UNBELIVEABLE!!! I’VE BEEN PLAYING GUITAR FOR 30YRS and toured extensively. I never thought those trems could ever be reliable! Thank you for your knowledge! Your videos are the best on RUclips!
I keep coming back and watching this video because it just blows my mind. 27 years I've played. That last bit of info he gave was the best advice I've ever gotten in regards to a tremolo. All the players I've met and jammed with. None of us knew that. This dude single handedly saved millions of band room tuning hours around the world per year in that few seconds.
i was shown this way of keeping the strat vibrato in tune back in 1975 by non other than Heart guitarist Roger Fisher when they were still a bar band. he goes,watch this, and roughs up his strat to go way out of tune. then as he's letting a chord ring, hits the whammy bar one time and it instantly snaps back in tune.......wow.......it was completely magical. i've used this tuning method ever since. absolutely works like a charm.
I’ve been on a blackmore kick lately, and marveling at how he’s able to use the bar without going out of tune. Even doing big dive bombs. I found this video very helpful and I immediately saw results on my own strat. Thank you.
Basically if a guitar hasn't been modified at all (just like this one I used) you got some flat notes if you bend hard. If you modify the guitar in various way (subject of a next video) you solve even this problem and your guitar is perfect. Glad to know you liked it.
How can you keep it from going out of tune when doing big bends? I notice when I do big bends in particular on the G string seems to be the biggest problem, I would like to do big bends and not have to dive the bar to bring it back to pitch.
@@cecilmusick8629 , it is always a compromis. Either you will get out of tune using the bar or when doing bends. If you have tuned the guitar and do a bend om the G string it will be low afterwards. When u use the tuner on your guitar now to get it in tune again it will stay in tune after bending, but when you now use the whammy bar (downwards) it will be to high in pitch afterwards. And it still remains a mystery why it is mostely the G string that is affected. The Floyd rose system is the best for staying in tune using the bar and bends. The VegaTrem also seems to do that and it is very easy to install.
so are you saying the SPRING tension is irrelevant? Simply tune each string after stretching and snapping the tremolo bar, until that string is in tune and that's it????
What works for me is simple,... After I bend a string, the whole guitar goes out of tune, so I burn it on stage, then grab another. I learned this trick from watching Jimi Hendrix.
For some reason, I did this to my Strat without really knowing what to do.. It did work but when it goes out of tune, I use the tuners instead of just reseting it using the trem arm.. I got frustrated so I blocked my bridge. Then I saw this video, made me realize that I did the right thing before, yes it did stay in tune. I might float my bridge again. Thank you for the video
@@troyancheta3803 In fact, with this kind of guitar, we have to accept this use. I own a Squier and an Ibanez Saber style (my pic) , with simple tremolos, after a bend, I know the problem is here, and I manage to use the bar to release the good tune, like Galeazzo advice. That's the deal. Otherwise, we install hartail system...
I love this guy's videos. After playing Teles for years, and lusting for a Strat, I purchased one. I love the tone and looks of the strat, my one complaint has been occasional tuning issues . Now I know why. In addition to giving great (and trustworthy) information, he repeats and emphasizes the most important points. He's a very good teacher.
I showed this to one of my students and he went home and did it to his Yamaha Pacifica. He was also blown away by it. It's now completely obvious why Leo Fender designed this the way he did.
Actually, you can. The trick is to setup the guitar so that pulling up, instead of pushing down, on the trem will bring the strings back to the right tension. If you balance the trem block so that it's floating at the right height and you're getting the right intervals when whammying upwards (see Carl Verheyen's method), your tuning will be remarkably stable through bends and whammies in both direction.
this totally works, but be careful: i used to have very little problems with a string going out of tune after bending it, and after using this method my strings go flat instantly. so if you play a lot of bends i advise you to stay away from this technique. to me the advantage of being able to do crazy whammy stuff doesn't compensate the loss of being able to do bends...
Whenever the string goes flat after bending, you just do a dive and voila it is back in pitch. You dont have to make any noise if playing live, you can dive it silently. Just remember to never tune a string up in pitch unless you have done 1 or 2 dives first and the string is still flat.
@@infectionsman I think Godderis knows what he's doing, he's saying that's a lot of hassle to play normally. And if his guitar goes out of tune more because of this process, that's a red flag. Doesn't mean it will happen to my strat necessarily, but good to know in case it does.
@@lol-zp1ps If you set your trem up to float then there is two possible setups: 1. dive the bar and tune after: this way it will go flat with bends but return with dives. 2. Bend it and keep tuning up: but then it will go sharp if you touch the trem. But if you prefer bends to stay in tune, it is much better to just block the trem completely and remove the arm instead.
@@infectionsman Sure, that makes sense. I was just saying that godderis wasn't willing to deal with that and I don't blame him. Get a floyd rose and your problems are over. Personally, I like the old-school strat trems and I don't mind doing a quick dive to get back in tune.
I have been playing guitar for 41 years and most of it as a professional musician. But no one had ever informed me about these tips. They work, there is no doubt about it. Obviously if you use the tremolo for dive bombs all the times, you are bound to go slightly out of tune, but without employing those tips, the guitar would go just so wildly off, it would be just useless. Now I do my little ritual every day, before playing, and hey presto! A playable guitar; can do all that Jeff Beck-style runs using the tremolo as a melodic device, and the guitar stays mostly and for most of the time in tune. Thanks for that, Galeazzo! Grazie mille e vai alla grande....
This does work, thank you. I've tried a lot of different things to make my floating trem stay in tune, and this is the only thing that consistently works. It's so simple, I still don't know exactly why it works but it does. I've done this to my nice Fender and my cheaper partscaster that I built from other guitars and it's worked on both.
Get a grip folks. If not mistaken, he's using an un-modded strat (stock nut, stock string tree, stock saddles, stock bridge... no widened nut saddles or roller nut, roller tree, graphite saddles, etc...). Frankly, he is providing a solution for keeping the guitar in tune if you want to use the tremelo using a stock strat right off the shelf... without any mods. The guy knows what he's talking about and definitely knows what he's doing. Thanks for the useful info Mr.Frudua. A+++++++ all the way.
@thedigitalsnake "I really don't understand how anyone can dislike these informative videos?!?!" It Is the fantastic of the web! The total real democracy!
Important suggestion: Although this is a great technique, it's way more beneficial to setup your Strat to tune itself when you pull UP on a floating tremolo, as opposed to pushing down. Pushing down relaxes the strings, making them far more susceptible to detuning from harsh bends. Pulling up, on the other hand, pre-stretches them and they'll resist detuning from bends a LOT better. Overall, though, it's most beneficial to spend time balancing the block and floating it at the proper height.
I’m using my vibrato for 7 months now and it works like a charm even after bending the strings. Only go out if I do the really big bends. So far everything is stock but I removed my string tree and wound the strings so they don’t have the sharp edge after the nut. Thanks for the help. I love my bridge now and I wouldn’t go back to a hard tail.
