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Post subject: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:24 am
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Just purchased one of these kits:

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xtrem-Top-Mounte-Vibrato-Roller-Bridge-Combo-Chrome-Finish-_p_4417.html

Naturally, the bridge plate is for a conventional Tele pickup setup. For the Squier VM Custom II, I will need to cut the bridge plate down.

The factory hardtail bridge:

Image

New bridge plate which needs to be cut down. I marked the exact location for the old bridge string locations with the hash marks on the tape:

Image

New bridge plate mounted and holes for tremolo unit:

Image

Tremolo unit mounted:

Image

Image


The Squier VM Custom II has a 7.25 inch fretboard radius and the Xtreme roller bridge is set up for a 12 inch radius. I will add Floyd Rose saddle shims to the new roller bridge to achieve the correct radius.

String spacing is perfect.

I needed to shim the neck to allow for the higher roller bridge. One business card folded in half was sufficient to achieve the correct action height. As a result, the thumbwheels normally used with this bridge are not needed.

Remaining steps: Saddle shims for the correct fretboard radius and intonation, which was almost bang on with the new installation. By the way, the old strings were too short for this unit.

The Xtreme Tremolo kit comes with two different strength springs, presumably to allow for more or less tension on the arm. I installed the lighter spring and will likely change this out for the heavier spring.

Just about done, and I believe this unit is excellent quality and value, given you have a tremolo and bridge which is completely roller based.

Jacob


Last edited by Jacobz06 on Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:41 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:01 pm
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Links are broken.


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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:04 pm
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Broken links above repaired.


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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:26 am
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An Update:

I replaced the stock units with Fender locking staggered tuning machines and removed the string trees.

Image

I then lubricated the tremolo bushing and rollers with a bit of engine rebuild lithium lube.

Image

I also replaced the factory nut with a TUSQ nut. Interestingly, the TUSQ pre-cut nut for a Telecaster required shimming to reach the required height.

Image

I used one slice of stiff business card (about 3.5 mm) as a shim. A new set of Elixir strings and the guitar behaves well.

Also shimmed the neck with a business card folded in half.

Image


Sustain is improved and the tuning issues have virtually disappeared. I'm not sure if the vastly improved sustain is due to the nut or the Elixir strings, but I'll take it.

Incidentally, the Squier VM Tele Custom II has a 9.5 inch fretboard radius, not 7.25 inch as the Fender site states.

Also, here are several tables which come in handy when doing guitar setups. I use the string thickness table as follows:

Add the string thickness to the required string height (normally Bottom of String) to arrive at a Top of String measurement. I can then use the depth gauge on my cheap digital caliper for doing setups on action or pickup height.

Image

I find working in metric a lot easier when dealing with these small measurements.

Jacob


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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:02 pm
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Fantastic work, those VM squires are already a great guitar for the money, nice use of a cost effective bridge to give it some bigsby vibe :). I find it odd that you had to shim the nut then shim the neck to tilt it back. With the new nut was the strings not clearing the first fret at the right height? Given that you correctly masked off the guitar and installed a new bridge its clear you knew what you were doing, just trying to find out more about the process thats all :)

While I'm asking questions, what was the reason for going with TUSQ nut rather than a roller to match the bridge? Nothing wrong with the choice you made, and getting rid of the string tree and adding the staggered tuners will give you smooth sailing through that nut n e way. Just wondering why you wanted to go rollers at one end of the guitar and not at the other.

Great looking guitar :)

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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:51 pm
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Impulse7 wrote:
Fantastic work, those VM squires are already a great guitar for the money, nice use of a cost effective bridge to give it some bigsby vibe :). I find it odd that you had to shim the nut then shim the neck to tilt it back. With the new nut was the strings not clearing the first fret at the right height? Given that you correctly masked off the guitar and installed a new bridge its clear you knew what you were doing, just trying to find out more about the process thats all :)

While I'm asking questions, what was the reason for going with TUSQ nut rather than a roller to match the bridge? Nothing wrong with the choice you made, and getting rid of the string tree and adding the staggered tuners will give you smooth sailing through that nut n e way. Just wondering why you wanted to go rollers at one end of the guitar and not at the other.

Great looking guitar :)


1. The neck was shimmed early on to adjust for the additional height of the roller bridge (compared with the factory hardtail), as recommended by the supplier. My write up may have been confusing as to the sequence of events.
2. The TUSQ nut seemed an easier option to try before converting to a roller nut, and was done after the tuners and string trees. The nut was shimmed to achieve proper relief, but the neck angle and action was already good.

Hope this clears things up.

Jacob


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Post subject: Re: Squier VM Tele Custom II with Xtreme Tremolo Kit
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:17 pm
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Sweet! great job :)

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