Strat. tremelo block

[Vincent]

What is the best material for the tremolo block under a Strat bridge?? Is it plain steel or alloy? Perhaps a hard wood might be a good thing. Having the strings anchored in a block must give the overall sound more life-or vibrancy than other types of vibrato.
A brass or steel Nut must also add vibrancy.

[RUSSET]

I guess, the denser the material, the better. Having experienced the cheap end with a Squier Strat, which had a very thin soft metal alloy block, I can highly recommend going for a milled steel one. I'm not sure how much effect it has on tone, but I would imagine it has a certain effect on sustain of notes. I changed mine for a purely practical reason that, after a couple of weeks of moderate trem arm wobbling, the arm was loosening considerably in the hole & the threads were being damaged. I'm not criticising the actual Squier guitar itself, which was one of their excellent 'Classic vibe' series; just the cheapo trem block.

Tony.

[anniv 63]

Hi Tony a similar problem I have with a SQUIER MARVIN model . As everything else on bridge assembly is fine apart from the wobble on the arm.Is it possible to use or get an undrilled steel block (vintage type) and redrill/refix existing bridge and arm to it? Current fitted arm angle/ length is exactly to my liking!!! and threads dont appear worn.
Cheers Mike

[JimN]

Hi Tony a similar problem I have with a SQUIER MARVIN model . As everything else on bridge assembly is fine apart from the wobble on the arm.Is it possible to use or get an undrilled steel block (vintage type) and redrill/refix existing bridge and arm to it? Current fitted arm angle/ length is exactly to my liking!!! and threads dont appear worn.
Cheers Mike

One way you might be able to improve the feel of the arm is to remove the block from the guitar and from the rest of the bridge, fill the trem-arm socket with Araldite, mixed with a little less hardener than is recommended, in order that the set mixture will not be too hard or brittle.

Leave it a couple of days then drill and tap the Araldite with the same thread as the arm (probably 5mm if it's a Japanese unit).

The arm will then be a really snug fit with absolutely no backlash.

I did the above to my Tokai Goldstar model in about 1986 and the arm is still firm to the touch, responsive, smooth, damped in its "swing" (ie, it stays where you leave it and doesn't fall) and there is absolutely no play or noise when the arm is in use. Twenty-five years, eh?

JN

[anniv 63]

Cheers Jim that sounds a pretty good solution !!! to try and fix the problem and a cheaper option than a new trem unit assembly i.e Wilkinson etc. The sustain on the guitar isnt all that bad on the alleged cheapo block as fitted to the Squier Marvin.
By the way long time no see!!!
Best wishes
Mike

[RUSSET]

Hi Tony a similar problem I have with a SQUIER MARVIN model . As everything else on bridge assembly is fine apart from the wobble on the arm.Is it possible to use or get an undrilled steel block (vintage type) and redrill/refix existing bridge and arm to it? Current fitted arm angle/ length is exactly to my liking!!! and threads dont appear worn.
Cheers Mike

I understand you can obtain various drilled & undrilled steel trem blocks from various sites on the internet these days. It's just a matter of patiently searching the web. Just make sure you get the right size block. There are subtle differences between Asian, Mex & US ones.

Tony.

[kipper]

there is a bloke on charlie halls site that makes them. and they do make a differents. peter

[geoff1711]

Hi All

I was pretty sceptical about the difference a steel block would make, after all the trem top plate is steel and that's what the saddles rest on, and the whole thing won't ring because it's damped by the wood it's fixed to, so the block underneath won't make much difference.

That is until I had to replace a Fender trem on one of my Frankenstrats, not being the real deal I wasn't about to pay Fender's prices and bought a Wilkinson.

Believe me the guitar sounds a whole lot better: better tone, longer sustain, and a sort of clarity one string to another.

And then a couple of months back I bought a Marquee Pro which has a different Wilkinson trem but the same steel block and again good sustain and tone.

So for me worth every penny of the money I paid which was around £22.

I would think that you could retain your Fender saddles on the Wilkinson so apart from the push in arm nobody would be the wiser unless they looked really close and saw the logo on the top plate.

Geoff

[ecca]

I had a Mexican HM strat that had a Mazac sustain block which I swapped for an expensive replacement from Callaham Guitar parts in the USA.
I never noticed a scrap of difference.

[Mark Burton]

I had a Mexican HM strat that had a Mazac sustain block which I swapped for an expensive replacement from Callaham Guitar parts in the USA.
I never noticed a scrap of difference.

Obviously weren't playing loud enough .....