|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 12, 2015 23:06:53 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Charlie Hall on Dec 12, 2015 23:34:24 GMT
Hi Ron, If it has made the arm shorter than before as I imagine it has, then I think it's an improvement. I wouldn't want the arm any longer than how it looks now. Regards, Charlie
|
|
|
Post by sixchannel on Dec 13, 2015 19:21:06 GMT
Saw it for real at the Warwick Club Christmas show. Looks very neat and is effective. Ian
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 15, 2015 8:13:29 GMT
Hi Charlie and Ian , I have done a few more tweaks to it , I have shortened it a bit , and done a bit more bending to get it more parallel to the body , I am going to pass on to Staytrem as they seem interested in what I have done , John said last week that he may try out a few test arms , Ron
|
|
|
Post by Steve Reynolds on Dec 15, 2015 13:21:49 GMT
it looked really good Ron, do you fancy doing another??
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 17, 2015 12:23:22 GMT
Hi Steve , I have been in touch with John at Staytrem , he said he has done a few trial bends etc , but wont be able to spend much time on it till after Christmas ,I suggested that he sent a sample to Ian McCutcheon to evaluate , if you sent me a Staytrem and Easymute unit , I could modify it as I have done on mine , Ron
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 19, 2015 17:26:10 GMT
Hi have added another photo
|
|
|
Post by philc on Dec 19, 2015 20:40:30 GMT
Hi Ron, You have made a good job there, however, I feel that the joint with the plastic cover is rather high and for me would be uncomfortable being so near the1st string saddle, I think it defeats the object for easy muting....don't mean offense, just my two pence worth Phil
|
|
|
Post by Roger... on Dec 19, 2015 21:53:47 GMT
I agree about the joint with the plastic cover being rather high but it is a very small price to pay for a first class solution to the ongoing continuous problem of thread wear and the pain-in-the-ar$e plumbers tape renewal. I have fitted them to all three of my Strats a while ago and would never go back to the old way. Works for me.
Roger
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 20, 2015 18:20:15 GMT
Hi Phil and Roger , I must admit that I thought the same when I first saw the unit advertised , but in practice, I have not even noticed the plastic nut when playing , including muting , its so nice to know that the trem will not come loose, and will be in position ,and not swinging around ,if and when Staytrem produce a unit similar to my home made mod, I will buy two more for my other Strats , as always thanks for your comments , Ron
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 29, 2015 16:28:28 GMT
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 30, 2015 0:42:32 GMT
Ron
I have just been on the Charlie Hall website and looked at some of the comments and seen your photo's, I do like what you have done.
One of the comments mentions the height of the plastic knob being an issue, this is something I have thought about myself in the past, its not a problem for most players or myself but I know it is for some. I have tried reducing the height of the main pivot post but this meant that if the arm was adjusted quite low it would hit the volume control knob.
When time allows I will be looking at totally revamping the Strat Staytrem, the mods that you have done have rekindled my interest in it. Since developing the Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge this has kind of taken over and I am selling so many now it takes up most of my capacity just keeping up with the orders.
Thanks again
Best Regards John PS I forgot to say the above letter is a reply from John, who manufactures the Staytrem unit , I am very pleased that he liked my home modified unit , and is looking at producing an updated unit [note - I don't work for Staytrem , and only modified mine for my own use , but I hope that i sowed the seed, so that others can enjoy the advantage of a trem that stays in position , and is much better for damping etc ]
|
|
|
Post by scanners on Dec 30, 2015 2:35:53 GMT
I need to get one of them, such a simple idea you think Fender would have thought of it? I'm glad I'm not the only one that goes through plumbers tape haha Matthew
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 30, 2015 10:50:24 GMT
Hi Matthew , I am going to cancel my standing order for PTFE tape !!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by allclaphands on Dec 30, 2015 16:53:50 GMT
Hi Ron It looks very interesting to see the pictures of it and it is certainley very worthy of further development and I shall be following all this avidly .
