Recently I've been watching a bunch of Strat trem setup videos. This is something I learned to do pre-TH-cam. Your vid is one I would recommend for its clarity and simplicity. Just a word of caution to those new to a floating bridge. There is a delicate balance between spring and string tension that makes this function properly. If you are heavy-handed with a strong vibrato you will have intonation problems. The bridge will lift and cause your notes to go noticeably flat. It may require an adjustment in your touch, even to the point of sacrifice. With a decked trem and good spring tension this isn't a problem, so be careful what you wish for. Cheers.
What's really cool about a floating bridge is that when you bend the string it pulls up the bridge to give you more clearance so the note doesn't choke out or buzz! Also it lowers the note a hair at the top of the bend so you have more stability of hitting the note correctly. It really is a difference you can hear and feel.
Good advice. Carl Verheyen counter-balances using the heel of his right hand with heavy bends/double stops. With a floating trem, your technique has to adapt
@@allancrow134 Cool! All of my electrics are PRS and they build an amazing trem system. Never had to do any work on them so far, but these are good tips. Keep on rocking!
I was looking up string changing on a strat, as it is my first time with locking tuners... Buddy doesn't mention the trem at all, so I was confused when it suddenly didn't pull and kept hitting my guitar upon releasing it. This video helped point out the now obvious... Out of curiosity I looked at other videos, and rarely they mention floating the trem, even if they are using a guitar with a trem as an example.
I do it different, I put the shim in as you do, then tighten the blocks screws to the spring claw so its fairly tight, then I tune guitar, stretch strings re-tune so forth, then remove the shim, it should go out of tune sharp, it will be tuned too high .. when you tune the guitar back down it will be balanced, or synchronized, as much tension on the springs as you have on the strings, this way the block always reports back to zero and in tune when block is moved one way or the other .. its basically the same thing you have done here, if you do it my way the shim will just barely slide under the rear of the plate .. however I like to go one step further, I will use ringed trem screws, as used on PRS, they are like a ring shank screw, they have a groove or ring cut out about 1/8th below bottom of head, this way I can elevate the front of the trem plate as it rests in those grooves, get em all exact the same off the deck so the trem plate fits in the ring grooves perfectly all the way across you don't want one screw higher or lower.. then I use the shim and synchronize the trem.. this way the bridge plate sits parallel off the deck like a dual fulcrum or a floyd rose... I always look at the edge of the trem plate that sits int he grooves and insure at each hole the thickness is the same for precision, I find the tuning action is dead on long as strings do not stick anywhere, strings on nut, tuner poles, or saddles, those saddles they sell at stumac work well as they reduce the break angle and string tend to not get hang up on the saddle leading edge, I'll soften that contact point as well and perhaps loob.. then at the nut I was the string slot cut at the same angle the string runs down to the tuner post, so you want to determine where your string will contact the post depending o tuners you have, with locking you have the choice, the string can head up to the nut where the hole is drilled thru the post, OR you can wind the string down the pole where you like.. just figure that out then angle your nut slot to that point, close as you can get... then I want the breaking edge of the nut to be sharp, from leading edge back I want to fan the slot out a bit, give the string plenty of room so its not fighting a tight slot.. so few wraps on your tuner post the less movement of the strings means the string will return back to where it came form when you use the whammy or loosen the strings, if you have a lot of wraps, they can loosen and maybe not go back the same way and be tighter or looser, out of tune, so focus on that aspect as well, you can salve all of that and have better stability with a behind the nut locker.. like old charvels used if no locker is used then I suggest locking tuners and before locking the string point the hole at the nut and pull the string fairly tight with pliers whatever this eliminates any wraps going slack and fubar when whammy is employed, and if down the road you do have a wrap around the pole from string stretch, unlock and tighten again, I like staggered tuners to keep the string hole close to the headstock as possible, this eliminates any tuner post wobble.. the old vintage with the hole down thru the post if you don't wrap the string way down near the headstock if you lave it high the post will bend when using whammy if you pull up, it goes back obviously but when you fret a chord will it tugg hard enough to bend posts and knock out of tune any? 2 cent whatever? hmm, I look at em while i pull up see if they bend at all, even chording and string bending, I look see whats happening, allover, the nut, the saddles, have a look see whats happening is anything getting hung up so forth? lube helps, different string up techniques whatever
very clear and helpful, thanks for sharing this video. Ive always let others do my setups and mods, but got curious after purchasing a Strat Ultra. Yes the float is a bit off, and some string buzzing here and there, just hope I can do it justice!
Very nice instructive video, one of the cleanest and most straight forward I've seen. I made several notes while watching your video. All my Strats are nicely set up and have floating trems. What is the secret to keeping your Strat in tune? I have two Strats with LSR Roller Nuts, but the guitars still go way out of tune, I'm constantly tuning and I'm not doing any dive bombs. I wonder if a graphite nut might even be better than the LSR? The other two Strats have Wilkinson Roller Nuts on them and stay in tune better but still need constant fine tuning especially if you do any whole step pushing or pulling on the Trem. I notice Jeff Beck almost never tunes his guitars while he's playing and he's using a standard Fender Tremolo Bridge and always with the Wilkinson Roller Nut and he gives his Trems a serious workout on practically every song. I'd love to hear any suggestions you might have? Again, nice video, I'd love to hear from you.
You make it look so easy. I’m having no luck at all floating the trem on my 2011 American standard. It’s a two point, how tight should the two point screws be tightened?
tighten the claw springs so the bridge is tight against the body; then loosen the the 2 screws at the front of the bridge a little bit until it is level with the body... then follow what I did in the video and it should float.
Thanks,my squire strat tremolo was flat against the body. Plays great for a cheap guitar. I like a little tremolo, not much. This helped a lot. Subscribed.
