Trem Flush To Body

[softmonkey]

Question: if one doesn't use the whammy bar a lot, what are the advantages of setting the floating bridge flush to the body, other than the guitar staying in tune if you break a string? Can you get more sustain, a fuller tone?

Also, the Strat I recently bought came with 9s. Is this what Fender recommends or do they do that so the guitars feel smoother and easier to play off the rack?

[jmasin]

I think there's a bit more tone/sustain when the bridge makes full contact, but it is hard to say, it's been forever since I had mine off the body. One advantage compared to completely floating is when you bend (assuming the spring tension is enough to continue holding it against the body). If you play anything where you bend one string but are also playing others the increased tension of the bend will not cause the others to go flat.

I can't answer your 2nd question directly, but I'd suppose Fender strikes a balance between tone (given they know and designed the pickups) and playability. Picking a guitar off the shelf strung with barbed wire probably isn't a great selling point.

Back when I first started playing and was a die hard Stevie wanna be (I'll admit it) I promptly took off the 9's that came on my Strats and replaced them with 13's, tuned 1/2 step down (like a said SRV wannabe ). Now I play 12s.

Fender also recommends their strings... duh! They want more money! And they'll give you schpeal about string construction optimized for the Strat... My personal opinion is that's a bunch of you know what...

I guess the point is play what sounds good to you!!

[brazil66]

Hmmmm I'm no expert here, quite the opposite really. I don't use the wham bar at all so...I added 2 more springs out back and screwed the thing down flush. Effectivly a hardtail now, easily changed back in a heartbeat. Wanted to see if I like it more. (don't know yet) Mine came with 9's and it plays like Bacon smells. It's my understanding you may get more body/ wood resonance, and less spring tone in the voice. It changes the tone for sure. Also changing string gauges is no adjustments required when you're locked down....yes?

[softmonkey]

Yeah, I don't like the Fender strings. Too warm compared to the EBs.

The 9s feel so good. I normally play 10s. With the neck length, you lose the fluidity you get with 9s when you go higher. A Les Paul with 10s feels like a Strat with 9s, to me at least. Anyway, I went with the 9s on my new Strat Am. Std. There's this set-up guy who's great, I want to give him a crack at it even though I just had it set it up beautifully by this other guy. This guy says he can make it even smoother, but suggests I use Martin-Darco 10s. He put those on my LP and the difference is astounding. The other guy is all about the 9s and the Ernie Balls, which is more where I'm coming from in terms of a Strat. But the 10s guy seems somewhat more detail-oriented and compulsive about getting the most out of string feel and tone.

[StratDen]

I think I prefer the adding of the springs and creating a near-fixed block as Braz mentions. Most important easily reversible.

[bobmac]

Brazil & StratDen - I have a Floyd Rose on my Strat and don't use the whammy bar, I also want to block the floating bridge and adding springs & tightening the screws seems the best way to go. But when I tried it the whole bridge was drawn backwards into the trem cavity, so what gives? Surely string tension alone isn't enough to bring it level again. I thought by adding springs & tightening the screws it would lock flush with the body not sink into the hole. I really need some advice on this matter.
By the way 10s for me, ideal for blues on a Strat.

[Orlando Mike]

find a small block of wood to block the steel trem block...then tighten the claw screws..

[Guitar Whiskey]

Adjustments made to the trem system on a Strat produce many subtle variations in tone. The use of a block (like Clapton) is one method that seems to work pretty well if you don't need use of the trem. Personally if it is a Strat with a trem, I prefer to have it set up floating. Anchoring the trem solid does not really produce the sound of a hardtail Strat; it only sounds like an anchored trem Strat. I have a hardtail Strat which I really enjoy and it has a very direct response and woody tone that trem Strats don't have. A hardtail Strat has substantially more wood under the bridge and the strings anchor into the wood rather than a steel block. To me a Strat with a trem has more of a hollow body sound whereas a hardtail Strat has more of a solid body sound like a Tele. The hollowed out body with trem make it sound more like a shot gun; it disperses the sound out kind of broad and open. A hardtail guitar has a more focused and direct attach which I really like. I do like both though. As far as 9's; for me they can sound nice but tuning is a bit touchy. I think 10's are a good compromise if you want light strings that stay fairly well in tune; 11's are also very comfortable on a well set up guitar. All trem adjustments will need the intonation to be setup and the saddle heights adjusted. There is no advantage to using Fender strings; it's all just marketing. Find what you personally like or study what players you like use. Hey it's OK to experiment with all of this to find what works for you.

[bobmac]

But what does this mean "I added 2 more springs out back and screwed the thing down flush"? I understand about adding springs but "screwed the thing down flush" I don't understand.
And why doesn't EC just buy a hardtail?

[Ryno]

I took off my bar and locked down the tail. At the same time I had it gone over by a good tech, so it's hard to say what individual items changed the perfromance, nut I have a lot more sustain. And, the sustain is from the guitar - I don't use any devices or amp distortion. I suspect the change is a combination of things though.

[Guitar Whiskey]

Originally Posted by bobmac

And why doesn't EC just buy a hardtail?

A blocked off trem sounds different than a hardtail Strat. With a blocked off trem you have the tone of the strings going through a steel block with a lot of wood removed from the body. With a hardtail you have the strings anchored into a thick chunk of wood more or less like a Tele. Initially I'm sure Clapton did this because he found his No. 1 Strat and just tuned it to his liking. I presume he still uses a blocked off Strat model now for the reason I explained above; probably personal preference.

[brazil66]

bobmac; You asked: " But what does this mean "I added 2 more springs out back and screwed the thing down flush"?

In the spring cavity at he back of the guitar, I added 2 more springs in the open bays. Now there are 5 springs. I then screwed down tight, the bridge to the body. I have a 2 screw to body bridge (late model). This is the flush I mentioned, bridge flat to body. Simple.
I didn't want to change the tone really....but just wanted to lock the thing down, cause I'm not a whammy kind of guy.
Also...I want to say ,I agree with , and found informative the info from Guitar Whiskey.

braz

[bobmac]

OK, now I understand about screw down, the bridge. I'll have another try, thanks for that!

[Boris Bubbanov]

Originally Posted by StratDen

I think I prefer the adding of the springs and creating a near-fixed block as Braz mentions. Most important easily reversible.

I use the 4-5 springs, callaham block and trem claw to barely let the bridge float, just so's I can have some shimmer if needed. I want that springy sound, otherwise I play the Strat Hardtail or Squier 51s or the Telecasters.
Just enough to slide a 1.5 mm pick between the plate and the body.
The Callaham stuff provides all the sustain I can manage.

Bubban0v

[Zman]

I also find that you can achieve a much lower action. I have a tech who sets my guitars up for me and I have all of my Strats set flush. Also I use the 9.5 D'Addarios and they make a big difference. Tone is great and bending and finger vibrato are easier.