Strat-style tremolo

[MFB]

OK, so I need some quick feedback/info about the Strat style tremolo. As I've said nearly a million times in every other tremolo thread I've made, since this one doesn't have the locking nut and doesn't actual mess with the strings at all, if you change tunings do you have to worry about spring tensions?

Also, if you planned on not using the tremolo at all and just leaving it as a fixed bridge could you remove the springs and then change tunings without worrying about tension (if tension is even an issue)?

[Shredder87]

Just like any other floating bridge you'll need to take care with tuning - re-runing one string will send the others out. Heavier strings and/or more springs can help a bit.

You can easily block the bridge, either that or you can do what I used to do and screw the bridge right down against the body and put 5 springs in the back... feels just like a fixed bridge, and no more tuning woes. I ended up going back to the floating setup though because I like the whammy... GraphTech nut helps a lot too!

'87

[djohns74]

MFB, I think you have some odd ideas about how these trems work. The strings of the guitar are most definitely putting heavy tension on a Strat-style bridge, just like with a Floyd. The springs are still there in the back to counteract this tension. If you remove the springs, the strings will pull the bridge all the way forward. As with a full-floating bridge, you can't remove the springs unless you firmly block the trem.

The difference is that these bridges are often set up such that the spring tension is much higher than the string tension, thus pulling the bridge back against the body and essentially preventing pull-ups. In this configuration, you generally can make reasonable changes in tuning to a string without affecting the others dramatically, if at all. As Shredder87 mentioned, 5 springs can work very well to fix the bridge in place no matter what you do with the strings, I have a friend who has all his Strats set up this way.

[Rotti]

You can tune to drop D without worrying about spring tension. Just tune to drop D, do your song, then tune back for the next song without any problem. So I guess it works a lot like a floyd but not quite as sensative.

[MFB]

See, I have no desire to work with a Floyd Rose/Locking tremolo therefore I really have read the bare minimum on how they work. Alas, this is the same for the Strat style bridge.

Recently, I found an old guitar available with this same kind of bridge, and for the price I can't pass it up so I wan't to make sure that if I made it into my main axe then when I say go between Drop D or something, it won't completely **** up my axe.

Thanks for the help guys

[plugger]

It sounds like you need to just block the trem completely, effectively turning it into a hardtail. Then take the whammy bar off and forget it was ever there, and you can than change tension on individual stings to your heart's content without worrying about affecting the tuning of the rest.