What to do about my trem?

[metropolis_4]

I’m struggling with what to do about the Gotoh 510 on my Theatercaster.

Originally I had it set up with 3 springs. It was amazingly responsive and felt great, but I had problems with pitch flutter when I was comping chords (I’m a bit heavy with my right hand)

So I changed it to 5 springs. That solved the flutter issue, but now it’s too stiff to be useful

Is there an option in between those that might work better for me? Ultimately the flutter is the bigger issue for me, but I’d like to be able to use the trem since I’ve got it.

Or maybe I’ll just block the whole thing

 

[gearJunkie]

Maglok

Upgrade your tone and tuning stability with SuperVee - home of the best aftermarket guitar bridges, frictionless tremolos, blade pivot systems, Telecaster routing services, and vibrato bridges. Shop custom guitar hardware built for precision and performance.

www.super-vee.com

I have a MagLok installed on both of my strats and on my Strandberg. Super easy installation and doesn't change the feel of the trem. It is perfect for your use case. I discovered and started using it when I was fed up with double stop bends detuning.

 

[JasonE]

Did you try 4 springs? That would be in between the 3 and 5 that you tried. The only other way to fix it is to adjust your playing style. I have this trem in most of my Suhr guitars. It preforms very well in all of them.

 

[metropolis_4]

Did you try 4 springs? That would be in between the 3 and 5 that you tried. The only other way to fix it is to adjust your playing style. I have this trem in most of my Suhr guitars. It preforms very well in all of them.

I didn’t try that, I guess I could. In my mind it seems like it would be weird for the spring tension to not be balanced, but maybe that’s not an issue?

I don’t want to change my playing style for this. I like to be able to dig in hard when I want that tone/timbre. The trem itself is great, it might just be a little too great for my use. I know a lot of players want that kind of sensitivity in the trem, I need a compromise though to prioritize stability

Maglok

Upgrade your tone and tuning stability with SuperVee - home of the best aftermarket guitar bridges, frictionless tremolos, blade pivot systems, Telecaster routing services, and vibrato bridges. Shop custom guitar hardware built for precision and performance.

www.super-vee.com

I have a MagLok installed on both if my strats and on my Strandberg. Super easy installation and doesn't change the feel of the trem. It is perfect for your use case. I discovered and started using it when I was fed up with double stop bends detuning.

I’ve heard of these, maybe that’s worth a try. Thanks!

 

[JasonE]

I didn’t try that, I guess I could. In my mind it seems like it would be weird for the spring tension to not be balanced, but maybe that’s not an issue?

I don’t want to change my playing style for this. I like to be able to dig in hard when I want that tone/timbre. The trem itself is great, it might just be a little too great for my use. I know a lot of players want that kind of sensitivity in the trem, I need a compromise though to prioritize stability



I’ve heard of these, maybe that’s worth a try. Thanks!

I would think the spring tension would be balanced. Leave the center spring out. I have tried setting 3 springs going straight in the cavity and with the outer two inward on the claw. I honestly can't tell a difference in the two configurations.

Another thing that may work is set the trem up so it is decked. That way it will be dive only. This won't be good if you are just wiggling it up and down a bit but will work for going down or dive bombing it.

 

[gearJunkie]

 

[JasonE]

That is an interesting device. I hadn't seen that before. Looks like Sweetwater doesn't carry it anymore.

 

[gearJunkie]

That is an interesting device. I hadn't seen that before. Looks like Sweetwater doesn't carry it anymore.

I've always ordered mine direct from SuperVee.

 

[Eagle]

The mag lock is probably your best bet.

 

[newholland]

 

[metropolis_4]

View attachment 60226

If something happened and I lost all of my guitars that would be the first thing I would buy

 

[Eagle]

Probably my desert island guitar.

 

[newholland]

haha.. sorry met, couldnt resist

 

[Sascha Franck]

Super easy installation and doesn't change the feel of the trem.

Well, there's always some "click" around the zero position, otherwise none of these systems would work (can't defy physics). Which is why these things just don't work for me (and I really wish they would, because I love double bends).
Time for someone to come up with a decent aftermarket solution to lock the vibrato in zero position when you move the arm down (Steinberger style). So far there's none.

 

[gearJunkie]

Well, there's always some "click" around the zero position, otherwise none of these systems would work (can't defy physics).

There is a slight detent when the magnet engages, but it's extremely subtle and there is definitely no audible "click". You can replace the buffer pad between the magnets for a thicker one to make the detent even more subtle.

If you were playing my strat you wouldn't know it was there unless I told you. I get it that it's not your cup of tea, but for bend stabilization on a guitar with a trem, the Mag-Lok is a great solution.

 

[gearJunkie]

Time for someone to come up with a decent aftermarket solution to lock the vibrato in zero position when you move the arm down

Back in the day I had a Kahler Auto-latch setup in my Yamaha RGX 1212. It was a pain to set up, but worked great (most of the time).

https://reverb.com/item/62493468-vintage-1980-s-1990-s-kahler-auto-latch-system-for-palm-muting-2700-series-spyder-steeler-killer-new-old-stock-packaging

My Steinberger TransTrem is still awesome after 30 years of use.

 

[Sascha Franck]

There is a slight detent when the magnet engages, but it's extremely subtle and there is definitely no audible "click". You can replace the buffer pad between the magnets for a thicker one to make the detent even more subtle.

Well, I'm quite aware of plenty of these systems and by now tried quite some of them on my own. The magnet "driven" idea is possibly the best around but still, as I said: You can't defy physics. When you adjust any of these system so they provide enough strength to cover double bends, there needs to be a noticeable point of resistance in zero position - capable of holding back the vibrato from moving when you perform a double bend. And as I happen to use the whammy bar for "just around zero position" a whole lot, none of these systems is working for me.
And believe me, I'd *love* it if that was different. But it turned out that my only hope would be if someone came up with a zero position locking option (a la Steinberger). Just that nobody does.

Having said that, I might try out the Mag-Lok on one of my guitars one day.

 

[metropolis_4]

The problem might be that what I want is at odds with physics. I rarely use the trem for big dive bombs, I want it to be sensitive for subtle vibrato. The kind of thing where I can just push up a little with a fingertip while playing and get a little vibrato.

But that kind of sensitivity is exactly what’s giving me problems when I’m digging in comping chords.

 

[Eagle]

The problem might be that what I want is at odds with physics. I rarely use the trem for big dive bombs, I want it to be sensitive for subtle vibrato. The kind of thing where I can just push up a little with a fingertip while playing and get a little vibrato.

But that kind of sensitivity is exactly what’s giving me problems when I’m digging in comping chords.

Try a Vega trem ,sensitive to the bar but less to you playing hard. It also has no issues with the design that is detrimental to the performance or tone.

 

[Stone]

The problem might be that what I want is at odds with physics. I rarely use the trem for big dive bombs, I want it to be sensitive for subtle vibrato. The kind of thing where I can just push up a little with a fingertip while playing and get a little vibrato.

But that kind of sensitivity is exactly what’s giving me problems when I’m digging in comping chords.