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Guitar setup 101: how to set up your tremolo

By Jack Ellis (Total Guitar) 8 days ago Guitars  

Learn how to balance oating, two-point style Stratocaster systems

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Tremolos (or, technically, vibratos) are great when they’re working, but a nightmare if you don’t
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look after them. This guide covers how to balance a USA Fender Deluxe two-point Strat vibrato, but
the principles are the same for Floyd Rose designs and similar for six-screw Strat tremolos.
 The original six-screw ‘synchronised tremolo’ was a Fender design, but the Deluxe vibrato was
keeping up with the Floyd Rose version whilst maintaining a more traditional look. It’s an upgrade on
the old-style Strat trem, which had six wood screws attaching the vibrato plate to the body. The two
posts when combined with a knife edge means much less friction - and, trust us, friction is the enemy
with vibratos!

Maybe you changed string gauge? Or drop tuned and now the vibrato is out of whack? This guide will
save you going around in circles.

Watch out for the tuning-up stage too, which you could nd tricky - that’s the curse of the oating
vibrato! 

What you need

Strings 
String cutters 
String winder 
Guitar tuner 
Short jack lead 
Radius gauges 
Engineer’s ruler 
Allen key 
Philips screwdrivers 
Flat head screwdriver

Step 1
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 To get this vibrato sweet we’ll need to do a basic check on its workings rst. With no springs or
strings present, screw in the vibrato arm and check that the vibrato can move freely without
anything stopping it. This is particularly important if you are setting a six-screw style vibrato. Check
knife edges on two-point trems for wear.

Step 2
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 String up your guitar. It’s important that you’re sure about your string size. If you change gauge later
you will have to re-balance the trem again! The guitar needs to be set up correctly rst so that our
vibrato can follow suit. We are using an understring radius gauge. Whilst in tune, don’t worry about
the vibrato being at a mad angle.

Step 3

The radius gauges are used to ensure that the saddles have the same pro le as the fretboard’s
radius. On this two-point, modern-style vibrato as found on USA Strats, we will set the 12 grub
screws to a comfortable setting with the correct radius and make sure they don’t protrude and jab
your hand while playing.

Step 4
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 The intonation must be set at this stage. Play a harmonic at the 12th fret then compare it to the
fretted note at the 12th fret. If it’s sharp, move the saddle backward; if it’s at move it forward. The
intonation is very important at this stage as it will mess up the vibrato’s balance if changed later.

Step 5
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 Fender two-point vibratos have two ways of setting the string height: the 12 grub screws and then
two master bolt posts at the side. With the radius now set at the correct curvature you can ne tune
the overall string height at the bridge with these two posts. It’s exactly the same as a Floyd Rose,
except that the radius is preset.

Step 6

Now, your vibrato may have been going wild before either tipping forward or backward (particularly
if you have changed string gauge) so it’s time to tame it. First, let’s retune the guitar to whichever
tuning you’re going for. Now we have the saddles set and won’t be moved, we can properly balance
the vibrato.

Step 7
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 It’s possible at this stage that the vibrato is dumping forward. It could be an increased string gauge
that’s presenting more pressure than before; the strings pull the springs tighter and so it has settled
in this location. If you’re in tune and this is the scenario, you need to add more pressure to the
springs to balance it.

Step 8
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 Bottomed out and touching the paintwork? This is what happens if the strings are now at a lesser
tension - maybe you have dropped a string gauge or dropped tuning. The vibrato springs are pulling
more than the strings are and in this tug of war, they’re winning. The remedy is to loosen the springs
on the back.

Step 9

This is what we’re after: tuned up and balanced at! This means the vibrato arm can be lifted up and
dropped with pitch control in both directions. Fender’s factory settings say to tilt the vibrato forward
by about 3.2mm. This would give you a little more lift when you pull up on the trem arm but it comes
down to personal preference.

Step 10
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 Changing the spring settings is all about the two, large screws inside the rear of the vibrato cavity.
Tighten them in and you pull the springs more; loosen them and you allow the strings to pull the
vibrato upward. Changing the spring’s setting changes the pitch, so make the change and then re-
tune!

Step 11
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 Retune you say? This is the curse of oating vibratos. Tune the sixth string, then the fth string, and
the sixth string is back out of tune. Here’s a good tip if the vibrato is sitting low: over-tune the sixth
string by about 20 percent, then follow suit with the other strings, decreasing your over-tune with
each string.

Step 12

Keep going, you will get faster at the retune/rebalance act. We will admit it’s a tricky procedure to get
right! Here’s the good thing about oating vibratos: you can tweak the action with the two post bolts.
Just make sure that when it’s time to re-string, you buy the same brand and gauge again.

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