I have 3 Prs tremolo equipped guitars (the kind without locking nuts), and I've blocked each one because they NEVER stayed in tune. Then I watched your video and a week later they were all unlocked and being used to their full potential! Thank you so much for your help! Seriously, man, THANK YOU!!!
Wow, I'm blown away. I was skeptical at first, but this worked perfect on my strat. I play a lot of blues and country, so I'm bending quite a bit. When I bent the strings out of tune, depressed the tremolo, then played a perfectly in tune chord, my jaw dropped. Thanks so much for this!
Just bought an MIM....beautiful axe...was about to throw it against the wal because I couldn't keep the damn thing in tune....did this and WALA! Now I'm REALLY glad I bought the guitar. HUGE difference. I'm now a happy strat owner. I've had 4....hated them...but this was the secret the whold time... BTW...The strings that come on a new MIM SUCK BAD!!! Don't even start till you put some decent 9's on..wasting your time. And while you have them off put a dab of graphite on the nut....you will not be sorry. One last thing....I always thought Pauls were heavy as hell....the new strat I have is 3 oz less than my Traditional pro with bigsby tremelo.....couldn't believe it when I weighed it. Myth......
I recently purchased my first Fender Strat. I've always been a Gibson enthusiast and never had to deal with a tremolo bar. I really appreciate your video. My strat stays in perfect tune now.
Much simpler: stretch the hell out of the strings BEFORE tuning, make sure all points of friction are stable, at the most stretched point. Always leave the last wrap around the tuning peg above the others to reduce the angle, and dont use many turns, 3 is enough. Always tune UP to pitch, never down to pitch. Doing this I can bend and use the tremolo with very good results. Dont expect your strat to be perfectly in tune, it never will, but the variation in tuning can be kept to a minimum even if you play some risky chords. This is for MODERATE whammy bar use. Even EVH didnt do complete dive bombs that set the strings all floppy. The dive at the end of eruption is big, but not a complete strings-falling-from-guitar kind of thing. If you wanna go beserk, just get a locking nut and call it a day.
Just tried it. Astounding. My wife who is also a guitarist was blown away as well. Huge thanks, Galleazzo. You've absolutely changed my view of vintage trems.
Yes a lot of people asked and the video about solving this is ready and I will put it online later today or tomorrow. Please diffuse it so all the people who asked are informed. the video will contain ALL the info and mods you may apply to your guitar equipped with tremolo to solve all tremolo problems. It's pretty advanced stuff but very interesting and informative for eveyone.
Hello Frudua! I've done everything that you've shown on the video, and indeed, I can use the tremolo as hard as I want and it will stay in tune! But now, everytime I bend on the E, B or G strings, the guitar goes immediatly out of tune... If I press down on the tremolo arm, it will go back to normal, but is there something that I can do to get rid of that problem? Thanks!
Mille grazie for these tips! You've inspired me to want to go back to floating my bridge, which I'd "locked" in the full up position (with heavy springs) because I'd been suffering from the Out-of-tune Blues. I will definitely give this a try, since I've been missing my whammy very much. Thanks again!
I bought a pre-CBS Strat in the 70's and always loved it EXCEPT for the detuning that the vibrato caused.... this man is now "my new best friend" lol! THANKS & GOD BLESS YOU Galeazzo!!!
Just for the heads up. I think this applies to every guitar with a vintage tremolo. Read on! I have this Red Special replica from Harley Benton. (Vintage floating tremolo) I've installed a roller nut, trem stabilizer, locking tuners, better springs and a schaller sure claw. Still the strings went down after bends, tweaking the trem arm brought them to pitch again. After looking and looking for info about a possible solution someone suggested to lube the block slots. Which I agreed were the last possible friction points. So I've put some teflon based nut lube on each block string slot making sure the balls are full of it and VOILA!!! problem fixed!!
Did you put some lube on the ball of the string? I have this same problem on my malmsteen signature, on the low E. After bend the note goes flat and with the trem arm goes in tune again.
I lubed the chamber from the bottom and from the saddle. But bridges are all different so... I guess the best is to lube the ball end and the hook part.of the string to make sure. After putting some lubricant I just tweaked the tremolo and bent the strings several times until they didn't have that problem. It still happens tho, but really minimized. I used GEWA teflon, not graphite. I'm changing the block on this tremolo anyway, I already bought it. The tremolo that came with it is what they call an "Import tremolo" from South Korea (SUNG IL) and the block is a joke, with big chambers all through instead of a good solid block. If that is your case you can buy a block from guitarfetish.com
Caro Galeazzo, seppur qui su RUclips, mezzo non troppo appropriato, volevo farti i complimenti. Dopo più di vent'anni di Stratocaster ho potuto finalmente usare il vibrato ed è una soddisfazione. Grazie. Ti seguo
Excellent information- I just bought an '86 Corona plant 1957 reissue that was badly neglected- now it plays perfectly and stays in tune very well. Thank you!
No, I tried it and I don't like it. Strings go out of tune after bending, and I have to push the tremolo down to get them back in tune.... I guess this is kind of usable, but there must be a better way!
We can add some pencil lead in the slot of the nut, or change for a graphite nut. And the better (and faster) way to tune each string is to go a little bit forward , and then back to the right tune so we can notice , after action at the bar, the tune is right. I have a Squier Stato and it's pretty fine.
Even though I think this is genius, it went out of tune way too much with those bendings you did, how could that be? Not even my Squier CV does that. Thanks again for you wonderful tips!
Hi there, i just mentioned the same, what is that, it makes the whole effort superfuous :( You only could use this concept with a guitar that truly stays good in tune. greets & rock on !
I have been stretching my new strings for years but I never realized the application of these principles could be used to stabilize my tremolo action. It seems like you may have stumbled onto a trade secret that the pros keep to themselves or maybe its their techs that keep it to themselves. I will make excellent use of this video and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to record and post it. ~ADR~
This is a good method. But... for the lead, it's impossible ! "just use a little whammy bar after a bend ..." It is impossible in most solo play style ! if the game is a little shred, or even one to Gary Moore and D. Gilmour, with big bend, to play just behind, it's impossible because the guitar has become false ? ... There you there another solution ? Thanks for your video.
@@paulcoleman3081 I was referencing the way David bends like 15 different notes in one bend. Lol it takes a good bit of practice to achieve that and maintain stable tuning. Maybe I worded it wrong. More less learn to crawl before you walk. Learn to bend half notes before you drop down 5 notes pull back up 3, release back to root, pull up 2 notes and ,back to root. That may sound like an exaggeration but that my friend is shine on your crazy diamond.
It works with bends too. When you do big bends the strings will go flat, just do a quick dive and they will return to pitch. Just make sure you always dive once or twice before attempting to tune a flat string, otherwise it will go sharp the next time you do a dive.