Thanks again, any advice on how I should adjust the pickups on that squire if I play really heavy-handed and a pickup seem to be a little bit too strong I don't know how to adjust them I'm also looking for a tone screams
after 23 years with my American Standard I finally floated the tremolo. the difference in action is incredible. you could breath on the strings and play a note, and no buzz. AWESOME!!! I should have done it a long time ago. That guitar never really played great, It does now.
Does it stay in tune? I have four Strat’s two with LSR roller nuts and two with fender Wilkinson roller nuts which is what Jeff Beck uses, and I still can’t keep my guitars in tune, while I noticed that Jeff almost never tunes his guitar while playing. You might read my post at the very top, there must be some kind of fine adjustment, or special lube, or something, that can keep a floating tremolo in tune, but I’ve been searching for years and haven’t found the answer. Any suggestions? Thank you.
@@stilldreamin57 I really want to put a double coil and Floyd Rose in mine but I don’t want to cut it up, it’s a 27 yr old American Strat in great shape.
You need to do the intonation before floating the bridge. Changing the intonation after floating messes with the tension on the springs and changes the angle so it’s no longer floating
@@ManotickGuitarTech I was thinking about the neck tension - since heavier stings were installed, the neck would curve more, but in retrospect, I think your measurements after installation showed all was OK.
Fastest hand in the business, haha! Jka, great video. Have you ever worked on Samick Greg Bennet Malibu? I am wondering if that stock bridge on the Malibu can be floated?
Thanks for watching the video, Aaron. The posts just need to snug and not too tight on the bridge plate- experiment with it on your guitar and you might notice a difference in feel when using the tremolo.
Hi, thanks for very nice explaination. I have a question, I want my high E string to have lower action, but at ca. 1.7mm it will slighly touch the screw of the tremolo system and make noise while playing. Do you have an idea what‘s problem here?
When I got my strat it was floated. I just changed to thicker strings so I had to tighten the springs by screwing the two screws further back. Now when I tune one string it effects the others. Like if I drop d the guitar it throws the tuning way off. Don't recall it doing that before. And suggestions?
You have to lock the trem down like a I did I the video; change your strings, do your setup then back off the springs until your trem just floats. Otherwise you are chasing your tail trying to tune
Great video for my new Player. Question, when checking the relief, you capo'd at the first fret, pressed the 19th fret and measured at the 7th. Fender specs say to capo 1st, press the last fret and measure at the 8th fret. Does it make a difference in readings or just splitting hairs? I have mine just above .010 and am getting just a bit of buzz on the G, B string at the 9th. I use 10's.
Your measuring is fine - same difference, really. What is your string height? It should be no lower than 4/64ths at the 17th fret? That might be your problem
Hope you can answer. I bought a Fender MIM strat, and i bought a set of 06.'s it came with .09s and do i have to do ajustment to the trust rod, and do i have to lock the tremolo if i change to lighter gauge? Hope you can answer.
@@ManotickGuitarTech Well, i bought it, and i will try it, what guitars are those light gauges for though? So in order to have a chance using the gauges i bought Ernie Balls btw! Then i at least have to remove 1 spring? Then put the strings on but without tuning it, then tighten up the tremolo having something under it to support the position of the tremolo that i want it in? (locked) and then tune up the strings for the new position and then do a small adjustment to the thrust rod? or can i just remove 1 spring and don't lock the tremolo, its floating right now (active) its hard to keep the guitar perfect in tune so as is so i just ordered locking nut tuners from fender for my Stratocaster and hope that will help with that! ( I've never modified a guitar before, never touched a trust rod, from TH-cam i have seen that it's just to do tiny tiny adjustments, one way to get more action and the other way to get less action.) OR Is it maybe better to NOT put the .06's on the Stratocaster, and instead put it on a Squier Affinity Telecaster, that i just ordered after trying a MiM, a US PRO, Vintage Pro, and a Squier Aff Tele. Will that require less adjustments (if it comes out of the box alright ) and will the .06's be a better fit on the Tele rather than on the Strat? So you can if you like elaborate about the .06's and why one should not use it and where it is suppose to be used (short scale guitars? ) While i will explain why i ended up wanting to try the .06's i bought. ( i wanted to try .07 but they were sold out ) The reason is simple, I want to have one guitar with super light gauges so i can do crazy bends and use it as a solo lead guitar. I want my the strings to be so sensitive that my 2.5mm pick barely have to touch the strings, and i want to tap with those gauges. Small background history: I played guitar ( multi instrumentalist ) since i was a kid, but only always by ear, never learned nothing. Then in 2015 i sold all my guitars minus an acoustic cheap guitar (rip it died eventually) In late 2016 /early 2017, i got an acoustic piano that was not perfect in tune, started learning piano for real with my ears ( what i knew from before was nothing compared to what i was able to teach my self ) To not grow to many details, i know several instruments, and i usually learn by just using ear. Story almost over my friend: Then in 2023, as in last September , my Electric piano that i now have was not used that much due to a dead key in the middle of the piano, so frustration took over and i did not want to practice anymore. But i did order first a cheap J/P bass, started plucking on it, realized I had never played bass, i did not know what i was doing and i had forgotten everything about guitar knowledge that i had on this point. ( almost ) So i sat down practicing for 16 hours the first day and put in so many hours on it you would not believe me if i told you i have 1200 hours on bass now since September and that lead to me in December to buy a Fender fretless J-bass (MIM) which i didn't have to do nothing with out of the box so far, came with flats, maybe want tapes on it and maybe change of pick ups later. Then in January i bought a cheap guitar just because i missed guitar for my recording, i liked it but it was.. ( worse than my Stratocaster Squier that i got from my father before he died in 1999 ) But still playable enough to tempt me in January to buy a Fender Player Series Stratocaster. Which i also ordered Seymore Duncan Sh-1 Hot rail bridge pick up for because the bridge pick up on the MIM... garbage unless i split it with the mid. And in February I signed up for the first time in my life on a Seminar, which was basically for Musical Theory and modes and scales on Bass. And it lasted 14 hours i have attended 12H and every hour has been as if i was given Keys to freedom, and understanding what i do and the theory behind and having been blessed with amazing ears, it makes everything so much "easier" now and i can do things i never could have done on the guitar thanks to it too. On my own i plan to try the learning how to sweep and shred as on the guitar as that is something i also never been able to do, and i want to be better at tapping ( i have understand so much more of that too now) And before i can do that, i am putting time in to being perfect with the pick, steady on the hand, firm on the grip, precise, and trying to put my muscle memory in motion for alternate picking to be as natural as taking a leak. Now with all that said, you know me a little more now than you did before this comment (if you read everything) And in order for you not to have to "remember what to answer to" ( i have ADHD, i gotcha on this ) Just answer the simplest: Scroll up to the top, and lets just talk about the "why should i not use .06 in the first place, and what guitars are they intended for" Please elaborate, i am eager to learn. and the adjustment questioning about the Thrust rod and the tremolo and removal of 1 spring, and if putting the .06 on the Telecaster would be more beneficial, or that the Tele is a better suited guitar for those gauges since I'm going to try .06's either way. ( i mean i bought them might as well try them and maybe achieve crazy fun bends ) Alright my friend, i have to say thank you a lot for your time and patience, especially if you read a small portion of my life story that i added to my question ( just my adhd, and i would like to share it ) Have a nice day, i cannot wait to hear from you! I wish you the best, and bless you, I appreciate you!
