Strat Secrets - Keep Your Strat In Tune
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#strat #stratocaster #tremolo
I solved all of my strat tuning problems by replacing it with a telecaster 😂
My condolences. 😬
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LOL 😆
😂
Nuk nuk
I’ve played Strats for 41 years and this video really opened my eyes on how to make the tremolo bar work right! Absolutely fascinating video!
Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Heat shrink tubing around the treads also works to firm up the trem bar
Great tip!
Thank you for doing this. Can’t believe no one ever talks about how to keep those floating tremolos in tune. Stayed away from floating tremolos for this exact reason until I learned how to do these same remedies. Cool tips and great video as always 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Truth be told, having the springs in that triangle configuration, there is a chance of the middle spring popping off, it’s basic physics and vectors, theoretically you could remove the middle spring and tighten the claw to compensate and eliminate the possibility of the middle spring popping off…Just food for thought!
And I originally ran my Strat springs like that because of EVH as well til I figured out the physics! Thanks for posting this, very good info!
Never happened in 40 years of doing it that way!
On string trees ... if your guitar buzzes without using them you may be able to fix this. Simplest part of the solution is, when changing strings, allow a bit more lenght for the 2nd and 1st string so when they are tuned up the windings go further down the post, giving you and increased break angle over the nut. Kind a "poor mans staggered height tuners" idea. That might be enough to allow you to stop putting the string under the string tree. The other thing that might aleviate buzzing without the string tree is the use a nut file to try to make sure the nut slot slopes the same (or a little bit greater than) the break angle of the string over the nut. I almost never use string trees.
Agreed that works great on the other Strat in the video. Not so much on this one.
Nice tips Jeff. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips. Great vid
what about the little black spring that Leo Fender had inserted in the cavity of the whammy bar giving the whammy bar the tension on the thread, so many people forget this timelessly
i love a 2 point floating trem. i read some of carl verheyen's tips. haven't had any problems for decades.
Thanks so much, Jeff. Nice playing as well.😃
Excellent video! Interesting !
I could have made this same video! You are speaking my language. Nothing feels like a properly set up strat trem. Heres a tip, cut a small piece of heat shrink tube and shrink it to the arm right where the arm enters the plate, before the threads. Do two layers and the threads will pull it down snug into the hole. I use a little thread tape as well, for good measure!
Great tip!
Great video!
Appreciate the video, Jeff. I've been playing for a long time but honestly wasn't aware (and I'm not joking!) about keeping the nut lubed. I never touch the nut (again, not joking!) or the string tree. It actually never crossed my mind. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks Jeff.
Good stuff!
Every now and then I’ll set one of mine up to float. Love the vibrato you get but I usually change it back resting on the body after a few days
Nice hat, thanks for the tip’s
Wow 😮 what a great video. Tapping in to a lifetime of inside know-how here.
I'm having trouble keeping my vintera roadworn 50s style MIM in tune.
This is gold.
First video of yours I've watched. Subscribed and looking forward to diving into your archive
Awesome and thanks for being here!
Thanks for the info, Jeff :) There was an old tip back in the day to put foam in between the tremolo springs if you hear unwanted noise...
Great vid. I am going to try messing with my tram screws now. A small piece of shrink tubing on the bar also works great at holding it in place.
Great video! Just subscribed!
Thank you. !
Another great video from you Jeff. Thanks for sharing 🙂 Thor
Thanks man!
That purring cat is priceless...
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The VIDEO I NEEDED! THANK YOU Universe! And JEFF!
You’re welcome!
@@JeffMcErlain Thank you so much for This Video. This Week I was asking myself how to Use the Tremelo and how the Bridge shoud be setup...
Thank You Very Much 😎🎸🎶☮️
I prefer the Black Fender Strings Less Tension! I use 3 and they stay in tune too and also make the whammy bar much smoother to use 🎸
These tips made an astronomical difference in my Strat’s tuning stability. Despite using 8s, my strings hardly go out of tune even when abused. Thank you!
