The trem bar on my 50's RW has a little give in it...By that, I mean it's loose in the trem hole. Not extremely loose, but enough to where it makes it hard to use effectively. If you were to unscrew your trem bar about two full turns from where you normally use it, you'll feel exactly what I'm talking about. It has a little "give" in it - I can screw it in clockwise until it's tight enough to stay stationary, but I like mine to hang. I tried a different RW and it doesn't have that problem...Any ideas?

Do you have the little spring that goes inside the little hole?
I have this problem when there is no little spring in, but when there is the spring that problem goes away....

hmmm...I had no idea there was a little spring...I'll check into it...

I have the same issue with my tremelo in my 50's road worn. I bought mine at guitar center, and it did not come with a tremelo bar. The salesman said he would give me one. If that guitar is actually made to vintage specs, i wonder if the tremelos have a different diameter

Sounds road worn authentic.

Anybody got any thoughts on this? I've still got a loose whammy...

my thoughts on this strat is i wont buy it.

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sombody get me a doctor!

I thought the spring was only for 2-point trems.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

I slapped some Fralin Vintage Hots in this guitar and it SMOKES. Don't listen to whoever this cheesebag is - he's missing out on a great playing, great feeling guitar. I would like to figure out the tremolo thing, though, so any real help is appreciated. Fender? You listening?

Just saw a post about teflon tape...that's a good idea, gonna give it a shot. That's what it feels like - like the trem bar is slightly smaller than the hole - and the result is a little slack when you use the bar...

The teflon tape seems to work, my only question is whether or not I'll have to do it occasionally...I wonder if the problem is more likely that the actual trem bar threads are too small, or if the hole is too big?

This is fascinating. He's got a new guitar cosmetically altered to look like it's been run over by a forklift which now has a problem similar to that which developed in my '58 Stratocaster when it was 10 years old, 40 years ago. Not to mention the fact that the new 'old' pickups have been replaced with new 'new' pickups. I love it....anyway....different strokes....

Yes....the gadget which stabilizes the trem bar is a small spring which drops into block through the opening in the bridge plate. They have a tendecy to make their way out of there and if you don't know what you're looking at, one might likely find this wayward little spring lying on the carpet, and trash it, thinking its come in on your shoe. You've either lost this spring or stripped the thread on either the bar or in the tap hole of the block. Either way, it certainly something which should not have occurred on such a new 'old' guitar.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I've heard it said elsewhere on this forum......use some teflon tape on the threads of your trem arm. This should get you the tighter fit you are looking for.

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2005 Fender American Stratocaster W/Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge and Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in neck.
1995 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Line 6 Spider II 150 watt head W/Ampeg 4x12 Cab
Laney Pro-Linebacker PL65R