@@ManotickGuitarTech I understand! Well i do already have the 6s so guess when i get my locking tuners, ill remove a spring, change the gauges and try them at least since i already bought them, and taking into consideration what you're saying. Guess if it goes well i'll keep them until they break and if it makes the guitar un playable, take it to a guitar repair guy in town and intonate it and set it up with 8s. Got my telecaster Squier today which i picked over the Fender because i liked the affinity telecaster better or just as much as a real Fender, and for a cheaper guitar it is quite good not gonna lie. Not sure if i want to do any modifications on it, but would be fun to set it up with locking tuners, and a couple of DiMarzio The tone zone. For my strat, already ordered a Hotrail from seymore duncan for the bridge. Not sure what i want on the mid and the neck to be honest, any advice on mid and neck pickups for a Strat in your opinion? And what about the Telecaster, what pick ups are good if i find out i want to mod it? And will it benefit from chancing the control knob plate to a Fender made one or is that a waste since it seems like its already pretty decent? I also play bass and have a Fender Fretless J-bass, i want to mod that too, heard that EMG is the way to go on the fretless so i am considering it. Maybe EMG would be nice for mid and neck for the Stratocaster too idk :)
@@ManotickGuitarTech I had 07s not 06, found out today when i decided to remove the mid spring, and change my pickguard due to the one that it came with when i bought it had dents so i got a new one, but thought changing it could be a little over my head, i was very wrong, was easy piece, easier than building computers, which im very good at. The only thing left now is to wait for my locking tuners to install, and the Seymore Duncan SHR-1 Hot rail bridge pickup to arrive and i might have some help from a professional to install that, because i have never really soldered much in my life, i mean, i did solder something at school in 2004 once or twice so i guess ill leave that to a pro, for now, until i find someone that can teach me about how, and what product to use ofc. I want to thank you for your advice, made me take the extra step to just do easy adjustments my self. And the 07s i put on after removing a spring, felt like it was meant for the guitar, its better intonated now than it was with the 09's... not sure if that's a MIM thing, but i like it =D
Where did you get the tool to adjust the height of the saddles? Also, what is the reason for trem strings being attached to the middle portion of the block instead of parallel to each other?
Where can I get a set of the tools you use to do the string height? You have a hex tool to adjust the saddles and a gauge tool to place between the string and the frets?
Hi got my strat setup and it plays great however the bridge is high I’m using 9.5 gauge strings how can I lower the bridge a little bit and would I have to adjust the neck and intonation? Thank you
Check and see how many strings you have in the back - there should only be 3. Then you need to float the bridge. Sometimes the springs are too strong and they need to be changed for lighter springs.
I have the same guitar and after setting it up I am getting fret buzz on the B and G strings. Also the guitar does not stay in tune when I use the tremolo. All the strings become sharp or flat and stay there.
Doesn't loosening those trem claw screws to where you can remove the popsicle stick raise the action further? Is that when you go back and measure/magnify then lower saddles? thx
Hi, I don't know if you can help me. I have a Stratocaster Traditional 50s Made in Japan. It happens to me that when I bend with the B string, it goes out of tune. If I pull the tremolo lever down, it gets back in tune. What could it depend on? There is another guy on youtube who has the same problem on his Made in Usa Stratocaster but hasn't solved it so far ...
@@ManotickGuitarTech I had put some graphite in the cracks in the nut but nothing had changed. It is probably the slot of the B string that is too tight, as you say. I will try to enlarge it.
Hello. If I keep the two tremolo-bridge screws down when using the lever in both directions, can the wood of the guitar body be damaged? Thank you in advance for your response. (I'm using the google translator.)
... you said action at 17th fret was 5. Do you mean 5/64ths ?? which would be .078 inches (about 2mm). Typical action (preferred by many strat players) is 3/64 for high E, and 4/64 for low E - measured at the 12th fret
Unrelated, but im getting super sick of that ad with the dude saying 'dude, stop trying to play guitar solos with scales." I get what he's trying to say, but its a god awful way to put it.
