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Hey
I have a '54 Jap re-issue Fender Strat, it has a SD Little '59 in the bridge and Kinmans in the mid, and neck.

I put a Callaham Vintage cold rooled steel trem block in the guitar and it all sounded OK (just OK)

It never really 'felt' good on the ears... it never seemed to sound 'sweet'

This week however I just 'blocked' the trem and now it sounds as sweet as I always wanted it to sound...

Obviously the problem was that string pull on the trem, even when just strumming the guitar was such that it would just throw the intonation out enough to make it sound 'sour'.

By the way the guitar was recently refretted and setup by an expert. He set the trem up quot;as a strat should be set upquot;

But it was MY blocking of the trem which has made this guitar COME ALIVE now this Strat can walk the earth like the living dead... as it sounds SO good now...it is haunting!

Has anyone else out there done the same with similar results?

Paspallum

Get some heavy cast saddles and the tone will improve even more. The bent steel saddles are crap.

Snowdog

Yeah, did the same thing to my MIM Strat with a piece of black walnut from a broken Winchester '97 buttstock, unbelievable improvement in tone.

I block all my floating bridges with pennies

I love staying in tune and having great tone!

Rock On

Have heard that also, although, I had a guy put Graph Tech graphite saddles and actually set the trem to barely float 1/8quot; and it came to life.

I find that this tends to happen with most guitars when you block the trem. This ended up being the reason why I stopped buying guitars with trems. The tremolo effect is cool, but it's not worth sacrificing the tone, sustain and stability that you would get with a hardtail. Welcome to the club, son!


Originally Posted by schcullyHave heard that also, although, I had a guy put Graph Tech graphite saddles and actually set the trem to barely float 1/8quot; and it came to life.

I did that too after I had blocked the trem, LOVE the Graphtech saddles. Best $28 I ever spent!!


Originally Posted by Captain TightpantsYeah, did the same thing to my MIM Strat with a piece of black walnut from a broken Winchester '97 buttstock, unbelievable improvement in tone.

Way cool.....pump shotgun mojo.

whats an everyday household item that will work as a block?


Originally Posted by bungalowbillWay cool.....pump shotgun mojo.

One of my favorite shotguns. I've got one from 1921. The buttstock I cut up was from around 1910 or so. Used that for ALOT of fiddle mods!!

I did the block with a hunk of 2X4at first, but I figured an old piece of walnut just had more character.


Originally Posted by Captain TightpantsOne of my favorite shotguns. I've got one from 1921. The buttstock I cut up was from around 1910 or so. Used that for ALOT of fiddle mods!!

I did the block with a hunk of 2X4at first, but I figured an old piece of walnut just had more character.

I guess if you block the trem on a Jackson you should maybe use the stock off of a B.A.R.


Originally Posted by bungalowbillI guess if you block the trem on a Jackson you should maybe use the stock off of a B.A.R.

YEAH!!!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talikin about!!


Originally Posted by Quencho092whats an everyday household item that will work as a block?

I have honestly used Pennies to block the trems on a few different guitars.
Ibanez, fender, and Charvel guitars.
In my HM strat, there's like 4 pennies maybe... They are each glued together and glues on one side to the body wood, on the other side the trem block rests on it. Works Great!

Rock On

I usually cut myself a piece of wood and then sand it down till it blocks the space perfectly. The better you fill the cavity, and the tighter the fit on both sides, the more resonance you can transfer from the trem block to the body.


Originally Posted by twoheadedboyI usually cut myself a piece of wood and then sand it down till it blocks the space perfectly. The better you fill the cavity, and the tighter the fit on both sides, the more resonance you can transfer from the trem block to the body.

1 Getting the block to fit just right is key to make the most of this. I've got the block so tight I had to use a framing hammer to get it in. Just be careful not to get it TOO tight. Tried the same thing with an old Westone and broke the damn bridge stud!!

As far as finding block material, just go down to your local cabinet shop and ask if you can rummage thru their scrap bin, great source of wood for stuff like that.

I too have a lil 59 in the bridge of my MIM strat. Blocked the trem with wooden clothes pegs. I'm considering putting in a whole new bridge/trem, by Wilkinson. And then blocking that. The reason is that those bent steel Mex saddles and resonating block looks, well, worth upgrading...

FYI - I simply added two extra trem springs, tightened down the claw, and snugged down the trem mounting screws, and got the same benefit. In fact, I think it was someone on here, (Lew perhaps), who suggested that that trick was actually better than having a hardtail to begin with.

Artie

You can also use wooden shims. They can be found at any hardware store. Just cut them and fit them in, bang them with a hammer so they are tight.


Originally Posted by KacI have honestly used Pennies to block the trems on a few different guitars.
Ibanez, fender, and Charvel guitars.
In my HM strat, there's like 4 pennies maybe... They are each glued together and glues on one side to the body wood, on the other side the trem block rests on it. Works Great!

Rock On

Your blocking is different than what's being talked about. You're talking about blocking a floating FR trem from being pulled up. They're all talking about blocking a stock Strat trem from being used at all by putting a block of wood between the sustain block and body in the back.


Originally Posted by ArtieTooFYI - I simply added two extra trem springs, tightened down the claw

yup - reading the first post makes it clear that this could've been done to fix the problem - the bridge was pulling up when playing because there was not enough pull from the springs counteracting the pull of the strings