Pete
|
|
|
Post by musketeer58 on Dec 31, 2015 3:08:54 GMT
Ron [note - I don't work for Staytrem , and only modified mine for my own use , but I hope that i sowed the seed, so that others can enjoy the advantage of a trem that stays in position , and is much better for damping etc ] How`s it going Ron. Some time ago, I installed a Callaham block and saddles into one of my strats and that certainly solved the problem of the loose tremolo arm but it`s still the same shape as the standard one. This looks like a really good modification that you`ve got here and one that I`m interested in. One of the reasons is because you`re saying that it`s much better for damping. Is that because of the shape of the arm or because of the height above the pickguard or maybe both. Cheers Adrian
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Dec 31, 2015 12:56:39 GMT
Hi Adrian and Pete , the Easymute unit gives more clearance by raising the height above the pickguard , and moving it downwards, over the volume control , which is great , except it still relys on a thread ,which works loose , I bought a Staytrem unit which is really well made , but the tremolo arm is very much the same shape as the standard Fender unit , what I have done is to cut off the threaded section of an Easymute arm including the first 90 degree bend , then run on an M5 thread as far as possible up to the next bend , I had to do a bit of bending to get it how I wanted it , but I wouldn't change back again now , all the best Ron PS I have also fitted better trem blocks in two of my strats , but they still work loose in time
|
|
|
Post by geofftiny on Dec 31, 2015 21:27:21 GMT
I bought an Easymute arm but the Fender tremolo arm spring was catching on the base of the arm thread and chewing it up as well as creating more friction. So I put in a 3mm ball bearing between the spring and base of arm. Worked brilliantly. Reduced the friction and stress on the spring by creating a tiny smooth contact area on the arm with less pressure. Trem arm movement is now perfectly smooth, with arm remaining exactly in the position it was left, and no wobble within the block seating. That was 10 months ago and no adjustment to the original position has been necessary, even though the arm has been "in and out" many times when guitar is put in case. Cost - pennies. For anyone fed up with a floppy arm I see no reason why this mod wouldn't work with standard Fender arm. Thing of the saving you can make on plumbers tape! Happy New Year to all. Geoff
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 1, 2016 11:16:16 GMT
Hi Geoff , sounds good , I have never had a Strat that had a spring fitted , it makes sense what you have done though , Happy New Year Ron
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 11, 2016 18:41:00 GMT
Hi , John at Staytrem is sending me a lowered, sample unit to try out , not seen it yet, but I assume the post will have been cut down a little.
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 14, 2016 19:31:26 GMT
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 18, 2016 20:46:35 GMT
Hi , Ian McCutcheon gave my modified Staytrem a test run on Sunday , he seemed to be impressed with it , excuse the clip being short my memory card ran out of space before the end , ps close up from about 1min 25 secs www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=lu6JGACyIME
|
|
|
Post by Rick on Jan 18, 2016 22:37:34 GMT
I wonder that after all of the decades past,why Fender by now havnt perfected their strat trem.I stopped useing plumbers tape some 36 years ago and never looked back when i went in to Les Paul deluxe guitars,the mini humbucker P/Us especially the bridge P/U is magic & noisless.It doesnt necessarily mean that by paying top dollars a customer will get a top dollar strat.I also wonder if any difference in sound would occur if the strat P/Us were mounted on a base plate screwed into the body like my les Deluxe rather than hanging off of the scratchplate.Perhaps some members have experimented in this way & if so,i would be very interested to know what the results were like. I am very surprised that Hank hasnt been honoured for his services to music,unless i have missed something.Hank must of generated hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of business for the Fender company not to mention Vox amps. Best wishes,Rick.
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 19, 2016 12:02:03 GMT
Hi Rick , I don't understand why Hank hasn't been honoured either , he influenced so many players over the years , when I spoke to Ian on Sunday he couldn't understand Fenders laid back approach , thanks Ron
|
|
|
Post by Steve Reynolds on Jan 19, 2016 12:13:16 GMT
cant see the clip Ron, are these now available to purchase?
|
|
TonyL
Member
Vintage stuff
Posts: 190
|
Post by TonyL on Jan 19, 2016 14:24:19 GMT
Hi Rick , I don't understand why Hank hasn't been honoured either , he influenced so many players over the years , when I spoke to Ian on Sunday he couldn't understand Fenders laid back approach , thanks Ron I think you'll find that Hank was honoured with an OBE in 2004 but he declined it on religious grounds. www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article109440.ece
|
|
|
Post by Rick on Jan 19, 2016 21:56:00 GMT
Hiya Tony,Hi Ron,Thankyou for your info.I wasnt aware of Hank's honour back then or perhaps id forgotten to remember ! Best wishes,Rick.
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Jan 21, 2016 11:13:20 GMT
Hi Steve , clip working now , have sent you an email Ron
|
|
|
Post by twanger59 on Feb 5, 2016 19:25:21 GMT
Hi now have a clip of Ian McCutcheon trying my guitar at a practice session
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2016 8:43:15 GMT
I wonder that after all of the decades past,why Fender by now havnt perfected their strat trem.I stopped useing plumbers tape some 36 years ago and never looked back when i went in to Les Paul deluxe guitars,the mini humbucker P/Us especially the bridge P/U is magic & noisless.It doesnt necessarily mean that by paying top dollars a customer will get a top dollar strat.I also wonder if any difference in sound would occur if the strat P/Us were mounted on a base plate screwed into the body like my les Deluxe rather than hanging off of the scratchplate.Perhaps some members have experimented in this way & if so,i would be very interested to know what the results were like. I am very surprised that Hank hasnt been honoured for his services to music,unless i have missed something.Hank must of generated hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of business for the Fender company not to mention Vox amps. Best wishes,Rick. Hi Rick....Leo Fender did solve the loose arm problem....but not with Fender....he did it with G&L, the arm is tensioned by a small allen key grub screw that contacts the arm via a small rubber plug...the arm just pushes in and out of its socket when required and once you have the thing adjusted correctly and to taste it performs flawlessly....as mine has done for 21 years.... Paul....
|
|