@@ManotickGuitarTech my son he has guitar but his volume tone on his telecaster broke holding the volume screw nob ones so he changed the tone pot but the tone pot not working so he's having to order one to replace he's wired it up right but it's not functional. Question what do you think of the finger easy string spray lubrication. Because my son has all ways used that and to clean fret board a d it all work perfectly yet he's gone to this guitar shop and they said its the worse thing to use on guitars because it builds up shit on the fret board yet my son has never had that issue only because sometimes he stops playing for so many years then pick up play when he's on the mood to?
@@ManotickGuitarTech no not the strings basically he trying to find finger easy lubrication for his hands and fingers because his hand keeps sticking on fretboard when playing so it's harder to play at times amazon doesn't seem to sale it no more ans he doesn't have eBay account
@@ManotickGuitarTech Hi bro, thanks for the tip, however, I can't tighten the springs because the screws won't let me, they're awfully tighten up and I'm afraid if I put more strength to them, something might break
@@patraulpunk How many springs do you have? You need at least 3 and they need to be pretty stiff... strange problem. Take the guitar to a local guitar tech. Thanks!
Why do people "V" the trem block springs? This makes no sense to me. (I admit, I'm not a pro) This puts the outside springs at a different (lessor) unequal tension. Keeping them parallels puts equal tension on springs and the block. This would seem ideal for consistent tuning. If you feel the need to put more tension on the bass strings (which some people do) you can slightly tighten the bass side "spring block screw". Forgive my ignorance, but what's the purpose of angling them this way? I don't see a "cool factor" as no one sees the "Christmas tree" configuration. Physics wise, I don't get it. Please enlighten. I'm "teachable", LOL!
@@ManotickGuitarTech That's what I would think would be the norm. But again, I'm no pro. I wish there were more of you here in my state. Waiting list for work is about 3 months.
The bass strings have more pulling force than the treble strings. The spring configuration can equalize that tension more evenly. You don't need to apply the same spring tension across the bridge, you often need more on the bass side. Guys remove springs or put them on a diagonal, or put more on the bass side to balance the spring and string tension. This can be done by adjusting the claw as well, usually the bass side is a little tighter. It's a nuanced thing, everyone has a different touch. I use two straight on the bass side and one on an angle on the treble side. I don't use a float, my trem is decked and it stays in tune very nicely.
![The Perfect Stratocaster Trem / Vibrato Setup [Floating, Flat Or Blocked?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PjVXWyUGpwc/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you very much! Following your setup steps had fixed my Strat issues and made it beautiful to play.
Really nicely shot instructional video! To the point, clear thinking and well narrated and explained! Wish there were more like this! 🥰🥰🍷🍷🎸🎸
Recently I've been watching a bunch of Strat trem setup videos. This is something I learned to do pre-TH-cam. Your vid is one I would recommend for its clarity and simplicity. Just a word of caution to those new to a floating bridge. There is a delicate balance between spring and string tension that makes this function properly. If you are heavy-handed with a strong vibrato you will have intonation problems. The bridge will lift and cause your notes to go noticeably flat. It may require an adjustment in your touch, even to the point of sacrifice. With a decked trem and good spring tension this isn't a problem, so be careful what you wish for. Cheers.
What's really cool about a floating bridge is that when you bend the string it pulls up the bridge to give you more clearance so the note doesn't choke out or buzz! Also it lowers the note a hair at the top of the bend so you have more stability of hitting the note correctly. It really is a difference you can hear and feel.
Good advice. Carl Verheyen counter-balances using the heel of his right hand with heavy bends/double stops. With a floating trem, your technique has to adapt
@@jerryhorton5708 I just put a Floyd FRX on my old SG. I decked it, but at least I've got some trem, which is better than no trem. :)
@@allancrow134 Cool! All of my electrics are PRS and they build an amazing trem system. Never had to do any work on them so far, but these are good tips.
Keep on rocking!
I was looking up string changing on a strat, as it is my first time with locking tuners... Buddy doesn't mention the trem at all, so I was confused when it suddenly didn't pull and kept hitting my guitar upon releasing it. This video helped point out the now obvious... Out of curiosity I looked at other videos, and rarely they mention floating the trem, even if they are using a guitar with a trem as an example.
Glad you found the video helpful- I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Great stuff explained & presented here. I recently purchased your maple string-height gauges = very nice & well made. I hit like & subscribe.
Thanks so much!
That's a really good, easy to follow video. I will bookmark this to be my Strat set-up reference guide. Thank you so much! From a new subscriber.👍😎
Thanks, Lee!
I do it different, I put the shim in as you do, then tighten the blocks screws to the spring claw so its fairly tight, then I tune guitar, stretch strings re-tune so forth, then remove the shim, it should go out of tune sharp, it will be tuned too high .. when you tune the guitar back down it will be balanced, or synchronized, as much tension on the springs as you have on the strings, this way the block always reports back to zero and in tune when block is moved one way or the other .. its basically the same thing you have done here, if you do it my way the shim will just barely slide under the rear of the plate ..
however I like to go one step further, I will use ringed trem screws, as used on PRS, they are like a ring shank screw, they have a groove or ring cut out about 1/8th below bottom of head, this way I can elevate the front of the trem plate as it rests in those grooves, get em all exact the same off the deck so the trem plate fits in the ring grooves perfectly all the way across you don't want one screw higher or lower..
then I use the shim and synchronize the trem.. this way the bridge plate sits parallel off the deck like a dual fulcrum or a floyd rose... I always look at the edge of the trem plate that sits int he grooves and insure at each hole the thickness is the same for precision, I find the tuning action is dead on long as strings do not stick anywhere, strings on nut, tuner poles, or saddles, those saddles they sell at stumac work well as they reduce the break angle and string tend to not get hang up on the saddle leading edge, I'll soften that contact point as well and perhaps loob..