You sir, are brilliant!! I've been having trouble with my strings exactly like you described, going out of tune after using the tremolo bar. I thought it was going to require a technician to adjust the bridge or something else. I now can't wait until I get home and try this method of tuning. THANK YOU!!! :)
Wow. It works very well. The one thing I would add is that when seeking the original tuning (per string) from a sharp position, just tune down and hit the bar, not down and up with the tuning machine. Beyond that, I learned something today! thanks again.
This method is useless guys, you CAN"T bend strings or it goes out of tune. I'd rather have bending capability AND using the bar. I mean bending is pretty much a necessity in most styles! Float the trem and string/tune and stretch the strings fully, which gets rid of that slop. Make sure bends stay in tune and then get the trem right. It works MUCH better than this.
+Steph N i find i can regain tuning by simply pressing on the offending string behind the nut with the left hand , easy to hide/disguise when playing open cords down there....seriously people this is the best method if you have vintage style trems, lets face is floyds are fool proof but come with there own set of problems and good god do they ever look goofy ...thank you Fruada....you truely are a wizard among techs....i have yet to find ANYONE on youtube (or anywhere else freely giving away his secrets too boot....you should write a book....this trick alone would be an easy chapter and worth the cover price alone...
If you do it right, no need to have to go behind the nut. This is the WORST method. I like to play rock, blues, country...all styles require string bends. My method, eliminates having to pull a string behind the nut, and I bend like crazy and use the bar, when I set it up, it's as close to operating like a Floyd as you can get, but without the hassles of a locking/wrenches. Fenders way is better than this video shown here!!!! Horrible!
+Chi Chi Rodriguez there is Only one problem! if you can get it back in tune by pressing string behind the nut then the nut is grabbing the string and is improperly cut
HJALTI GÍSLASON If you tune it and setup right, it will come back to tune when you depress the bar or pull up WITHOUT having to re-bend the string. Where I find most people mess up, is how they string and tune it. I set up folks guitars for a living and this is an awful way to do it. You don't usually have time to rebend a string in a song, to get it back in tune, especially if you have to press behind the nut, lol. That''d be lame to have to do that.
a man with my own heart. After 30 years of doing it myself I had my PRS set up by a Tech? I will now set it a little better. The thing thats interesting is we find the same way to do things.
Best video I've seen for tuning procedure on a Stratocaster with tremolo. I have a very cheap Monoprice Strat copy and this procedure worked like a charm. Only thing I did not do is float the bridge but it still worked. Thank you very much. Now I will not be afraid to use the tremolo.
This worked great on my American Standard Strat. I can't believe I was doing everything wrong all this time. Great video. I give it five stars!!! I will not be holding back on the whammy bar at this weekend's gig for sure. I plan on watching many more of his videos. Much respect Mr. Frudua.
I was skeptical, but after my new strings broke in, this technique actually works. It's amazing! Pick up the guitar in the morning, see that it's a little sharp, mash the vibrato arm twice -- and the thing is in tune again! It's astonishing. Thanks for all the amazing guitar information.
I have been using floating bridge guitars for over 20 years. I recently bought a Fender American Deluxe MSM to have a guitar different from the ones I already had ... I do not know the parameter where you live, but in Brazil, it's an expensive guitar. Until I reviewed your video I thought I had made the worst purchase of my life, an expensive guitar that was never tuned properly ... until I remembered your video on RUclips! I had seen your video years ago, just out of curiosity, and even doubted the effectiveness of this method, but when buying a Fender with Vintage Tremolo, curiosity became a necessity. Many, many thanks for the post! For those who are in doubt: IT REALLY WORKS !!!
Brilliant!!! That is incredible. I had terrible problems with my Squeir Bullet Strat keeping it in tune. I thought it was just the cheap build qualities of the instrument, I was concidering fitting a more expensive system. I tried your method and what a difference it makes. It stays in tune just as you explain. I'd never have fugured that out in a million years. Thanks so much for posting that my friend. I will most surely be telling my fellow guitarists about this tuning method.
Frudua man this is fantastic stuff! Thank you so much man. I used the Carl Verheyen method with intervalic floating tremolo tuning, and applied this little advices of yours and I never had tuning problems since! THANK YOU
This tuning technique was "Earth Shaking" to me. I'm still in shock as to how damn well it actually works. Out of all the things I've learned over the last 30 years about how to upgrade and or improve my guitars, I think this lesson here about tops them all. The reason why, it's such a simple thing to do and it's so freaking effective. Now my strat has become my "go to guitar" even if I want to do some serious, repetitive, deep divebombing. This really is amazing stuff... A BIG THANK YOU Frudua!!!
Excellent tutorial. I bought my first guitar with a tremolo and the application was sound, as it was one of the reasons I never used tremolos before. Now I have both... a tremolo and a guitar in tune. A+
Thanks so much. Just got my first strat and first guitar with a tremolo. This worked so well for me. Works like a charm. I do go out of tune slightly with bends but pushing down the trem arm resets it. Awesome!
Just built a strat out of parts I had laying around,It was giving me trouble so I did everything you said and it works exactly as described.Thanks for the video.
This is amazing. I've always tuned up, but tuning down with this method is incredible. Although bending and pulling up on the bar puts you out of tune, "resetting" with a dive works instantly. Can't believe I've never heard of this.
Sir, Frudua This is a great info video. I play a lot of American made Strats and I basically just made it a habit to tune after every single song. Now that you have shared your knowledge with this video, I have been able to keep my Strats in tune even after hours of play. Thank you so much and thank GOD for RUclips!
Lubricating all the contact points along the strings also helps. On my Strat I use automotive lubricant that has molybdenum disulfide in it, which is used in the rebuilding of an engine before first startup, so it's extremely slippery. I lubricate the nut slots, the string tree, and saddle contact points, along with using Grover mini-locking tuners. I never have a problem staying in tune, even with heavy trem use.
Oh, you're right! Never noticed he wasn't floating it. Well in that case, float it then use the pull-up method. I've set up 3 of my friends/relatives' this way and they all stay in-tune surprisingly well, even through hard bending. I went the extra 9 yards and got graphite saddles, a tusq nut, and a roller tree, and man has it paid off.
Nice topic! I always tune exactly the other way: don't touch the tremelo and bend strings before tuning! This way you can play and bend without any tuning problems. When you dive the tremelo down, you might have a tuning problem, but just raise the tremelo / bend the strings. I play a lot of Gilmoer stuff (bending notes) , so I prefer to tune this way. I guess it depends how you use the tremelo ("dive bombs" style or more subtle tremelo use combined with bending notes, like Gilmour).
@Fleg Do not worry about tuning in a particular order. The neck wood has a sort of "memory" acquired thans to a sum of factors like the wood itself, the way it has been glued the first time (fretboard) the average enviromet of your home, etc. Even after long time with no strings and it will get to its natural bow no matter what's the order you tune the strings. It's just a matter of minutes of hours. Go relaxed. I suggest though that you replace one string at a time.
this works it takes care and time but when it is done they do stay in tune. keep your strings clean and they should last a while. GREAT VID THANKS FOR THE INFO
I had a spare Squier Strat which I gave to my brother, but it was living hell to get it in tune. Thanks to this vid it is always dead on in tune and I can whammy like crazy. Best guitar vid I have ever seen!
