Fender Strat Players? I need some input.

Take off the plate in the back. How many springs are there?

Depends. As has been suggested, you can either screw the springs bolts down but that will make it a harder whammy.  I have 5 springs on mine and left it mid tension. When I used it, I always had to pop it down 2 or three times, tune, pop it again, tune.  I'm like Bub, I eventually took off the bar. Didn't use it that much.  If you decide to keep it, there is a website somewhere that goes over grounding on a strat.  I highly recommend it. I'll find it and post if you like.  Basically it goes over installing a shield inside the pickup area and also on top of the pickguard.  The response of the pickups were night and day.  Less feedback too.
 
edit  http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/tele.php instead of the metal, I just used foil tape. Did the trick!
 I know the op was asking about the whammy bar....but I can't help myself!!!!

Zungle there are a few things...

First off if you hear clicking when you tune it's a sign of the nut
and string binding. So when you use the trem the string(s) are hanging.
If that's an issue and you can't file the nut, use a drop of oil.
I put a touch on my strings everywhere they touch. Trees too.

The trem needs to be set right. 1/8" from body. May require resetting the guitar
as you probably know.
Some (most) of the Fender trems have the saddle and hole where the strings
will rub on the trem where they go down to the block. I strip insulation off wire
and thread it over the first three strings so the strings don't touch the trem plate.

Being a two post make sure there is no wear on posts or trem.

Another issue is if you don't have locking machines make sure the strings
are wrapped right.

Usually the nut is the main problem. The grooves aren't filed right and the string
is binding. There should be like a little shelf for the string to sit and then sloped
down towards the head at an angle as the string doesn't contact it. It should also
be cut at the same angle of the string to the machine post.
I hope I'm explaining this right....

If you plan on using it, use three springs. If you do country type bends they're not going
to be good. You'll need to use 5 springs and lock it down and store the handle.
One note will drop pitch while you bend another...not good.

if you do use it with 3 springs you may notice you have to bend farther to get where you need.
If that's an issue use 5 springs and make needed adjustments.
Remember...when you mess with the springs you're changing string height.

Hope this helps ya.  And if you use oil a little dab 'ill do ya.

Oh...when I use 3 springs I place them so one is in the middle and straight. The other two are hooked next to
the center one and hooked to the outside's of the block.  V shape kinda.

They're not designed to actually work very well.  You wiggle them a little bit...then give it that last little touch to hopefully set it back to normal. Shees  dude they've been like that for 40 years, don't mess with the magic.
    Seriously you can't dive them at all and just using them subtly is a bit of a crap shoot. The thing is---the trems add a very subtle tuning inflection when stretching a string on the other strings...and a certain give when bending notes that hard tail don't give, it's very minor but it's part of the character.

This guy makes very good stuff. He should as he designed
a lot of the hardware for some of the major manufacturers.
Worth spending some time reading about this guy and his
views, IMO. When he explains his trem he's telling you the
shortcomings of the Fender stock.

The Fender trem is not designed for extreme use. I've always
been amazed at what Jeff Beck gets away with.
David Gilmour appears to me to use it as "it works".

I'm not saying one can't dive with "extreme use". But diving
is all one can do. It's sure not going to raise a pitch much if set
up correctly.

Hey all ,Thank you for input.

I got in late last night as I am in the middle of youth basketball season and I coach a 6th grade team. Special note on that......all but one of the players plays an instrument


Any way I checked the trem out a bit more. It has 3 springs and is set up pretty low and tight. 


After further use I feel like the nut is dragging the strings a bit and the tuners are very suspect.


I forgot to mention that I also have a nice Fender Showmaster neck thru with a import 2 point trem.......I have it set up in a more floating position...........for lite use it stays tuned fairly and I mean fairly well. I use only 2 springs on it so it has a nice smooth action up and down.


Gotta get to work I'll try oiling the nut tonight and see where that goes.


Thanks again.

anyone who uses a Strat trem a bit and wants stability is gonna have locking tuners. i've heard a bit of graphite on the nut can help (use a pencil in the grooves). funny how PRS and Wilkinson can make non-locking trems that work better...

I have two Strats with floating tremolos, a Strat Deluxe and an American Standard, and the trems work quite well after some adjustments.  The key is having nut slots that are properly cut.  If you hear pinging sounds or feel a string suddenly give a little as you are tuning, this is an indication that a string is hanging up in the slot.

My Strats are newer and have staggered tuners, which lower the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner and eliminates one string tree for the third and fourth strings.  This helps a lot because the fourth string is wound, which may cause for that string to bind up on the string tree.

Locking tuners are great, but my Strats have regular tuners and that means extra care is needed when wrapping the string around around the tuning post--getting the right number of wraps and tightening the wrap to take up the slack in the portion of the string that is wrapped around the post.  This is one of the causes of new strings going out of tune.

I use Graphit All (or Nut Sauce) on every surface that comes in contact with the strings.  This works much better than pencil graphite and made a difference with my Strats.
Graphite is probably better than oil for the finish as well as the nut.

Lastly, Bryan Galloup of Galloup Guitars told me that trems have to be "brokened in," meaning they get better over time.  I use trems a lot, especially for aiding in bending strings, but if I get carried away with a "dive bomb," it's time to turn on the tuner at the end of the song, and many times the guitar is just a little off.

My favorite tremolo is a Wilkinson VS-100 CV, which I have on my old Carvin.  The whammy bar returns to a locking position and the guitar becomes a fixed string instrument.  They were only offered in this country for a short time due to a patent issue.  They can be purchased in England but they are expensive.

This was discussed here: http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=1245393&mpage=1#1247771

Wham out!

Thanks guys ..........all your info was well taken and highly appreciated.

But, after more playing ,toying and evaluating I've decided to put her up for sale.

I am not invested enough as a musician to need that specific Fender tone.

Especially if it requires constant attention and re-working for just O.K. results.

I'll stick with my Stop Tails and Floyd............

Plug and play all the way.


Here's a link if anyone is interested.


http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/msg/2204803447.html



Here's another nice guitar I'm moving........


http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/msg/2204818595.html 

PM me if anyone is interested I would probably ship to one of you guys.



Thanks for all of the time and very good  suggestions.


I'm just a little short on energy and time.



 

7-string_guy


i had one that was starburst in color...was my first guitar. i believe i did the same thing i do with my ibanez. put a block of wood in the back so it cant move. filling the gap between what the springs attach to and the back of the cut in. HTH

That's exactly what they do on the Eric Clapton Signature Strat. Nice wedge shaped block of hardwood. Works great for the sustain as well.