then at the nut I was the string slot cut at the same angle the string runs down to the tuner post, so you want to determine where your string will contact the post depending o tuners you have, with locking you have the choice, the string can head up to the nut where the hole is drilled thru the post, OR you can wind the string down the pole where you like.. just figure that out then angle your nut slot to that point, close as you can get... then I want the breaking edge of the nut to be sharp, from leading edge back I want to fan the slot out a bit, give the string plenty of room so its not fighting a tight slot..
so few wraps on your tuner post the less movement of the strings means the string will return back to where it came form when you use the whammy or loosen the strings, if you have a lot of wraps, they can loosen and maybe not go back the same way and be tighter or looser, out of tune, so focus on that aspect as well, you can salve all of that and have better stability with a behind the nut locker.. like old charvels used if no locker is used then I suggest locking tuners and before locking the string point the hole at the nut and pull the string fairly tight with pliers whatever this eliminates any wraps going slack and fubar when whammy is employed, and if down the road you do have a wrap around the pole from string stretch, unlock and tighten again, I like staggered tuners to keep the string hole close to the headstock as possible, this eliminates any tuner post wobble.. the old vintage with the hole down thru the post if you don't wrap the string way down near the headstock if you lave it high the post will bend when using whammy if you pull up, it goes back obviously but when you fret a chord will it tugg hard enough to bend posts and knock out of tune any? 2 cent whatever? hmm, I look at em while i pull up see if they bend at all, even chording and string bending, I look see whats happening, allover, the nut, the saddles, have a look see whats happening is anything getting hung up so forth? lube helps, different string up techniques whatever
Excellent video, thanks for making this.
Glad you enjoyed the video- I hope you have subbed to my channel?
Awesome video… I just take back my guitar that I was using “improperly” when I was 15. And what you showed I’ll be probably my job of the night!!
I am glad you enjoyed the video -I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Awesome thanks for the video, did the same procedure, and everything is back to normal 😀..
Good to hear... I hope you have subbed to my channel as well?
very clear and helpful, thanks for sharing this video. Ive always let others do my setups and mods, but got curious after purchasing a Strat Ultra. Yes the float is a bit off, and some string buzzing here and there, just hope I can do it justice!
Go for it!
@@ManotickGuitarTech I dont know if the saddles are correct, hmmm
Nice job Steve! Nearly my same set-up procedure. Good job on the video. Now subbed!
Awesome - thanks!
How do you adjust the 6 screws in the front of trembolo . Also thankful for your works . Great technician . You'r videos have helped me . 😁
Very nice instructive video, one of the cleanest and most straight forward I've seen. I made several notes while watching your video. All my Strats are nicely set up and have floating trems. What is the secret to keeping your Strat in tune? I have two Strats with LSR Roller Nuts, but the guitars still go way out of tune, I'm constantly tuning and I'm not doing any dive bombs. I wonder if a graphite nut might even be better than the LSR? The other two Strats have Wilkinson Roller Nuts on them and stay in tune better but still need constant fine tuning especially if you do any whole step pushing or pulling on the Trem. I notice Jeff Beck almost never tunes his guitars while he's playing and he's using a standard Fender Tremolo Bridge and always with the Wilkinson Roller Nut and he gives his Trems a serious workout on practically every song. I'd love to hear any suggestions you might have? Again, nice video, I'd love to hear from you.
Jeff Beck was from another planet. Too bad he left us. He just kept getting better and better as time went on. :)
Brilliant! Great trick with the stick.
Thanks! I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
You make it look so easy. I’m having no luck at all floating the trem on my 2011 American standard. It’s a two point, how tight should the two point screws be tightened?
tighten the claw springs so the bridge is tight against the body; then loosen the the 2 screws at the front of the bridge a little bit until it is level with the body... then follow what I did in the video and it should float.
Really enjoyed this, so much info! Thanks so much.
Thanks! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Thanks,my squire strat tremolo was flat against the body. Plays great for a cheap guitar. I like a little tremolo, not much. This helped a lot. Subscribed.
Thanks, Richard. Glad you enjoyed the video
@@ManotickGuitarTech how do you adjust the six screws in front of the tremolo
...
@@toddl.p8032 I rarely adjust them...tighten them down then back them off 1/8 of a turn or so. Then float the tremolo
Thanks again, any advice on how I should adjust the pickups on that squire if I play really heavy-handed and a pickup seem to be a little bit too strong I don't know how to adjust them I'm also looking for a tone screams
Excellent Excellent Excellent, clear concise full of information I just subscribed maybe best I've seen
Thanks, Thomas- I am glad you enjoyed the video. Please share with friends if you can
after 23 years with my American Standard I finally floated the tremolo. the difference in action is incredible. you could breath on the strings and play a note, and no buzz. AWESOME!!! I should have done it a long time ago. That guitar never really played great, It does now.
I am glad the video helped! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Does it stay in tune? I have four Strat’s two with LSR roller nuts and two with fender Wilkinson roller nuts which is what Jeff Beck uses, and I still can’t keep my guitars in tune, while I noticed that Jeff almost never tunes his guitar while playing. You might read my post at the very top, there must be some kind of fine adjustment, or special lube, or something, that can keep a floating tremolo in tune, but I’ve been searching for years and haven’t found the answer. Any suggestions? Thank you.
@@stilldreamin57 it’s ok for moderate use, not for dive bombs. Sometimes pulling up on the tremolo after use pulls the strings back into place.
@@stilldreamin57 I’ve seen videos of people with locking tuners and the standard Strat tremolo still goes out.
@@stilldreamin57 I really want to put a double coil and Floyd Rose in mine but I don’t want to cut it up, it’s a 27 yr old American Strat in great shape.
Very nicely done sir. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks, Harry. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
You need to do the intonation before floating the bridge. Changing the intonation after floating messes with the tension on the springs and changes the angle so it’s no longer floating
can you show us doing a set up with everyday house hold items if you don't have measuring tools?
