How To SetUp a Fender Stratocaster with a Floating Tremolo -String Action, Neck Relief & Intonation
Вставка
- Опубліковано 1 кві 2022
- String & Pickup height gauges for sale:
www.manotickstringworks.com
Set up a floating tremolo bridge on a Fender Stratocaster when you do your setups - it is easy to do and you will enjoy the ability to bend your strings flat and sharp. This video is a good instructional guide on how to setup any Strat style guitar. Enjoy and thanks for watching!
-Steve
Manotick StringWorks
Ottawa, Ontario
sroyMSW@gmail.com
#fender #strat #stratocaster #guitar #tremolo - Навчання та стиль
![The Perfect Stratocaster Trem / Vibrato Setup [Floating, Flat Or Blocked?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PjVXWyUGpwc/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Perfect Stratocaster Trem / Vibrato Setup [Floating, Flat Or Blocked?]](/img/tr.png)
Nice work - no drama or playing to the crowd, just patient and measured moves. A real craftsman at work, and a pleasure to watch. Thank you!
Really nice no nonsense explanations. Easy to understand and follow with no waffle and wasted words. Fantastic thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it- I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Not only informative, but a relaxing watch as well.
Enjoyable. Great to watch you work. Thank you. Tucson, AZ.
Adding to my favorites, thank you!
Always set the truss rod first. It will affect the action, so needs to be done before setting the string height. This also goes for the nut height. The relief can greatly affect the string height at the 1st fret.
Excellent video thanks!!Very down to earth and helpful.Much appreciated!
This was so beautiful, thank you for this
always nice to know how to do it, thanks !
Professional setup and vibes almost like ASMR- all in one. Great!
Well done!!!
enjoyed the work. great info. good instructions
Excellent video. I have watched numerous videos on this subject and this one, by far, is the best! Well done
Just brilliant thanks.
Thank you so much you have really helped. Have a wonderful day.
thank you for your professionalism... God bless your endeavors to be a blessing ✋
a great job and thanks for showing us. very good info. cheers NZ
Professional work my man very nice 🤘🤘
This was outstanding !!!
Thanks! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Love this guide! Really helped me learn and I'll keep coming back to use as a reference. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video - I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Thanks for the video. I was going mine as I watched. I’ll just finish up tomorrow when things settle down. Mine is a 1988 Fender MIJ.
Great video. Easy to follow with simple explanations. Fab!
Glad you enjoyed- I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Love the popsicle stick trick. I'll be using that to float my tremolo, right now the back is touching the guitar body. It's a brand new guitar so it needs a complete setup.
I find it easier than blocking the tremolo from.the back
Love your videos. They quite relaxing to watch.
Thanks, Kevin
So relaxing watching your work. Now thinking of unblocking the trem on my Player Strat.
Thanks for the great info!
Glad I could help! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Thanks, a very informed video.😊
Just set up a strat using your video as a guide all perfect thanks for sharing
Glad you felt it was helpful! I hope you subbed to.my channel as well?
Excellent video, I have the same strat as well. Great work and attentionto detail!!
Thanks - I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
You are a amazing person. You do good work dude!!! Thank's for your videos.
Thanks, Melvin. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
I'll bet you had one happy customer after this setup...I learned a lot ...thanks !!
Glad you enjoyed it!
what a great video! very informative. thanks! easy to follow...
Thanks, I hope you have subbed to my channel?
Excellent, excellent, excellent. I bought the cheapest Donner Strat on Amazon. Out of the box it was damn twangy. After applying all your adjustments it sounds like heaven. Thank you so much. 😁
Glad that worked for you! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Have to agree that this was the best set up video that I have seen. Thanks!
I appreciate that, Lou! I hope you have a subbed to my channel too?
@@ManotickGuitarTech Absolutely!
This is a great guide. I’m currently taking apart my Strat to clean up all the hardware before I do the setup and this is the only video I’ve come across that explains how to get the floating bridge to the proper height. Thank you so much.
Glad I could help! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
Thank you. Most helpful.
I am glad you enjoyed it- i hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
The best Strat setup I have seen so far👍👍👍 going to give it go on mine😀😀😀
Glad it helped! I hope you have subbed to my channel as well?
Great video, easy to follow and understand. Subbed and liked.
Thanks!
very thorough. thanks!
Bought it on Amazon - Jim Dunlop NC65 Formula 65 Neck Cradle - for about $60 CDN
Thank you so much for this session! I'll be swapping out the pickguard, bridge and trem block on my project guitar in a couple of days. You take the worry out of floating a trem!
