About that trem

[BatUtilityBelt]

I've been noodling on a surf tune lately, but not just my normal goofing around. This one replays memories of great times on beaches with my wife, so it's just special to me.

I had been chasing a tone for this piece with various jazzmaster and p90 guitars, and they do well, but they still fight it. Today, I grabbed this 2002 USA Strat I bought from a pawn shop years ago. Its pickups give quintessential stratty tone, crisp and articulate. The 2nd position nails the tune, which is great to realize, but not even the best part.

I have other Strats, and they sound great too. They all play great, because Strats are easy to dial into whatever action you want. But this one (only this one) has what I consider a magic trem. It's the only one I have set up to float. It facilitates sweet bends in both directions with no fight whatsoever, and returns to tune perfectly every time. It's so good that it makes me want to play this guitar in a way that features trem just because it is dialed in so well.

So here's the thing. I can't replicate it on my other Strats. I can adjust the fulcrum screws, change the number or angles of the springs, adjust the spring tensions, etc. This is the only one that floats well for me. I love it, but I can't get my other Strats to do it - not even close.

So today I flashed back to when I found it (before I quit pawn shopping), and I was mesmerized by how well nuances became focused on this guitar just trying it out in the pawn shop. And the guy says "I don't know what that aftermaket trem is, but it seems to work nice.". "Aftermarket? I ask". "Yeah" he says "see how the saddles are not stamped Fender like this one?" as he shows me a different year. "Know what you're buying." I was vibing with the guitar, so I said "it's ok if it's not all original" and shot him a fairly low offer. He went to ask his boss and he came back agreeing on that price. I was surprised he didn't even counter it. So into its case it went, and we took it home, I think that was in 2016. I did my research after, and it's definitely an all-stock 2002. Tons of Strats from 2002 have the exact same 2 point trem and saddles, so the pawn shop guy was just wrong about that. But he was right about the trem making this one special. I haven't played others with the same trem, but I have to wonder why Fender did not stick to this specific one. I wish all my Strats had it.

[toomanycats]

I too have a 2002 American Series Fender Strat that I bought at a pawn shop. The previous owner had upgraded the pickups and converted to it to a traditional 6 point bridge. The maple neck is my favorite on any Strat I've ever played.

[dabbler]

I've been noodling on a surf tune lately, but not just my normal goofing around. This one replays memories of great times on beaches with my wife, so it's just special to me.

I had been chasing a tone for this piece with various jazzmaster and p90 guitars, and they do well, but they still fight it. Today, I grabbed this 2002 USA Strat I bought from a pawn shop years ago. Its pickups give quintessential stratty tone, crisp and articulate. The 2nd position nails the tune, which is great to realize, but not even the best part.
Trem.jpg
I have other Strats, and they sound great too. They all play great, because Strats are easy to dial into whatever action you want. But this one (only this one) has what I consider a magic trem. It's the only one I have set up to float. It facilitates sweet bends in both directions with no fight whatsoever, and returns to tune perfectly every time. It's so good that it makes me want to play this guitar in a way that features trem just because it is dialed in so well.

So here's the thing. I can't replicated it on my other Strats. I can adjust the fulcrum screws, change the number or angles of the springs, adjust the spring tensions, etc. This is the only one that floats well for me. I love it, but I can't get my other Strats to do it - not even close.

So today I flashed back to when I found it (before I quit pawn shopping), and I was mesmerized by how well nuances became focused on this guitar just trying it out in the pawn shop. And the guy says "I don't know what that aftermaket trem is, but it seems to work nice.". "Aftermarket? I ask". "Yeah" he says "see how the saddles are not stamped Fender like this one?" as he shows me a different year. "Know what you're buying." I was vibing with the guitar, so I said "it's ok if it's not all original" and shot him a fairly low offer. He went to ask his boss and he came back agreeing on that price. I was surprised he didn't even counter it. So into its case it went, and we took it home, I think that was in 2016. I did my research after, and it's definitely an all-stock 2002. Tons of Strats from 2002 have the exact same 2 point trem and saddles, so the pawn shop guy was just wrong about that. But he was right about the trem making this one special. I haven't played others with the same trem, but I have to wonder why Fender did not stick to this specific one. I wish all my Strats had it.