Great video! Checking/adjusting the neck curvature would have rounded things out completely...
Thanks! are u talking about the neck radius?
@@ManotickGuitarTech I was thinking about the neck tension - since heavier stings were installed, the neck would curve more, but in retrospect, I think your measurements after installation showed all was OK.
Good work! I also like floating tremolos on Strats
Thanks for watching!
Very Informative. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed! I hope you have subbed to my channel?
@@ManotickGuitarTech I did subscribe
Fastest hand in the business, haha! Jka, great video. Have you ever worked on Samick Greg Bennet Malibu? I am wondering if that stock bridge on the Malibu can be floated?
Never worked on a Samick, actually... not many around here.
very very very helpful!
Glad you enjoyed- I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Nice set up! About how high or low do the two pivot screws need to be in order to float the bridge? Mine are pretty much down all the way.
Thanks for watching the video, Aaron. The posts just need to snug and not too tight on the bridge plate- experiment with it on your guitar and you might notice a difference in feel when using the tremolo.
@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks for the reply! Basically, though you want the bridge to be on the same level from front to back, correct?
@@aarondurham75 Correct!
Your the best -- God-Bless 🎸👆
Thanks... jeez
The better way of floating the trem is having it parallel to the bod with prs notched screws, it raises the trem, but you can lower the saddles.
Nothing better about putting anything prs on a Stratocaster!
Nice setup.
Thanks, David.
Hi, thanks for very nice explaination. I have a question, I want my high E string to have lower action, but at ca. 1.7mm it will slighly touch the screw of the tremolo system and make noise while playing. Do you have an idea what‘s problem here?
Not sure how that could happen- can you send me an email with a few pictures?
When I got my strat it was floated. I just changed to thicker strings so I had to tighten the springs by screwing the two screws further back. Now when I tune one string it effects the others. Like if I drop d the guitar it throws the tuning way off. Don't recall it doing that before. And suggestions?
You have to lock the trem down like a I did I the video; change your strings, do your setup then back off the springs until your trem just floats. Otherwise you are chasing your tail trying to tune
Great video for my new Player. Question, when checking the relief, you capo'd at the first fret, pressed the 19th fret and measured at the 7th. Fender specs say to capo 1st, press the last fret and measure at the 8th fret. Does it make a difference in readings or just splitting hairs? I have mine just above .010 and am getting just a bit of buzz on the G, B string at the 9th. I use 10's.
Your measuring is fine - same difference, really. What is your string height? It should be no lower than 4/64ths at the 17th fret? That might be your problem
9:04 the feeler gauge in your left hand. Any idea where I can find that type for purchase? My googling skills are not sufficient.
I made them
Hope you can answer. I bought a Fender MIM strat, and i bought a set of 06.'s it came with .09s and do i have to do ajustment to the trust rod, and do i have to lock the tremolo if i change to lighter gauge? Hope you can answer.
My advice -dont use 6's on any guitar, way too light...your springs will be too strong, maybe take one off and do the regular adjustments.
@@ManotickGuitarTech Well, i bought it, and i will try it, what guitars are those light gauges for though?
So in order to have a chance using the gauges i bought Ernie Balls btw!
Then i at least have to remove 1 spring? Then put the strings on but without tuning it, then tighten up the tremolo having something under it to support the position of the tremolo that i want it in? (locked) and then tune up the strings for the new position and then do a small adjustment to the thrust rod?
or can i just remove 1 spring and don't lock the tremolo, its floating right now (active) its hard to keep the guitar perfect in tune so as is so i just ordered locking nut tuners from fender for my Stratocaster and hope that will help with that!
( I've never modified a guitar before, never touched a trust rod, from TH-cam i have seen that it's just to do tiny tiny adjustments, one way to get more action and the other way to get less action.)
OR
Is it maybe better to NOT put the .06's on the Stratocaster,
and instead put it on a Squier Affinity Telecaster, that i just ordered after trying a MiM, a US PRO, Vintage Pro, and a Squier Aff Tele.
Will that require less adjustments (if it comes out of the box alright ) and will the .06's be a better fit on the Tele rather than on the Strat?
So you can if you like elaborate about the .06's and why one should not use it and where it is suppose to be used (short scale guitars? )
While i will explain why i ended up wanting to try the .06's i bought. ( i wanted to try .07 but they were sold out )
The reason is simple, I want to have one guitar with super light gauges so i can do crazy bends and use it as a solo lead guitar. I want my the strings to be so sensitive that my 2.5mm pick barely have to touch the strings, and i want to tap with those gauges.
Small background history:
I played guitar ( multi instrumentalist )
since i was a kid, but only always by ear, never learned nothing.
Then in 2015 i sold all my guitars minus an acoustic cheap guitar (rip it died eventually)
In late 2016 /early 2017, i got an acoustic piano that was not perfect in tune, started learning piano for real with my ears ( what i knew from before was nothing compared to what i was able to teach my self )
To not grow to many details, i know several instruments, and i usually learn by just using ear.
Story almost over my friend:
Then in 2023, as in last September , my Electric piano that i now have was not used that much due to a dead key in the middle of the piano, so frustration took over and i did not want to practice anymore.
But i did order first a cheap J/P bass, started plucking on it, realized I had never played bass, i did not know what i was doing and i had forgotten everything about guitar knowledge that i had on this point. ( almost )
So i sat down practicing for 16 hours the first day and put in so many hours on it you would not believe me if i told you i have 1200 hours on bass now since September and that lead to me in December to buy a Fender fretless J-bass (MIM) which i didn't have to do nothing with out of the box so far, came with flats, maybe want tapes on it and maybe change of pick ups later.
Then in January i bought a cheap guitar just because i missed guitar for my recording, i liked it but it was.. ( worse than my Stratocaster Squier that i got from my father before he died in 1999 )
But still playable enough to tempt me in January to buy a Fender Player Series Stratocaster.