Let me know how it goes, Russ!
@@ManotickGuitarTech The string and pickup height gauges you made work fantastically. I managed to upgrade an Indio from zinc block to full steel, swap out the white pickguard for tortoise shell, and float the trem. All without undue stress thanks to your easygoing approach to teaching! Thanks again!
This is quite simply one of the top videos on floating Strat setups I have ever seen. Hat's off to you!
Thanks, Robert! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Quite simply says it all.
Excellent. Appreciated.
I am glad you enjoyed the video - I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Really great relaxing videos man!!!
Glad you enjoy them! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Against all the other videos out there, with all kinds of random information, this video is a breath of much desired fresh air. Thank you so much and yes I subscribed, liked and shared 🎉
Thanks, Brandon!
@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks again. Is 3 half steps too much to ask for from a squire strat floating bridge? I'm nervous the trem claw screws won't have enough bite left in the body?
@@BrandonBone18 that would be pushing the limits...give it a try and see if it works out
The popsicle stick thing is brilliant . You answered some important questions with that one thing. And gave me an idea on how to not damage the finish under the tremolo
Glad you liked it- I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Very nice neat work, you’ve obviously been at it for a minute 😉
Thank you for this amazing setup video. I just purchased my first electric guitar today. (Been playing acoustic & classical for couple of years.) Finally took the jump into electric G's. I have all the tools. Wanted to learn how to set it up properly. Really appreciate your calmness and attention to detail while explaining what's going on at every stage. Your tools setup and clean, efficient shop floor too. Fantastic!
Thanks - glad you found the video useful! I hope you have subbed to my channel as well?
Hey I live in the stittsville area and just ran across your video this morning. Very cool as I've been playing guitar my whole life and didn't know you were on UA-cam or the fact there was a guitar shop perhaps very close to where I live. Love to watch you work and your setup is a hell of a lot better than I've done.
Thanks! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Brilliant explanation of the techniques you use. Gonna change your measurments into metric.
Thanks, subscribed and liked
Glad you enjoyed the video- check out my recent video on Metric and Imperial. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
I just bought an American Professional Strat. It has a floating tremolo, and looks very similar to that guitar. Now I know how to keep it set up. Thanks for the info.
Glad I could help! I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
Thanks!
I am so glad I found your video. I retired last year, and I now spend a lot of my time tinkering with my guitars. I had done setups on Les Paul's, and other non-tremelo type electric guitars but never one with a tremelo. I decided my strat needed a setup. I hadn't played it for eons. What I hadn't planned on was the surprise I got when trying to set the tremelo to float. I almost gave up, and took it in to get it set up. But then I found your video, I was able to get it done myself. Which really thrills me! Thank you for posting this!
I am working on being completely self sufficient with my guitars. I just took a big step in that direction. I can now tackle my electrics. Now I have to get some time on an acoustic guitar, and I'll be set. Luckily I have an old cheap one I can practice on. I haven't done very much on them because I'm intimidated by them. The other acoustics I have were inherited from my father so I think realistically I probably wouldn't do those anyway. But the old cheap one will be fun to practice on.
I am glad you found my video helpful! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
@@ManotickGuitarTech Yes I have.
This was just the best! Very informative. All this stuff is such a mystery when you’re a kid in HS with your first guitar, and nothing you seem to do, can make the thing either stay in tune, or make your job a little easier attempting bar chords, etc. I was surprised that you didn’t rely on any neck radius guides for string height. Which seemed totally OK. More than one way to measure/assess of course. Thanks again! I’ve always wondered about how many turns of the string on the tuning post too. I thought you might play some scales, etc. at the end.
you don't need the to know the radius if you measure the string height form the underside of the string to to the top of the fret - it will follow the radius naturally.
Thank you so much for this fabulous video. I am an absolute beginner at playing guitar (much less tuning) and I learned a lot!
I am glad I could help! I hope you have subscribed to my channel too?
@@ManotickGuitarTech done:) thanks again.
I am getting an Ashthorpe Monoprice guitar in the mail today (first guitar:)! and I am investigating, for the future, budget options for upgrading the tuners, and getting a pre-wired pick guard with better pickups. I am 63 and am hoping to learn the guitar.
@@jhors7777 never too old to learn!
