[st_jo]

i have a US Fender Strat with locking tremolo. my whammy bar seems to be loose. it kinda flops in its place. i've tried screwing it in further by removing all tuning screws on bridge but the bracket where the tuning screws sit prevents the bar from tightening that final twist needed to secure it-- i think.
should i simply bend the bar to clear the bridge bracket then screw in further before re-bending bar? or what?
or, should there be some "play" in the bar? i think not because everytime i see one being used, it appears to stick in a position that is not pointing straight down.

[Ultimate Garage Band]

That's a tough one. Is the guitar new? Still under warranty?

[st_jo]

oh no, the guitar is not under any warranty. i bought it in 89.
since its a locking tremolo i wonder how tightly the bar should rest in the slot. when i see Clapton use his- it seems to stick in place rather than dangle.

[fly135]

I'd try getting a roll of teflon tape (like plumbers use on pipe thread) and wrapping the threads until you get a snug fit.

[Andy S]

"when i see Clapton use his- it seems to stick in place rather than dangle."

I thought Clapton had his blocked?

[st_jo]

i think i'll try some plumber's tape, thanx for the suggestion. i should have thought of that sooner.

blocked, Andy? how do you mean blocked?
i've watched him use his numerous times and he seems to grab it, bend it to use, then he places it back where it is out of the way- it looks like it sets firmly where he puts it.

[r1p32]

i also have a whammy bar and mine does that too. theres prolly nothing wrong with it, just turn the bar towards the neck and you'll notice it gets tighter. hope that helps

[Andy S]

Originally Posted by st_jo

blocked, Andy? how do you mean blocked?
i've watched him use his numerous times and he seems to grab it, bend it to use, then he places it back where it is out of the way- it looks like it sets firmly where he puts it.

Hmmm...I guess I need to go back and look at my two DVDs. I have the Crossroads DVD and the "LiveTour 2001, One More Car, One More Rider" Dvd. I don't recall him playing anything with a Trem/Whammy bar on it.

Also, I have read several articles about how he has his Strats all blocked. That is, rather than get a strat that is a "Hard Tail", no vibrato, he takes a regular strat and has a tech put a block of wood inside to freeze the action.

Originally I read it was just "Blacky" the famous Black strat that was auctioned off a couple of years ago. But recently read it was all of his strats are like that.

When you say you've watched him numerous time using it, was it live, DVD, video, TV? If it's a video or DVD format, I'm always up for adding him to my collection!!

Thanks!

[st_jo]

r1p32:
the bar swivels completely flush against the bridge which holds the tuning pegs. it will not turn past that point to tighter further. it is loose there.

Andy:
i have several EC vids- Hyde Park, Cream 05 at RAH, Clapton & Friends, plus a few other appearances such as the Band's Last Waltz, Geo Harrison's concert for Bangladesh, Stones' R&R Circus, Trtibute to SRV, Lightening in a Bottle... i think that is the extent. i have neither one you mentioned......hmmmm i smell a trade.

[Stratrat]

The whammy bar on my 'Strat hangs down loosely out of the way also. If I want to use it I grab it and pull it up into position, then let it drop back down. I don't think I'd want it to stay in place up in hand's reach - seems like it might interfere with the picking hand and be too easy to hit accidentally.

[doug russell]

I've got a US fat strat' that came with a small spring that you put in before you put in the the whammy, It seems to work for me. The spring are availble at any good hardware shops.

[st_jo]

doug:US fat strat'
what is the difference that makes it fat?

rat: i wouldn't mind it hanging loosely were it not for the fact that it doesn't clear the tuning knobs on its way toward the neck. it grazes the middle knob and just barely clears the volume knob. when i let go, it dangles to the middle knob again and has to be forced over this knob thus causing the knob to turn upon passing.

[fly135]

Fat means it has a humbucker pup instead of a single coil.

[st_jo]

oops, i meant tone knobs

[st_jo]

ohhh, is mine also fat?-- two single coils, one humbuck