I can't thank you enough for this video. I just bought a new Fender Strat and wanted to go to 10s. I followed this video and the setup went perfectly. Thanks for spending the time to make the video.
I just did the opposite - went from 10s to 9s on my customs shop strats. It feels much better now, and sounds more like a strat. I keep 11s on my gibsons - the flater radius and shorter scale makes things easier on the gibson with heavier string gauges.
Fantastic video. I can setup a Tele or Les Paul, but a Stratocaster is a bit of a different animal with a floating bridge. I would have thought the large flat head screws on each side could be used to raise or lower the action without setting each saddle. Now I'll feel more confident setting up my new Lake Placid Blue Player Stratocaster. From the factory it would seem it's setup pretty much as you described yours, quite low action the same on all strings with good intonation. I'll be switching to 9.5's and raising the action a bit (with low E a bit higher than high E). Thanks again for the excellent information.
Hey glad it was helpful. One other thing, you probably shouldn't need to adjust the bridge plate studs at all -- they likely came from the factory screwed all the way down and are fine there. The bridge should rest flat on the body with no strings installed and not raised up in the front. The back should be up about an 1/8 inch with the strings installed and tuned to pitch, per Fender specs (for a floating tremolo).
Thanks for the advice. I’m almost of a mind to leave the 9’s on it as it plays so well. But I generally play 10’s on my Les Paul so I’m thinking 9.5’s will be my best bet, which I have on my Jazzmaster and like. But I have to say, for the price, I don’t think I could have found a better quality, versatile, well setup guitar. They have it pretty well dialed in at the Mexico Fender plant based on the guitar I received,🤩
Good job. Have nothing but 10s on my LPs and since this is my first strat I think I'll stick with 9s. Also, I am a die-hard Ernie Ball user so they want that shirt back 😂
I got a Jackson Rhoads string thru body from sweetwater so it came fully setup with 9-42 guage, I lowered the action and put 10-48 strings and my high E string bends are choking out. The 22nd fret to be exact. 21st 23rd and 24th have some sustain but the 22nd goes dead when I bend up a full step. Any thoughts?
It's hard to say without looking at the guitar. The Rhoads has a fairly flat compound radius to accommodate low action and string bends, so it could be high frets causing the issue. I would start by setting it up to factory specifications and then if it is still fretting out, take it to a tech who can further diagnose. Good luck.
I also had a big problem with changing 9s to 10s on my player MIM strat. The action was a little bit to hi(as expected), but anyway, the guitar was "dead" sonically.A feeling was strange. I move back instately to 9s, and strat is live again. Maybe i need a proper tech to solve that problem, i dont know. But i didnt have such a bad expiriance with my previous Fender&Squier guitars.
Hi Joel. If I'm doing something that is going to pull a string sharp, like raising action, I'll detune the string a bit first sometimes. It's not really necessary though.
I just got a player plus strat and when I put 10s in it, the nut is too low on the B string and makes the sitar noise. I am sending it back for a refund. The tech at sweetwater claimed it was because it was setup for 9's but I dont recall doing this on my 07 MIM strat and I think they just cut the slot too low.
my player strat from Guitar center was out of whack. i had to do a full setup and intonation. it was so bad the the 3rd fret 1st string was dead from a horrible neck relief
Guitar Center don't always do a very good job of maintaining their stock. You should check out my Guitar Center video if you haven't already watched it. It's a little bit long but a good story with a crazy ending.
@@hoganshideout I tried to fix it on my MIM player strat, but the feeling was so strange that i move back to 9s, until i find some proper tech to help me. Obviously a trusrod and trem springs are not all for a good 10s setup :(
@@bertonedes If you are having trouble it's definitely a good idea to have a tech look it over. I did a more detailed Strat setup video recently that you might check out also. Good luck! ruclips.net/video/eeLXIh8kRAI/видео.html
@@hoganshideout Nice. Thank You. One more question: how i know that i need a nut mod for 9 to 10s transition? Actually 10s on my existing nut standing(looking) good. But overall feeling was strange.
@@bertonedes Fender guitar nuts are generally cut from the factory to fit 10s. As long as the string moves freely in the nut is is likely fine. It's always a good idea to use a bit of lubricant in the nut to help with tuning stability. I have been using the Music Nomad lube product, but graphite from a number 2 pencil works too.
![The Perfect Stratocaster Trem / Vibrato Setup [Floating, Flat Or Blocked?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PjVXWyUGpwc/mqdefault.jpg)
I can't thank you enough for this video. I just bought a new Fender Strat and wanted to go to 10s. I followed this video and the setup went perfectly. Thanks for spending the time to make the video.
Thanks Sean, glad the video was helpful!
I just did the opposite - went from 10s to 9s on my customs shop strats. It feels much better now, and sounds more like a strat. I keep 11s on my gibsons - the flater radius and shorter scale makes things easier on the gibson with heavier string gauges.
I really like a heavy top light bottom style set for Gibsons too. Thanks for checking the video out.
I also definitely like much more 9 on strat. Like you said, its more like STRAT.