@@jhors7777 Thank goodness for you. I'm 73 and just bought my 1st guitar [a Player Plus Strat]. I'm hoping I can convince my stubby digits to cooperate. 🎸🖐
First time watching. Subbed!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed
Very helpful, wish I knew where you got your tools...very important! I tried StewMac and Luther's site but to no avail. Please include tool list and source(s)...? Thanks again 👍
best video
Just set my trem following this process, took a bit of time but I’ve got there. Thanks…
Glad it worked out! I hope you have subbed to my channel too?
@@ManotickGuitarTech indeed I have. I was really surprise how much the tone changed when the bridge was no longer tight to the body.
@@alanthew6490 I think it softens it up and makes it smoother
Very nice work, and thanks for your very uncomplicated explanation. I was expecting that you would have been checking the nut, but perhaps you know from experience whether it would need attention or not. I've learned a lot from watching you work, so thank you. 😊
Glad you enjoyed- dont for get to like and subscribe !
I like your calm style, very soothing..... String winding: one wrap over the end, the rest under. This locks the end in. To check for fret buzz you have to play some chords. I always play simple 2 note rock chords "with a pic" all over the neck, you will hear it right away. Sideways plucks with fingers is not relevant in the playing world....plus you played all the notes so fast, how can you hear anything. Also, the bench clamp you used for stringing is not necessary, simply let the body lay flat over the edge of the bench upside down and drop the strings through the back of the spring block. Gravity will actually assist....lol.
You’ve earned my Like and Sub just because you’ve confirmed that you know PRECISELY what you’re doing with this Strat setup. NOTHING more lazy and lame to me than seeing someone lock the trem down , blaming tuning issues they have? simply because they don’t understand how to set it up properly. I set ALL my Strats this EXACT SAME WAY with the exception that I do not utilize the middle trem block spring simply because I play .007-.036 strings on a fully floating tremolo, just as God and Leo, designed and INTENDED for it to be used. If I happened to encounter the need for a heavier gauge string, which is almost never, then all I have to do is pop the middle spring back in to compensate with zero additional adjustments necessary.
Thanks, Shain! Very light gauge strings...cool
The modern, 2 point, Fender Strat Tremolo is designed to be set up Floating. They recommend it to be parallel to the body and raised 1/8" off of the body this will give the player the most tremolo action. The vintage, 6 screw, tremolo bridge is designed to be set up at an angle with the back edge of the bridge being 1/8" off of the body and the front edge nearly touching. These are the guidelines set forth by Fender.
You are correct - my experience has shown that a between 1/6 and 1/8 works best for Fender floating bridges... players preference.
When restringing, on the tuners I usually wind the first rotation of the string loose end under the string feeding into the tuner. Then the remaining rotations over the string. I was taught this creates a lock. Thoughts?
Works like that too.. I have found it is not required
the method on the 1 2 3 I forgot abaught the nut job I'm glad I seen this vedio.
Glad it helped! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Oh, one more thing! You mentioned Tele bridge. I sure hope you do one! Video yesterday talked about, “splitting the difference” on intonation of the pairs of strings. I also heard about actually bending the paired string saddle. That seemed drastic, but...maybe it works? Getting at the bridge saddle screws on my old ‘64 Mustang was really difficult. I recently sold it. Godfather type, “offer I couldn’t refu$e”
I prefer telecasters with modern 6 saddle bridges for the ease and accuracy of intonation & string height adjustments
Finally someone who takes the time and has the right specs to show us. I've been trying to get my Strat setup and it was buzzing. I tried your method on my American Telecaster that wouldn't stay in tune and buzzed and using your method, it's playing perfectly and no buzzing frets. I wonder if you ever get a setup in that requires an adjustment to the screw hole on the back of the neck pocket plate. I'm suspecting my Strat neck angle is off just enough to cause buzzing no matter what I do but I'm guessing someone like you would know what that spec is and how to do it. Or at the very least help eliminate that possibility. Thank you so much for the video and your setup tips.
Thanks - I am glad you enjoyed the video. I hope you have subbed to my channel? The adjustment on the back of the neck is for the neck angle and i is used when you run out of string height adjustment at with the bridge. It is very handy and better than using a shim.
Thanks for the information . It was pleasant and explained clearly this FENDER floating bridge mystery for me . Anything to help me to not hit those sour notes .
Glad I could help! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
Liked and Subscribed. Sooo many, "Guitar Luthiers" make videos with endless bad advice and nonsense methods..... I would love to see you with a million followers. No nonsense and all the work simply explained but to technical specs. Ahhhh what a relief someone who uses specs and guidelines. EXCELLENT workmanship!!
Thanks for the sub!
Thanks. I'm saling a guitar .
Joel B.