I bought my first guitar last week, a Fender Squier Stratocaster HSS Affinity, and I've been having to constantly re-tune it. I tried this method earlier when I noticed my B-string wasn't tuning higher anymore, and this method got it a lot better in line. Now I just need to become a better player (which probably won't take any less than a year). =)
Absolutely awesome video! I never thought it was possible to get my Strat from going out of tune every time I used the wammy bar. Once I'd followed your steps it was like a revelation! The guitar's tuning was perfect, even after giving the bar a bit of grief! Thank you so much!
I've also found that raising the string tree up so that the pitch over the nut is not so extreme helps. I also lube every point where the string touches (saddles, nut, string tree). On the nut slots and saddles I use a combination of graphite (from a carpenter's pencil) and a bit of WD-40 applied with a cotton swab. I also coat the 1st and 2nd strings where they go under the string tree with a dab of petroleum jelly. Perfect all the time.
I had been wavering between blocking off my Strat's trem or switching to a Telecaster for the longest time, but this video has completely eased my tuning frustration. You are brilliant, Mr. Frudua. Can't wait to save up and buy one of your beautiful custom guitars in 10+ years, haha.
This works very well. Filing and lubrication of the nut might also be required. The key is to get the tremolo balanced with the strings. This is the biggest issue with getting the tremolo to work properly. I never realised this until watching this video.
Awesome tutorial. I've always had this problem with my Fernandez Strat to the point where I've just detached the arm and moved on without it. I'm going to try this when I get home. Hope I can still find the arm.
Really useful video for any Strat owner! I use the trem quite a lot, often while playing chords or lead in a sort of shoegaze style, and whenever I did this with the Strat it would go out of tune after only a few minutes of playing. I was considering replacing the bridge for a higher quality one (such as a Vegatrem, but that's way out of my price range, so I was looking for a cheaper alternative). Anyway, I tried this method after seeing this video, and no more tuning issues at all! Saved me alot of time and cash with this video, I'll keep the current bridge on the Strat :D
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the community, these are really great tips which I've never come cross in 30 year of playing and guitar tweaking. I really don't understand how anyone can dislike these informative videos?!?!
@hermano1383 the strings return to their original position when you press the trem bar. when you're doing string bends and release the string, sometimes there is just enough friction to hold the string in the nut slightly out of tune, or the tremolo to not settle back to its original position. when you press the trem bar back down, all the strings get some slack then the natural tension pulls them all back to their original tuned spot.
Thank you :D This works my vintage strat copies. RUclips is fantastic. I where plaining to replace the whole bridge and locking system cause it is going out of tune so fast, but with your clever way, I'm sticking with it.
Dear Mr.Frudua. Thank you so much for a perfect instruction guide. I just purchased a very cheap Squire Classic Vibe `60 (350 euro). I tried it at my local music shop and I just loved the playability and the sound and found it just as good as the Fender Strat Am.Standard (1.500 euro). At the time the tremolo arm was missing, I got it a few days later. Now matter how I tried, the guitar would not stay in tune. I did what you tell us and now it`s in pitch all the time. "Dive bombing" Harry.
no problem. it varies depending on the neck you have. also, regarding the thickness, account for how thick the body is in the spots where the mounting posts are placed. mine was a little too thin for comfort
@SixStringHarmonies Holy crap! This really does the trick! Wow! I've seen something similar to this before, the detail they always missed is making sure the strings are settled and rested well in the pegs, behind the nut, and in the saddles. This isn't perfect, but it took a tremolo equipped PRS guitar I was ready to throw out the window, and makes it useable for more than one song in a row! Thank you for the DETAILS!!
I bought a Jaguar and started using the Trem arm for the first time since I first learned guitar 20 years ago and gave up on it... and I discovered this technique through trial and error. Once the strings are stretched and that thing is in tune, NEVER touch the tuning pegs again. If a note goes sharp or something, it’s binding somewhere. Give that arm a quick tap down and back in tune. Also, a product called Nutsauce can lube the nut slots and bridge slots and seems to help prevent binding. Put it in there with fresh strings
I’m glad I stumbled on this. I changed strings on my new strat and about to throw it out the window. Trying to tune for hours. I will try this method ASAP!
You made it perfectly clear,i'll try immediately,only afraid of some strings could break during the setting.I would love to get the effect of a Floyd Rose on my guitar.
Started playing in 1983 and can't believe this, it works!!! Unbelievable!!! I don't know if it's beneficial for my style as I do bend strings being a blues rock player, that being said I am genuinely floored??? Peace n love bro
UNBELIVEABLE!!! I’VE BEEN PLAYING GUITAR FOR 30YRS and toured extensively. I never thought those trems could ever be reliable! Thank you for your knowledge! Your videos are the best on RUclips!
Yeah I feel stupid.
This gentleman is always worth watching!
I keep coming back and watching this video because it just blows my mind. 27 years I've played. That last bit of info he gave was the best advice I've ever gotten in regards to a tremolo. All the players I've met and jammed with. None of us knew that. This dude single handedly saved millions of band room tuning hours around the world per year in that few seconds.
i was shown this way of keeping the strat vibrato in tune back in 1975 by non other than Heart guitarist Roger Fisher when they were still a bar band.
he goes,watch this, and roughs up his strat to go way out of tune.
then as he's letting a chord ring, hits the whammy bar one time and it instantly
snaps back in tune.......wow.......it was completely magical.
i've used this tuning method ever since. absolutely works like a charm.
I’ve been on a blackmore kick lately, and marveling at how he’s able to use the bar without going out of tune. Even doing big dive bombs. I found this video very helpful and I immediately saw results on my own strat. Thank you.
Basically if a guitar hasn't been modified at all (just like this one I used) you got some flat notes if you bend hard. If you modify the guitar in various way (subject of a next video) you solve even this problem and your guitar is perfect. Glad to know you liked it.
How can you keep it from going out of tune when doing big bends? I notice when I do big bends in particular on the G string seems to be the biggest problem, I would like to do big bends and not have to dive the bar to bring it back to pitch.
@@cecilmusick8629 , it is always a compromis. Either you will get out of tune using the bar or when doing bends.
If you have tuned the guitar and do a bend om the G string it will be low afterwards. When u use the tuner on your guitar now to get it in tune again it will stay in tune after bending, but when you now use the whammy bar (downwards) it will be to high in pitch afterwards.
And it still remains a mystery why it is mostely the G string that is affected.
The Floyd rose system is the best for staying in tune using the bar and bends.
The VegaTrem also seems to do that and it is very easy to install.
so are you saying the SPRING tension is irrelevant? Simply tune each string after stretching and snapping the tremolo bar, until that string is in tune and that's it????
What works for me is simple,... After I bend a string, the whole guitar goes out of tune, so I burn it on stage, then grab another.
