# Strat 6 point tremolo setup



## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

IMO....90% of tuning stability comes from the trem assembly, notably the trem claw. It should be set up in way wich equalizes tension on the strings.
Old or new, rip out the trem, loosen the saddles to get to the block screws and tighten the trem block to the base plate.
Tie a B string around the saddles, twisting by hand, it's best if someone can assist you by holding the trem and twisting it, get it as tight as you can.
The pivot screws....make them all even, tighten each down one by one untill they start to lift the trem slightly then back them out so the bridge sits flat on the body. Done.


















Tuners and string trees.....in the trem claw pic above you can see there is a pretty good angle to the claw, the tension is even now. The culprit of this needed adjustment is the vintage string tree, on my other modern strat the claw angle is very slight because I removed the string tree and the tension is less out of wack.
I modified the string tree by replacing the screw for a longer one and stacked 3 washers under the tree, or else the claw angle would need to be more extreme on the bass side.
Tuners don't matter much IMO, just look up on the net the various string ties to the tuner post and use the one that works for you with zero winds around the post like a locking tuner.









The nut (not me)....it's important to get this working smooth without any kinking sounds coming from it, nut sauce ain't gonna cut it. Here I made my own from bone. To cut the slots I used some very nice files I got on ebay, called "norman guitar nut files" they have rounded cutting teeth in the shape of a string, makes slot cutting easy and fast.
The back half of the width of the nut slot should be rounded back to the same angle of the strings tied to the post, once you've settled on the method of string tying to the tuner post, the front half of the nut slot should run at the same angle (or ever so "slightly" back angled)as the string down the neck.
The strings should have a rounded over look whislt sitting in the nut.









A little lube after all this will give you that extra protection from binding strings at the nut and string tree. There you have it, TWEEK!!!


----------



## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

Nice post.

The B string that you have tied around your sadles, is that to prevent side to side movement of the individual sadles when you rest your hand on the bridge?


----------



## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Nice post.
> 
> The B string that you have tied around your sadles, is that to prevent side to side movement of the individual sadles when you rest your hand on the bridge?


thanks....side to side movement, actually to prevent any movement at all, I'm basically mimicking a prs trem or hipshot, that have sidewalls preventing saddle movement.


----------



## Yerffej (Feb 7, 2006)

another good tip is to take out the four middle pivot screws. The outside two are plenty strong enough to hold the bridge, and by removing them you lose some friction. good post, thanks


----------



## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

Yerffej said:


> another good tip is to take out the four middle pivot screws. The outside two are plenty strong enough to hold the bridge, and by removing them you lose some friction. good post, thanks


I use all six screws but I put some grease on them, keeps the vintage looks, and works fine for me, but yes , less friction points are better.


----------