Fantastic!! Thank you for letting me know!
Great advice. Thank you. This should work with my 2 six screw teen guitars - PRS CU24 and Silver Sky. I agree about the naming of nut sauce. I have it and it is good.
Great stuff. I have a newish strat and an older one and these work on both. Thanks Jeff!
Awesome!
I still feel that the Gretsch Bigsby is the over all best temolo system for this type of playing, but I’ve learned all these tips over the years really does make a Strat tremolo system work well also. Big bends nut sauce has made a world of difference for me keeping trem guitars in tune, the tape or spring works well also (although on my 40th Anny Squier Strat the springs don’t fit in the trem arm hole and almost buggered up the bridge where the arm wouldn’t even go in anymore, so have to use the tape for that guitar) on my new AVII 1961 Strat the little Fender spring that came with the guitar works perfectly, and I have backups (genuine Fender springs) in case I end up losing it. There’s just something to the tremolo and warbling notes and chords that is just a must for me, and now I don’t even want to play a guitar that doesn’t have either a Fender trem or Bigsby on it (like two great Tele’s I’ve had always just felt like they’re missing that ‘something’ all the time) Great video, and good tips here. Wish I had known all of this when I started out in the early 1990’s with my first guitar, a Mexican made Strat, would have made it a lot less frustrating with keeping in tune. Kids these days don’t know how lucky they are with UA-cam and many great learning videos like this one. 👍🏻🎸🔥
Really cleared up a lot of questions I had about how to get a bar to work like you seem to be able. My nut was always fine but setting up the bridge I never could get that down, nor how the actual bar could be set up.
Glad I could help!
How timely! Thank you
You are so welcome!
If you want to roll the top bend you can stick in a vise & torque up or down on the threaded side to get it to roll. I just did a video on that.
That was awesome.
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If your in a humid environment graphite gungks up and not usable but that tune it is great . Yes very little but not just the nut … under the string on saddles as well .. floating like Beck here !
Love these tips-lots of experience compressed into a relatively short, accessible video. Thank you! I play a G&L S-500 with a really great 2-point, dual-fulcrum trem that was Leo Fender’s last trem design. Stays in tune perfectly as long as you set it up properly and make sure the strings don’t stick anywhere. I also loved your earlier video about dialing in a strat, especially your advice about the volume and tone pots. The S-500 has higher-output MFD pickups and PTB tone controls (other Leo Fender G&L innovations) that are super-versatile, but need to be dialed in very differently to get classic strat tones. You can’t dime or set-and-forget them. After watching your video, I spent some quality time exploring the full range of what that guitar can really do. So glad I did! Thanks again!
Thank you for watching and commenting! I’m happy it could help!
The wooden plank for adjusting the vibrato arm is a great trick along with the plumbers tape, thanks!
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Hey Jeff. Just picked up a really good tip from you so I just wanted to say thank you! It was about thinking notes when you move around on the fretboard instead of fret 10 or fret 6. For whatever reason, that just didn't click with me until now. It's really made remembering notes and scale patterns a bit easier. Thank you! 🙏
You are welcome!!
Sunday Morning Church right here! Always dig some strat maintenance. Thank You Sir
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The block of wood hack is brilliant! Im heading out to my garage right now.....my PRS is definitely too close, appreciate the tips, thanks Jeff.
You are welcome ! It’s great isn’t it??
@@JeffMcErlain Worked absolutely perfect! It took all of two minutes and that included drilling. Great tip!
Thanks for the tip of bending the bar. That is my number one issue with trem bars is the angle above the strings.
I grew up in the early 60’s where almost everything came with printed instructions and diagrams on ‘how to use and take care of your…’ I could see Jeff working at Fender meticulously illustrating detailed diagrams and instructions for a hang tag on Strats. Simply titled ‘Lets Tremolo! Easy as 1, 2, 3’.
Ha! What does that pay?
A ‘C’ note of course.
