I'm thinking of blocking my tremolo. But since I already have a fourth spring and the tremolo is flat on the body, is it necessary? If it still should be done, how would I do it? I have an '09 Roadhouse MIM Strat.

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What's your reason for wanting to "block it"?

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

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This is what Miami Mike may have eluded to.

The only reason to block the trem with wood is if you want better resonance off the trem block to the guitar body.

It may change the sound slightly but is not required. Unless you notice the bridge moving while playing or perform full bends. In which case if you using springs you can add another or tighten the claw to counteract this.

You can see how stable the bridge is by playing an open string and then doing a bend on another string (without playing) and watching what happens on a tuner.

Some due to the gauge of the strings they play say they have no success with more springs and claw tension and need to block.

There isn't really an overwhelming reason to block vs. your current setup. With the trem adjusted the way you currently have it, you may get a little additional sustain vs. a floated trem, but the main advantage you have currently is more tuning stability....break a string yer still in tune....change the pitch on one string and the others are pretty much not affected. And if you want to use the trem, you can dive, get a vibrato effect, but not raise the pitch with the trem. Not a bad compromise.

As you know, if you block it, you've totally disabled your trem. Most folks believe you'll get more sustain by blocking the trem. Right now your trem contacts the body at the posts and under the plate (where it rests on the top of the guitar). If you block it, you increase the amount of contact between the trem and the body, and likely increase how hard the trem is pushed against the body. If you have a hardwood block wedged in there tightly, you've pretty well maxed out the contact and in theory, your sustain. Obviously, you've disabled your trem. Works for Clapton, eh?

You'll find plenty of info using the search function, or google for that matter, on how to fashion a block. Pretty minor woodworking skills.

There has been much arguement as to what the block material should be. Someone even suggested rubber once. Sounds like a bad idea as it would dampen the vibration. Wood's probably best. Which wood. Most of us don't have any ash or alder lying around, which would be a good choice cuz that's what your body's probably made out of (many MIMs are poplar). If I were going to block, I'd just run down to the local lumber store and get one of the smaller pieces of poplar. It's really an excellent choice, as it has very much the same sonic characteristics as alder and is readily available. Easy to work with too, as it's a "soft" hardwood. I'd fiddle with it 'til I had just the right wedge shape to properly fit between the sustain block and the body.

Oh, and if I really wanted to max out the sustain, I'd toss the sustain block and replace it with steel (IMHO).

All that said, I float the trem on my guitars and they still sing like birds. I have to deal with all the trem related issues, but I'm a tremaholic.

I do not use tremolo and want to maximize my sustain. But I I have the tremolo flat to the body with a fourth spring, is blocking necessary or will it help? I heard Clapton does this.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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I think you need to reread the posts again.

I would suggest that you find a small piece of wood and start cutting it down and stuff it in there - what can it hurt? "Invention is often haphazard"

I have blocked my trem before like Stratoholic suggested. It is cheap and non permanant. Just cut a piece of wood the width of the trem block and thick enough to fill the gap between the body and trem block. Make it tight so it doesn't fall out. Try it out, if you don't like it, pull it back out. Too easy.

The previous response to mine must of been entered right before I submitted mine. Thanks though for pointing it out.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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