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Post subject: Trems - blocks, plates and some weird questions...
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:12 am
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This morning I was sitting here doinkin' with a couple of Strat trems to keep my hands busy...mainly an MIM with the large zinc block and a Squier with a steel GFS block...trying to decide which to put on my '94 Fender Squier Series. I -know- that all things being equal, that the steel block is going to give me better sustain and better sound over-all than even a large zinc block. That said, all things aren't quiet equal here...I realized the Squier trem plate (the original from this guitar) is actually a bit thinner than the Mexi plate. It also occurred to me that despite my years of doinkin' with this stuff, under that chrome plating I have -NO CLUE- what the actual plates are really made of...I would have thought nickle or steel or something but looking at a couple of plates I have in the parts bin where the chrome plating has rubbed off a bit from the saddle screws, it almost looks like copper?

Now I -know- that the block itself makes a HUGE difference regarding sustain...I witnessed that first hand when I went from the original half-zinc block in my '96 MIM to the Callaham steel block there (nearly as significant as changing pickups!). That said, I never changed the plate on that one...just put the Callaham on the original plate. So with that in mind, just how much of a roll, if any, does the plate itself really play into all that? Obviously a thicker plate would likely give on a bit more sustain, but is it really THAT significant? It's not like we're talking a serious difference in size or mass or anything. Looking for actual experience here...not the dips who think they can hear a difference with the plastic trem cover taken off! LOL!

Also, what kind of metal really is under the chrome plating on those bridge plates? Likewise, any idea if there's a difference in materials between MIM's and Squiers...other than thickness? Again a few misc plates that I have down in the parts bin actually look like they might be copper...any thoughts there? Not a biggie there, just curious more than anything.

Peace,
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Trems - blocks, plates and some weird questions...
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:27 am
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
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The bridge plates are -- generally -- steel. I can't say with absolute certainty about the Squier's, Affinity's, Bullet's, etc but even the white-bread MIM Standards are built thus.

As for the "coppery" color you've noted, chrome plating is actually a three-step process involving a copper basecoat, a thin layer of nickel, and finally the chrome. Likely you have some parts that have become abraded and worn to the point that the copper substrate is showing through.

HTH

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


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