I have a MIM stratocaster which I have Blocked and took out the springs. Now its got amazing sustain. But I was thinking of replacing the tremblock with a Nice Steel one or Brass. Will it make as much difference in tone and over all sound. The posts that I have read all the people who replaced theirs were amazed at the difference but none of them were BLOCKED. Will I get the benefit. I am hoping so. Any Ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

Yes! If your block is not steel already, then changing to a steel block will improve tone and sustain. I use Callaham, they are truer to the original Strat blocks. Remember that the vibrations from the strings transfer much better through solid steel than through cast pot metal. Put a magnet to your block. If the magnet isn't attracted to the block, then the block is cast pot metal. And leave the springs on even though you have the bridge "blocked" and you will get even more vibration transfer to the body.

Edit: Forgot to add, tighten the trem claw screws almost all of the way down so that the springs are very tight.

My trem is blocked with a machined aluminum block. I replaced the stock MIM trem block with a GFS steel trem block. I have 5 springs installed. The sustain and tone is great.

Yes, you need at least one trem spring installed as that forms the ground circuit with the trem claw (there should be a black ground wire soldered to the claw). I don't recommend screwing the claw all the way into the body with a blocked trem as I found that doing so reduces the pressure on the block by pulling the trem block away from the wooden block (assuming that's what you used).

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Bill

Hey Bill,

I was just thinking about Clapton's "Blackie". It was set up with a block, all five springs AND both trem claw screws screwed all of the way down. Fender even duplicated this in the reproductions of "Blackie".

For my guitars I just screw the trem claw screws down tight to keep the bridge plate pressed against the body even when bending strings, and I don't use a block. I might have to try the wooden block to see how that sounds.

Show me a block in this guitar:

http://www.fender.com/features/blackie/ ... _home.html

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Bill

I could never see the block in any pictures that I've seen, but you can see all of the springs in and the trem claw screws tightened all of the way in, and there is definitely a block in there, look at the specs listed for the Blackie model instead of the picture. While we are waiting for the Flash file to open this is from the Fender Website about the Clapton signature version:

Our Eric Clapton Stratocaster guitar is guaranteed to please all you “Slowhand” fans. Among the “Cream” of our crop, this signature Strat offers special features including a trio of Fender Vintage Noiseless™ pickups, plus powerful active mid-boost and TBX circuits, all of which make it one of the most versatile instruments we offer. Other features include a special soft V-shaped neck and a blocked original vintage synchronized tremolo bridge.

This link doesn't have that unnecessarily slow flash stuff, that still hasn't finished loading yet.

http://www.fender.com/customshop/2010_limited.html

It clearly lists the Blocked Trem. Also if you Google "Clapton's Blackie", many different sites listed have the same info about the Blocked Trem. The wooden block even has a special stamp on it, can't remember what it says.

I give up on the link that you provided, it isn't even half way loaded yet, my internet connection is extra slow tonight.

You miss my point.

The link I sent was for the exact reproduction of "Blackie" that Fender built several years ago. That guitar did not have a blocked trem and photos of the real Blackie that I have seen show that it did not either. Neither did "Brownie" for that matter. The Masterbuilt and Artist Clapton guitars are not "duplicates" of that guitar, in my opinion. They are "similar" to it. I know that the current Clapton guitars have a blocked trem and 5 springs. I have not, however, seen a photo that shows the claw tightened all the way as the guitar came out the door from Fender.

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Bill

Yes Bill, I understand you and yes, the Clapton Blackie Strat, both original and the reproduction, have a "Blocked Trem". Forget the pictures and look at the specs that fender posts for the "Blackie", they clearly say that it has a blocked trem. I have read reviews where owners even describe the specially marked block that comes with it. (Harmony Central?)

As I said before, you can't see it in any pictures that I have seen. I can understand if you don't believe me, but Fender says that there is a block in there, the owners of those models say that there is a block, Clapton specifically asked for the block, the block is there. I supplied a link to the Custom Shop Blackie, it lists the block, as does the Clapton Signature model.

The block isn't that big that it would be visible in a standard shot of the back of the guitar. Where's the love man? I have no reason to lie to you and I don't think that the owners or Fender have a reason to lie either.

But, if you won't accept it that's OK, it's still there, and I'm not mad atcha. I won't bother you again, you can have the last word if you want.

if the ground wire is connected to the claw then you need to leave at least one spring in.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Beantown1965

OK! OK! OK! OK!

Here it is, one more time.

Clapton's original stage guitar,auctioned at Christies in 2004, reproduced in the Tribute Series and sold on Black Friday 2006, never had a 'stopped' trem block.

