Hello everybody.

My question is how to set up 2-pivot bridge on Strat.
Sorry, but there's no info in the guitar's manual (just one unclear string) or in internet.


Point is FENDER suggests to set up ~1/8" height at the rear of the bridge.
OK, but what should be the bridge front side height (at 2 pivots)?
Yes, i know - i set it according to my needs. But if I set the bridge plate higher, then rear side is lower, right? And I'm losing the angle...

And i have absolutelly no idea how to "set the tension of the springs to equal the tension of the strings, while the bridge is resting on the body".

In case of 6 screws system - there's step-by-step procedure described.

Did anyone set up this tremolo step by step?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Jo!, welcome to the Forum.

Suppose you wanted to set the trem plate flush to the body rather than with that 1/8" gap at the back? Some people like it set up that way, as you know.

So then you need to set the trem posts at a height that means the trem plate sits flat on the timber when there is no string tension. That gives you the correct height for the posts.

Then from there make your spring adjustments to achieve the 1/8" height - or whatever set up you prefer.

Make sense?

Cheers - C

Thanks for the reply!
Still need a litle more precise info..



But that just means the trem plate 2 pivots are completely tighten, right??
(If so, the strings action is too high. That's exactly why I need to resetup the the trem adjustments.)



And this adjustment is made by 2 screws in springs cavity on the back of guitar, right?



Dont know yet...

Not necessarily. Those posts are adjustable exactly so that you can set them to the right height - wherever that may be.

More precision? OK: with the strings off or completely loosened see that the trem plate (the flat bit that the rest is fixed to) sits completely flat to the surface of the wood. Then screw the trem posts in or out till they exactly match the knife edges on the front of the plate. If you want you can then take it a turn or two higher, but it shouldn't be necessary.

Clear so far?

So, after setting the trem posts now tune the guitar to pitch. You then need to turn those two screws round the back in the spring claw (the bent, toothed bit of metal the springs attach to) either in or out till the back of the trem is the recommended 1/8" off the wood. (That is assuming you want your trem to "float". Need more info on that?) That will throw the pitch of the strings off, so retune and see if the back of the trem plate has moved at all from that 1/8" setting. If so, adjust the two screws a touch more.

And so on till the bridge is at the right height with the guitar in tune. You have now balanced the tension of the strings at pitch to the identical tension of the springs. Easy, huh?

All of this will have thrown the rest of the set up way out. So now you need to work through the rest of the steps in ordered sequence to get the relief, the action and the intonation correct (in that order).

There's plenty, plenty more to be said about all of this - but that's enough for this post.

Any help?

Cheers - C

First of all don't adjust them unless you need to or you have already messed with them.

I do the following for a full floating setup.
Remove strings then the back plate and springs keeping in mind when your removing the springs the bridge can fall out and chip the finish of your guitar if your not careful.

Lay the guitar on its back on a flat surface.
Wind up the posts a bit to start and wind them down evenly while making sure the bridge blades are pushed into the screws.
Get down level with it and check both sides it should be sitting flush on either side.

When I'm happy I hold it in position and flip it over and put the springs back on.
You can take measurements with a digital caliper if you have one by pulling out the bridge and measuring the height of the screws with the bottom of the calipers.

If your going to disable the trem and have it flat against the body you will want to keep it perfectly flat so it won't dig into the finish. The bridge will eventually rust and mar the finish if it makes contact (you won't see it) but it beats dents from the pivot point set too high.

Hello guys and sorryfor I couldn't post immediatelly...
And thanks for your answers.

Well...



I have to. I put #11 strings instead of #9.
And i'm not completely newbie, But still don't understand part of logic and mechanism of the process...
May be because of my poor english.. or may be I'm toooo smart LOL.
But anyway...