I’ve got a Trev Wilkinson tremolo bridge. It has one round hole and five oval holes. The neck is Fender roller nut. I also deck the bridge. The springs tension needs to overpower the string tension. No string tree because I’m using Sperzel graduated post tuners.
Yes, Teflon tape!…. I use that on the threaded inserts for Floyd Rose mounting studs.
Great video Jeff! Thanks for the tip with the plumbers tape. Solved a problem that’s annoyed me for ages!
Sure! It will wear out over time so just repeat when needed!
I learned more from this video than any other I've watched, thank you so much.
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Great advice.
One thing I look out for is if your string goes flat after you bend a note up it’s usually the nut.
You’ve pulled the string through the nut and it’s not going all the way back.
If you then push the string on the other side of the nut and it goes back in tune it’s the nut.
Nut sauce helps.
I brought a set of nut files years ago.
It’s an investment but you only have to buy them once.
Good insights!!
Audible purring at 8:41 😻
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I would recommend as many winds as you can get without double up on your tuners. Stretch your strings out real well once you string up, retune and Volia- you will be good to go.
Great tips. My (non-vintage LOL!) Player strat has a 2 point bridge which I have set to floating - I do the nut sauce thing on the nut and string tree and it stays in tune perfectly. Whenever I take it to a tech, I feel I always have to warn them not to lose the trem spring :)
Vintage style… lol.
My ultra strat had the bridge floating when I bought it new. It stays in tune great! Was it supposed to be like that from the factory?
I bend my arms in a similar contraption, I do however heat up the bend for a while with a lighter to make the arm bend with less friction and not introduce fractions. FWIW. Sometimes you can also cut of 5-6 mm. of the end of the bar (that inserts into the bridge) so you have a lower set arm, and the you can bend it to get the height back up to your playing hand. That's my favorite set up for trem.
Excellent tips! I hate when they are too tall oof the body coming out of the block.
Nice video. I love your playing and instruction, you are a true professional. You are 100% right . I have used the floating set up on my strats for many years. With a few tricks at setup you have a guitar that stays in tune great. It has its down falls when it comes to broken strings but worth it I think. As far as I can tell the floating setup improves tuning stability when done correctly.
Thank you!!
also improves the slinky feel
I recently installed a Vega Trem VT-1 Ultra Trem... it's precision made, much more stable and pretty much incredible!
Great bridges, they felt different to me. But awesome.
Very useful information. I know I need a Tele now.
Cat guy. Good for you. Me too.Thanks for the tips Jeff. Love your channel.
Thanks! Two cat and two dogs!
@@JeffMcErlain Whoa! In NY?!
Excellent help here, Jeff. Thanks for this…Mick Taylor of TPS did something similar but each of you have added different insights. Neither of you mentioned that Beck used to set the claw holding the bridge to the body slightly offset, so that treble side of the claw is maybe 1-2mm less screwed in, if that makes sense. Anyway, he reckons it helped the tunability and I’ve done that. So, a full up on the bar is exactly one tone and full down is exactly one half tone.
Now to fix one Strat of mine that I foolishly had decked and blocked! Silly me.
How did I miss Mick’s video on this!?! There are many ways to do it, part of the fun!
@@JeffMcErlain it’s called Let’s talk Strats. Enjoy, mate.
I have 2 cheapies would go out horribly. Was an easy fix for both. Saddles. All had grooves. I replaced them all and it stays in tune much better.
What a fantastic video have a good weekend also I went to the clinic last night
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Heat shrink tubing works even better than teflon tape. Plus it lasts longer if you remove the bar often. It's also VERY cheap. A blow dryer will work to shrink the rubber tubing, or even a lighter, if you're careful. I use the Fender spring AND the heat shrink tubing. No more wiggle in the bar.
Thanks! Yes that does work great and didn’t know about it before this I made this video. Thank for the info, it’s another great solution.
That’s funny you go to Matt too at 30th Street Guitars! Matt is so cool and so good! He has kept my guitar golden for years!
I definitely want to say you should lube up your saddles as well. The key is lubrication.
