I bought a squier strat for the kids in my school to learn guitar. I have difficulty keeping it in tune. i know it is a very low end guitar but it should stay in tune. The bridge seems to be coming away from th4e body as tension is being put on the strings. Surelt this should not happen.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

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Hi Paulie,

I take it you mean the bridge raises from the guitars body whilst bending the strings?

This is totally normal in a Strat and nothing to worry about. To prevent this happening (or happening quite so much) you may want to tighten the tremolo tension springs slightly.

As for it going out of tune, if it is a new guitar, maybe it just needs to settle in a bit. If you stretch the strings a little it may help (slacken them off one by one and gently pull them upwards a few times and the retune) but it may just be a case of playing it in a while.

If the guitar is going out of tune whilst using the tremolo, unfortunately, this is also quite normal, particularly on lower end guitars. If they wish to use hefty trem effects then a locking system is the only answer!

Hope this helps,

Russ

In your case, to prevent kids to get the guitar out of tune whaling on the tremolo I would add springs in the cavity. Put 5 springs in there and remove the tremolo bar. That should bring the bridge flush with the body and stay in tune better.

Thanks.

No, as I tune the strings, or tighten them the bridge seems to go out of place. It leans foward, away from the body of the guitar. It is as if, its unable to withhold the tension of the strings.

_________________
Fender DG8
Fender MIM Sunburst Telecaster.
Fender American Vintage'52 Reissue Telecaster
Fender Frontman 212R
Fender Mini Twin
Fender Super Champ XD
Fender Champion 600

You will need to tighten the tremolo springs and/or add some springs. Both of these are done in the back of the guitar and you'll need to take off the tremolo plate on the back. The one that's held on with 6 screws.

That is the normal functioning of a Strat bridge. As you increase the string tension the bridge assembly tilts forward to compensate. It is not a fixed bridge, it is referred to as a floating bridge. It allows to either sharpen or flatten your notes by either pulling or applying pressure to the tremolo bar.

There are ways to remedy, making the bridge stay flush to the body, or rendering it fixed with the body.

As described above, adding springs in the tremolo cavity, tightening the claw screws, adding a block of wood in the cavity, etc...

I wouldn't refer to Squier's as "very low end". Inexpensive yes, but Squiers from 04 on are very nice guitars.

But yeah, this is normal, it's how Strat bridges work.

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Correcting the lifting of the bridge is as simple as adding tension to the tremelo springs by tighting the two srews on the claw in back of guitar and or adding more springs. You are basicly balancing out string tension vs spring tension and a matter of personal preferece in floated bridge or a bridge that rest against the body. I personally like mine floated a "pick" thickness off the body.

Thanks all

_________________
Fender DG8
Fender MIM Sunburst Telecaster.
Fender American Vintage'52 Reissue Telecaster
Fender Frontman 212R
Fender Mini Twin
Fender Super Champ XD
Fender Champion 600

That's right and as Atolleter said, the guitar was intended to be set up like that (with a 1/8" space between the bridge and the guitar body). The above recommendations to remove the float (making the bridge flush against body) are valid (I set both of my Strats up that way, too), but your problem might also be even more simply fixed by lubricating the nut, saddles , and string trees with some graphite.

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