Dom_Sathanas#Guitar players of Mastodon, please hear my call! My Squier Affinity Strat (2013 Made in Indonesia and well cared-for with a single owner, me) is reasonably well set-up: lowered action, decent intonation, adjusted pups. I’ve increased tuning stability by adding a 4th spring to the trem block and tightening the claw by a fair amount. In E std, it stays in tune when bending the strings. Tuning down half a step, it slips out of tune with bigger bends. Is it ok to tighten the claw all the way? 1/2
It’s got about 1/2 inch of travel left. Would that even help? Or do I need a 5th spring, or even block off the trem with a wood block? Or should I just accept that it's a cheaper guitar and I should live with it? I've only recently started tinkering with my guitar hardware, so I'm not super confident - although willing to learn and try things for myself. Thanks in advance! 2/2
Martin Aspeli@DomSathanas A strat trem block will always behave that way. Bend a string and the bridge moves and all the other strings go out of tune. Part of the charm. You can convert it to hardtail by blocking off the trem entirely but then you lose the effect. This is true even on strata that cost thousands.
@optilude Good to know! So not worth tightening up the claw all the way then? Tightening it a fair bit and adding a spring certainly helped but I don't want to push it too far (if that's even possible).
@DomSathanas you would need to block it inside the cavity. There are other solutions too but most people just consider it a Strat thing and if it really bothers you sell the guitar and get a hard tail something else. :)
@optilude blocking it is non-destructive, so I might give it a go. I'm sentimentally attached to this guitar as it was a surprise gift from my wife as she knew I wanted to learn to play (I played bass as a youth but never guitar) - which is worth a whole lot more than the trivial amount of cash I'd get for it. My next one will probably be a hardtail though!
gaskocher@DomSathanas check the nut of the guitar. It might need a proper cut and/or some lube. Also make sure there are not too many windings on the tuners. Locking tuners are also great.
@gaskocher I have a routine string change coming up, so I'll try lubing. The windings are fine, nice and neat and not overdone. Thanks!