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Post subject: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:15 pm
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Hey everybody, I'm hoping I can get an answer from an official at Fender but even if you're not feel free to comment.There's a guitar shop in my area with a guitar technician that I refuse to take my instruments to anymore because he's a closed-minded, miserable old man and always tries to persuade me to let him set it floating and that I shouldn't have five springs. I'm well aware Leo Fender designed the bridge to float and wasn't intended for lead guitar playing at the time. But almost all the famous Strat players such as Eric Clapton, SRV, David Gilmour,Jimi Hendrix and so on set their bridge flush to the body and they're the ones that made the guitar famous and keep customers interested in Fender products. Please comment, thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:39 am
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Original Fender tremolo patent drawing:

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I deck and block my bridge:

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:07 am
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Usually, I prefer my Strats decked with five springs and the claw tightened down so that the bridge doesn't move, no whammy. This is great for double stop bends, and excellent tuning stability.

I also have Strats that I like to have the bridge floating, with three springs, only using the heel of my hand for vibrato, no bar. Locking tuners and two-point bridge preferred for tuning stability.

I don't believe that anyone at Fender would insist on any particular setup, and I would bet that they would be happy for you, whatever the manner that you choose to setup your own personal guitar.

In fact, if you check out the guitar setup guide on this site you might notice these two parts.

"Note: These are minimum specifications that are meant as a guide; they should not be construed as hard and fast rules, as we realize that every player's subjective requirements often differ."

"If you prefer a bridge flush to the body, adjust spring tension to equal string tension, while the bridge rests on the body (you may want to put an extra 1/2 turn to each claw screw to ensure that the bridge remains flush to the body during string bends)."

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:36 am
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The photo above is the way the Clapton Stratocaster is setup in the factory, although the trem claw is usually flush against the body. Minus the block, that's the way Clapton's old strat was set up. For how many years did Dickson maintain that guitar like that?? Two of my guitars are set up that way, stopped with a wood block. My Clapton and my '57 VHR. Two are set up to float. One is my Gilmour, the other my VG.

Bottom line: Tell the old man to stick it, and go find someone a bit more open minded.

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:56 am
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In this case; "Old Guy's Rude!" :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:16 am
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Frankly, I don't think Fender even marginally cares one way or the other as long as you own the guitar. As to the miserable old tech, as you've already done, cut him off and move on.

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:27 am
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Martian wrote:
Frankly, I don't think Fender even marginally cares one way or the other as long as you own the guitar. As to the miserable old tech, as you've already done, cut him off and move on.

I'll crack open a bottle of brew to that, bro. 8) I wonder if he's anywhere close to the orbit of Mars. :?: :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:43 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
Martian wrote:
Frankly, I don't think Fender even marginally cares one way or the other as long as you own the guitar. As to the miserable old tech, as you've already done, cut him off and move on.

I'll crack open a bottle of brew to that, bro. 8) I wonder if he's anywhere close to the orbit of Mars. :?: :idea:


If he is, I'll blow his cantankerous butt out of it with my Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator!

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:35 pm
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Leo designed the Stratocaster so that every part could easily be replaced and/or adjusted to the player's preference .
Floating works for me on some and Locked down works on some other's...

You should just bring him a hardtail Strat and say nothing, just enjoy the expression.

When you become to old minded to not be objective than that is when you begin to wither and die.... :cry:

PS In addition since Leo Fender was not a musician but relied on musician's to guide his thinking, his approach was strictly from the engineer's viewpoint of building a better mousetrap....... That He Did..... 8) 8) :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:55 pm
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Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strats' bridges? Yes! I'm sure Leo is spinning in his grave. I'm not going to rile the dead, that's for sure.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:02 pm
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I thought guitar techs were suppose to do what the customer asked. Is this guy from Mars (sorry Martian, no offense to make fun of your home planet) or what????? People, many famous people, as pointed out have their bridges set two ways: 1) Floating 2 Flush. What is this guys problem????? :? :? :?

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:32 pm
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Lol, thank you dudes! Yeah, where I live is weird. I finally found a trustworthy tech that's cool and understands how I like my guitar's setup. If you think this miserable old guy I mentioned is weird, you would love the other tech that placed a guitar pick in my other strat's neck pocket so the action could be raised ridiculously high. But yeah, guitar techs ARE supposed to and should set the guitar up to the customer's preference.


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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:25 am
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GuitaristDog87 wrote:
If you think this miserable old guy I mentioned is weird, you would love the other tech that placed a guitar pick in my other strat's neck pocket so the action could be raised ridiculously high.

what? Instead of having a micro-tilt he installed a picko-tilt??? :lol: Many time there is the practice of shimming the back butt of the neck in the neck socket with a very thin piece of wood to tilt the neck up so the profile could be corrected. Fender Japan used a hard piece of paper on a lot of their reissues. Some people do some interesting things. Like putting string trees on a guitar with a roller nut!

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:00 pm
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You want official? I got official ( i think I do anyway.....well just play along as if I do)

If it's your guitar......set it up however you like it.
****************************************************

There's many dealers that deck the Trem first thing before they display the guitars.
While it used to bug me (as a grumpy young man) because I was so used to working on the line and setting them up to float....inevitably like everything else on the guitar....its your choice absolutely.

Let's make that official!........Do not question my authoritehhhh! :lol:
cheers!,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Does Fender disapprove of us decking our Strat's bridge?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:39 pm
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GuitaristDog87 wrote:
I'm hoping I can get an answer from an official at Fender.

Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
If it's your guitar......set it up however you like it. Let's make that official!

Question asked, question answered. 8)

Cheers - C

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