Hey Fenderists!

I've heard the words "tremolo block" come up quite a few times in my guitar career of almost a year now, and I'm wondering what it means? Just a short description would clear out my fog about this lack of knowledge i have

SuneA

_________________
"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante

The metal block bolted to the bottom of the bridge that guides the strings from the back of the body to the top.

Alright.

I'm much of a noob, but due to the name I was wondering: Does it block the tremolo bar? So that you are unable to whammy?

_________________
"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante

Hi SuneA: slightly complicated, because the word "block" has two different applications in Strat bridges. Here's a picture where you can see the trem block clearly in relation to the rest of the bridge:



The block is that black steel lump sitting underneath the bridge plate and saddles, the bits you see on the front of your guitar. It's the part you load your strings into. The common belief is that the bigger and heavier it is the more sustain your instrument will have. There's A LOT of voodoo around that particular subject.

But "to block" can also be a verb, derived from a "block" of wood shoved into the back of the guitar which in turn "blocks" the movement of the tremolo. Like this:



That gentleman (whoever he is) has been particularly zealous and inserted two blocks of wood either side of the steel trem block. But normally only the one on the right side of the picture is considered necessary to stop the tremolo from moving. This arrangement is famously used by Eric Clapton: the "blocked" trem.

Confusing, ain't it?

Cheers - C

Thanks Ceri! A little more digestable for me, as I'm not into all these guitar subjects. I understand that there are much more "underneath the surface" in the guitarworld, and by joining the forums here, I have already become a lot more knowing on this certain area i think.

But yes, CONFUSING

_________________
"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante

No problem.

By the way, I see you live in Ikast. We used to drive through Ikast on our way between Esbjerg and Arhus, but I'm afraid I've never stopped in your town.

Two of my wife's brothers married Danish women, so she has a lot of family there. I know the country a bit and like it very much.

Keep your eyes open: there are other Danish users of this Forum...

Cheers - C

Cool!

I suppose you came with the ferry from England, which docks in Esbjerg? The only possibility that would be understandable for me
Oh, I have heard that foreign people have a lot of prejudices against us Danes, because we are a very busy nation. I can follow that opinion. A good bunch here in Denmark have their eyes on only their own path in life, and gives a **** about everyone else.
But I'm glad you like the country

_________________
"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante

Gosh, I've never heard of prejudices against Danes. Dunno what that's all about. We like Danish people where I come from...

In fact, I've never been on that ferry: we've always flown. Sometimes to Arhus, sometimes Copenhagen, usually to Billund. For a time you could fly direct London to Esbjerg, which was very convenient, but that seems to have stopped.

My wife has driven across the bridge from Sweden too. I haven't done that one yet...

Cheers - C

Hmm, I hear that lots though

Oh yes, the old route to Esbjerg, I knew that one. But yes Billund is by far the biggest airport in Jutland. It's about an hour from Ikast, but I don't suppose your going through Ikast anymore on your way to Aarhus then But again - Ikast ain't much of anything, just two houses and a gas station

_________________
"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante