Re: Bladerunner replacement bridge for Strat, tuning stability and floating trems

On 2012-06-02 17:58:13 +0000, Greger Hoel said:

So, I got a Bladerunner direct vintage Strat trem replacement from Super Vee a while back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwRqDRIqZIo
(turn off the sound for that one)
http://youtu.be/MWKupVdhRzA
(tc 0:39)

Right away, what immediately hit me was how much better my Strat sounded. It's like it's pulling the Strat sound somewhat into Tele territory without losing that floating bridge reverby shimmer. It sustains much longer and sounds both glassier and more focused at the same time.
What was not so cool was that my Strat didn't improve that much tuning stability wise. I tried lubing the nut with a teflon based grease called Slickoleum, that I found on the net. Still didn't stay in tune when I tried some Beck-isms. A few weeks ago, though, I finally caved and took it to a luthier and got my faux bone nut replaced for a Graph Tech. Still didn't stay in tune through heavy whammy bar abuse. But then I lubed the slots on the Graph Tech with Slickoleum, and now I can't get it out of tune no matter what I do.

Interesting. Years ago I just gave up on the whole tremolo thing. I had a guitar tech put a wood block in there so it's locked in place. I rarely used it anyway, but seemingly just having it operational, even with the whammy bar in the guitar case, it provided tuning hassles.

I still have to lube the slots like every other week, but as long as I do that, it stays in tune no matter what.
The trem behaves like an old Fender too: raises the G a minor third, the B a whole step and the high E a half step. It's been fun having a different chord, as well as type of chord, availible with a yank on the trem.
Ah well, back to my archtop.

Atta boy!
--
If one plays good music, people don't listen and if one plays bad music people don't talk. -- Oscar Wilde

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Relevant Pages

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    ... what immediately hit me was how much better my Strat ... It's like it's pulling the Strat sound somewhat into Tele ... Still didn't stay in tune through heavy whammy bar abuse. ... then I lubed the slots on the Graph Tech with Slickoleum, ...
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