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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:10 pm
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double post , oops

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Last edited by Twelvebar on Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:11 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
shaky wrote:
Here's the tremolo on my project guitar.
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Just a quick review for the OP. The old Blackie had 5 springs and the trem claw tight to the wood as previously suggested. The photograph depicts the current routing and setup of the bridge for the Signature Series guitar which was released in '87. It is common knowledge that Eric desired a hardtail bridge but felt that the springs added something to the overall tone. There's been a great deal of discussion about this guitar in the Forums over the past 7 years. Once that bridge is decked, and trem claw is down tight with the 5 springs, that system is solid. Why R&D decided to add the wood block has never been explained.

It's to keep the angle of the bridge the same as if it was floating.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:33 am
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Twelvebar wrote:
...It's to keep the angle of the bridge the same as if it was floating.


What?

The bridge is decked, not floating, held fast to the body due to the trem claw screws being tightened, the bridge will not move even with the most extreme string bending. The block does nothing as far as holding the bridge in place. That still doesn't answer the question of why they included a block of wood that EC himself never used.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:41 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
still doesn't answer the question of why they included a block of wood that EC himself never used.

No offense, but: (again) at least he approved it to the EC Signature model - and the story goes EC's been quite precice in all aspects of the sig model.

Anyway, the internet wisdom says (see quote & most others like it), so what's the source for "never used"?
Quote:
(...) Clapton began by selecting a ’56 alder body that was finished in black lacquer and a one-piece maple neck from a ’57 that featured a hard “V” shape. The pickups and hardware were installed (along with a small block of wood that he slipped behind the vibrato’s inertia block to lock the unit in place), and the result was one of the most famous “mutt” hardtail Strats ever made.
(quote from guitarplayer.com)


(BTW, at least one EC Sig left the CS with no wood block, just three trem springs and the spring claw not screwed tight to the body wall - the story was somewhere in the forum :wink: )


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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:23 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Twelvebar wrote:
...It's to keep the angle of the bridge the same as if it was floating.


What?

The bridge is decked, not floating, held fast to the body due to the trem claw screws being tightened, the bridge will not move even with the most extreme string bending. The block does nothing as far as holding the bridge in place. That still doesn't answer the question of why they included a block of wood that EC himself never used.

Maybe it's not why it was included in the EC, but that is why you use a block, to lock the trem without changing the angle of the bridge (and therefore the saddles.)

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:45 pm
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Representations to the contrary, the auction catalog photos of Blackie both top and back reveal decked bridge, five springs, trem claw flat to the wall, and no wood block. EC likely trashed that waaayyy back.
It's not in the Tribute model either.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:59 pm
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Exactly my point. All indications are that EC never used a block of wood in any of his guitars, and there is no reference to EC himself ever having suggested including a block of wood. I guess we are not privy to the info of whether or not EC used/uses a block of wood in his own personal signature models, but evidence is very clear that the famous "Blackie" guitar, as well as the CS "duplicates" never had a block of wood installed....

And yes, once the trem claw is tightened down, the wood block does nothing to the bridge position whatsoever.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 2:12 am
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shimmilou wrote:
evidence is very clear

I see no real evidence for or against the 'wood block mystery' - that's why I asked, would have been a nice new insight for EC's fans.
Mind you, thinking about how he (& others at that time) experimented with their guitars (and other gear), I'd be really surprised if blocks of wood, coins, cork, eraser (etc) all weren't tried at some point... :lol:

Eric! Please! Help!
(Or maybe Rob, if ya have the time...)


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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:20 am
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Rob's might be able to research this internally. The published resources are conflicting. The old guitar does not have a wood block. I'd go to Todd Krause for the details as to what leaves the shop destined for Eric.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:03 am
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OH come on ERIC, you know you want to post here really :roll:


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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:14 am
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jmattis wrote:
shimmilou wrote:
evidence is very clear

I see no real evidence for or against the 'wood block mystery' - that's why I asked, would have been a nice new insight for EC's fans.
Mind you, thinking about how he (& others at that time) experimented with their guitars (and other gear), I'd be really surprised if blocks of wood, coins, cork, eraser (etc) all weren't tried at some point... :lol:

Eric! Please! Help!
(Or maybe Rob, if ya have the time...)


You should have used the rest of my sentence in your quote. My reference was to the "Blackie" guitar that belonged to EC and the subsequent "duplicates", none had the block, as clearly evidenced from every single picture of them.

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:21 am
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I can confirm that Brownie did not come with a wood block either. :)


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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 1:08 pm
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Shimmilou, that guitarplayer quote is about Blackie. But let's not make this a quarrel, let's instead be knights of the six strings on a quest for the grail, or in this case, wood.
8)


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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:40 pm
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Then I will quarrel with GP, they are FOS. There are many, many pictures of Blackie, no wood block in any. :wink:

The mystery is that if EC did not use one, and the clear evidence is that he did not, then why the wood block in his signature models and other EC custom shop models? There is zero evidence that EC ever used a wood block, only absolutely untrue statements made by those that obviously don't have a clue. :?:

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Post subject: Re: Change from Tremolo to Hardtail
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 1:46 am
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If EC only would have adapted the Hendrix style of playing (tongue, teeth, behind his head) - maybe one of those pics would show the backside of Blackie.

Now we can only hold our breath till Mr. C. signs to the forum and solves the mystery. After all, what else is he going to fill his days with, if he retires from touring. :wink:


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