I know that you are not a novice, still I have to ask, have you checked/cleaned up the nuts on your other strats? I'm not a big trem user, but I am convinced that, unless you use a locked nut, string friction going through the nut is a factor in trem stability.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I know that you are not a novice, still I have to ask, have you checked/cleaned up the nuts on your other strats? I'm not a big trem user, but I am convinced that, unless you use a locked nut, string friction going through the nut is a factor in trem stability.

Oh yeah. I typically lubricate and sometimes re-file nuts out of habit. There is nothing else quite like a grabby nut slot. My other Strat trems work well, but only in one direction. I can't get them to float well.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I too have a 2002 American Series Fender Strat that I bought at a pawn shop. The previous owner had upgraded the pickups and converted to it to a traditional 6 point bridge. The maple neck is my favorite on any Strat I've ever played.

Interesting so many USA Strats end up in pawn shops, eh? I love that neck too, btw. I wonder why your previous owner changed the trem, I guess there could be something I just don't get about it. Or maybe I happen to have lucked out with this one working so well. Hard to say with nothing I can compare it to. I wonder though, whether Leo was onto something with the 2 point trems. He definitely liked them on G&Ls. Doh! Now I might need to try a G&L Legacy too.

[toomanycats]

I too have a 2002 American Series Fender Strat that I bought at a pawn shop. The previous owner had upgraded the pickups and converted to it to a traditional 6 point bridge. The maple neck is my favorite on any Strat I've ever played.

Interesting so many USA Strats end up in pawn shops, eh? I love that neck too, btw. I wonder why your previous owner changed the trem, I guess there could be something I just don't get about it.

There's nothing you don't get about the two point trem. It's the superior design from a functional and mechanical point of view, which is why it's used on every modern trem, from Fender to Floyd and all their licensed (and otherwise) knock offs. Before the advent of the two point trem savvy players would back out the four inner screws enough that the bridge rocked on only the two outer most anchor points. This, along with some other hacks, got Eddie by on the first couple Van Halen records (there's not much trem use on Woman and Children First, and after that he had the Floyd).

I suspect the previous owner of my 2002 American Series reverted to a 6 point bridge for aesthetic reasons. He also had the bridge decked and five trem springs installed, so it basically functioned like a fixed bridge.

Regarding USA Strats in pawn shops, I still kick myself for not buying this HSS Fender about three years ago. It was a 2015, had the Shaw pickups, was in mint condition, and came with the case. The tag says $599, but as guitars are always 20% off the listed price at this place I could have walked out with it for $480. I did not need another Strat (least of all another black one), so I walked away. At least that's how I rationalized not buying it at the time. Lord how I've suffered since then. Even after several years I still torture myself over that one and even saved the pic. I'm a sadomasochist like that.

[Rollin Hand]

There's nothing you don't get about the two point trem. It's the superior design from a functional and mechanical point of view, which is why it's used on every modern trem, from Fender to Floyd and all their licensed (and otherwise) knock offs. Before the advent of the two point trem savvy players would back out the four inner screws enough that the bridge rocked on only the two outer most anchor points. This, along with some other hacks, got Eddie by on the first couple Van Halen records (there's not much trem use on Woman and Children First, and after that he had the Floyd).

That's why I like some of the Wilkinson 5+1 designs: one screw in a round hole to hold the thing in the right spot, and the rest in slotted holes to act as something for the knife edge to contact. It's a simple idea that takes away friction.

The problematic factors in non-locking trems are friction and string movement. Limit (or eliminate) those, and you'll be doing pretty well.

Good Floyds do this. I am sure a lot of folks hate Floyds because they tried a cheap one, and had to fight its deficiencies.

[msc_]

You should be able to float any strat bridge. If you want the plate parallel to the body, you'll most likely need to shim the neck, but I've never met a bridge that I couldn't float. Most of the time, floating strat bridges have the tail end up, like the Jeff Beck Strat. The guy in the video below does it a little different from how I do it, but the steps are similar.

[glasshand]

I had a Squier "Standard" some years ago, and it had that same two-point trem, and it was pretty damn good, as I recall.

I could go on and on about what I consider the design flaws of the original Fender tremolo, and how nobody seems to read the original patent description or Fender's own setup instructions, but I won't be That Guy right now.