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Hi Guys

Just a matter of opinion I imagine but, for Hank/Shadows music, is the trem block better set firmly on the guitar body or, floating a little?

Regards .,,.,.,.,..,.Roger(doubler)

More or less has to float to enable to vibrato in the way hank does

Thanks hank2k. I do have some of my strats set that way but, I am trying to get a Squier classic vibe 50s strat playable. It isn't too bad for the price but, as you would expect, needs a tweak or two.

Regards
Roger

Hi Roger,

I've had a Classic Vibe 50s for a couple of years now, and I rate it very highly. When I first got it the bridge was flush on the body and the action was on the high side. It took me about an hour to sort out both, and now it plays beautifully. The recommended bridge height in the Fender Strat Guide is 1/8".

Regards,
Len

doubler wrote:Thanks hank2k. I do have some of my strats set that way but, I am trying to get a Squier classic vibe 50s strat playable. It isn't too bad for the price but, as you would expect, needs a tweak or two.

Regards
Roger

Hi Roger, Remember the heavier the gauge of strings (12-52 ?) extra trem springs will be needed plus neck truss-rod may need tweaking. A great and helpful book is the Haynes Fender Stratocaster Manual (try Amazon)

Hi Stu's dad

I am liking the classic vibe a lot. The neck profile is superb for my size hands. My Hank Marvin signature Mexico is ok but, the neck profile is uncomfortable. I am 65 yrs old and, have just got back into the guitar as a hobby. My playing has suffered from lack of practice but, I am determined to get back to my old standard(or better).

Thanks again for the reply

Roger

Hi Kieth
Oh yes, I have had many a struggle with the trem settings when changing string gauges. Unless I am playing Hank/Shadows gems, I don't use a trem much at all. I tend to play blues and the sixties R and B when not playing Shads. Other than those, I love to torture my fingures with a few jazz standards( I must love pain).

Thanks for replying

Regards

Roger

All strats I own (that I use the tremolo with) are set so that the bridge floats.

I set it so that if you pull UP on the arm the E string rises a semitone (F) and the G string rises a minor 3rd (Bb). Set like this I find you can use the tremolo quite a lot and it still stays in tune most of the time. The way the bridge moves feels a lot more natural to me like this and allows for much more precise vibrato using the arm too (which is obviously what you want for playing like Hank).

I adopted this approach from Carl Verheyen:


I do have a couple of strats I've deliberately 'decked' the bridge flat against the body though.

Hi Ryan

Me too, I have Squier Classic vibe 60s strat, as well as a Fender Mexico Blacktop HH that I have deliberately set the trem hard against the body. In the Squier, I put an extra spring in the trem cavity, giving me an almost hard tail set up. Both work fine for the tunes I play, not needing a trem ,,,jazz/country/blues etc.

Thank you for replying.

Regards
Roger

With 12-52 strings, I am using 4 trem springs.

This is how I set mine up to float:

1 - Insert a piece of 3mm thick plastic card (that's what I use anyway but anything flat and about that thickness will do) at the back of the trem so that it's between the rem and the body, then slacken the strings so that it's held firmly in place. If fitting new strings, this is the time to do it, but don't tune them to pitch just yet..
2 - Tighten trem screws (the two in the cavity) about a half turn each.
3 - Tune strings up to pitch.
4 - Slacken the screws a little at a time until the card JUST drops out. If you've got it right, the strings should all remain in tune, and your trem will be floating 3mm (somewhere between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch) off the body.

You shouldn't need to repeat this every time you change strings unless you're changing to a different make or gauge.