I love your honesty about how we learned back in the day
Thanks David. We had to figure out a lot of stuff on our own!
My kind of video sir and you are very entertaining and informative. Thanks sir.
Thanks so much for checking the video out and for the comment!
Fantastic video. I can setup a Tele or Les Paul, but a Stratocaster is a bit of a different animal with a floating bridge. I would have thought the large flat head screws on each side could be used to raise or lower the action without setting each saddle. Now I'll feel more confident setting up my new Lake Placid Blue Player Stratocaster. From the factory it would seem it's setup pretty much as you described yours, quite low action the same on all strings with good intonation. I'll be switching to 9.5's and raising the action a bit (with low E a bit higher than high E). Thanks again for the excellent information.
Hey glad it was helpful. One other thing, you probably shouldn't need to adjust the bridge plate studs at all -- they likely came from the factory screwed all the way down and are fine there. The bridge should rest flat on the body with no strings installed and not raised up in the front. The back should be up about an 1/8 inch with the strings installed and tuned to pitch, per Fender specs (for a floating tremolo).
Thanks for the advice. I’m almost of a mind to leave the 9’s on it as it plays so well. But I generally play 10’s on my Les Paul so I’m thinking 9.5’s will be my best bet, which I have on my Jazzmaster and like. But I have to say, for the price, I don’t think I could have found a better quality, versatile, well setup guitar. They have it pretty well dialed in at the Mexico Fender plant based on the guitar I received,🤩
Good job. Have nothing but 10s on my LPs and since this is my first strat I think I'll stick with 9s. Also, I am a die-hard Ernie Ball user so they want that shirt back 😂
"We have a black waste basket here, but you can use a different color" HAHAHA
I got a Jackson Rhoads string thru body from sweetwater so it came fully setup with 9-42 guage, I lowered the action and put 10-48 strings and my high E string bends are choking out. The 22nd fret to be exact. 21st 23rd and 24th have some sustain but the 22nd goes dead when I bend up a full step. Any thoughts?
It's hard to say without looking at the guitar. The Rhoads has a fairly flat compound radius to accommodate low action and string bends, so it could be high frets causing the issue. I would start by setting it up to factory specifications and then if it is still fretting out, take it to a tech who can further diagnose. Good luck.
I also had a big problem with changing 9s to 10s on my player MIM strat. The action was a little bit to hi(as expected), but anyway, the guitar was "dead" sonically.A feeling was strange. I move back instately to 9s, and strat is live again. Maybe i need a proper tech to solve that problem, i dont know. But i didnt have such a bad expiriance with my previous Fender&Squier guitars.
Why did you detune the strings every time you adjusted action and intonation? Is it necessary?
Hi Joel. If I'm doing something that is going to pull a string sharp, like raising action, I'll detune the string a bit first sometimes. It's not really necessary though.
The sexiest strats are d 2 3 tone sunburst fullstop and the cherryred white scratchplate
Classic color combo. I have a few basses like that.
My tidepool blue MIM strat is fully painted blue in the backplate cavity area?
Interesting, what year was yours made?
do you have to shave the nut to add 10s?
I've never had to cut the nut to go from 9s to 10s on a Fender. They are usually cut/slotted at the factory to fit 10s already.
@@hoganshideout awesome thanks!
I just got a player plus strat and when I put 10s in it, the nut is too low on the B string and makes the sitar noise. I am sending it back for a refund. The tech at sweetwater claimed it was because it was setup for 9's but I dont recall doing this on my 07 MIM strat and I think they just cut the slot too low.
my player strat from Guitar center was out of whack. i had to do a full setup and intonation. it was so bad the the 3rd fret 1st string was dead from a horrible neck relief
Guitar Center don't always do a very good job of maintaining their stock. You should check out my Guitar Center video if you haven't already watched it. It's a little bit long but a good story with a crazy ending.
From experience D'addario strings are different than Fender strings.
You didnt need to mess around with a trusrod.... enlarging the gaps etc...?
It did require a bit of truss rod adjustment, but it was not too far off.
@@hoganshideout I tried to fix it on my MIM player strat, but the feeling was so strange that i move back to 9s, until i find some proper tech to help me. Obviously a trusrod and trem springs are not all for a good 10s setup :(
@@bertonedes If you are having trouble it's definitely a good idea to have a tech look it over. I did a more detailed Strat setup video recently that you might check out also. Good luck! ruclips.net/video/eeLXIh8kRAI/видео.html
@@hoganshideout Nice. Thank You. One more question: how i know that i need a nut mod for 9 to 10s transition? Actually 10s on my existing nut standing(looking) good. But overall feeling was strange.
@@bertonedes Fender guitar nuts are generally cut from the factory to fit 10s. As long as the string moves freely in the nut is is likely fine. It's always a good idea to use a bit of lubricant in the nut to help with tuning stability. I have been using the Music Nomad lube product, but graphite from a number 2 pencil works too.
9s are perfectly fine for everything on a Strat until you need to get into Drop C and lower, then it gets a little slinky
When you get done on this set up i wanna hear a E Jamma 7th lol inside joke Yall
Lol!