Absolutelly don't understand why should the plate be "sit flat to the surface".
Because by next step I must screw 2 pivots OUT to UP the tremolo plate! (both pivots are completely tighten now, which is exactly I'd like to change).
And back side will raise too! Won't it?
Or we're talking about only the back side of the trem plate - which must stay on the wood when I up the front side? (IF I WANT the trem not to be floating)
Besides, trem plate OF COURSE will be stt flat to the surface, as after I loosen strings, SPRINGS will lay tremolo to the body.




By that, Ceri, do you mean 2 pivots must be at same level above the wood?



And thank you again guys you're ot leaving me with my problem 1-on-1.
Actually, I don't believe local technicians or luthiers.. had bad experience couple times.

Sounds to me that you are trying to adjust the string height by raising the whole of the trem. That is a bad idea. As ShockWarrior said, you shouldn't do it. Adjust the string height from the saddles, not the whole of the tremolo.

The front edge of your tremolo plate should be about 3/32nds up from the top of the body.

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No no and no

Saddles are useless as tremolo plate is too low. For examp. 6th string's saddle is set on minimum (there's no more gap), but string action is still high.
That's why I need to raise trem first.



This is in case if i want trem to be floating. And not 3/32, but 1/8.

No that is the case whatever you want. The leading edge of your tremplate is raised from the underside of the tremplate. You need that lift in order to be able to set your trem floating or flush.

I really think you need to take the guitar to a pro.

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No no and no

If "the leading edge" you've mentioned is the same thing as I know, then its height is adjusted by 2-pivots. According to Fender.


And I'll be really grateful, if you give me a link where's 3/32 is shown as a gap between trem 2-pivots side and a guitar body...

Thats from experience of setting up a good few of them. 3 in my possesion now and more than I can remember for other people.
If you raise the screws from that, the plate won't sit flush against the body, the leading edge will be too high. If you set it under that (1/16th eg) you will never get the back of the trem plate flush to the body.
You don't set string height with the pivot posts, end of story. Theres a good 7/8mm scope of adjustment on those saddle height screws. If you need any more height than that, your neck pocket or neck must be incorrect.

Also when adjusting pivot posts, remove the springs and slacken the strings right off. Even having even minimal pressure rubbing on the knife edge of the tremplate or the slot of the pivot post can ruin either or both in a handfull of turns of those pivot posts.

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No no and no

Exactly. As I said, now pivots are complelty tighten and there's a gap at the back side of threm (springs do not affect it, as tightened pivots do not allow to lay trem's back side to the body). So I'm going to raise it (pivots).
Will try 3/32 for the pivots height.



I'm not trying to adjust height of strings by those pivots. But because 2-pivots were tightened, I'm out of that scope. I'm trying to return within that scope.
And THEN I'll use saddles.

Again - will try 3/32 for the pivots height.
THANKS

By the way, is 3/32 measured between the body surface and lower side of the trem plate?

To the underside of the knife edge

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No no and no

Hi again Jo!

Crikey, this is a very, very simple job being made into something very difficult. Two things:

First. Above, Shockwarrior said; "don't adjust them unless you need to or you have already messed with them." This is good advice. Your trem posts were almost certainly in the right place to begin with and shouldn't need adjusting. However: if for some reason they do need re-setting, follow my simple instructions above and you will get them to the right place.

Second, because you asked me directly:

No. You shouldn't be raising the trem plate with the posts.

The trem pivot posts need to be in line with the trem plate when it is flat to the body. That is how you find the right height for them. Then you adjust the springs at the rear of the guitar to bring the plate up at its back edge to that 1/8 inch height.

Very simple.

I hugely admire Nick's energy in persisting with this. Kudos to him. However, you said:

Well, maybe your English is not quite good enough or maybe you are too smart. But either way, if you don't understand the very clear instructions that have already been given it is time to find a good, well recommended local tech and take the guitar to him/her. This is a quick, cheap adjustment. Perhaps it now needs to be done by someone who knows how.

This is said in a friendly tone to be helpful. Plenty of very fine players have their guitars set up by someone else. No shame in it. You've tried: now let someone else take over.

Good luck - C