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Post by fiveaces on Mar 24, 2020 18:53:04 GMT -5
Have all Stratocaster tremolo blocks been machined the same relative to the string-thru hole?
In other words, would a late model Strat have any trouble (ie: strings get stuck in the tremelo block) using the common ball-end strings instead of the intended tapered Bullet-end Fender strings??
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Post by Leftee on Mar 24, 2020 19:24:19 GMT -5
No problem at all.
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Wrnchbndr
Wholenote
Posts: 353
Formerly Known As: WRNCHBNDR
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Post by Wrnchbndr on Mar 24, 2020 20:01:37 GMT -5
There's a little history to that because Fender changed their machining for the blocks in the mid 60s cuz strings got stuck often. It ain't a big deal because a small allen key and a tap is all that is needed to free a stuck ball-end. With about five to ten trem equipped guitars goin across my bench each week, I'll see at least one that needs a poke to get a string out. Not so much with American strats but it still happens with cheap trem blocks. I've even seen the bullet style stuck due to beer and pizza. What annoys me is why, still to this day, trem spring cover string holes often don't line up and you gotta either do a lot of wiggling and twisting or remove the cover. That's just dumb.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 24, 2020 21:14:08 GMT -5
I agree...it's goofy, even when the vibrato bridge is set to *factory spec* the holes (or long slot) in the plate are usually misaligned with the block. Here's a cutaway of a bridge block that shows how the bullet/ball sits in a typical block. I found I break no strings if I drill the counterbores (for the string balls) deeper so the wrapped portion of the string near the ball end just peeks through the bridge plate. That 'double thickness' of string though the bridge plate is a lot stronger and stands up to vibrato wankery really well.
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Post by fiveaces on Mar 24, 2020 22:31:08 GMT -5
I guess I'm easy....I rarely have strings break and my bullets have yet been fed while on the job! But I once used a ball-end set of strings and had a few get stuck... kinda avoided them since.
Interesting you bring up the oddity of the backplate. I've seen them all over the place! I just assumed Leo figured you can just grab the whammy bar to line up the block while you change strings?
I'm not a whammy fan so my trem has been blocked since day one and it immediately became an issue! I repositioned the backplate so it's opening is in line with the tremblock. The original backplate screw holes were still covered by the plate so all was good!
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Post by LTB on Mar 29, 2020 4:36:30 GMT -5
I agree...it's goofy, even when the vibrato bridge is set to *factory spec* the holes (or long slot) in the plate are usually misaligned with the block. Here's a cutaway of a bridge block that shows how the bullet/ball sits in a typical block. I found I break no strings if I drill the counterbores (for the string balls) deeper so the wrapped portion of the string near the ball end just peeks through the bridge plate. That 'double thickness' of string though the bridge plate is a lot stronger and stands up to vibrato wankery really well. Does the string on the left have better sound transfer to the body due to the heavier Bullet-End?
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DrKev
Wholenote
It's just a guitar, it's not rocket science.
Posts: 405
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Post by DrKev on Mar 29, 2020 5:13:37 GMT -5
LTB, I'd say "No".
I played Fender Bullets for a few years and while the bullet end never got stuck in a block, the strings themselves sounded and felt a little different compared to D'Addario or Ernie Balls, because they are in fact different set of strings made to different specifications. The few occasions that I could't get bullets and used ball-end Fender strings of the same gauge, I can tell you that I never noticed any difference at all.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Mar 29, 2020 11:55:13 GMT -5
I agree with The Good DrKev. There's no difference in sound.
The 'sound transfer' you hear about Bullets originated in Fender's marketing department--not from any acoustics engineer willing to have their name associated with such snake oil. It all comes down to pennies.
Bullets are cheaper to produce because it eliminates multiple steps from the production process (holding a ball end in a fixture, wrapping the core wire over it and twisting it, over-wrapping the core wire to make the string, etc.). Instead, bullets are made from a continuous length of string which is simply snipped to length and the bullet end swaged (pressed) around the end. Super fast and a lot cheaper to make.
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