callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Ok, well I got my new strat today. I have some issues with it. The nut pops when I dive the tremolo. I had this problem with a mim of my friends but I figured the quality of the mia would be better. I guess not. Then theres the tremolo. The arm doesnt sit where I want it. It gets tight around the pickups and strings. I want it just above the input jack. Can anyone help me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Heres how the tremolo arm rests Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 It has been a long time since I've owned a guitar with a tremolo arm (last time was a 1980s Ibanez)...so this is a long shot...have you tried to unscrew it a little so it hangs freely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 This is what Jimi did - Play really loud thru a Marshall stack. Put lighter fluid on it and then light the whole thing on fire. It seems to have worked for him. Let us know how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Wait a min' date=' which nut?[/quote']They only have one installed. And the other playing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 They only have one installed. And the other playing it. Axe never posts anything useful. I didnt say it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 You need to put a little more thread on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 It has been a long time since I've owned a guitar with a tremolo arm (last time was a 1980s Ibanez)...so this is a long shot...have you tried to unscrew it a little so it hangs freely. Yep I think that's it. My mim one hangs freely but my deluxe pops in and stays in place due to friction. Also, is there any free play in the tremolo, meaning do you need to move it a bit before you start to hear the note change? Not sure about the nut issue, both my mim and deluxe ones don't have this problem. Actually, I'm not quite sure what you mean by a popped nut (AXE® feel free to jump over what I just said there). Is it something you hear or see? Please provide some more details... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Yes there is free play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHawk233 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I would have to 2nd the loosening of the tremolo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bol316 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Axe never posts anything useful. I didnt say it. Did you try kicking the guitar? Maybe it needs more pickup fluid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHawk233 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Kicking always helps... Also smashing it will fix every problem on a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Betcha don't get this kind of help over at the Fender forum, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Eye'm telling you a little 3-in-one oil and a thread die all you need is an 1/8th of a turn and your right where you want it with out it flopping around. Eye've done it to two strats in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Yes there is free play. OK, unless you are accustomed to taking apart one of these puppies, I would just take it for a tune up ($40 will get it set up nicely for you). He/she will be able to set up to suit your needs too, like floating versus having the bridge flush to the body like I have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 I just set it up to floating. Its ok. it stays in tune better. Can I still drop to D if I want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fool on The Hill Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I just set it up to floating. Its ok. it stays in tune better. Can I still drop to D if I want? I was gonna tell you to do that, When you have a Tremolo on your guitar it is always a good idea to make the bridge float. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Ok. I think its good now. I sprayed some finger ease in the nut for a temporary fix. And the tremolo is staying in tune alot better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 A floating bridge will actually making tuning much worse. Take the case where you tighten up just one string. This will cause the other side of the bridge to compensate for the tightening (force balance from basic physics), which will detune the other strings. Then you get into a "cycle" of fixing one end to another and back. When one string gets out of tune while playing, it causes the others to get out of tune. This is why I have mine plush against the body. Of course the disadvantage is that I can't whammy up notes, but I never have any serious problems with tuning. You can certainly drop to D with a floating bridge but you may want to think about getting a heavier string. With the floating bridge you'll probably need to do some adjustments. This advice by Wes Inman gives a good summary of what may be needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Ok. I think its good now. I sprayed some finger ease in the nut for a temporary fix. And the tremolo is staying in tune alot better now. Oh' date=' I understand what you mean now. It's more like a ping than a pop due to the nut gripping the string. Also, I found nice video of what I mentioned about a floating bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Oh' date=' I understand what you mean now. It's more like a ping than a pop due to the nut gripping the string. Also, I found nice video of what I mentioned about a floating bridge. I have grasped the concept of floating bridges.I have owned about 5 guitars with floyd roses, and I learned quickly how to work on/trouble shoot them, and other tuning issues. But thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I have grasped the concept of floating bridges.I have owned about 5 guitars with floyd roses' date=' and I learned quickly how to work on/trouble shoot them, and other tuning issues. But thanks[/quote'] Floyds are fun to work with. Don't get me wrong. I think that if you want your bridge to float and it stays in tune well enough for you, then certainly use it. My Deluxe actually is pretty good in floating mode but I decided to put it down because I never pull up on it. The mim one is horrible though in floating mode. Anyhow, congrats on the guitar! Outside of the tremolo, how does it work/sound for you, especially compared to the mim one? I'm curious because I bought a mim one first and then about 2 months later, after I played a bunch of mia ones, I knew that I made huge mistake with the mim one. I never was a Strat guy so I didn't think I'd be playing it much, which is why I decided to get the mim one. But now I play the Deluxe all the time (still not as much as the Gibsons though!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 With my Strats I used to put a blob of Blu-Tack ® on the threads to stiffen it up and it used to rest just fine. The Mick's answer is the real way to do it, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Anyhow' date=' congrats on the guitar![/quote'] Thanks Outside of the tremolo' date=' how does it work/sound for you, especially compared to the mim one? [/quote'] The sound is difficult to compare because my friends mim had hot rails on it and mine has some custom shop pickups, Ive been told they were texas specials. But the neck is alot nicer. The frets are more level. On his strat I couldnt get the action lower than 1.5 mm at the last fret. I got this one to around 1.2-1mm. And the finish is purrrrrdy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Sounds like you have it under control, but I need to throw my 2 cents at you anyway. No, you won't be able to drop D on the fly, that's why I have a Hard Tail Nighthawk in my arsenal. The Trem hangs where you don't want it to because A. Its a Vintage Style Trem that has a Spring in the Tremelo Arm Screw Hole that just needs to work in a little B. It's a Twin Pivot style trem that's cross threaded. It should hang Loosely. You do need to do a Proper set up for a floating Trem and put a little Chap Stick on the String Trees and a little Pencil Graphite on the Nut. Then you need to treat her like a Strat. Fenders are Girls and Gibsons are Boys. Guitars with Trems need a little more care and attention than a Hardtail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.