Ditching the tremolo- How to install solid bridge?

cshude · #1 April 28th, 2006

Hey, everyone-
I've got a Squier Strat with the tremolo (I ditched the bar many moons ago), and of course, it goes out of tune as soon as you bend a few notes. I suspect (hopefully correctly) that I can switch to a solid bridge and it will help tremendously in the tuning department.

Question is, what is involved? I need to determine whether I want to mess with making the modifications or if I should just save up some dough and get a real guitar.

Thanks, everyone.

737blues · #2 April 28th, 2006

You don't need to fit another bridge, just block-off the existing tremelo. Easiest way is to cut, (or have cut) a small block of hard timber to wedge between the metal block underneath the tremelo and the guitar body. See pic's of my fernandes Strat. below: The smaller block in front is just stopping the spring retainer thingy from rattling around. You don't need to fix anything permanently as the string tension holds the rear block in place and the front block uses the original screws, so if you want to reverse it just take the block out and replace the tremelo springs. You need the block to be a pretty good fit and you will need to fiddle a bit to get the thickness of the block just right, so that your tremelo bridge sits at the same height it is now, otherwise you will change your action and the intonation. In other words, the die cast bit the strings go through should finish up in the same place it is now. It's not rocket science but it does take a little patience. Good luck.

allthumbs · #3 April 28th, 2006

What 737blues said. It is the most common way to handle that.

Jim · #4 April 28th, 2006

I agree. I bought the Eric Clapton signature strat, and it comes with the tremolo blocked with a piece of wood inside. If you want, you can remove the wood, loosen the screws, take out some of the springs (it comes with 5 installed) and put on a tremolo bar (which is included). I did this just to try it out when I first got it, but I ended up taking the bar off, tightening the screws back up, putting all the springs back in, and putting that block of wood back in. I never use the tremolo bar, and now it stays in tune no matter what I do! And it's nice already having the pre-cut piece of wood to use (Clapton knew what he was doing when he helped design this thing.

)

Jiim

Ultimate Garage Band · #5 April 29th, 2006

If your trem isn't a true floating trem, that is, it's only capable of making notes go down and not up, you can also just drive the 2 screws that hold the spring plate further in and greatly increase the spring tension so that it over compensates for the string tension. That'll keep the bridge down too.

Cedric01 · #6 April 29th, 2006

Get yourself this device at www.freelok.com or go to www.tremolno.com

cshude · #7 April 29th, 2006

Thanks for the replies- I'll give the wood block a shot. Thank you especially for the pictures.

737blues · #8 April 29th, 2006

You're welcome CS - all of those solutions look good.

BTW, the only reason I took the springs out of mine is because I didn't want the springs to be in tension long-term, which would eventually ruin them. (I just never use the trem.) If you think you might want to enable the tremelo occasionally you can simply loosen them off a bit, to trap the block, and leave them in there.