I learned this trick from watching Jimi Hendrix.
Actually, Hendrix spent a great deal of time on stage tuning his guitar.
Ha, ha, if only Hendrix could watch this video...
James Carter well he tried and did not succeeded often enough....
For some reason, I did this to my Strat without really knowing what to do.. It did work but when it goes out of tune, I use the tuners instead of just reseting it using the trem arm.. I got frustrated so I blocked my bridge. Then I saw this video, made me realize that I did the right thing before, yes it did stay in tune. I might float my bridge again. Thank you for the video
@@troyancheta3803 In fact, with this kind of guitar, we have to accept this use. I own a Squier and an Ibanez Saber style (my pic) , with simple tremolos, after a bend, I know the problem is here, and I manage to use the bar to release the good tune, like Galeazzo advice. That's the deal.
Otherwise, we install hartail system...
I tuned my guitar september 2019 with this method. I quit Playng 6 months. End of march 2020. Guitar still on tune! :-o
Are you serious???
I love this guy's videos. After playing Teles for years, and lusting for a Strat, I purchased one. I love the tone and looks of the
strat, my one complaint has been occasional tuning issues . Now I know why. In addition to giving great (and trustworthy) information, he repeats and emphasizes the most important points. He's a very good teacher.
I showed this to one of my students and he went home and did it to his Yamaha Pacifica. He was also blown away by it. It's now completely obvious why Leo Fender designed this the way he did.
Actually, you can. The trick is to setup the guitar so that pulling up, instead of pushing down, on the trem will bring the strings back to the right tension. If you balance the trem block so that it's floating at the right height and you're getting the right intervals when whammying upwards (see Carl Verheyen's method), your tuning will be remarkably stable through bends and whammies in both direction.
this totally works, but be careful: i used to have very little problems with a string going out of tune after bending it, and after using this method my strings go flat instantly.
so if you play a lot of bends i advise you to stay away from this technique. to me the advantage of being able to do crazy whammy stuff doesn't compensate the loss of being able to do bends...
Whenever the string goes flat after bending, you just do a dive and voila it is back in pitch. You dont have to make any noise if playing live, you can dive it silently. Just remember to never tune a string up in pitch unless you have done 1 or 2 dives first and the string is still flat.
@@infectionsman I think Godderis knows what he's doing, he's saying that's a lot of hassle to play normally. And if his guitar goes out of tune more because of this process, that's a red flag. Doesn't mean it will happen to my strat necessarily, but good to know in case it does.
@@lol-zp1ps If you set your trem up to float then there is two possible setups:
1. dive the bar and tune after: this way it will go flat with bends but return with dives.
2. Bend it and keep tuning up: but then it will go sharp if you touch the trem.
But if you prefer bends to stay in tune, it is much better to just block the trem completely and remove the arm instead.
@@infectionsman Sure, that makes sense. I was just saying that godderis wasn't willing to deal with that and I don't blame him. Get a floyd rose and your problems are over. Personally, I like the old-school strat trems and I don't mind doing a quick dive to get back in tune.
@@infectionsman What if you want bends to stay in tune, buy also want to have a decked trem to occasionally do light trem work, like SRV's Lenny?
I have been playing guitar for 41 years and most of it as a professional musician. But no one had ever informed me about these tips. They work, there is no doubt about it. Obviously if you use the tremolo for dive bombs all the times, you are bound to go slightly out of tune, but without employing those tips, the guitar would go just so wildly off, it would be just useless. Now I do my little ritual every day, before playing, and hey presto! A playable guitar; can do all that Jeff Beck-style runs using the tremolo as a melodic device, and the guitar stays mostly and for most of the time in tune. Thanks for that, Galeazzo! Grazie mille e vai alla grande....
This does work, thank you. I've tried a lot of different things to make my floating trem stay in tune, and this is the only thing that consistently works. It's so simple, I still don't know exactly why it works but it does. I've done this to my nice Fender and my cheaper partscaster that I built from other guitars and it's worked on both.
Get a grip folks. If not mistaken, he's using an un-modded strat (stock nut, stock string tree, stock saddles, stock bridge... no widened nut saddles or roller nut, roller tree, graphite saddles, etc...). Frankly, he is providing a solution for keeping the guitar in tune if you want to use the tremelo using a stock strat right off the shelf... without any mods. The guy knows what he's talking about and definitely knows what he's doing. Thanks for the useful info Mr.Frudua. A+++++++ all the way.
@thedigitalsnake "I really don't understand how anyone can dislike these informative videos?!?!"
It Is the fantastic of the web! The total real democracy!
Important suggestion:
Although this is a great technique, it's way more beneficial to setup your Strat to tune itself when you pull UP on a floating tremolo, as opposed to pushing down. Pushing down relaxes the strings, making them far more susceptible to detuning from harsh bends. Pulling up, on the other hand, pre-stretches them and they'll resist detuning from bends a LOT better. Overall, though, it's most beneficial to spend time balancing the block and floating it at the proper height.
Amazing, my jaw dropped when you put it back in tune simply by pushing the tremolo all the way down.
I’ve blown peoples minds at shows and jam sessions with mine staying in tune
I’m using my vibrato for 7 months now and it works like a charm even after bending the strings. Only go out if I do the really big bends. So far everything is stock but I removed my string tree and wound the strings so they don’t have the sharp edge after the nut. Thanks for the help. I love my bridge now and I wouldn’t go back to a hard tail.
I have 3 Prs tremolo equipped guitars (the kind without locking nuts), and I've blocked each one because they NEVER stayed in tune. Then I watched your video and a week later they were all unlocked and being used to their full potential!
Thank you so much for your help! Seriously, man, THANK YOU!!!
Hiiiiideeeee
Rawnfella lube all contact points!
Wow, I'm blown away. I was skeptical at first, but this worked perfect on my strat. I play a lot of blues and country, so I'm bending quite a bit. When I bent the strings out of tune, depressed the tremolo, then played a perfectly in tune chord, my jaw dropped. Thanks so much for this!
Just bought an MIM....beautiful axe...was about to throw it against the wal because I couldn't keep the damn thing in tune....did this and WALA! Now I'm REALLY glad I bought the guitar. HUGE difference. I'm now a happy strat owner. I've had 4....hated them...but this was the secret the whold time... BTW...The strings that come on a new MIM SUCK BAD!!! Don't even start till you put some decent 9's on..wasting your time. And while you have them off put a dab of graphite on the nut....you will not be sorry. One last thing....I always thought Pauls were heavy as hell....the new strat I have is 3 oz less than my Traditional pro with bigsby tremelo.....couldn't believe it when I weighed it. Myth......
Man I can't tank you enough. Keep the good work. you got a gift.
that's a great trick - the trem after each string pitch..
I recently purchased my first Fender Strat. I've always been a Gibson enthusiast and never had to deal with a tremolo bar. I really appreciate your video. My strat stays in perfect tune now.
