Standard Strat Tremolo Arm Stiffness

[Ikaros]

I had to go back to the store today where I bought my new Standard Strat to get the correct Fender tremolo arm. They had given me a non-Fender all chrome type I discovered after getting it home yesterday. Maybe I'm paranoid about the wrong arm being in my standard Strat because of threading issues, but then again I'm reading it is common for the tremolo arm to feel sloppy unless all the way tight and it swings out of the way following gravity instead of where you want it near by. I heard people have dropped a spring down the screw hole to place tension on the arm from below to make it feel more stiff and stay in place?

Well I figured out the tremolo arm screw hole is part if the tremolo assembly located next to the high E string bullet end hole - and I can see if I dropped anything like a spring down the hole it will fall through and out the bottom. My dad has a die tool that can add threads to screws, etc. I might add an extra 3/4 turn in the arm threading.

Steve

[GNLidiard]

If it's a new US strat it should come with a tiny black spring to drop in the tremelo arm hole (black's easier to loose). The block in the US strats has a drilled, blind hole that's tapped for the arm. It's designed to accomodate both arm and spring to provide a degree of stiffness to the arm.

The mexican Strats have a cast tremelo block, from a different, softer material. This is designed to take the arm only and no spring is supplied. It's not unknown for people to try the spring on the Mexican bridge and find the spring drills through the bottom of the block (a personal experience too).

A vintage Strat (or newer repro) will have the stronger block material, but no spring, it's a recent (90's on?) Fender thing.

A good cure for the problem that avoids springs is to wrap the arm in PTFE tape as it's inserted. This reduces the slop and provides a degree of tension, depending on how much you use.

Hope this helps.


Gary

[Ikaros]

Originally Posted by GNLidiard

The mexican Strats have a cast tremelo block, from a different, softer material. This is designed to take the arm only and no spring is supplied. It's not unknown for people to try the spring on the Mexican bridge and find the spring drills through the bottom of the block (a personal experience too).

A good cure for the problem that avoids springs is to wrap the arm in PTFE tape as it's inserted. This reduces the slop and provides a degree of tension, depending on how much you use.

It is a Mexican made Strat so what you said is true. I like the idea of the thread sealer tape. Thanks.

[haakon]

I fixed this issue on a standard trem once by rolling a piece of moist paper around the threads on the arm before mounting it. Got nice & firm.. Holds for months, and when worn out just change.. (Tape might also do the trick)

[mcnach]

Some teflon tape (plumbing materials shop) around the thread will work.