First electric guitar (Strat), need tremolo adjustment help

[GregT]

As far as blocking a Strat's floating bridge, if you don't understand it, you could always ask Eric Clapton why he does it. Now as far as setting up a Strat to stay in tune all night, you set the bridge at 1/4 inch from the body and put on genuine Fender locking tuners. I play heavy and only go out of tune at all, very rarely. For the original post, first tighten the two screws on the claw. That alone might solve it. If not, take the two outside springs and run them to the holes next to the center spring on the bridge block; a very common way to add more tension. If that fails, add two more springs. But first, tighten those two screws on the claw!!! Locking tuners are the most important upgrade to any Stratocaster. I cannot overemphasize that enough. I am a lifetime Stratocaster player and owner. Stratocasters do NOT go out of tune any more than any other guitar when set up properly.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

you could always ask Eric Clapton why he does it

because he started out playing Lester Polsfuss (LP) guitars & never got around to using the vibrato

 

[mongo2]

View attachment 2957092

Your gear snobbery is meaningless.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I explained it more than once, but you're not willing to read it.
It's not snobbery, it's another perspective, not the default "block it!".

 

[mongo2]

I explained it more than once, but you're not willing to read it.
It's not snobbery, it's another perspective, not the default "block it!".

Yes, it is snobbery. Nothing you post will change the fact that blocking works extremely well and is vastly preferred to "get a hardtail"

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Save us from a place where knowing how to do it correctly is called snobbery.
Block yours, but don't tell every new Strat owner to block theirs at the first sign of a ill-leveled float.

 

[mongo2]

Save us from a place where knowing how to do it correctly is called snobbery.
Block yours, but don't tell every new Strat owner to block theirs at the first sign of a ill-leveled float.

Blocking is the correct way to do it.

Everyone out there, block your Strat, it's easy, it works, and it's easily undone if you ever want to sell it.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

and we're back to the cartoon
simple & wrong or complex & correct

I'm done repeating myself, have a nice evening!

 

[Clark Dark]

That appears to be a newer style tremolo plate with a turn screw at each end of the top plate instead of six screws across the plate. If you loosen the strings and still have that angle then those two turn screws at each end need to be loosened so the plate will lay flat against the body. Once you accomplish that then you bring the strings back up to pitch but watch to see if the tremolo plate lifts with string tension. If it does just go to where the springs are and tighten the two screws evenly in 1/4 inch increments until you have created the action you desire. Take your time, it's not that hard at all.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

It's just a 2-point bridge, which is better than the 6-point, IME, but the procedure doesn't change.
The OP put thicker diameter strings on it than were taken off.
I went over how to adjust the spring tension in post #46. It doesn't need to be trial & error in 1/4 turn increments.

 

[mongo2]

and we're back to the cartoon
simple & wrong or complex & correct

I'm done repeating myself, have a nice evening!

Your cartoon is simply wrong. Complex is rarely correct.

Blocking is simple and effective with no permanent effects. It's the elegant solution.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

 

[mongo2]

View attachment 2957339

Doesn't change the fact that simple is better than complex.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Stratocasters do NOT go out of tune any more than any other guitar when set up properly.

I agree & mine was fine even w/o locking tuning machines.
Knowing how to set them up seems to be a gift

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Watch this video. It will explain most of the process to you and also go over how to setup the tremolo to a specific interval. For the most part you need to tighten those screws at the top on the back to increase tension on your springs. You probably went to a higher gauge string than what was on their before. Most of the time guitar strings on a strat are light gauge FWIW.

"Floating" a Strat vibrato is like using a Ferrari to go four wheeling in the woods.

Leo was a genius but there are limitations to what you can do with 50's era hardware.

If you have time to tweak one regularly and still get mediocre results, follow the video.

If you want to join the real world, try a Kahler, Steinberger, Rose, or a host of other units made for "floating".

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I tend to agree with you. G&L's dual fulcrum vibrato bridge is probably the best non-locking vibrato bridge out there, but in this case the OP has the Fender 2-point, which is at least better than the 6-point.
Ah, not that it matters. The OP jumped ship back on page 1.

 

[mongo2]

Knowing how to set them up seems to be a gift

Not really, it's quite simple to set up but some just don't want the trem. There are definitely better trems out there for those who do want them.

 

[James Collins]

"Floating" a Strat vibrato is like using a Ferrari to go four wheeling in the woods

This may be the worst simile I have ever read in my life. Your analogy is like hitting a golf ball with unbridled enthusiasm.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I don’t see the point in a strat if you’re not going to float the trem. It was made to float. That gives it the strat sparkle.

That's how I see it, but we're obviously in a minority.
Over the years I've seen how new floating bridge users are convinced very quickly to block them or even buy the tremel-no.
It's from the others handing out that piece of advice at the first sign of trouble. "Block It!" they shout from the rooftops.

It's also very common to believe it's trial & error, when there's a better, first-try procedure.

 

[James Collins]

That's how I see it, but we're obviously in a minority.
Over the years I've seen how new floating bridge users are convinced very quickly to block them or even buy the tremel-no.
It's from the others handing out that piece of advice at the first sign of trouble. "Block It!" they shout from the rooftops.

It's also very common to believe it's trial & error, when there's a better, first-try procedure.

I don't think you are in a minority. The majority leave their tremolos alone and never adjust them. More people have a functional tremolo. Some loud people block them.

The only trial and error is if you are adjusting to a certain interval, otherwise your recommendation is perfect.