Much simpler: stretch the hell out of the strings BEFORE tuning, make sure all points of friction are stable, at the most stretched point. Always leave the last wrap around the tuning peg above the others to reduce the angle, and dont use many turns, 3 is enough. Always tune UP to pitch, never down to pitch. Doing this I can bend and use the tremolo with very good results. Dont expect your strat to be perfectly in tune, it never will, but the variation in tuning can be kept to a minimum even if you play some risky chords.
This is for MODERATE whammy bar use. Even EVH didnt do complete dive bombs that set the strings all floppy. The dive at the end of eruption is big, but not a complete strings-falling-from-guitar kind of thing.
If you wanna go beserk, just get a locking nut and call it a day.
Just tried it. Astounding. My wife who is also a guitarist was blown away as well. Huge thanks, Galleazzo. You've absolutely changed my view of vintage trems.
Yes a lot of people asked and the video about solving this is ready and I will put it online later today or tomorrow. Please diffuse it so all the people who asked are informed. the video will contain ALL the info and mods you may apply to your guitar equipped with tremolo to solve all tremolo problems. It's pretty advanced stuff but very interesting and informative for eveyone.
Not only are you good at analysing Beatles hamonies, you're also an incredible guitar technician. Thank you very much.
Hello Frudua!
I've done everything that you've shown on the video, and indeed, I can use the tremolo as hard as I want and it will stay in tune! But now, everytime I bend on the E, B or G strings, the guitar goes immediatly out of tune... If I press down on the tremolo arm, it will go back to normal, but is there something that I can do to get rid of that problem?
Thanks!
Mille grazie for these tips! You've inspired me to want to go back to floating my bridge, which I'd "locked" in the full up position (with heavy springs) because I'd been suffering from the Out-of-tune Blues. I will definitely give this a try, since I've been missing my whammy very much. Thanks again!
Holy shit it's Ray Romano
Richie Whoa Everybody loves Raymond
i thought it was malcolm in the middle
I bought a pre-CBS Strat in the 70's and always loved it EXCEPT for the detuning that the vibrato caused.... this man is now "my new best friend" lol!
THANKS & GOD BLESS YOU Galeazzo!!!
Just for the heads up. I think this applies to every guitar with a vintage tremolo.
Read on!
I have this Red Special replica from Harley Benton. (Vintage floating tremolo)
I've installed a roller nut, trem stabilizer, locking tuners, better springs and a schaller sure claw.
Still the strings went down after bends, tweaking the trem arm brought them to pitch again.
After looking and looking for info about a possible solution someone suggested to lube the block slots. Which I agreed were the last possible friction points.
So I've put some teflon based nut lube on each block string slot making sure the balls are full of it and VOILA!!! problem fixed!!
Did you put some lube on the ball of the string? I have this same problem on my malmsteen signature, on the low E. After bend the note goes flat and with the trem arm goes in tune again.
I lubed the chamber from the bottom and from the saddle. But bridges are all different so...
I guess the best is to lube the ball end and the hook part.of the string to make sure.
After putting some lubricant I just tweaked the tremolo and bent the strings several times until they didn't have that problem. It still happens tho, but really minimized.
I used GEWA teflon, not graphite.
I'm changing the block on this tremolo anyway, I already bought it. The tremolo that came with it is what they call an "Import tremolo" from South Korea (SUNG IL) and the block is a joke, with big chambers all through instead of a good solid block.
If that is your case you can buy a block from guitarfetish.com
Thank you.. I will try this method later.
Caro Galeazzo, seppur qui su RUclips, mezzo non troppo appropriato, volevo farti i complimenti. Dopo più di vent'anni di Stratocaster ho potuto finalmente usare il vibrato ed è una soddisfazione. Grazie. Ti seguo
you seem to be ok with tuning down to the note rather than up ?
Watch again... carefully.
Excellent information- I just bought an '86 Corona plant 1957 reissue that was badly neglected- now it plays perfectly and stays in tune very well. Thank you!
No, I tried it and I don't like it. Strings go out of tune after bending, and I have to push the tremolo down to get them back in tune.... I guess this is kind of usable, but there must be a better way!
How about now?
The only way is to use a Floyd Rose, with a locked nut. You can't have this stability with a Fender tremolo system, the only way is to accept it ...
Bruno Levasseur true
@@brunolevasseur No you can
We can add some pencil lead in the slot of the nut, or change for a graphite nut. And the better (and faster) way to tune each string is to go a little bit forward , and then back to the right tune so we can notice , after action at the bar, the tune is right. I have a Squier Stato and it's pretty fine.
probably one of the most useful tips ive come across in twenty years of playing.
Even though I think this is genius, it went out of tune way too much with those bendings you did, how could that be? Not even my Squier CV does that. Thanks again for you wonderful tips!
read my comment at the top, you might find it useful.
Hi there, i just mentioned the same, what is that, it makes the whole effort superfuous :(
You only could use this concept with a guitar that truly stays good in tune. greets & rock on !
Its because of this method he uses, it has its drawbacks such as bending
he has brand new strings which he did not stretch out properly.
it will never stay in tune until they are stretched out adequately.
Sacco Belmonte where's ur comment. I can't find it.
I have been stretching my new strings for years but I never realized the application of these principles could be used to stabilize my tremolo action. It seems like you may have stumbled onto a trade secret that the pros keep to themselves or maybe its their techs that keep it to themselves. I will make excellent use of this video and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to record and post it. ~ADR~
This is a good method.
But... for the lead, it's impossible ! "just use a little whammy bar after a bend ..."
It is impossible in most solo play style ! if the game is a little shred, or even one to Gary Moore and D. Gilmour, with big bend, to play just behind, it's impossible because the guitar has become false ? ...
There you there another solution ?
Thanks for your video.
Simon Borro this is not good English.
Solution: get a double locking trem. Then stop complaining
This man is a genius and a lifesaver.. Just purchased a PRS 24 Custom and this way of tuning/stretching your strings works for that as well..AWESOME
This method works.... if you don't bend.... :(
Works just fine my man. Stop trying to be David Gilmour, tryin to get 16 notes in one bend. Lol
Thanks for the advice, man. I bend every note: sometimes on purpose! And...why the hell would you ever stop trying to be David Gilmour?
@@paulcoleman3081 I was referencing the way David bends like 15 different notes in one bend. Lol it takes a good bit of practice to achieve that and maintain stable tuning. Maybe I worded it wrong. More less learn to crawl before you walk. Learn to bend half notes before you drop down 5 notes pull back up 3, release back to root, pull up 2 notes and ,back to root.
That may sound like an exaggeration but that my friend is shine on your crazy diamond.
@@paulcoleman3081 My thoughts exactly. The only reason I've played for 30 years and spent thousands on guitars is because of David Gilmour.
It works with bends too. When you do big bends the strings will go flat, just do a quick dive and they will return to pitch. Just make sure you always dive once or twice before attempting to tune a flat string, otherwise it will go sharp the next time you do a dive.