Which i also ordered Seymore Duncan Sh-1 Hot rail bridge pick up for because the bridge pick up on the MIM... garbage unless i split it with the mid.
And in February I signed up for the first time in my life on a Seminar, which was basically for Musical Theory and modes and scales on Bass.
And it lasted 14 hours i have attended 12H and every hour has been as if i was given Keys to freedom, and understanding what i do and the theory behind and having been blessed with amazing ears, it makes everything so much "easier" now and i can do things i never could have done on the guitar thanks to it too.
On my own i plan to try the learning how to sweep and shred as on the guitar as that is something i also never been able to do, and i want to be better at tapping ( i have understand so much more of that too now)
And before i can do that, i am putting time in to being perfect with the pick, steady on the hand, firm on the grip, precise, and trying to put my muscle memory in motion for alternate picking to be as natural as taking a leak.
Now with all that said, you know me a little more now than you did before this comment (if you read everything)
And in order for you not to have to "remember what to answer to" ( i have ADHD, i gotcha on this )
Just answer the simplest:
Scroll up to the top, and lets just talk about the "why should i not use .06 in the first place, and what guitars are they intended for" Please elaborate, i am eager to learn.
and the adjustment questioning about the Thrust rod and the tremolo and removal of 1 spring, and if putting the .06 on the Telecaster would be more beneficial, or that the Tele is a better suited guitar for those gauges since I'm going to try .06's either way. ( i mean i bought them might as well try them and maybe achieve crazy fun bends )
Alright my friend, i have to say thank you a lot for your time and patience, especially if you read a small portion of my life story that i added to my question ( just my adhd, and i would like to share it )
Have a nice day, i cannot wait to hear from you! I wish you the best, and bless you, I appreciate you!
@@FingalPersson 6 gauge would be hard to keep in tune, intonate and be prone to breaking... 8 gauge would be the lowest I would recommend.
@@ManotickGuitarTech I understand! Well i do already have the 6s so guess when i get my locking tuners, ill remove a spring, change the gauges and try them at least since i already bought them, and taking into consideration what you're saying.
Guess if it goes well i'll keep them until they break and if it makes the guitar un playable, take it to a guitar repair guy in town and intonate it and set it up with 8s.
Got my telecaster Squier today which i picked over the Fender because i liked the affinity telecaster better or just as much as a real Fender, and for a cheaper guitar it is quite good not gonna lie.
Not sure if i want to do any modifications on it, but would be fun to set it up with locking tuners, and a couple of DiMarzio The tone zone.
For my strat, already ordered a Hotrail from seymore duncan for the bridge.
Not sure what i want on the mid and the neck to be honest, any advice on mid and neck pickups for a Strat in your opinion?
And what about the Telecaster, what pick ups are good if i find out i want to mod it?
And will it benefit from chancing the control knob plate to a Fender made one or is that a waste since it seems like its already pretty decent?
I also play bass and have a Fender Fretless J-bass, i want to mod that too, heard that EMG is the way to go on the fretless so i am considering it.
Maybe EMG would be nice for mid and neck for the Stratocaster too idk :)
@@ManotickGuitarTech I had 07s not 06, found out today when i decided to remove the mid spring, and change my pickguard due to the one that it came with when i bought it had dents so i got a new one, but thought changing it could be a little over my head, i was very wrong, was easy piece, easier than building computers, which im very good at.
The only thing left now is to wait for my locking tuners to install, and the Seymore Duncan SHR-1 Hot rail bridge pickup to arrive and i might have some help from a professional to install that, because i have never really soldered much in my life, i mean, i did solder something at school in 2004 once or twice so i guess ill leave that to a pro, for now, until i find someone that can teach me about how, and what product to use ofc.
I want to thank you for your advice, made me take the extra step to just do easy adjustments my self.
And the 07s i put on after removing a spring, felt like it was meant for the guitar, its better intonated now than it was with the 09's... not sure if that's a MIM thing, but i like it =D
Just what I needed!
I am glad you enjoyed the video- i hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Where did you get the tool to adjust the height of the saddles? Also, what is the reason for trem strings being attached to the middle portion of the block instead of parallel to each other?
Hex screwdrivers; the springs should be parallel to each other
Where can I get a set of the tools you use to do the string height? You have a hex tool to adjust the saddles and a gauge tool to place between the string and the frets?
Darren, I make my tools and I will start selling them at the end of the summer...stay tuned.
Hi got my strat setup and it plays great however the bridge is high I’m using 9.5 gauge strings how can I lower the bridge a little bit and would I have to adjust the neck and intonation? Thank you
my problem is that my strat bridge is to stiff, like i have to put so much force to push the whammy down, what do i do
Check and see how many strings you have in the back - there should only be 3. Then you need to float the bridge. Sometimes the springs are too strong and they need to be changed for lighter springs.
I have the same guitar and after setting it up I am getting fret buzz on the B and G strings. Also the guitar does not stay in tune when I use the tremolo. All the strings become sharp or flat and stay there.
Sounds like your nut slots need some work- the strings may be binding .
You need to eliminate any points of fiction(binding). At the nut, the string trees and the bridge saddles. The nut slots are the main offenders.
Doesn't loosening those trem claw screws to where you can remove the popsicle stick raise the action further? Is that when you go back and measure/magnify then lower saddles? thx
You are only loosening them enough so that the popsicle stick falls free - the bridge will not go higher.
@@ManotickGuitarTech got it, love it, works. Thx!!!
Hi, I don't know if you can help me. I have a Stratocaster Traditional 50s Made in Japan. It happens to me that when I bend with the B string, it goes out of tune. If I pull the tremolo lever down, it gets back in tune. What could it depend on? There is another guy on youtube who has the same problem on his Made in Usa Stratocaster but hasn't solved it so far ...
