velvetkevorkian Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Looking to get something to lock my Strat's bridge in place -- the Tremol-no is expensive and sits proud of the back of the guitar, and I don't really need to be changing it on the fly. Has anyone used any alternatives? I could get it blocked but that feels a bit crude? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I find blocking to be very effective, lo-tech and yet not crude. Unless you hack a log down to size with a chainsaw. A piece of parquet flooring is likely to be the exact thickness required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted September 30, 2019 Author Share Posted September 30, 2019 2 hours ago, songofthewind said: Unless you hack a log down to size with a chainsaw. Ah, I see you're familiar with my woodworking ability. 😬 Thanks, I will look into blocking it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 All 5 springs tightened right down always managed to lock my old Strat bridges down. However, you can also add a Hipshot Tremsetter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 22 minutes ago, ezbass said: All 5 springs tightened right down always managed to lock my old Strat bridges down. However, you can also add a Hipshot Tremsetter. Yah, forgot to say AND tighten the string claw all the way. And tighten the five (six?) bridge screws ditto. Simples! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I've used the 5 spring method on Strat's before, If it's a fully floating trem (floyd rose or one of the more modern strat type designs) then a thin shim of wood might be needed on the spring side to get it nice and level (i have used blocks of wood on either side of a floyd once to keep it in place.) you might need to be careful with the 6 mounting screws as tightening them too much can actually pull the trem away from the body, this depends on the profile of the bottom of the bridge plate though. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Fender used to make a version of the Stratocaster with a fixed bridge. Is that still an option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 Interesting, I'd never heard of a hardtail Strat before -- e.g. this Robert Cray signature model. I'm not looking for a new guitar though, this is purely because I have a Strat copy with sentimental value -- if I was buying I'd be after a hardtail and probably not a straight-up Strat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 It's no help whatsoever, but I only bought a Strat so I could have guitar with a trem on. All my others are hard-tails. (One I actually had Jon Shuker make me a new body to completely remove the rubbish Floyd-alike. It is now my favourite guitar!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 Also bear in mind that locking off the vibrato system so that it can't move will change the sound of the guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Try Bob Pimm at RP guitars. Like almost everyone, he incorrectly calls them ' tremolo ' but they're not. They're vibrato arms. Scroll down the page and you' ll find 2 stabilizers and a stopper https://rpguitars.co.uk/gallery.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 On 30/09/2019 at 15:46, velvetkevorkian said: Looking to get something to lock my Strat's bridge in place -- the Tremol-no is expensive and sits proud of the back of the guitar, and I don't really need to be changing it on the fly. Has anyone used any alternatives? I could get it blocked but that feels a bit crude? Coodercaster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 04/10/2019 at 08:57, BigRedX said: Also bear in mind that locking off the vibrato system so that it can't move will change the sound of the guitar. This happened to my Fender Showmaster. I fitted a Tremelno system into it and it absolutely killed the tone - it became boomy and sounded awful, and so was removed pretty swiftly. These days I just use it with the arm removed and have all but forgotten that it's actually got a working trem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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