Blocking a trem completely

[Rhmsc8]

I am starting to favor my tuneamatics and ft6 fixed guitars more so than my floyd and wilkinson fitted guitars.

I read the tut on blocking the trem. However that still allows downward movement.

Is there a way to stop a trem from moving at all without permanently altering the instrument?

Like bars instead of springs or a bolt through the spring, something like that.

Does someone sell something that does this?

Thanks for your help.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

Ron, I wrote that peice, so maybe I can help.
Are you clever? Can you cut out a block of wood to accurate measurements?

Cut a rectangular block of wood that will fill the space behind the trem's steel block (behind as you look at the back of the guitar). Make it about as wide as the trem block is, as thick as you need, and maybe 1" deep. Tap into place AFTER you've done the other blocking as written above.

BE SURE to still have a spring on there, cause your electronics are probably grounded to the spring claw and you want that ground to still happen.

Otherwise, do the bit in the post above, then put five springs on it and crank the hell out of them. It won't move. The drawback is there will be a LOT of tension pulling in a leverd upward motion on the studs, and if you remove all the strings, the trem will want to slam up and off the studs, and can be a bear to get back in place without removing the springs. Not a huge problem, but...a pain sometimes.

[Rhmsc8]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

Hey Chuck,

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a go tomorrow. As for being clever, probably not, [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I can however cut exact measurements. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks again, you are a life saver. Hope all is well with you.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

Hit me with an email if you have any Q's. I'll be around tomorrow.
Glad to help!

[Rhmsc8]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

[ QUOTE ]
Hit me with an email if you have any Q's. I'll be around tomorrow.
Glad to help!

[/ QUOTE ]

That is very cool of you, thanks. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Hellswrath]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

Hey man,
I saw your answers on the blocking a trem question on the Tech forum.
I have a little question myself :
I want to block my floyd so it won't go down when I lay my hand on it (don't know if I'm very clear).
To do that I need to put a block of wood in the space behind the spring block closer to the neck, right ?
Here's my question, floydblocker almighty [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] :
How do you get it so it won't move when divebombing ?
Do you glue it ?

Thanks for your time and thanks for your tutorial, it's really clear but I didn't get if you said how to keep it from moving.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

Yep, just glue it in to place.
I use Superglue, cause you can just knock it back out if you want to, but others here freak at the potential paint chip inside the cavity, so if that scares you...I dunno. Try wood glue?

[etaeniura]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

i would just use some elmer's white glue-the potential for that to damage anything is pretty slim, but should be tacky enough to hold a little piece of wood in there.

[sully]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

i've got one guitar with a fully blocked trem. it's got a little wood block (beautiful, tone adding poplar! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) in front, and a 9v battery in the back! it was a little loose, so i added a few wraps of electrical tape on there. best sounding guitar i have. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

sully

[Hellswrath]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, just glue it in to place.
I use Superglue, cause you can just knock it back out if you want to, but others here freak at the potential paint chip inside the cavity, so if that scares you...I dunno. Try wood glue?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't really care for the paint chips inside the cavity, I just want it to stay in place [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]...
As for the material to use, I was planning on using copper coins.
Seeing as sully used a 9V battery, I wonder if the material used really has an incidence on the sound...
Anybody knows this ? My guess is it's too small to influence the sound too much, as long as it's well glued and makes good contact with the spring block.

Thanks by the way !

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

I was really happy when Sully found those poplar shims.

[sully]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

[ QUOTE ]

Seeing as sully used a 9V battery, I wonder if the material used really has an incidence on the sound...
Anybody knows this ? My guess is it's too small to influence the sound too much, as long as it's well glued and makes good contact with the spring block.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i find that if you use something, like, say a krispy kreme donut, it'll sweeten the sound. since the guitar i did this on sounded pretty sweet already, i figured that a 9v battery might make it sound more energized, so to speak. man, i was right! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

eh, you may notice a difference, but i doubt you will when you plug the guitar in.

sully

[Hellswrath]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Seeing as sully used a 9V battery, I wonder if the material used really has an incidence on the sound...
Anybody knows this ? My guess is it's too small to influence the sound too much, as long as it's well glued and makes good contact with the spring block.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i find that if you use something, like, say a krispy kreme donut, it'll sweeten the sound. since the guitar i did this on sounded pretty sweet already, i figured that a 9v battery might make it sound more energized, so to speak. man, i was right! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

eh, you may notice a difference, but i doubt you will when you plug the guitar in.

sully

[/ QUOTE ]
That's what I figured so i went ahead with it anyway, but use a small piece of wood and superglue...
Well, I must now thank you all for this help and the tuto, since it seems to be working very fine and I can bend without being out everytime again [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].
Thanks !

[Shotgun]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

[ QUOTE ]
I am starting to favor my tuneamatics and ft6 fixed guitars more so than my floyd and wilkinson fitted guitars.


[/ QUOTE ]

Simple, bro: sell me that white model 6! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Keith

[Rhmsc8]

Re: Blocking a trem completely

I deviated a bit from Chucks concept as I wanted some adjustment incase I decide I like low action again.

Just simple threaded bar cut to length a tad short to use the nuts for adjustment. I epoxy the wood to the sustain block. I also notched a dimple in the wood as well as the spring claw, hence everything will adjust and yet nothing moves after in place. Springs are just there to hang out with the rod, they appeared to get along. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Here are some pics.... If you have any questions, let me know. I know this is pretty lame but I'm trying. I am very proud of myself at the moment. As Chuck would put it I think this was pretty clever [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

@ Keith: But, but, but I was just getting use to it [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks for all the help and please excuse the terrible photos.