Sounds like it is binding in the nut slot- make sure it cut properly and lube it if you like.
@@ManotickGuitarTech I had put some graphite in the cracks in the nut but nothing had changed. It is probably the slot of the B string that is too tight, as you say. I will try to enlarge it.
Player strats are awesome guitars.
I agree! I hope you have subbed to my channel?
How high is the front of the trem off the face is it 1/16 also?
My American pro 2 came floated.
If i do a string change will i have to float the trem again?
Not if you use the same gauge of strings
Hello. If I keep the two tremolo-bridge screws down when using the lever in both directions, can the wood of the guitar body be damaged? Thank you in advance for your response. (I'm using the google translator.)
No, the bridge is smooth and should not damage the wood.
@@ManotickGuitarTech Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
This was wonderful!Thanks a lot! Question - would I need to adjust the truss rod if I'm moving up from 9s to 10s?
You will most likely have to adjust the truss rod when changing string gauge...more tension on the neck
@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks! So that would mean tightening it by turning the rod clockwise, yes? Maybe a quarter of a turn?
@@justtheguy27 start with an 1/8 of turn if required
... you said action at 17th fret was 5. Do you mean 5/64ths ?? which would be .078 inches (about 2mm). Typical action (preferred by many strat players) is 3/64 for high E, and 4/64 for low E - measured at the 12th fret
Will, I use the Fender specs that they publish on their website. See the link below.
support.fender.com/en-us/knowledgebase/article/KA-01901
@@ManotickGuitarTech thx for that. The specs became clear later in your video
What would you recommend for a Jeff beck set up?
Call Jeff
Kidding 😁
@@toddl.p8032 TOO late.Jeff has left for the great Gig in the Sky !
Simple Green? Isn’t that a harsh cleaner?
No, it is very mild... I only use if the fretboard are really gunked up. A mild solution of soap and water is good for the body.
Is this applicable on my tagima tg530?
Glen, that is a Strat style guitar- it should set up the same way.
Unrelated, but im getting super sick of that ad with the dude saying 'dude, stop trying to play guitar solos with scales." I get what he's trying to say, but its a god awful way to put it.
LOL - I agree!
Ahhh the strat ❤❤❤
Yeah you do make it look so is but that comes down to years of experience
Give it a try and let me know how it goes
@@ManotickGuitarTech my son he has guitar but his volume tone on his telecaster broke holding the volume screw nob ones so he changed the tone pot but the tone pot not working so he's having to order one to replace he's wired it up right but it's not functional. Question what do you think of the finger easy string spray lubrication. Because my son has all ways used that and to clean fret board a d it all work perfectly yet he's gone to this guitar shop and they said its the worse thing to use on guitars because it builds up shit on the fret board yet my son has never had that issue only because sometimes he stops playing for so many years then pick up play when he's on the mood to?
@@susanlloyd1133 I have never lubricated the strings - not necessary. Just wipe them down with a dry cloth after playing.
@@ManotickGuitarTech no not the strings basically he trying to find finger easy lubrication for his hands and fingers because his hand keeps sticking on fretboard when playing so it's harder to play at times amazon doesn't seem to sale it no more ans he doesn't have eBay account
@@susanlloyd1133 Sounds like the fingerboard is very dirty and just needs to be cleaned properly.
Could I shoot you off some details of my setup and the issue I am having?
Sure, send me an email at sroymsw@gmail.com
Isn’t 4/64 supposed to be 1/16
It doesn't work. When I put the new set of strings and start to tighten them to tune, the tremelo starts to float and the stick falls instantly
You have to make sure to tighten the springs down tight so the bridge is held in place with the strings off.
@@ManotickGuitarTech Hi bro, thanks for the tip, however, I can't tighten the springs because the screws won't let me, they're awfully tighten up and I'm afraid if I put more strength to them, something might break
@@patraulpunk How many springs do you have? You need at least 3 and they need to be pretty stiff... strange problem. Take the guitar to a local guitar tech. Thanks!
@@ManotickGuitarTech I have three springs and it's also a Mexican Strat. Don't why the screws are incredibly tighten
If someone asks for a floating tremolo they probably want the set up Beck and Henderson have. This is not it.
I M sure there are a few ways to set it up- this the Fender method.
Fender specs.......1/8.
I find 1/8" to be a little high but it works as well
backplates are gay
Why do people "V" the trem block springs? This makes no sense to me. (I admit, I'm not a pro) This puts the outside springs at a different (lessor) unequal tension. Keeping them parallels puts equal tension on springs and the block. This would seem ideal for consistent tuning. If you feel the need to put more tension on the bass strings (which some people do) you can slightly tighten the bass side "spring block screw".
Forgive my ignorance, but what's the purpose of angling them this way? I don't see a "cool factor" as no one sees the "Christmas tree" configuration. Physics wise, I don't get it. Please enlighten. I'm "teachable", LOL!
I always put them straight in line... that is how they are meant to be
@@ManotickGuitarTech That's what I would think would be the norm. But again, I'm no pro. I wish there were more of you here in my state. Waiting list for work is about 3 months.
@@cowboy7x where are you located?
The bass strings have more pulling force than the treble strings. The spring configuration can equalize that tension more evenly. You don't need to apply the same spring tension across the bridge, you often need more on the bass side. Guys remove springs or put them on a diagonal, or put more on the bass side to balance the spring and string tension. This can be done by adjusting the claw as well, usually the bass side is a little tighter. It's a nuanced thing, everyone has a different touch. I use two straight on the bass side and one on an angle on the treble side. I don't use a float, my trem is decked and it stays in tune very nicely.
stop mumbling, and swallowing your words, and turn the volume up unwatchable
Try using the subtitles or a different device.
@@ManotickGuitarTech why not just speak properly, and have some self awareness