Tremolo query (early '90s Jeff Beck model)

Hi all...

For some time the tremolo on my early '90s Jeff Beck Strat has been doing my head in. It kind of stays in tune, however it feels like there is a slight hitch/catch in the movement.

Part of it was the Wilkinson nut - which I replaced with an LSR one. But the other part was related to the bridge itself - when set up as a floating bridge, there was still a slight catch which prevented it from returning to it's normal position.

During my last string change, I took the whole tremolo unit out. Not only did it appear that the bridge base plate was improperly aligned to the tremolo block, but the knife edges aren't round, they look chipped.

I'm referring to the part of the tremolo base plate that makes contact with the stud posts. On my other Strat, a Standard from the same period, they're rounded.

Has anyone ever seen this?

Also - the t-bar itself is strange on this guitar. The bend occurs much higher than on other Strat t-bars; it is almost like a Jaguar bar.

Does anyone know if this is a "feature" on this model?

I swapped the bridge on the JB guitar with the one from a Standard from about the same period. Much better, no longer has that "hitch" in the action.

Looks like you found your problem and got it fixed! Good on you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matei

Also - the t-bar itself is strange on this guitar. The bend occurs much higher than on other Strat t-bars; it is almost like a Jaguar bar.

Does anyone know if this is a "feature" on this model?

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I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Beck model had a unique bend, since he is just about the most inventive user of the Strat vibrato. At least among people w/sig models.

i'd try and smooth the contact points outs if they looked chipped. that will make it grabby and not want to return to zero. any rough part of a trem system will make it wonky. smooth and polish that out and i'll bet it'll fix the problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeoFauve

I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Beck model had a unique bend, since he is just about the most inventive user of the Strat vibrato. At least among people w/sig models.

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The Jazzmaster and Jag always floated much better out of the box....A whole different mechanism