That may sound "clichê" but here I go.
I was bored last night, so I thought "let´s float this bugger!".



1)Grabbed my Highway One 2009, restringed it with Elixir´s 010-046.

2)Released all 6 screws from the plate, flushed it to the body tight, screwed them back lefting a 4mm space between the screws and the plate. Screwed the 2 outside screws from the plate a little more, just a hair from the plate. Tested move backwards and upwords feeling nice.

3)Released the back springs (got 3 of them) so that on the G note I can get a A# upwards. B note I can get a C# upwards and high E note I can get a F upwards on the tremolo arm. I´ve done the Carl Verheyen method on the springs at the back.

4)Streesed and tuned the strings always finishing with a downward with the tremolo warm. And BANG! used the Fradua method for that. Now it stays in tune no matter how hard I use the tremolo downwards.

Now here comes the problems I have since I was using the trem flush to the body.

A) When I use the Tremolo for upwards (higher pitch) it doesnt come back in tune right, it comes back a little sharp on the lower e a d strings and a little flatten on the higher g b e strings. I always have to cluck it downwards to have the guitar back to its natural pitch. But then it comes back dead on in tune.

B) The same aplies to bends, specially on the G string, if I bend it even once, it goes out of tune, becomes flatten, having me to clunk the tremolo arm downwards to I can have the string in tune again after a hard bend.

Obs: I´ve messed with the tremolo over and over all night long, but whatever I´ve tried to do, got the same results. Tried even removing 1 spring on the back, got to tight much more the screws for the claw, but same effect.

I tought about other things then when I was tired. Maybe add another spring ? Maybe some graphite on the nut ? Maybe mess with the intonation saddles ? If any experienced guys on vintage tremolos can help me with any tip, I´ll be gratefull.

It's more likely the way you're winding the strings onto the tuners thats causing your problems.

You only want a minimal number of winds. 2/2.5 at most. Make sure they don't cross each other and are pulled tight.

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No no and no

Uhm I´ve been thinking about what you said niki. I´ve restringed taking that kinda care on the winds, I must say the higher g b e strings have about 3 or 4 winds on the post, and I´ve restringed it matching the post hole clocked to the direction of the string. Did I forgot something ? Or I´ll be able to find out only the next time I restring it ?
Maybe I´ll get some pictures of my amateur setup so you guys can verify it.

Aside from that, don't ever tune down, ever. If you absolutely must then you need to more or less completely slacken the string right off. So your like one step from fully removing the string. Then wind it back on.
Once the string is at pitch, don't touch the tuner again. Aside from that make sure you're trem claw is providing a balanced pull across the strings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy-F7iSIopA&feature=related

Been using his method for 3 years now. I never tune my guitars. Put the case in the boot of the car, take it to a gig. Check the low E's in, play it, put it back in the case and leave it a week till I do it all again.

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No no and no

To be fair, I´ve tried the Carl Verheyen method and the standard factory method with both screws aligned. I´ve got the same results with both methods. Very nice with downwards, comes back in pitch dead on right. But not so good with upwards. Coming back half step out of tune, lower strings comes back sharp and the higher strings comes back flatten. Then I clunk the bar all the way down and everythings in tune again.

Thats a hang up at the nut. The strings are sticking in it, when you increase or decrease the string tension, you're causing the strings to jump off the sticking point.

Get some waxy dental floss and run it through the grooves of the nut slots. Forget nut sauce and all that rubbish. Dental floss does the same thing, doesn't stain and smells nicer. Also it lasts longer and you can keep doing it because it doesn't build up into great globs of the stuff. All you ever really get is the wax sitting inbetween the rough spots of the nut slots, smoothing the overall shape of it.

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No no and no

Well, then it´s time to go to the supermarket!
Will be back soon posting the results of this!

The better do it with a waxed dental floss or graphite from a 2b pencil ?

How you gonna get that graphite onto the bottom of the high E string's nut slot?

The dental floss is far better and it doesn't leave a horrible, dirty looking grey stain. Simply floss your nut slots.

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No no and no

OK, leaving from work I´ll drop by the nearest market and buy some waxed wire to floss my nuts.
That doesnt sounded what I meant.

Thanks ninja! Rock icon!

I´ve done waxing my nuts!
Great tip indeed, but no, same results. So I kept messing with the whole guitar setup all night long, until I broke the high E, so I lost my elixir set over this.
Today Im going to try once more with a set of Ddarios or Ernies on it.
Im refusing to believe that my bridge tremolo is a "lemon". Cause when its flushed to the body I can double-stop bends all the way along without a single string going out of tune, so I guess my nuts and tuners are holding on to themselves.

Again, when its floating and I tune up by Fradua method I can dive bomb with it without going out of tune, but when i slightly push the trem backwards/upwards it seems not to come back to the same exact position, causing the high strings going flat and the lower string going sharp, or if i bend any string it goes flat also, having me to clunk the trem arm down once for it to come back to its pitch.

At least I could then understand why so many people go for callaham bridges over the stock vintage ones... I´m frustrated I guess...

http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/stratoc ... ing-2.html

This guy got the same issue, now I keep guessing. When I tuneup the guitar without the use of the arm, both down or up with the tremolo will get it out of tune, but with bends its ok. When I tuneup with downwards of the arm, i can dive bomb and it will still come back dead on in tune, but if i go upwards or bend goes off tune, when I tuneup the guitar with upwards clunks, I can go hell up with the arm and it comes back in tune, but if i go downwards or bend again out of tune. Getting really confusing.

Here´s Carls Video for this setup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy-F7iSIopA


Tonight I´ll restring it with care and redo all the process again. I must get this done right this time.

The only thing Carl didnt explained is how he tuneup, based on the tuning machines pitch, on the tremolo arm downwards pitch or upwards pitch, this is what is confusing me. With the Fradua method the strat gets not much bending friendly.

By the way, just bought new D´Addarios EXL110, not coated or anything but I wanted to have a second brand string opinion about my tremolo. Now that I felt it on my Highway, I´m relutant to put it back flush to body again.

SETUP EXPERTS PLEASE COMMENT!

I´ve been googling around and found some weird stuff about this:





The last 2 pics are the way I´ve tried to setup the trem. The first pic show that the bridge is floating as a entire piece, not only the back. I found it pretty weird. Which method is the correct one ?

And isn´t this one too tight on the 2 outside screws ?