What To Do About a Really Stiff Trem Arm Spring

For help with setups and other technical issues.
Post Reply
User avatar
redchapterjubilee
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1775
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:01 am
Location: AVLNC

What To Do About a Really Stiff Trem Arm Spring

Post by redchapterjubilee » Fri Nov 01, 2019 4:53 am

At the beginning of the year I brought home a '15 MIM Standard Jazzmaster from a local ad on Craigslist. My only problem with this guitar is that the tremolo arm action is very very stiff. It takes a lot more strength to move the bar than it does on my other MIM and MIA Jazzmasters. I've searched OSG looking for any advice on what to do about a very stiff spring and can't find anything on it. So I figured I'd ask outright. Before I blow $100 on a US made tremolo setup, is there anything I can do to fix this one? Replace the spring?

User avatar
gingertimmins
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:36 am

Re: What To Do About a Really Stiff Trem Arm Spring

Post by gingertimmins » Sun Nov 03, 2019 12:54 pm

If you’re talking about actual use of the term being stiff, have you used the term lock button? Does it work?
If it doesn’t then my first thought is that the screw which adjusts trem tension and height of the trem plate could be tightened too much, increasing the spring tension

User avatar
adamrobertt
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2408
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:28 am
Contact:

Re: What To Do About a Really Stiff Trem Arm Spring

Post by adamrobertt » Sun Nov 03, 2019 1:41 pm

Yeah, the middle screw on the top plate adjusts the spring tension. Turn it counter clockwise to loosen it.

User avatar
timtam
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2729
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:42 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: What To Do About a Really Stiff Trem Arm Spring

Post by timtam » Sun Nov 03, 2019 5:42 pm

The Standard HH doesn't have a lock button, so it's hard to know if you have the spring compression set around neutral (the lock 'easy in/easy out' position), ie where the plate underneath is roughly parallel to the top surface of the guitar ...
https://offset.guitars/the-goodies/sett ... lo-system/
It may be worth your while opening up the trem to get a feel for where the top screw needs to be set to get near there, although you won't have string tension so you need to imagine how that will be pulling things the other way.

The least expensive trem with a lock is the Classic Player trem (0076232049). The screw in arm usually comes separately but can sometimes be found bundled, eg ...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Tremolo ... 4463358314
https://darrenriley.com/product-categor ... -tremolos/
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

Post Reply