I installed EMG SA's on my strat. I had put the battery in the trem spring cavity, because I don't want to remove the pick guard every time the batt. dies.

First I tried laying the battery flat in the spring cavity, but only 3 springs can be used for the battery to fit. I ended cutting a small hole in the spring cover and going with 4 springs. This way I could fit the battery in sideways. It sticks through the cover a bit, and is very snug in the cover. The battery sticking out has not affected my playing and is not causing any problems that I can detect.

I am not a trem user, and I was wondering if it is okay to have 2 springs on one side and only 1 spring on the other side. This is the only way for a 9v battery to lay flat in the cavity. What is the downside to having the springs in this configuration?

Thanks -
Kong

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You've essentialy answered your own question: "The battery sticking out has not affected my playing and is not causing any problems that I can detect."

What immediately comes to mind is why you didn't insert the battery where the middle spring lies and more importantly, if you don't use the tremolo, why didn't you wedge the battery in between the back of the tremolo block and the wood? You could have totally 'submerged' the battery within the tremolo cavity this way rather than having it invasively sticking out of the back of the guitar like you have it now. You could have cut the tremolo cover there instead too.

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You dig?

Martian, Thanks for the input. I had already removed the middle spring, and the battery is resting against the body of the guitar, but still sticks out of the cavity. I couldn't get the battery to lay flat without removing 2 springs. There is no way the battery will fit behind the trem-block. I took a couple more pics. Would removing 2 springs as in the 3rd pic have any negative affect?

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Hi Kong: if you don't use the trem then block it with a piece of wood in the Clapton manner. Then leave only two springs on and tighten the spring claw towards the neck till the springs are tight to hold everything firm.

Now you have plenty of room for the battery to lie flat between the springs without sticking out the back in an unsightly way - I'm darned if I can see how that previous arrangement didn't catch on your belt (or worse) as you played...

You could even put a little battery clip in there to hold it nicely in place - available for pennies.

Cheers - C

Dumb question, what type of wood should I use to block the trem? I had been thinking about doing this anyway.

thanks
~Kong

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I truly doubt it matters very much. I cut some blocks out of ash because I happened to have some handy. Any other "tonewood" type wood would be aesthetically pleasing - mahogany, maple, alder, poplar... But honestly, it ain't vital. Use what ya got.

Here's the dimensions for a block used for setup purposes. Though we've been told the Clapton Strat uses slightly different proportions...



And here's the kind of battery clip that might do you - though you could pick it up from any local electrical shop easily:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... _Clip.html

Cheers - C

You're quite welcome.

Nah, you're fine with the two springs out.

If you use Ceri's suggestions, your are virtually guaranteed to never have any problems related to this issue in the future.

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You dig?

We did run this down once before else where, and I gave you the dimensions of the block in my "89.

However, I had a similar requirement for two guitars with different mass block thicknesses, one being a '97 American Standard in which I had installed the EMG-DG 20; and the other the MIM "Dotty", so I would suggest the following:

- setup the guitar as Ceri describes, with the bridge flat to the top and then measure the distance between the back of the trem rout and the back of the mass block. Cut a block of woodk rectangular in cross-section, not trapezoidal as shown, the length and width of the drawing, but the thickness equal to the space measured, and french it in snug enough to keep the bridge stable.

If you must have use of the trem with all necessary springs, then I suppose your only option is to store the battery in the control cavity or rout the lower wall of the trem rout, creating a battery pocket in the same fashion as the Clapton's

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Thanks - though now I'll admit I've not fitted a battery that trem blocking way, so I don't know whether the thickness of the battery would prevent the backplate going on if desired.

Just to cover the bases, one further option would be to use a little battery bag like this:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... y_Bag.html

But velcro (or similar) it to the end of the guitar strap. You then have the wire running across the back of the guitar into the spring cavity, which is messy - but at least it's out of sight.

The ultimate solution of course is to make a cavity for a battery box:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... y_Box.html

But I expect that's going further than Kong wants to.

BTW:


Indeed: I did have a bit of a hunt but couldn't put my finger on those dimensions for Kong - frustratingly...

Cheers - C

It will work sideways minus that one extra spring.

The whole crux of the OP's situation as we all know is that he doesn't want to unscrew stuff to change the battery. If it were me, even though this is not what he wants to do, maximum efficiency with minimal effort dictates to to simply insulate the battery with a few wraps of electric tape and place it in between the toggle and the volume pot.

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You dig?

I plan on putting in an active EQ, and route out the back like this.

Negatory on the maximum efficiency. Been there, done that with the battery in the in trem rout. Easier removing the back plate and popping in a battery than having to muck around with the entire pickguard....no clearance....and to wrap and stuff a battery....perhaps while doing a gig....

The answer for Fender, with the Clapton, was what you see imaged above. Of course, with the old Powerhouse, whose trem floated, they we obliged to rout the back for a battery box.

Doc

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

i would put the battery inside by the volume pot..
ive made 9v batterys fit into guitars that didnt have room for a screw

i was thinking on putting EMGs on my 89 clapton sig but i would get alot of crap from people asking why???

but im super happy with the clapton being all original ..

im getting a american standard soon with emgs so ill post picture of the process soon

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USA 1989 Clapton Signature Strat in 7up Green
USA Standard Telecaster all Blk w EMG 81/85
ESP Eclipse II w EMG 81/60
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier & Road king 4x12

Thanks for all of the input guys. I went with the spring trem cavity because I don't want to muck around with taking off the pick-guard to change batteries.

I'm definitely going to block the trem and go with 2 springs and us a battery bag from Stew Mac. The cover fits when the battery lays flat. I wanted to get the mint green cover to match the pick guard so I'm not too upset about the hole I made in the white one.


BY THE WAY NICE SIGNATURE frantic -"LONELY BOY" - LMFAO

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