Do you use the trem lock when you change or temporarily take off the strings?

[alexpigment]

I was helping a friend do a simple wiring mod the other day and so he took off his strings without engaging the trem lock. I was kinda shocked that he didn't use it considering how much unnecessary time it takes to re-tune when it's not engaged. Anyway, I assumed this was common knowledge / common practice, but I figured I'd ask and see if you guys also engage the trem lock when either changing your strings or just taking the strings off temporarily for mods / setup work.

[tune_link]

Possibly outing myself as an idiot here but....how does it help? I've never used the trem lock while changing strings or doing mods but I could be convinced to do so.

[alexpigment]

The tremolo is a balance of your string tension and the spring tension in the unit itself. So after you tune one string - say your low E string - up to pitch, when you put your second string on and tune it to pitch, the string holder in the tremolo moves forward, and the E goes way flat again. This cascades across the strings as you put each one on, so you end up tuning the guitar like 10 times just to get all the strings in tune. By engaging the trem lock, it operates more like a Tele, so you only have to tune ~2 times for it to be fully in pitch. Of course, with brand new strings, there's the whole stretching and retuning thing, so that's another 3 times tuning, but still, you're way better off than if you leave the trem lock disengaged. In fact, I don't ever enable the trem until the strings are fully stretched.

[thisisnickpaige]

I do, it helps so things don't collapse on me. If there is no tension the two plates have nothing to keep them in position so it snaps shut like a clam....or like two metal pieces that need tension to stay separated.

So i find it's helpful, but it's not the end of the world. Just an extra ease, like heated cars seat on a cold winter day. Also if you break a string it helps to keep the other strings at close to proper tension, until the new string is put on.

[Danley]

Big time saver during a re-string.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Even with the really good instruction with pics that was posted here and even in a magazine some time ago - I don‘t get my Japanese trem to function that way. If I would have set it „right“ I would need a much bigger arm angle to have any impact at all.
Also I don‘t feel I have to retune my guitar all over and over again when changing strings - like two to max three times. If I recall it correctly I first measure my strings (get the string all the way through, pull them back from fret wire one to two on E to D and and a half fret further on G to e), then I bend an edge on that point, cut them off some 1-2cm after - to get them in the split shafts (and don‘t have to much windings), bend/stretch them while tuning up a little - when all strings are back on - I press the trem arm down for like a chord. Then I tune it up.

[timtam]

I can see some advantage in engaging the lock before re-stringing, but not enough for me to think it's vital. If you don't lock, releasing all string tension will cause the spring to push the plate up past the point where the lock would have stopped it ...


Take 6 strings off. Put 6 new strings on. Stretch each string. Tune all 6. Check if lock/plate are still in easy-in/easy-out, neutral position. If not, adjust spring and re-tune.

[alexpigment]

I can see some advantage in engaging the lock before re-stringing, but not enough for me to think it's vital. If you don't lock, releasing all string tension will cause the spring to push the plate up past the point where the lock would have stopped it ...


Take 6 strings off. Put 6 new strings on. Stretch each string. Tune all 6. Check if lock/plate are still in easy-in/easy-out, neutral position. If not, adjust spring and re-tune.

Well, I certainly wasn't implying it was *vital* After all, a huge chunk of offsets don't even have this lock. It's just really about using the lock in one of the ~3 ways it's useful.

But you do bring up a good point about checking the lock plate's position. I was speaking with the assumption that the strings would stay the same gauge/brand before and after restringing. Changing your strings with a different gauge/type will definitely require recalibration of the trem to get the lock to function optimally.

[Danley]

Even with the really good instruction with pics that was posted here and even in a magazine some time ago - I don‘t get my Japanese trem to function that way. If I would have set it „right“ I would need a much bigger arm angle to have any impact at all.
Also I don‘t feel I have to retune my guitar all over and over again when changing strings - like two to max three times. If I recall it correctly I first measure my strings (get the string all the way through, pull them back from fret wire one to two on E to D and and a half fret further on G to e), then I bend an edge on that point, cut them off some 1-2cm after - to get them in the split shafts (and don‘t have to much windings), bend/stretch them while tuning up a little - when all strings are back on - I press the trem arm down for like a chord. Then I tune it up.

The geometry and spring pressure on the Japanese vibratos doesn't seem enough to be useable with the lock on certain string gauges. I have no difficulty with AV vibratos, but a couple of my Japanese units have too little pressure/travel to work on a Jazzmaster with 9s (and yeah - I'm one of those who likes to have at least one Jazzmaster with 9s.)

[alexpigment]

The geometry and spring pressure on the Japanese vibratos doesn't seem enough to be useable with the lock on certain string gauges. I have no difficulty with AV vibratos, but a couple of my Japanese units have too little pressure/travel to work on a Jazzmaster with 9s (and yeah - I'm one of those who likes to have at least one Jazzmaster with 9s.)

That's interesting. I don't fully understand it, but I'll take your word for it. I wonder what an AVRI spring would do for this type of situation.

https://shop.fender.com/en-US/parts/bri ... 07000.html

[Danley]

The geometry and spring pressure on the Japanese vibratos doesn't seem enough to be useable with the lock on certain string gauges. I have no difficulty with AV vibratos, but a couple of my Japanese units have too little pressure/travel to work on a Jazzmaster with 9s (and yeah - I'm one of those who likes to have at least one Jazzmaster with 9s.)

That's interesting. I don't fully understand it, but I'll take your word for it. I wonder what an AVRI spring would do for this type of situation.

https://shop.fender.com/en-US/parts/bri ... 07000.html

I did this - just finally got to re-setting up the guitar, and the US spring allows the MIJ tremlock to function on a Jazzmaster using 9s.

[alexpigment]

Nice. Well, there's a new trick in the offset quirk removal handbook

[hwestman]

Never.

But changing one string at the time I don't really experience a problem.

[øøøøøøø]

I change strings one at a time, and have never used mine.

in fact, I suspect mine might be seized after 57 years? Either that or I was never smart enough to figure out how to use it, or maybe not strong enough to be able to move it.

[Danley]

I go one at a time- unless I'm modding the guitar or have reason to remove the neck. Much easier to adjust vintage truss rods and check relief, using the button.