What can be discerned from the 8x10 photo of the back of the guitar which decorates the back page of the catalog is the following:
--the trem claw is tight against the neck wall of the trem rout
--the bridge mass block is tight against the neck wall of the block rout.
--the springs appear stretched and tight

The Signature series guitars have, right from the time of production, been fitted with a block of wood between the back of the trem rout and the mass block of the bridge. To the best of my knowledge and belief, so are any Artist, Custom Shop and Masterbuilt models. The placement of the block may have been the same kind of evolution of the original guitar which led to the 22 fret board we've been kicking around on another thread. In the new guitar, according to Duchossoir, Clapton was looking for more "compression" which translates into 'boost', hence beginning the R&D with the Elite Stratocaster.

In terms of the discussion herein, I would start with the claw placement and mass block placement and go from there. In fact, I intend to take another look at this setup in my '89 Clapton, and may go for resetting the trem claw and mass block and removing the wood block.

As an side to this discussion, other similar inquries have led to the knowledge that Clapton's stage guitars do NOT have a TBX, but rather a conventional tone control and that's the way the Masterbuilt guitaris wired. That little difference may be a subtle contribution to the overall sound of his guitar. Nor do his guitars carry his signature. So, with that in mind, if he has decided to remove the wood block, and configure the trem claw and mass block as previously described, and keep it a deep dark secret, as seem to be his amp's EQ, it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Now, in thinking...does one swap out the existing screws from the trem claw and replace them with shorter ones to replicate this setup, or does one force drive the existing screws further in.

But you know what, guys. This one's going to the source. See my post on the Eldred Forum.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Sigh. You still do not get it. Reread my original post which I have included here:

"The link I sent was for the exact reproduction of "Blackie" that Fender built several years ago. That guitar did not have a blocked trem and photos of the real Blackie that I have seen show that it did not either. Neither did "Brownie" for that matter. The Masterbuilt and Artist Clapton guitars are not "duplicates" of that guitar, in my opinion. They are "similar" to it. I know that the current Clapton guitars have a blocked trem and 5 springs. I have not, however, seen a photo that shows the claw tightened all the way as the guitar came out the door from Fender.

The original "Blackie" that Clapton built from the parts of 3 guitars back in the 70s did not have a blocked trem. Clapton simply screwed the trem claw into the body as far as it could go. The "exact duplicate" of Blackie that Fender built is exactly that, an exact duplicate of the original Blackie. Look at the very first photo (titled "The Story" in the link I originally posted). There is no block in the trem. Why? Because the original Blackie did not have a block.

Here is a link to the video that Fender did when they examined and photographed the original Blackie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d0Du6Rq ... r_embedded

At 1minute, 10 seconds into the video Todd Kraus flips the original Blackie over. Although the resolution is not great, it is clear that there is no block in the trem. Again, this is the original Blackie. The exact duplicate that Fender built from this guitar does not have a block because the original did not have a block.

The guitars that Fender builds today and labels "Blackie" and that Clapton plays are not exact duplicates of the original guitar. The current Guitars have Vintage Noiseless Pickups. The original Blackie and the exact duplicate did not. The current guitars have a TBX tone control and a mid-range boost. The original Blackie and the exact duplicate did not. And yes, the current guitars have a block in the trem. I acknowledged that in my earlier post which I quoted above. The original Blackie and the exact duplicate did not.

Finally, I know what a blocked trem looks like and how big the block is. Here is a photo of mine:

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo ... 7409aRIgqG

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Bill

[/quote]
There's a significant difference between the placement of the trem claw and mass block on the repro as compared with the original

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

Judging from your photo, to replicate the original, you would have to set the trem claw flush to the wall of the rout and remove the block.

Got a busy day ahead...Gonna wait on ME for the rest of it.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Yes, you need at least one trem spring installed as that forms the ground circuit with the trem claw (there should be a black ground wire soldered to the claw). I don't recommend screwing the claw all the way into the body with a blocked trem as I found that doing so reduces the pressure on the block by pulling the trem block away from the wooden block (assuming that's what you used).


I actually have the ground wire connected directly to the Bridge. seeing how I don't think that pot metal is very conductive. The reason why I took out the springs and blocked it completely with wood was I got alot of ghost noises from the springs I guess I could have wrapped the springs to cut the noise. But it sounds to me from the responses that its a solid investment.. On a personal note I dig the Robert Cray series except they don't offer maple necks. So the next best thing is block the one I have.

[quote="bluesky636"]My trem is blocked with a machined aluminum block. I replaced the stock MIM trem block with a GFS steel trem block. I have 5 springs installed. The sustain and tone is great.

Did you order the machined aluminum block from some where or did you custom make it your self. That sounds like it would sound pretty cool...