It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:45 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:45 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
Hello

I’ve searched high and low for as much info on this as I can get and there’s a few tidbits I’m a little gray on so here goes.

After I finish repairing my ding, my next goal is to straighten the bridge out. This is a vintage 6 screw tremolo installed on a Warmoth body ca. 1994 which I didn’t do correctly back then and as a result, is slightly crooked. I’ve read posts about what distance from the nut it should be, how to set it straight by using the high and low E string, installing the neck and Pickgaurd first etc. So my plan is this:

1. Remove all parts and drill out the existing holes using a buddies drill press
2. Glue small dowels in place of the holes and allow to dry. Sand and refinish as needed.
3. Reseat neck
4. Measure 25 ¼ “ from nut to screw hole for correct distance and mark two outer holes and make a straight line for side to side adjustment. Now from what I can figure, this measurement does not need to be absolutely spot on balls accurate as the saddles are adjustable so I can’t see where I’d have intonation issues that cant be corrected with a screwdriver. Am I right on this? I have an LSR roller nut so would that measurement differ slightly?
5. Once centerline is drawn, drop the tremolo in place, install springs, and high and low E string. With holes centered on the lline, slide left or right so that the strings are properly centered over the fretboard and poles.
6. Mark holes, drill with drill press and install bridge.

This is my plan based what I’ve sifted through so thought I’d bounce it off the folks here. The only thing I seem to be a little sketchy on is the part where I’ve read to install the trem springs. Wouldn’t that pull the tremolo against the wood with a fair amount of tension? Or will it be easy enough to just hold it in place on the centerline?

Hoping to do this in a week or two depending when I can get access to the drill press.

Thanks very much all.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 1:40 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Look at Stew Mac ; You need a template

http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0145.html


See on you tube too ;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9MEHOI00AI


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 2:04 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
Thanks Stratele

I watched that video yesterday. That guy claims the Stew Mac Drill template didn’t work and holes didn’t line up with the bridge so he didn’t use it. His tutorial seems to make a lot of sense to me so leaning towards his approach.

I guess I just gotta go for it. Can’t imagine it will end up being worse than it was. There was no internet in 1994 for me to get all the in depth tutorials.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 2:13 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
I'm very surprise about Stew Mac , they are very qualified . Something wrong with this video IMO
Look at measurement at Stew Mac

Is the bridge of this guy on video in a import one ( metric ) ? Wrong size ?

And Stew mac ; template is for which bridge ?

Maybe some jobbers Bridge are not well made as Fender ? Not same size ?

What is your bridge ? Where it come from ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 2:22 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
Good point

The bridge I have is the original bridge when it was a 93’ MIK strat so I assume it is import. I removed it lastnight and the block is full size and has a good weight to it so I planned on going with this rather than purchase a new one.

Body is a Warmoth (pretty certain) swamp ash that I purchased in 94 or 95. I never had any intonation issues but It was a tad crooked so I figured while I was fixing this ding I might as well fix the bridge as its been bugging the crap out of me all these years.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 3:11 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
captainc wrote:
Good point

The bridge I have is the original bridge when it was a 93’ MIK strat so I assume it is import. I removed it lastnight and the block is full size and has a good weight to it so I planned on going with this rather than purchase a new one.

Body is a Warmoth (pretty certain) swamp ash that I purchased in 94 or 95. I never had any intonation issues but It was a tad crooked so I figured while I was fixing this ding I might as well fix the bridge as its been bugging the crap out of me all these years.


I don't know about size of this import ( ? ) bridge . You may need to do your own template

Stew Mac give size of their bridges ( do they fit with their template ? ) look and check yours , there are some model , not genuine Fender ;

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... ?tab=Specs


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:36 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4242
Although this seems an easy task, it really isn't (much like drilling thru-the-body holes in a Tele body).
You get some hints reading ceri's method2 in this link - it's about the 2point trem but principles apply. For instance, that 25 1/4" may not be the best measure for the tremolo you have.

Practice on scrap wood till you feel confident with your skills. Measure&fit, measure&fit and measure&fit again, before you do the final drillings. And: make that template.

On that old hole filling: I'd drill those to little oversize, and use body wood (here: swamp ash) dowels with Titebond/Sigbond - just to be sure there is no weak point there in case the new holes overlap the old ones.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 1:48 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
jmattis +1


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:48 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
Wow thanks very much for all the info and advice. And thanks for that link jmattis. Exactly what I was looking for.

Luckily this is my partscaster so as long as I can get it in better shape than it was I'm happy. Actually its my Onlycaster right now so that's why this info is so much appreciated.

And thanks again Ceri if you read this.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:18 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
Success.

I wasn’t able to get around to this until this past weekend and the camera was full so will take some pics of the current sate of my partocaster ASAP. I will either post a pic here or start a “captainc’s amateur refinish thread” of some type and post pics. Basically the gist of it is the superglue drop fill worked great but I effed with it to try and make it better and made it much worse so now its turned into a refinish. With the bridge now straight, I’m planning on starting the refinish this weekend.

Thanks again for the advice here.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:08 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 2:32 pm
Posts: 235
Location: Rossendale, UK

_________________
Chris


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Correct method for drilling holes for 6 Screw Tremelo
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:38 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:38 pm
Posts: 1744
That’s a great video and one I came across in my quest, however they use a body with the holes already drilled. Would have liked to see them demo the process on a blank body. I had no appreciation for that until I tried and failed myself. If I ever go down the road of building a partocaster again, I’ll be sure to buy a predrilled body and match the proper bridge to that rather than attempt to drill holes to match a bridge.

_________________
YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: