Help: Trem arm too loose

[straticus]

I'm new here so first a should say "Hi".

I've been playing Strats pretty much exclusively for over thirty years and have come to realize that they're the most versatile and expressive guitar made, IMO that is. Plus, I'm a Hendrix freak so .................

Here's my question. I play a 60's CS Strat. The trem arm is loose to the point where it wobbles about an inch or so before there's any effect. I can turn / tighten the arm about half a turn more and then I can't turn it anymore. I'd like to tighten it up but if I turn it any more I think the threads will strip. Is there anything I can do to keep the arm from being so sloppy?

BC :)

[fezz parka]

Teflon plumbers tape for the quick fix, new block for the permanent one:yay

By the way, welcome to the forum. I dig your handle.

"I am Straticus!". Awesome!

[Tele-Bob]

Yup, time for a new trem block. Welcome!

[keefsdad]

If it doesn't have the little spring in it, you could try that.

[photoweborama]

Yes, the spring..

[straticus]

Yes, the spring..

The spring?? What spring??

Are you guys kiddin' around with the new guy :bwa

[straticus]

I guess I should also ask, who makes a good trem block replacement?

BC :)

[fezz parka]

There's a little spring that's supposed to be at the bottom of the arm mounting hole. Check and see if it's there. But with the amount of play you're describing I'd try the teflon...

[Don]

Acme has those little springs by the bagfull.
Callaham makes nice trem blocks.
You could always put a Heli-Coil in your current block if you're handy.

[photoweborama]

I love the springs.. They work very well, but yes, with that much play, the thread are gone, and putting a spring in now will most likely cause too much pressure and strip them even further.

I would get a new block. Callaham is a good choice. I have an All Parts steel block in one of my Strats. Man Made also makes a block, but I have not seen them in person...

[straticus]

Thanks for the replies guys.

OK, can someone please explain to me just how and where these springs go and how they work? I've tried to look in the hole where the trem arm goes and I don't see a spring in there, nor do I see where one would hook up. I'm totally confused about this.

BC

[fezz parka]

It just drops in. You ever seen a brand new out of the box Strat? There's always a little piece of tape on the bridge to keep the spring from falling out. Peel the tape, screw the trem arm in, and viola! You're done.

[NeoFauve]

I absolutely NEVER knew that that little round sticker had a purpose!
So 20 years ago there was probably a spring in there on mine.
I have plumber's tape AND a slice of white eraser in the bottom of the worn out hole in mine. The thread on the arm is bent on mine, and these little fixes work really well.

[fezz parka]

I absolutely NEVER knew that that little round sticker had a purpose!

Yep. And I never take the trem arm off when I stick it in the case. That's how you lose the spring.

[photoweborama]

I can't get my case to close with the arm on. The square Fender type cases you can close it with the arm on, but the molded Fenders cases, you can't do it. Somebody told me once to get some of that flexible refrigerator magnet stuff and stick it over the hole.. I don't know if it has enough magnetism to cause any harm to the pickups.

I just use a piece of black tape and stick it to my luggage tag we I'm playing it.

I've actually gone to several guitar shops here looking for the spring an NONE of them knew the spring existed.. I even went to a local luthier and they had no idea what I was talking about either.

This is what they look like but they are really small...http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/41018

[Kap'n]

Yep. And I never take the trem arm off when I stick it in the case. That's how you lose the spring.

Doesn't the arm hit the case?

[fezz parka]

Nope. Not if you turn it towards the butt end of the guitar. See the way the trem arms are turned in this pic:

[Kap'n]

Nope. Not if you turn it towards the butt end of the guitar. See the way the trem arms are turned in this pic:

Hmmm. Do you need some float, or does it work with the bridge tightened down?

[fezz parka]

Good point Kap'n. I float my strat bridges, so that probably puts the arm closer to the body when turned this way.

[photoweborama]

Also it does not work with MiM guitars. The hole itself is drilled at an angle on the American guitars so when you turn the arm towards the butt end of the guitar they are closer towards the body.

MiM guitars, the hole is drilled straight and when you turn the arm that way it's way too high off the body.

How the angles work…
American Strat.. Picture this.. The bridge is angled at a 1/8” off the body at the back of the bridge. The arm hole is then drilled at a 90-degree angle from the body.

Mexican Strats. Imagine this… The bridge is flat on the body. They drill the arm hole at 90 degrees from the body, AND THEN they float the trem.

You can see the different angles and how the American Strat bar would suck in closer to the body when turned that direction.

This illustration is not actually how they do it, but it gives you an idea how the angles are different.

[fezz parka]

That's great information Mark! :yay

[photoweborama]

Any time, my friend

[juniorspecial]

You can get a bunch of those springs at any hardware store. Cheap, too.

[photoweborama]

Really, what do the call them at the HW store, I'll look for them.

[juniorspecial]

Usually, a decent hardware store will have a box or two of springs, kind of like they do for screws and washers. Each box will have a selection of 15 or 20 different springs.

Pick out a spring that's about 3/8-1/2" long, and small enough in diameter to fit in the tremelo block hole. And you want a compression spring (pushes things apart), not an extension spring (pulls things together). The guage of the wire isn't super important, since you can't really make a spring that little that would be too strong for this job.

[fezz parka]

I just use springs from a ball point pen cut down to size...

[photoweborama]

I'm not sure it a pen spring would work.. The springs are really stiff and require a lot of force to push them down. I can't compress them with my fingers...

[fezz parka]

I'm not sure it a pen spring would work.. The springs are really stiff and require a lot of force to push them down. I can't compress them with my fingers...

Well thats what I use, ergo they work!

They have to be cut down.

[photoweborama]

Ok, I'll try it.

[Kap'n]

Well thats what I use, ergo they work!

They have to be cut down.

Do they need to be pre-stretched a bit, too?

[fezz parka]

Yeah just a bit... The springs in really cheapass pens are the best ones.

[RnBGuitars]

If you take the spring when you first get it, and then go around it once, with 1 wrap of masking tape (the same size as the spring), drop it into the trem block hole, screw in the trem arm to seat the spring, it will not fall out when you remove the trem arm any more. At least, that's what I do on mine, which are all the Vintage Tremelo type, but it works for the 2-point trem as well.

RB

[Gtrplyr1]

When you first get your strat or replace your spring try this, it works for me.

Put a glob of vaseline on the spring and drop it in the hole, it will not come out accidentally after this but can be removed if necessary.

Easy, a little dab'll do ya.