You sir, are brilliant!! I've been having trouble with my strings exactly like you described, going out of tune after using the tremolo bar. I thought it was going to require a technician to adjust the bridge or something else. I now can't wait until I get home and try this method of tuning. THANK YOU!!! :)
hahahahaha...I cant take it.....hahahaha....
WTF is this witchcraft!?
Will Turner Just stretch the strings.
A pure magic.
Wow. It works very well. The one thing I would add is that when seeking the original tuning (per string) from a sharp position, just tune down and hit the bar, not down and up with the tuning machine. Beyond that, I learned something today! thanks again.
This method is useless guys, you CAN"T bend strings or it goes out of tune. I'd rather have bending capability AND using the bar. I mean bending is pretty much a necessity in most styles! Float the trem and string/tune and stretch the strings fully, which gets rid of that slop. Make sure bends stay in tune and then get the trem right. It works MUCH better than this.
+Steph N i find i can regain tuning by simply pressing on the offending string behind the nut with the left hand , easy to hide/disguise when playing open cords down there....seriously people this is the best method if you have vintage style trems, lets face is floyds are fool proof but come with there own set of problems and good god do they ever look goofy ...thank you Fruada....you truely are a wizard among techs....i have yet to find ANYONE on youtube (or anywhere else freely giving away his secrets too boot....you should write a book....this trick alone would be an easy chapter and worth the cover price alone...
If you do it right, no need to have to go behind the nut. This is the WORST method. I like to play rock, blues, country...all styles require string bends. My method, eliminates having to pull a string behind the nut, and I bend like crazy and use the bar, when I set it up, it's as close to operating like a Floyd as you can get, but without the hassles of a locking/wrenches. Fenders way is better than this video shown here!!!! Horrible!
+Chi Chi Rodriguez there is Only one problem! if you can get it back in tune by pressing string behind the nut then the nut is grabbing the string and is improperly cut
HJALTI GÍSLASON
If you tune it and setup right, it will come back to tune when you depress the bar or pull up WITHOUT having to re-bend the string. Where I find most people mess up, is how they string and tune it. I set up folks guitars for a living and this is an awful way to do it. You don't usually have time to rebend a string in a song, to get it back in tune, especially if you have to press behind the nut, lol. That''d be lame to have to do that.
Steph N could you do a video of how to properly set up this kind of trem system?
a man with my own heart. After 30 years of doing it myself I had my PRS set up by a Tech? I will now set it a little better. The thing thats interesting is we find the same way to do things.
Best video I've seen for tuning procedure on a Stratocaster with tremolo. I have a very cheap Monoprice Strat copy and this procedure worked like a charm. Only thing I did not do is float the bridge but it still worked. Thank you very much. Now I will not be afraid to use the tremolo.
OMG THIS AMAZING!! WHY DID NOBODY SHOW ME THIS 3 YEARS AGO!!! ALL THIS HENDRIX PLAYING OUTTA TUNE, SOLVED IN 10 MINUTES!! THANK YOU SOO MUCH!
This worked great on my American Standard Strat. I can't believe I was doing everything wrong all this time. Great video. I give it five stars!!! I will not be holding back on the whammy bar at this weekend's gig for sure. I plan on watching many more of his videos. Much respect Mr. Frudua.
I was skeptical, but after my new strings broke in, this technique actually works. It's amazing! Pick up the guitar in the morning, see that it's a little sharp, mash the vibrato arm twice -- and the thing is in tune again! It's astonishing. Thanks for all the amazing guitar information.
I have been using floating bridge guitars for over 20 years. I recently bought a Fender American Deluxe MSM to have a guitar different from the ones I already had ... I do not know the parameter where you live, but in Brazil, it's an expensive guitar. Until I reviewed your video I thought I had made the worst purchase of my life, an expensive guitar that was never tuned properly ... until I remembered your video on RUclips! I had seen your video years ago, just out of curiosity, and even doubted the effectiveness of this method, but when buying a Fender with Vintage Tremolo, curiosity became a necessity. Many, many thanks for the post! For those who are in doubt: IT REALLY WORKS !!!
I will try this, been playing for 40 years and never knew this was possible. Thanks!
ONE OF THE BEST VIDEOS EVER !!! I came across this video by accident and watched it. I changed strings and it freaking worked !!!
Brilliant!!! That is incredible. I had terrible problems with my Squeir Bullet Strat keeping it in tune. I thought it was just the cheap build qualities of the instrument, I was concidering fitting a more expensive system. I tried your method and what a difference it makes. It stays in tune just as you explain.
I'd never have fugured that out in a million years.
Thanks so much for posting that my friend.
I will most surely be telling my fellow guitarists about this tuning method.
Frudua man this is fantastic stuff! Thank you so much man.
I used the Carl Verheyen method with intervalic floating tremolo tuning, and applied this little advices of yours and I never had tuning problems since! THANK YOU
Btw, Mr. Frudua you're a genius. You solved a problem a lot of people gave with their vintage tremolos. Thank you!
This tuning technique was "Earth Shaking" to me. I'm still in shock as to how damn well it actually works. Out of all the things I've learned over the last 30 years about how to upgrade and or improve my guitars, I think this lesson here about tops them all. The reason why, it's such a simple thing to do and it's so freaking effective. Now my strat has become my "go to guitar" even if I want to do some serious, repetitive, deep divebombing. This really is amazing stuff... A BIG THANK YOU Frudua!!!
Worked like magic on my '89 American Standard, thank you! Officially the most useful video to me, I appreciate you sharing your wizardry!
Excellent tutorial. I bought my first guitar with a tremolo and the application was sound, as it was one of the reasons I never used tremolos before. Now I have both... a tremolo and a guitar in tune. A+
Thanks so much. Just got my first strat and first guitar with a tremolo. This worked so well for me. Works like a charm. I do go out of tune slightly with bends but pushing down the trem arm resets it. Awesome!
Just built a strat out of parts I had laying around,It was giving me trouble so I did everything you said and it works exactly as described.Thanks for the video.
This is amazing. I've always tuned up, but tuning down with this method is incredible. Although bending and pulling up on the bar puts you out of tune, "resetting" with a dive works instantly. Can't believe I've never heard of this.
Sir, Frudua
This is a great info video. I play a lot of American made Strats and I basically just made it a habit to tune after every single song. Now that you have shared your knowledge with this video, I have been able to keep my Strats in tune even after hours of play. Thank you so much and thank GOD for RUclips!
Lubricating all the contact points along the strings also helps. On my Strat I use automotive lubricant that has molybdenum disulfide in it, which is used in the rebuilding of an engine before first startup, so it's extremely slippery. I lubricate the nut slots, the string tree, and saddle contact points, along with using Grover mini-locking tuners. I never have a problem staying in tune, even with heavy trem use.
Oh, you're right! Never noticed he wasn't floating it. Well in that case, float it then use the pull-up method. I've set up 3 of my friends/relatives' this way and they all stay in-tune surprisingly well, even through hard bending. I went the extra 9 yards and got graphite saddles, a tusq nut, and a roller tree, and man has it paid off.
