I just recently got the 1960s relic and the tremolo works wonders, easy to use and sounds amazing, the saddle/bridge itself is about 1/8 of an inch from the body. The tremolo springs only have 3 and they are crossed as like in this pic (note not my strat)



I just had my deluxe players strat fine tuned (yes i was talking to you about doing it for me, sorry, i actually found a guitar center about 1 hour away lol) and the tech put new springs in the back, the bridge is also about 1/8 of an inch from the body now that i loosened the tremolo screws. when he put everything back on he added brand new tremolo springs and 4 instead of three and straight across, and i had to loosen the tremolo screws because the new springs laid the bride flush with not even the slightest gap against the body

http://www.tonywatkinsmusic.com/gallery ... 05trem.jpg

that is how the springs are now

the problem is the tremolo is hard to use, it takes a little bit of pressure to actually even make it work.

will the springs eventually get looser and work the way it used to? i dont really want to take a spring out and put the springs the way they were, just for the simple fact that i would have to tighten the screws for the bridge to have an 1/8 inch gap again

Having the bridge floated or resting against the body is a personal preference. If you would like to have it floated, a simple adjustment of the tremelo spring claw will take care of this for you. Slight adjustments of tuning, intonation, and action may be required. These adjustments are simple and every Strat owner should be comfortable doing them on their own.

As far as the number of springs in the tremelo cavity, all you are doing is balancing String pressure vs Spring pressure ( Equal force pulling on the bridge from oppiste dirrections ). String pressure is pulling the bridge up while tremelo springs are pulling the bridge down. With string guages of 9 or 10s, this should be able to be accomplished with only three springs which should be strong enough to balance the strings tension, and leave you with an easy to use tremelo. As you go up to something like 11 or 12s I can see having to add additional spring or springs to balance this out. Additonal string tension requires additional spring tension.

I always use the least amount of springs required to balance my bridge as to have an easy tremelo. When the claw is adjusted almost all the way in or when this balance can not be achieved ,add an additonal spring then.

With the wealth of knowledge on this site as well as the Fender set up guide, most simple adjustments should not scare the majority from learning to do these themselves.
Two big tips for anyone who does not regularly tune on there own guitars

1) Use good quality tools that are the right size and in good condition ( both allen wrenches and screw drivers)

2) If it has any tension on it, loosen strings, adjust, retune.

Springs don't usually loose tension over time, or it will take MANY YEARS !


I know you don't want to mess with it but:
4 springs will ALWAYS be harder to pull against. You should remove one and do the re-adjust, it will be worth it to have it how YOU want it.


Some have 5 springs ! Some 4, three is very common.

Your other option is take it back to the guy who did the job and say put it back to 3 springs like it was (and the 1/8 gap).

He may think 4 springs is the holy grail but if you didn't request that why did he do it.

How much tension you have to apply to your whammy bar in a personal thing.


I have one Strat ( I just got) with 3 springs and cranked the spring claw screws to get the back of the trem plate down to about 1/8" like you
( much more stable in holding tune I've found) .

The other Strat (my first) I had added a spring (now 4) because I was learning this Fender trem deal and had trouble. It works great but the trem takes a pretty good push/pull to get vibrato. It is nice though as when you use the arm to support your hand, it doesn't change the pitch.

I use 9-42 strings ( that matters with this strings deal).

Now that I have a 3 and 4 spring, I am thinking of going back to 3 springs on the other one because it is nice to be able to use the trem ( and get a little more effect) and not have to crank it so hard.

I also pull my trem plate back tight on the body and tighten the outer two screw so they just snug on the plate, then loosen the middle screws so they are 1/16 above the plate. That way it pivots on just the two outer screw shoulders.

That and cranking the springs so the trem plate is tighter to the body in the back (1/16-1/8") had really done the trick in tuning stability.

That's my take on it !

I use three springs, bridge flush against the body, all six screws tightened down. Slightly harder to pull it down, but that's the way I like it. Works for me.

Let this be a lesson to you as the terms, Guitar Center and [competent] tech are a paradox.

No, the springs won't ever loosen up. If anything, they'll slightly tighten up each and every time your strings start getting old.

If you don't want to undue what this hack did yourself, either bring it back to him, telling him you are not happy with the results and want it PROPERLY floated for a three spring system, find another tech, or you're going to have to learn to live with it.

On a related matter, just because one guitar's tremolo is as you've cited, 1/8" away from whatever, it does not automatically follow that this is in any way, a uniform measurement for success. Rather, it depends on the individual instrument, contrary to what you've heard or read; there is always a, "sweet spot".

FYI: I use the three springs, triangulated with an evenly parallel claw. This new fad I see of lilting the claw to one side or the other in order to make up for some supposed PSI imbalance when depressing the arm or to counterbalance the bass strings vs. the plain ones is nonsense. Yea, I know some great players talk a great talk about such stuff but the reality of it remains unchanged.

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You dig?

I use 5 springs in my MIM Strat however my 50th Ann. came with only 3 and if I bend a note with the low E ringing the pitch rises and I only use 8-38s so I think I'l set it up with 5.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I use 11-52 strings with 5 springs when the bridge was flush.

Now after getting some technical insight from knowedgeable people on this forum and from the Dan Elerwine's book I like and agree more with the floating bridge "sweet spot" (excellent intonation, no tunning issues, lowest string tension fot the given gauge) total setup.

Fun thing is that works diferently for different guitars. My mexi strat has 3 spring v formation with the perfectly parralel claw and that works for that guitar. My amStd has 3 springs in the parallel formation in the 1.3 .5 pegs and that works on this guitar for the above mentioned reasons. AmStd has claw tightened more but parralel due to lower tension of the black springs.

Both have floating bridges and are a pure joy to play. I don't use a whamy bar just sometimes apply a pressure with the palm of my hand.