut" is not for a strat trem. (its for a floyd rose style bridge).
The LSR roller nut is simply eliminating friction between the nut & the string.
So that the string glides easily through the nut...
some people use a pencil tip on the reg strat nut
(to get some graphite in there for lubrication).

You should be able to use the wammy when set up properly.
I find a floating trem is worth having, it makes for an
easy to use vibrato effect if nothing else.

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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:48 am
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My guitar seems to stay in pretty good tune with moderate tremelo use. One possibility that hasn't been stated yet is to change your strings to newer strings. Some older strings may stretch more and go out of tune easier than a newer set.


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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:25 pm
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Here are my tips for a great trem setup, It's mostly for vintage trems but some points can be applied to standard trems. I've been doing this to customers trems for 15 years.

1: tear the trem completely apart.
2: File the top of the trem block so you know it's absolutely flat
3: Using a Dremel tool with a pointed medium grinding stone, round over the holes where the strings exit the block. Then take an old Lo E string with some valve lapping compound an buff it up a bit.
4: Take the top plate and fine grinding stone to round over the exit holes in the plate. I then use Blue Loc-Tite to reattach the top plate to the block.
5: Using the fine grinding stone again, slightly round over the top and bottom of the front breaking point of the saddles. Therefore creating a totally rounded area at the saddle.
6: Use a quality lube for for all contact points. For the trem springs I use Guitar Grease. You can get this at Stew-Mac. I put this on the claw screws, the claw hooks and pack it in the holes were the spring goes to the block.
I use Graphitall for the contact points at the string trees, nut and saddle.

I can pretty much beat the hell out of my trem and it stays in tune. One of the imporant things I've learned over my 25 years of playing\ repairing guitars is when you get a new guitar with any type trem is this: beat the hell out of it. The new springs need to be broken in, so they get that "set" where they are more consistent.

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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:24 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
If you are using the whammy and having problems with the guitar not staying in tune it is a setup issue. The nut and the saddles must be smooth as silk, the balance between the springs and the trem claw must be just right. I suggest having your guitar professionally setup.

Setup is not the issue. My git is professionally setup, has ace intonation, and well lubricated nut and saddles. I think a bunch of the others here have the same.

Speaking for myself, I don't think the issue is so much that my guitar "won't" stay in tune, it actually does "pretty well" with trem use. But without using trem, my guitar stays in tune forever. Based on the other responses in this thread, I think it is safe to safe I am not the only one to make this observation on the Strat trem.

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