Where did you get the Allen tool for,adjusting the string saddles?
Check out www.manotickstringworks.com
Great job but I still have an issue intonating the high E string.
I have an American Strat similar to the one in your video. It also has two bolts / screws in front securing the bridge.
My strobe shows the high E string slightly flat and I cannot shorten the string antmore because the saddle mechanism is right up against the bridge bolt. Neck relief and string height are set to spec.
Do you have a solution?
Thanks.
.
Such an excellent, easy to digest walk-through. How lose/tight would you recommend setting the bridge screws towards the pickup side of the bridge? Tight down to the body or should it have some play? Mine has 6 screws across the bridge, not just the 2.
Tighten them by hand then back them off a quarter to half turn and check the action of the bridge. Do this before the setup, though.
Great vidéo. Very nice explanations. Thanks you to take time to share yours knowledges. But if you can adds metrics unités at same time than inperial it will be good for the rest of the World. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching- I hope you have subscribed to my channel? Watch my latest video where I talk about using Imperial and Metric measurements.
Yeah i juste found it after i wrote my comment. I'll see it after and I understand. i wanted to change my comment but you are to fast to respond. Thanks you for your reply.
subbed! very calm and informative. do you happen to know what model is that strat? I think I have a similar model but with rosewood fretboard and a hb in the bridge. but I cant find this model online. I bought it used.
the s/n is good but it doesnt show much and I need to get the neck off for more info but im not doing that, ill break something :D
2013 American Standard Strat
Thank you for the video, guitar set up makes much more sense now. One question, where do I find those L-shaped gauges that you used to measure under each string. All I can find is the credit card type gauge but it seems both would be handy.
Thanks for watching and I hope you have subscribed to my channel? I make this gauges myself and I might soon consider selling them.
@@ManotickGuitarTech funny I thought the same thing, they would sell fast if not already available!😁
I wish you were my guitar tech in Minneapolis.
Well, I have never been to Minnie... maybe one day😁
Yep...just what i do every month for my f sc...awwww not really...great video and much thanks for the tips...
Lol- at least you think about setting up
Loved the video! This was incredibly helpful! Does anyone know where I can purchase the tools he was using to measure the string height? I have a hard time reading the ruler type and those gauges with the wooden handles look amazing. I have been searching but have not found anything like them.
I make my tools - they will be for sale soon
@@ManotickGuitarTech awesome! I will definitely be buying these when they go on sale.
I've seen a few ways to set up the 2-point tremolo system. The one that you did here, where the bridge is angled, with the largest amount of space at the back of the bridge. I've also seen it set up where the whole bridge is off the body, running parallel with it. I've seen most people do it like that, the last option I mentioned. What's your take on this? Angled vs. Parallel?
Have a great day.
Cheers.
The angle looks bigger on the video- irl it is not very much. Always going to have an angle on a Fender trem; floyd rose units I set up parallel with the body.
Hey thanks fir your time and effects in making this vid, I did all in sequence, but I have a cheapo back tremolo system, it has roller wheels on the bridge blocks, came with a copper spring claw, no matter dhat I do it never stay ls/goes ba k to in tune, I used the pickguard as a packer/shim to set the bridge height just a little tin bit of blue tack away from to back if bridge just ebmnought to keep it from falling out while working on the bridge and springs, set up it all up
I've a 6 screw bridge plate instead of two pegs for mounting, it's pain in yhe proverbial butt. Any tip on 6 string 6 screw plate trem set up, gonna get the two peg one I thinks best, question do you tune the strings while the floating bridge packer is still in and tenion still on the trem claws and springs?
Sounds like you really need a better bridge tremolo - you tune u and do all of your adjustments with the spacer in place. Only once you have completed the setup do you remove the spacer.
@Manotick StringWorks yeah a two pole piece instead of 6 screws would seem ymthe best choice too. think the screws are binding up, for now I have what I have, so will do till I get a decent bridge and chunkier block, a stronger spring claw, the copper one bends open as its tightened, stainless is stronger, springs matter too, so lesson of the day ey lol. Wilkinson tremolos kits are quite good, if it's the difference between name stamps- there's no much difference other than the stamps and huge price difference.
Great Video. What and where you get those Z shape tools you were using to check the action. Thanks
I make them myself - I should have them for sale pretty soon. I hope you have subbed to my channel?
@@ManotickGuitarTech I did subscribe. Do you have a website?
...Wonderful Vid,Sir, Thank you...Fender should put-this information with the "case-candy"...Peace...