Nice topic!
I always tune exactly the other way:
don't touch the tremelo and bend strings before tuning! This way you can play and bend without any tuning problems.
When you dive the tremelo down, you might have a tuning problem, but just raise the tremelo / bend the strings.
I play a lot of Gilmoer stuff (bending notes) , so I prefer to tune this way.
I guess it depends how you use the tremelo ("dive bombs" style or more subtle tremelo use combined with bending notes, like Gilmour).
@Fleg Do not worry about tuning in a particular order. The neck wood has a sort of "memory" acquired thans to a sum of factors like the wood itself, the way it has been glued the first time (fretboard) the average enviromet of your home, etc.
Even after long time with no strings and it will get to its natural bow no matter what's the order you tune the strings. It's just a matter of minutes of hours. Go relaxed. I suggest though that you replace one string at a time.
WOW.....what a fantastic technique.....so much of your advice is absolutely SPOT-ON.
Cheers from North Canada
this works it takes care and time but when it is done they do stay in tune. keep your strings clean and they should last a while. GREAT VID THANKS FOR THE INFO
I used this info to set up two Strats and now both stay in tune! My guitar tech was impressed!
I had a spare Squier Strat which I gave to my brother, but it was living hell to get it in tune. Thanks to this vid it is always dead on in tune and I can whammy like crazy. Best guitar vid I have ever seen!
I bought my first guitar last week, a Fender Squier Stratocaster HSS Affinity, and I've been having to constantly re-tune it. I tried this method earlier when I noticed my B-string wasn't tuning higher anymore, and this method got it a lot better in line. Now I just need to become a better player (which probably won't take any less than a year). =)
Absolutely awesome video! I never thought it was possible to get my Strat from going out of tune every time I used the wammy bar. Once I'd followed your steps it was like a revelation! The guitar's tuning was perfect, even after giving the bar a bit of grief! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and teaching a huge majority of players to maintain stability in tuning.
I've also found that raising the string tree up so that the pitch over the nut is not so extreme helps. I also lube every point where the string touches (saddles, nut, string tree). On the nut slots and saddles I use a combination of graphite (from a carpenter's pencil) and a bit of WD-40 applied with a cotton swab. I also coat the 1st and 2nd strings where they go under the string tree with a dab of petroleum jelly. Perfect all the time.
You're awesome! My EUR-100-worth Washburn stays perfectly in tune: unbelievable! Thanks!!!
I had been wavering between blocking off my Strat's trem or switching to a Telecaster for the longest time, but this video has completely eased my tuning frustration. You are brilliant, Mr. Frudua. Can't wait to save up and buy one of your beautiful custom guitars in 10+ years, haha.
This works very well. Filing and lubrication of the nut might also be required. The key is to get the tremolo balanced with the strings. This is the biggest issue with getting the tremolo to work properly. I never realised this until watching this video.
Awesome tutorial. I've always had this problem with my Fernandez Strat to the point where I've just detached the arm and moved on without it. I'm going to try this when I get home. Hope I can still find the arm.
this technique works amazingly thank you very much. my beautiful strat now stays beautifully in tune. I cannot thank you enough
Really useful video for any Strat owner! I use the trem quite a lot, often while playing chords or lead in a sort of shoegaze style, and whenever I did this with the Strat it would go out of tune after only a few minutes of playing. I was considering replacing the bridge for a higher quality one (such as a Vegatrem, but that's way out of my price range, so I was looking for a cheaper alternative). Anyway, I tried this method after seeing this video, and no more tuning issues at all! Saved me alot of time and cash with this video, I'll keep the current bridge on the Strat :D
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the community, these are really great tips which I've never come cross in 30 year of playing and guitar tweaking. I really don't understand how anyone can dislike these informative videos?!?!
Brilliant, this fixed a very annoying "g string going sharp" when I used the tremolo problem! Thanks pal!
@hermano1383 the strings return to their original position when you press the trem bar. when you're doing string bends and release the string, sometimes there is just enough friction to hold the string in the nut slightly out of tune, or the tremolo to not settle back to its original position. when you press the trem bar back down, all the strings get some slack then the natural tension pulls them all back to their original tuned spot.
Thank you :D
This works my vintage strat copies.
RUclips is fantastic. I where plaining to replace the whole bridge and locking system cause it is going out of tune so fast, but with your clever way, I'm sticking with it.
You give me hope for using the tremolo bar on my Strat
Dear Mr.Frudua. Thank you so much for a perfect instruction guide. I just purchased a very cheap Squire Classic Vibe `60 (350 euro). I tried it at my local music shop and I just loved the playability and the sound and found it just as good as the Fender Strat Am.Standard (1.500 euro). At the time the tremolo arm was missing, I got it a few days later. Now matter how I tried, the guitar would not stay in tune. I did what you tell us and now it`s in pitch all the time. "Dive bombing" Harry.
no problem. it varies depending on the neck you have. also, regarding the thickness, account for how thick the body is in the spots where the mounting posts are placed. mine was a little too thin for comfort
@SixStringHarmonies Holy crap! This really does the trick! Wow! I've seen something similar to this before, the detail they always missed is making sure the strings are settled and rested well in the pegs, behind the nut, and in the saddles. This isn't perfect, but it took a tremolo equipped PRS guitar I was ready to throw out the window, and makes it useable for more than one song in a row! Thank you for the DETAILS!!
u sir are my hero. today i figured i'd learn how to set up my own guitar and this has helped me so much thanks
I bought a Jaguar and started using the Trem arm for the first time since I first learned guitar 20 years ago and gave up on it... and I discovered this technique through trial and error. Once the strings are stretched and that thing is in tune, NEVER touch the tuning pegs again. If a note goes sharp or something, it’s binding somewhere. Give that arm a quick tap down and back in tune. Also, a product called Nutsauce can lube the nut slots and bridge slots and seems to help prevent binding. Put it in there with fresh strings
I’m glad I stumbled on this. I changed strings on my new strat and about to throw it out the window. Trying to tune for hours. I will try this method ASAP!
@haloblender To be able to bend the string after this tuning procedure you have to have the guitar modded in order to optimize tremolo performance.
Thanx Galeazzo, for the great tutorials. Keep on showing us your great knowledge of the guitar.
Thank you very much for this advice! It has really improved my Strat's tuning stability. Wonderful help, thank you!
read my comment at the top, you might find it useful.
You made it perfectly clear,i'll try immediately,only afraid of some strings could break during the setting.I would love to get the effect of a Floyd Rose on my guitar.
Started playing in 1983 and can't believe this, it works!!! Unbelievable!!! I don't know if it's beneficial for my style as I do bend strings being a blues rock player, that being said I am genuinely floored??? Peace n love bro
OH.MY.GOD.Works perfectly even after some Satchy and Steve Vai tremolo use.AWESOME!!