Check out the G&L DFV (dual focrum vibrato) which doesn’t seem to have the same tuning issues. Or hardtail strat 😂
I don’t have tuning issues! 😉 I know G&L makes great stuff! Thanks for joint in the conversation!
This is great. I must admit that I am surprised at the number of winds you have around the tuning peg posts. An engineer (and guitar player) friend of mine once told me that too many winds around the post creates 'spool slippage' that makes it harder to fine tune things, so I've always had only about one and half string winds on the post, even on vintage tuning machines. Next re-stringing I will try going all out!
Hey!! I think it’s more if they don’t double over when I changed the E string there were less wraps, that’s how usually do it. Let’s catch up soon!
Ive always wrapped 3 winds on the low e and up to maybe 5 on the high e. I do it very neatly, no overlaps, and ive never had any tuning issues, as long as the setup is correct. Ive found that a couple extra wraps pushes the string more towards the headstock which increase the break angle over the nut. Less friction from the string retainers helps the tuning under trem use, and ive never found that the extra couple of wraps causes any isues. Not saying your wrong, its just my 2 cents.
@@stevenpipes1555 how dare you! 😂Sure if I have no string tree I’ll wrap the high strings a bit more for the downward pressure. On guitars with a string tree like this one, it doesn’t matter as much. Thanks for watching and posting!!👍
@@JeffMcErlain Agreed ,mostly, but consider this. The string passes through the nut and breaks down to the hight of the retainer, but then needs to rise again to meet its final endpoint at the capstain. More friction is added as the string angle breaks again leaving the retainer. But if you wrap a little more onto the capstain, then the retainer can do its job keeping the break angle in check, but the angle is maintained after leaving the retainer to approach a lower target at the capstain. The capstain and retainer work together in other words, and not against one another. I have no scientific proof that this is the case however, but it makes sense to me and has worked for me for years. My friends used to think i had a special bridge until i set up their Strats too!
@@stevenpipes1555 all good points! What remains is that my gtrs never seem to go out of tune so whatever works I guess. 🤷🏻♂️ But THANKS for adding, and I’ll give that a shot too. Always up for learning something new. 🙌🏻
Great tips! What do you think about the Carl Verheyen method of setting asymetric spring lengths in order to compensate for the difference in tension between the bass and treble side?
It could. I have that on another guitar but I guess the way I use it I didn’t notice a difference.
@@JeffMcErlain thanks Jeff! You rule!
Teflon lubricant is a great invention, it helps.
JMAC, it's pretty amazing how long a well setup Strat will stay in tune or very close to it. Leo was a genius. Good video sir, thank you
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I keep my Strats in tune by throwing 5 springs in, cranking in the claw screws, dropping a block of oak behind the sustain block and backing off the claw screws until it holds the block tightly. Easy peasy ;)
No float on that? That’s my favorite part!
Great video Jeff. Strats are great, as you mentioned, each problem has to be analyzed and properly addressed. Leo Fender was a genius. If guys like Gilmore, Beck, Knopfler and Clapton like it, why shouldn't I, a mere mortal.
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Interested to know why you prefer vintage-style bridge. Great video. Subscribed.
Thanks! It just sounds and feels right to me. I real like the taper on the vintage bridge.
Exactly the same way I've been doing it for 40 something years. As they say "if it isn't broken, don't fix it!".
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Keep that nut and the string tree and bridge saddles lubricated and it should do okay. Amen on having a well-cut nut ... it if goes south, it's gotta come back all the way north. You are one of the few people who talk about keeping that string nut lubed ... makes a huge difference. And yes ... wind those strings straight down. And yes, the trem on a Stratocaster is half the fun of playing a Stratocaster! Love that kitty cat geiger counter!! I use five springs like SRV ... he liked to hit an open bass string and then bend the little guys, without changing the pitch of that ringing fat string.