Thanks, Randy
Great videos. What is the name of the tool that you use to measure the strings from the pickups at 30mins?
I make the tool myself
Very Helpful video ... What is that tool you use at 3:30 for string height . Can't find it anywhere . thanks
I make them - you can buy them here at www.manotickstringworks.com
I have subbed and watched your setup videos and followed your instructions and successfully floated my Strat. Can you please tell me where you got that particular hex wrench that you use on the saddles. (2307).
Thank you
I believe I bought them on Amazon
@@ManotickGuitarTech thanks
@@DeeTee79 look under "precision hex driver set"
@@ManotickGuitarTech will do, thanks again,
Once the bridge is floating, do you find you need to “block off” the block while changing strings or will the bridge come back to where it has been set once tension has been returned from the new strings.
Have ever thought of doing this with a G&L dual point trem?
This is kind of dumb question but can i switch mine to floyd rose i have stagg s250 and really want fliating tremolo
Nice video mate! I want to ask something that nobody mention about this two point trem. The two bolts at the top of the trem should be fully screwed in or not? Thanks!
They need to be tighten down enough so the trim does not slip out but not too tight so that the trem can still move up and down...does that make sense? Lol
@@ManotickGuitarTech ok, so let's say that half or 1 full turn slack is ok, right?
@@user-zi9wg4tj4r try it out yourself and see what works... it is a simple adjustment and it might make a difference to the playability of your guitar.
Looking tuners....!
why did you set the action uniformly across the strings instead of matching the radius of the fretboard?
When you measure the string height from the underside of the string to the top of the fret, like I do, you naturally follow the radius of the fretboard...think about it. Thanks for watching and I hope you have subscribed too?
Hi thanks for the video. But when you were checking the relief what measure did you use 12.000s so is that the same .012 so 0.30mm ? Having buzz issues and I'm not sure my tools are correct. Appreciated thank you.
3mm is the equivalent to .012"
Oh wow really? Because the action is loads higher then when I bought the guitar, And then it had no buzz, now its much higher but with buzz. I'm slightly beside myself lol. But I appreciate you getting back to me. Thank you so much.
@@thespiritualwayofallthings missed my zero- 0.30mm
When do you need to shim, please explain, thanks.
Nice tutorial. Thank You. American measures are sick. Why not use metric system?
I am used to Imperial..metric also has its place in my shop
where can I get those fret erasers? got a link?
I swapped my broken (threads inside) AVRI bridge with a Callaham equivalent. And when floated it just won't stay even remotely in tune. I noticed that a single dive bomb always makes all strings go FLAT by almost a half tone, whereas one pull up on the bar makes them all SHARP i.e. the opposite of what a sticky nut would usually do. Then I noticed that the bridge simply does not return fully to the same position. It's visibly floating higher after a dive bomb and lower after an upward bend with the bar. I tried 3-4-5 springs, different springs, nothing helped until I decked the trem. I know this is common with Bigsbys when there's friction in the mechanism... But there's no noise when diving the trem, no obvious friction against the pickguard. What could it be? 6 screws too tight? Too loose?
Only decking the trem takes care of the issue owing to the sheer force of the spring tension.
You are a fantastic source of practical information and have a very calming and loveable personality. Thank you for doing these videos! I am interested in making something like the brass rod gauges you have made. Where did you find brass wire at such specific dimensions, if you don't mind me asking? If it is a trade secret, I fully respect that ;) Thank you again!
Thanks for watching, Guido- I hope you have subbed to my channel? I just sourced the brass rods on Amazon.
@@ManotickGuitarTech thank you! Subbed right away!
Good news I found brass tube stock on amazon 5/64 and 4/64 (1/16) a simple right angle bend and check with digital calipers!
What the size for allen keys that you used it? In mm please
I’m curious, should the two screws at the top of the trim be tightened down all the way? Thanks
I make sure they are snug but not overly tight- the trem has to be able to tilt
Lol i accidentally made my trem float like that. When i got my first guitar(strat probably) i've been trying the whammy bar but it feels stiff, it is very hard to wiggle so i came up with a solution to removed one of the springs of the trem block and loosen the remaining 2 screw so the spring won't pull the trem so hard and it work. The problem was that when i set up my guitar like that at that time i'm only using 9's and a few weeks later i've switched to 11's and didn't notice my trem floated from the pull of 11's strings until a day of use.
Those string gauges would be great for me as I have bad eyesight close up. Where did you get them?
I make them for myself! I am thinking if selling them very soon...stay tuned. I hope you sub to my channel?