Tremolo upgrade for Affinity - cut the sustain block down or not?

[Peter Krasov]

Hi folks,

Want to upgrade my Affinity strat with some nicer tremolo with solid steel or brass block. There's no problem in buying the trem, GFS or Dragonfire offers them, but the Affinity has thinner body - 40 mm instead of 45 mm, and the block will slightly pop out at the back of the body.

There is no problem with cutting the block down from 40 mm to 35 or 37, but... Such modification will make tremolo 'illiquid' - I won't be able to install the trem to other guitars, or sell it.

Who has had any experience with full-sized blocks installed to Affinities? Will it function normally?

Thanks.

 

[duceditor]

I hope some experienced folks will take the time to answer this for Peter.

I've learned once again that I am not a Strat guy, and so sold my Fender Classic Series `50s. This leaves just one Strat in my toy box and it, like Peter's, is an Affinity.

With the fret ends polished it feels just fine, and the PUPs, pretty "classic" sounding to my ears as they are, could easily be changed over if ever I saw the need. But it's trem is its weakness. If the lightness the key reason? So-so machining of the pivot? What have others done to make it right?

-don

 

[Peter Krasov]

Don, the reason for changing the trem is that it is made from quite poor-quality metal and has pretty bad sustain-block. The trem itself works quite fine - the string slots in the nut should be well-polished.

 

[Guitarmageddon]

The only way to put a full size block in an Affinity body WITHOUT cutting down the block...is to use 2 back plates. Cut the middle out of one of them with something, so you end up with a gasket / spacer - all you will have left is the 6 mounting screw holes and a large open space in the middle. Then stack another back plate on top....it will stick out from the guitar body, but this is the only way without cutting down the block...

 

[Peter Krasov]

I keep the back plates off always, so, no problems here. The question the functionality of the tremolo.

 

[Guitarmageddon]

Sure it will function, but you might get your t-shirt stuck in it lol

 

[jamndad]

Yeah, it'll function just fine. I had mine cut down to fit. Make sure you re-drill spring retaining holes, too.

 

[SpeedKing]

Personally Peter I wouldn't worry about it. I'm popping out in the next 1/2 hr or so to pick up a MIM trem unit which I've just had milled down by my local engineering firm (£10 job). Fender sent me two replacement MIM units (by accident or as additional compensation for supplying my VM70 with the wrong saddles I'm not sure) for my VM. Having installed one in the VM it makes sense to use the other in something else and both my other guitars are Affinity strats. Like you I considered the negatives in milling it down compared to other solutions like the two back covers etc.

My first consideration was … having improved the VM I'm now wanting to improve an Affinity..

Second consideration… how? Answer… tuners and trem.

Third consideration … which ones and how?

Really then we're a fair way down the list by the time your considerations have effect… ie. what about resale etc etc.
The reality is you will still be able to sell the unit in the future if you decide to remove it from your own Affinity… you just sell it as a MIM unit already modded for an Affinity… there are plenty of Affinities out there (and the slimmer Bullets) being modded. Sure it's a smaller market but hey… in that market your's will stand out as being full sized and already the correct depth. So anyone in your current situation in the future has a drop in solution…

Hope that helps although I realise I haven't answered your question of how a full sized block would actually behave in an Affinity. My decision I confess was partly based on the hassle of trying it out as a full sized unit initially only to have to then remove it, mod it and reinstall it if it didn't work properly. I also thought ultimately it would be better to keep the other measurements of the block correct (for the body it's in) for considerations such as the angles at which the rear springs will be attached and the extent of the arc described by the block as it moves in use etc. etc.

Hope that gives you more food for thought.

 

[duceditor]

The only way to put a full size block in an Affinity body WITHOUT cutting down the block...is to use 2 back plates. Cut the middle out of one of them with something, so you end up with a gasket / spacer - all you will have left is the 6 mounting screw holes and a large open space in the middle. Then stack another back plate on top....it will stick out from the guitar body, but this is the only way without cutting down the block...

A brilliant solution! You think of that yourself?



-don

 

[oldtimer]

Supposing that you put six thick washers between the bridge plate and the body surface to raise the whole bridge assembly higher, then shim the neck back a little to get the original string action. Would that be enough to allow you to keep the backplate on?

 

[Peter Krasov]

Speedking, yes, it may be sold later as trem modded for Affinity. Look at this: looks like a really neat tremolo: http://dragonfireguitars.com/Strat-Trem-System-Vintage-Brass-Block-Steel-Saddles-Colors-10021.htm

 

[Peter Krasov]

Oldtimer, This will definitely spoil the sound. 100%

 

[oldtimer]

Oldtimer, This will definitely spoil the sound. 100%

Why?

 

[Peter Krasov]

If I lift the trem unit higher, there will be less contact with the body surface. if I understand you correctly.

 

[duceditor]

Oldtimer, This will definitely spoil the sound. 100%

Why?

Why? Cause it'll mar the Affinity's nitro finish!



-don

 

[oldtimer]

Peter, there is practically no direct contact between the bridge plate and the body surface on ANY vibrato-equipped Strat. Acoustic coupling is, for all practical purposes, all via the six screws. That will not change.

edit: Can anyone tell me how much a full-size block protrudes at the back of an Affinity?

 

[jamndad]

Peter, there is practically no direct contact between the bridge plate and the body surface on ANY vibrato-equipped Strat. Acoustic coupling is, for all practical purposes, all via the six screws. That will not change.

edit: Can anyone tell me how much a full-size block protrudes at the back of an Affinity?

As I recall, it wasn't very much at all. I had 3/16" milled from mine and it just clears the cover.

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks Jamndad, 3/16" may be a little too much for my bridge-raising idea. It would still work, but perhaps look a little strange when the neck is shimmed back and the pickups raised.

 

[Peter Krasov]

The block protrudes for about 1-2 mm, depends on the block. Some of them are 40 mm, some of the are 41-42

 

[oldtimer]

Ah! at 1-2 mm, my bridge-raising idea would be a contender.