Tremolo Time

Setting Up and Adjusting a Traditional Guitar Tremolo System to "Float"

The fulcrum tremolo was designed by the late great Leo Fender for the Fender Stratocaster back in 1954. Originally, it was not specifically designed to "float," meaning that it can take the pitch both up and down, whereas a traditional non-floating tremolo can only go down. Here's how to setup this type of tremolo to "float."

Setup

Starting with the guitar tuned to concert pitch, remove the tremolo cavity cover and slacken off the two screws on the string hook half a turn at a time each until the tremolo unit starts to lift from the guitar body. Now tighten them up a little to set the tremolo plate back into the body of the guitar. Adjust the screws until the tremolo bridge plate is tipped far enough to give you the rise of pitch you desire, re-tuning the guitar as required. This may take some time to get it just right for your personal preference, so don't rush it. The spring hook screws are almost universally a #2 Phillips type.

Return Springs

How many return springs are needed? Well, .008 to .009 top E string sets need two to three springs; .010 gauge or more need four. In order to test the string tension, pluck the bottom E and let it ring while bending up one-half step on the top E string at the middle of the fingerboard. If the bottom E goes flat, increase the spring tension until it remains in tune. What this means is that if you have two springs fitted and you need too much tension to remain in tune, add another spring. When installing or removing tremolo springs, NEVER use a set of pliers. Stewart-MacDonald has a tremolo spring manipulation tool available for a few dollars (go to www.stewmac.com for details).

String Height

String height adjustment is simple. Each string saddle has two height adjustment screws which are adjusted with either an Allen wrench or a small jewelers flathead screwdriver. Adjust the string height to the action desired on the top E and the bottom E first, then adjust the others to take the fingerboard radius into account. Again, take your time.

Intonation

Intonation is likewise simple. Each saddle has its own adjustment screw on the rear of the tremolo bridge plate. With the guitar tuned to pitch, strike the 12th fret harmonic on the low E string, then fret the note at the 12th fret lightly. If the fretted note is sharp, turn the screw clockwise to move the saddle back; if it is flat, turn the screw counter-clockwise to move the saddle forward. Retune the string and recheck until the fretted note is precisely in tune with the harmonic (a strobe tuner is really helpful here). Repeat for each string.

The traditional tremolo does not allow you to raise the tremolo up to adjust the action for a poorly set neck. If the string height adjustment screws are more than half way out of the string saddle, you may have to shim the nech to give it a better angle. Unless you have some experience in doing this type of shim work, it is best left to a good luthier.

Tuning Stability

Tuning stability problems are most commonly caused by the strings sticking in the nut slots. To test this, listen carefully at the top nut as you move the tremolo arm. Any string jamming will be heard as quiet "pings". You can hear this better by lightly resting the end of a flathead screwdriver on the nut with the handle resting in your ear, so it's working like a doctor's stethoscope. You can also gently press each string down between the nut and the machine head. If the string does not return to its original pitch, the string is snagging in the nut slot. You may have to widen the nut slot with a fine jewelers file, but try a high-quality lubricant first, such as GHS GraphitAll (go to www.ghsstrings.com for details). Apply a very tiny drop (pinhead size) to the nut slots, between the strings and the bridge saddles, and any other metal-to-metal contact point. Also, any area that moves (like the tremolo springs) will also benefit from lubrication. Use any high-quality teflon-based spray lubricant on these areas.

String Breaks and Slips

Old strings will eventually break, but if a new string breaks constantly there is always a reason. Carefully examine where the break occurs (a jewelers 8X magnifying eyeglass is useful for jobs like this). Say you have a recurrent string break where the string leaves the tone block and bends over to meet the saddle. Examine the hole carefully and you will probably find a sharp edge there. A few strokes with a fine jewelers file will polish the edge smooth; while you're at it, do the same to the other five, too.

Even good quality strings that have been well stretched will sometimes slip. The reason is that the ball end is unravelling. A good trick here is to "tin" the winding around the ball end of each string prior to restringing. Just apply a hot soldering iron tip to the winding above the ball end and apply a little bit of solder. Voila! No more slippage.

Loose Tremolo Arm

Sometimes, guitarists want the tremolo arm to stay where it is put instead of falling down when released. Try this: remove the spring from a ballpoint pen, drop it down into the tremolo arm hole and replace the arm. Presto! The arm stays in position because now, when you screw the arm in, the arm compresses the spring, creating tension and making it stiffer.