BTW: Put a 4 mm BB in the bottom of the gear shift hole, then a little Fender spring on top of it and screw in that handle (2-In-1 on those trem threads), and that handle will stay wherever you want it to stay! Also, Bill Callaham makes a great bridge block ... check his web site. And I also raise up those two bridge screws on the end. Thanks for helping people!
Thanks! Never heard of the ball bearing so just ordered them. Thanks! Always learning and thank for helping.
Great tone. Do you use a treble bleed or any other type of wiring change like 50's wiring? What kind of pickups? Cheers
Thanks! No treble bleed, but as to not get too much high end roll off I use a buffer before the amp. Really helps if the gtr gets dark too soon. Those are DiMarzio injectors in the neck and middle and a lead in the bridge. I like that whole series and it’s great in noisy rooms!
I wondered why one of my S-styles was quite a bit easier to use the bar on and I never could figure it out.
Somehow I completely missed that one bar is like 1-2 inches longer than the other.
Also, I hate Teflon tape. The threads cut it up and it's impossible to remove after that. I just use a spring. Much much easier.
Is that a Super Dave Doll? Awesome.
Evel Knievel!
Great video and topic Jeff... as always!
Thanks Robert… as always!
Have you tried 1/4 inch single wall heat tubing for trem arm slack? Lasts longer and less messier than PTFE....
Played an SRV strat with the left handed trem. Kept the arm out of the way. My Beck strat , older one. bar used to fit now falls right in. I tried the tape. Ok for a while. Yeah, Carl V. has a great vid on trem set-up. He slants the screws in back. I now keep mine set like yours on your other strat. No bar, but I can heel it. No big dives of course but like you said about a half step. It Works great. Have to add in..Thanks again for the Jeff Beck tribute show. Very nice. Still can't believe he's gone. Did you catch that Tim Bogart passed the same day?
Thanks man! I didn’t realize Bogart was on the same day!
@@JeffMcErlain Maybe the day before. Ran same day in the news. Jeff had said they were working on older live B-B & A tapes for a mid-summer re-release. Carmen was interviewed after Jeff's passing but there was a pic with no sound. So That's all I found.
I’m not that good, but I feel like I can play single notes in tune by pushing or pulling the string or the bar. Mine are set up like Carl and you state by slanting the claw, thereby equalizing the spring force evenly on each string. Petersen strobe tuner clamped on the headstock start you in the right place and bending the shit out of new strings for a few minutes gets things pretty straight. Great video on such an important aspect of guitar, thanks!😊🎉
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JEFF THANKS YOU HELPED ME SOO MUCH! is that a vintage strat? and what pick do you use here?? lovely sound and a great teacher you are!!
Thanks Chris!! That Strat isn’t vintage it’s custom shop 68 Landau Reissue. I use Daddario black ice 1.5 mm picks.
@@JeffMcErlain well it sounds incredible..especially with your touch and the 2 rock!!
@@sooparticular 🤫 that’s a fractal FM3. 😉
@@JeffMcErlain 6l6 or el 84? do not know that amp..I have a Carr super bee!!!!!
@@sooparticular it’s a modeler. Not a real amp. 😉
Best tool for cutting the nut is welders torch files 👍
I have a Fender Deluxe with locking tuners and a roller nut. I don't "dive bomb" but moderate dips will throw the lower strings out of tune consistently, usually sharp. Where do I look to correct this?
Sadly I never figured out the problem with my Strat with a roller nut. I couldn’t get that to stay in tune. I eventually replaced it. But I have seen it work for other people. 🤔
Another great way to lose the slop on the bar is to get a 10-32 thread die, run it all the way down to the bottom of the threads on the bar and go about halfway around this cuts just enough new thread into the end of the shaft for it to bottom out in the hole, and sit really tight. If it's too long, you can file off maybe 1/16" from the end of the bar. This works great, but of course don't do it on collector candy or a priceless vintage princess. Use an expendable bar.
Great tip! Thanks!
I use shrink wrap on my bar threads.
@@ginoames on all the treaded area?
