I cant seem to find a good video on blocking a tremolo. I am going to restring, so do I block with or without strings? also , do I need to loosen any of the six tremolo screws when blocking.
thanks
General Coulter

Best video on the 'net:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkj8p4Z3 ... F338B2D536

I blocked my trem with a machined aluminum block:

_________________
Bill

Or with a wooden block. Here on a 2005 Am Series:



Here on a '57RI:



And here on a Ceri-built '50s-'60s hybrid with a Gotoh vintage type bridge and block:



The point being that the same sized wedge shaped block works in all three situations. Here are the specs:





Get sawing.

Cheers - C

_________________

dear Lord that guy gets on my last nerve. ever watch his gear demo's?

_________________
63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Restring it is a good idea while you're blocking your trem, as you need to loosen all the strings anyway.

Personally, I prefer using metal, rather than wood, as a blocking material. Seems to give it a little more sustain (at least to my ears). I do it the cheap way -- just take some old pennies, stack them to fill the gap between the trem block and the a$$-end of the rear cavity, tape them together, stick 'em in there and retune to pitch after restringing it. You might have to loosen the claw screws a little, to hold it firmly in place, but that's really all there is to it. And, oh yeah -- use two taped stacks of pennies, one on each end of the trem block, and not just a single stack.

_________________
"It's about sound and sound alone. Looks are irrelevant. You can have the best-looking guitar on earth, but if the sound isn't there it is nothing more than a beautiful piece of trash. The sound it makes is the soul of any guitar."

I just tightened the claw screws and added 2 more springs. Stays in tune like a champ. I can even do a little downward motion like when playing "LENNY" and only 2 string go slightly out of tune.

I'm tempted to say "don't do it!" A strat is so much better and more versatile with the bar on, and the system set up so as you don't go out of tune, that much. Bearing in mind the fender tremolo is not designed really for extreme HM dive bombs and the like.

When properly set up, it stays in tune pretty good and when it go's out a bend of the string or tug on the bar free's it up again.

I played my Clapton for years with the bar off and only now am i enjoying the increased versatility of having the arm on.

With no bar there's no beautiful shimmering musical vibrato on chords, no embellishment of melodies using the bar, who wouldn't want that?

To me a strat without the option of using the bar seems kind of counterproductive now.

PS. Just saw when you posted this! alas i'm too late i think, the ghastly deed is now done.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

This is, of course, only your opinion, one not everyone shares. So to tell someone that something they want to do is "ghastly" and wrong is really what is counterproductive.

_________________
Bill

Correct, it's only my opinion. IMO a strat is a far more musical instrument with the trem installed and used, if you close that avenue off you're losing a whole versatile side of the instrument.

And BTW lighten up and don't take it so seriously, it wasn't meant literally that it was a ghastly thing to do it was more tongue in cheek the phrase. Try to develop more of a sense of humour.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

I have an excellent sense of humor except when people tell someone else that their preference is wrong. I never use my trem and it is blocked off. According to you, I am losing something. You like to use your trem. I would never tell you that you are wrong.

_________________
Bill

I read it as tongue and cheek as well.
If you used the trem you would know this.

Hey i'm not telling you you're wrong! do what you like with your own guitar. IMO if you have the option of having the bar then why not have that and use the option?

In my estimation you are losing something, for instance playing a ballad with a nice clean tone you can't add in that nice shimmering vibrato to embellish the chords, so you are losing out on that possibility, same with integrating the bar in to embellish and decorate melodies, it all adds up to more expressiveness.

If you don't want that, then that's fine, but don't say you're not losing out on something, you patently are, you're losing the options i just mentioned.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

The OP asked how to block his trem. You will notice that I was the first person to show him how to do it. You will also notice that the OP did not ask for opinions on whether he should block his trem or not. Then you come along a tell him how much YOU think he is missing by blocking his trem. Then you insist on telling me (twice) what I am missing. You seem unable to grasp the fact that some people have no desire or use for the trem. I suggest you deal with that fact and keep your opinions to yourself unless one is asked for.

_________________
Bill

Listen this is a public forum where people give differing points of view, if you can't cope with that then i suggest you leave.

If you have no use for the bar and don't use it then that's fine, you have decided that you're happy to lose the options it gives, but then again others may not be so happy and might want to reconsider.

Now if people on this forum waited until they were asked before they ever offered an opinion then it would be a strange place indeed.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

Welcome to my "ignore" list.

_________________
Bill