I cannot for the life of me figure out how to keep my strat in tune. It has a vintage tremolo. I have the 4 middle screws removed. I have had the bridge pieces, the nut, and string trees replaced with graphite and I still have issues.
The tremolo is set up flat against the body with 3 springs and 9s. I had 10s on it but I still had the same problem, almost all my strings goe flat when I bend, If I dive the bar the strings pulls back in tune. I doubt its the nut, but how could it be the bridge?

Any ideas?

What kind of strat is it?

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

One I built out of parts.

Oh. I don't have enough experience with working on em to offer any good advice if you built it. I have had couple of MIM's before that wouldn't stay in tune though. I finally sold them both.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

I built this one out of mia and mij parts. I had a tech replace all the contact points with graphite, still wont stay in tune.

Do the following to one string at a time.

tune the string and keep the tuner on
press the string down between the nut and the tuning peg until it goes sharp
check the tuning
if it stays sharp, the sting is binding in the nut
grab the string somewhere near the neck pickup, pull it out a little and wiggle it back and forth
if it is binding in the nut, this should bring it back in tune


Do this with all the strings because only some of them may be binding in the nut.

Hope this helps.

Put the middle screws in. That's the way that type of bridge is designed to work. Not many guys can keep a vintage-style Strat bridge in tune with a lot of bar wrangling, and I can't see how it would even be possible if the bridge is installed incorrectly.

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Strat+Tweed=Tone

+1

Either that or get yourself a hard tail Strat.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

+2 and look at Dan Erleweine's book on setting up a 6 hole trem.
MULLY

+40

You need to decide if you want a fixed or floating bridge. Fixed it going to be better to troubleshoot first. Yes do put the all 6 screws in and have them tightened just so the bridge sits perfectly flat (required for the next step or dangerous).

Make sure you have enough strong springs and claw tension so that if you do your biggest bend If the bridge is being held back by the springs enough on one side and the screws on the other. If the 6 bridge screws are too little or loose they can rip out of the body when you add or tighten springs (bad).

Then follow the above excellent advice. If you still have a problem remove the string trees temporarily or pop the strings out of them. Binding occurs there as well as at the saddles sometimes. Lube on all string contact positions is sometimes required to isolate it. If you hear pinging then its likely a binding prob.

Thanks guys I'll try it.

I have to disagree with that. I have no problem keeping mine in tune at all.

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No no and no

when i had my hwy 1, w vintage trem had no problems with tuning.

is it certain strings or all of them?

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

I once owned a MIJ strat. It was 1985 or 86. The bridge and tremelo looked just like the system on my AVRI 57 that I own now though I'm sure they're different but close to the same eh? Anyhow that MIJ strat stayed in tune just as good as any guitar I've ever played. I could use the tremelo hard as hell and it would stay perfectly in tune. I mean sure I had to tune it sometimes any guitar will go out of tune but this stayed in tune amazingly well. I think the vintage style tremelo is okay. If you have a good quality guitar and everything is working as it should. Just thought I'd share that with ya'll.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Even a usa Kahler of Floyd Rose Is hard to get to return to intune if you don't maintain it constantly.

The old vintage style tremolo offered by Fender just don't cut it except for very mild tremolo work.

There is no way to keep a guitar in tune without locking the nut and a well maintained high quality USA made Kahler or Floyd on the tail.

Thomas