@@JeffMcErlain yes. Works great. I used to do the Teflon tape as you suggested. This last years. I just cut a piece roughly the length of the threads. Heat it up and you are good to go.
@@ginoames thanks! Makes great sense. I have some on the way!
*I don't stretch my strings because the elasticity helps them stay in tune longer; this is after I've adjusted the tremolo claw to the point when I bend the little E string the rest don't move when I'm bending the lil E; to me that's when I consider the tremolo block and claw balanced. I tune up and maybe twice or more I'll push the tremolo arm all the way down and va-la my strings are in tune, if not I tune the one's that are not but after that I'm ready to play. Also by not stretching the strings they seems to sound fresher, last longer, and don't break as much. I've use Fender Bullets 10-38 for the past 30 years an I can remember only 3 times a string broke. I have a bighead 1967 and 1970 Fender Stratocaster's. Here's a tip: On the tremolo arm where the bar tilts up, if you bend it up slightly (I use a table clamp wrapping the bar with a small towel while bending it with my hand) the bars angle at that area behaves like a block and tackle with all the strength and pressure being concentrated there instead of the whole length of the tremolo bar which usually results and the bar breaking off inside of the tremolo block. 🌎✌*
Hey Jeff, if you use the plumbers tape and screws to get rid of slop does it mean I have to permanently leave in the bar? Or can I take it out when necessary?
I rarely take the bar out. The tape should be ok but it does wear through over time.
@@JeffMcErlain yeah I only have a gig bag so I'm a little worried about leaving the bar in all the time. I'll think about it. Also, my bridge is a Gotoh vintage replica so I'm not sure about the spring fitting.
Thank you so much. I love my Strat but I think it has a spring stuck in the trem hole. How could I get it out?
Ha! Just had this problem and this video solved it. You have to keep on trying and it finally came out. Took about 15 minutes.
ua-cam.com/video/T_gFQ_ZMhgU/v-deo.html
Jeff, my brother sets up a mean Strat. He leaves the tremolo bar on the guitar all the time. Even in the case. Would you do that? I just want another opinion. I use the springs in the trem hole so it would be better than taping the hole.
I usually leave the bar in. I mostly travel with a gig bag though. It won’t hurt it to leave it in unless flying or shipping then I’d take it out.
And if I never use the tremolo does it fix the problem ?
100000000% make sure the nut is cut properly etc. it helps even if you don’t use it.
Can you highlight how the vintage Evil Knievel on your amp improves the tone.
That’s on a need to know basis.
Ok, sorry about the stupid joke… as far as the trem moving when I bend the strings I use a “mag lock”. A magnet In place of one of the springs. It works for me. It took a little getting used to, but I’m not as good a guitar player as a guy like you, but it does work for me.
Interesting solution!
What custom shop is that I have a 60s custom shop with same colours :):)
Landau 68 custom shop but I swapped the mint guard with the tort.
I dont have a vintage strat but my strat ultra stays in tune really well and i didnt set it up after buying.
If you've tried everything and it still won't stay in tune, look under the tuner check the screws for the tuner they could be stripped.
Cat: "That Strat is good eatin"..."
Let me rub my face on it.
@@JeffMcErlain Gotta make it smell right so the riff-raff stays away... Miss my cats... just had to let mine go a week ago. He was a good ole cat. Lived a full 17 year happy life.
@@tjchad1 ahh that’s the worst. I’ve been through it many times and miss all of them. All the best!!
Also, stretch the strings completely
The main thing that will get you out of tune is having the back of the bridge too high. How high is too much? high E string set to full step instead of half step. If you pull back on the whammy all the way G and big E always go out of tune. Stick to half step and you're golden.
Some one once said that EVH and Jeff Beck was 2 of the best players that ever picked up a guitar. I beg to differ. One is that made this video.I wish they would let EVH RIP.
I have a Fender Stratocaster ...It really sucks!!! Never Stays in tune, can't use the tremolo bar...I love it though...
I’m sure you can get it to work!!
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If only Jimi knew this lol.