Trem saddles open on bottom

[Axewielder]

Ok now I'm getting pissed. I bought an original Edge tremolo used off of eGay, and am baffled. The saddles are all open on the bottom. In other words, when I loosen the lock bolts, the "lock blocks" (otherwise known as "string lock inserts") just fall down onto the saddle and are then way too low to mate up again. There is supposed to be a plate of some kind on each saddle that supports them, I think...

Any IBZ wizards here? What kind of crap is this seller trying to pull on me?!?

[MountainDog]

The little plate does help support the little block, and it also acts as a stop for the string when you stick it in there, however, the little blocks have a hole in them that the screw end fits into, so you should be able to back the screw out enough to allow string changes with the block still being held in place by the screw end. The thing to watch out for is to not put your string ends in there so far that they bottom out on the baseplate.

So you should be able to still use the trem without too much hassle without those little plates.

[Axewielder]

The little plate does help support the little block, and it also acts as a stop for the string when you stick it in there, however, the little blocks have a hole in them that the screw end fits into, so you should be able to back the screw out enough to allow string changes with the block still being held in place by the screw end. The thing to watch out for is to not put your string ends in there so far that they bottom out on the baseplate.

So you should be able to still use the trem without too much hassle without those little plates.

Is it common for an Edge or Floyd style trem to come without the plates? Or, is there a reason why somebody would take them off? Robbing for parts perhaps? I'm mystified by this (of course, I get mystified quite easily in my old age )

[Axewielder]

Here's the other issue I have. There seem to be a mix of lock block sizes that came with my trem. It's hard to photograph, but the two on the left are narrower and have a smaller hole on them. They are narrow enough that they can almost spin inside the saddles. What's up with that?!? Oh, the seller threw a Floyd R2 nut in with the Edge trem as well. 1 5/8" nut size. Just great.

[MetalMedal II]

Is it common for an Edge or Floyd style trem to come without the plates? Or, is there a reason why somebody would take them off? Robbing for parts perhaps? I'm mystified by this (of course, I get mystified quite easily in my old age )

Yes, I've found that it is common for the plates to be missing...this is for all floyds. They could be taken off to reuse elsewhere, but sometimes they need to be taken off when the blocks become frozen inside the saddle and the only way to remove the blocks is to tap them out to the other side. They can be a real PITA to place back on. The plates are usually made of thin brass and I've been sometimes successful in placing them back with a hammer, a punch and a little finesse....I don't think they're glued in.

In your pic above, I think the 4 short ones are the blocks originally found on Edges, while the taller ones are OFR-size. I honestly think either will work with the Edge trem since the side closest to the hole is face down onto the plate.

[MetalMedal II]

Hmm, looking again, I see what you mean when you say the 2 other blocks are a lot narrower. If you lock them down onto the string, they might work just as well as the wider ones. Either do that or try and get OEM Edge blocks.

[Axewielder]

In your pic above, I think the 4 short ones are the blocks originally found on Edges, while the taller ones are OFR-size. I honestly think either will work with the Edge trem since the side closest to the hole is face down onto the plate.

Yep, I think you nailed it. I popped a locking block out of my OFR guitar, and it matches the taller ones on the left perfectly. Yessir, only the short fatter ones must be original Edge blocks. The tall one's really suck on that trem, the hole is too small for the locking bolts, and they sort of spin around inside the saddles. Argh! I think the missing plates is more than an inconvenience, I did some experimenting and that is one major PITA. I think I'm going to go the PayPal charge back route on this. I do find the trem differences interesting, however (I'm kind of a guitar geek that way )

[toejam]

Those little thin brass plates seem to pop out very easily. I never thought it was a really a big deal, though.

[Axewielder]

Those little thin brass plates seem to pop out very easily. I never thought it was a really a big deal, though.

I guess it wouldn't be a big deal if the seller actually sent those plates to me so I could have a go at hammering em back in. But, I know they will hard/impossible to find. Those blocks are a real pain when they slip down to the saddle. I think it's worse with the Edge than the OFR, because I've noticed that the back ends of the saddles are elevated more and the blocks can slip out of position farther.

[toejam]

I've found a few of them floating around my house! LOL I remember the first time I saw one, I was like WTF is this?!? Then one popped out of an old Floyd one day, and I was like oh, now I see. I've had a couple of other Floyds they popped out of and never found, probably vacuumed up or something. I never thought about them holding up the little blocks, but it makes sense.

[Axewielder]

It's funny, I've been playing for 20 years and I've never thought about those brass plates before today. Then, as I was assembling that Edge, the blocks kept falling down and I was like "WTF? I've never had this problem before". The base is graduated on the edge to provide a radius, but the back of the saddles just hangs in the air, so if you don't have them you are screwed.

[scotty]

This happens to me a lot. I buy Floyds off ebay and it is not uncommon to find the little piece of brass or what ever it is missing out of the saddles. Why doesn't anybody sell these? You can buy ever other part for a Floyd.

[MetalMedal II]

I've dabbled in making them from brass stock but it's a painstakingly long process...at least for me!
There might be easier items to use. For instance I have obtained small thin aluminum sheets with an adhesive side from an automotive store (which are used to shim brake pads), and have trimmed it to shim a Floyd nut. Maybe a very small square can be cut for the blocks...but the adhesive may not hold with such a small area, plus the oil that's around the Floyd to begin with.

[Newc]

Check StewMac and the other "common" sites (AllParts, etc). I think I saw someone selling the brass saddle tabs.