L3F1 MUSIC

Stratocaster Tremolo

is it really necessary for an electric guitar to have 5 springs before putting on a tremolo arm/vibrato arm?

i really wanted to add a tremolo arm in my guitar(Fender Stratocaster) and after a few researches, i noticed that most guys said something about having five springs. when i looked at the back, it only had three, does this mean i have to add 2 more??..... o_o....help DX

Hello there,

If your Strat has a tremolo bridge you can add the arm. Since you have tremolo springs in back, you do definitely have a tremolo bridge. All you do is get the tremolo arm and screw it in. That is all that is involved.

As for the number of springs that is a matter of personal preference. Most Strats come with 3 springs. Some players do not want their tremolo to float (as it is designed to do) so they add 2 more springs and tighten down the 2 screws that hold the claw. That makes the springs put more tension on the bridge. If it is set up like that, you can still bend the pitch down, but you have pretty much eliminated the bending of the pitch up because you have the bridge drawn down tight against the body. The Fender style tremolo will handle up to 5 springs. It will also operate with as few as 2 springs (I have never tried just 1 spring). I strongly suspect some folks put the other 2 springs in their guitars without a clue as to what effect it has. They see some player, like SRV, who has that, so they do it. SRV had very heavy gauge strings on his guitar. I think he used a set of heavy 13s. Strings that heavy put quite a lot of pull on the tremolo bridge, so you need the extra 2 springs to help counter balance the pull of the heavy strings. I have one of my Strats strung with 13s and put in the 2 extra tremolo springs for that very reason.

later,

Stratocaster Tremolo
Super-Vee's BLADERUNNER Stratocaster Tremolo Vibrato Demo

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Stratocaster Tremolo