Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Tips | Floating a Bridge | Fender 

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What I like about this guy's explanation is that it's simple to do, and it works. Followed his simple steps and just set up 2 traditional 6-screw bridges and a more modern 2-screw bridge where all now stay very much in tune. There will always be a string or two going out of tune every once in a while, but that has more to do with the nuances of the actual components of the guitar (strings, tuners, nut, etc.). But the important thing is that this 'process' works. Thanks for this video.

I did exactly as he explained in the video , worked perfectly, Stays in tune , can't be happier Be careful of what you think you know

Yet ANOTHER good way! I tighten the springs until the block falls out. That way I can check to see that the tension was even across the whole sustain block when finished.

I laughed when he said put the back cover on

this is the best video i've seen so far on setting up a floating tremolo IMO, the way Paul set it up does work and will go back to tune after a dive bomb or whatever you do with the trem just by releasing the whammy bar , "believe it or not" it worked on my squier strat. I'm using 10-46 and 3 bridge springs set to the center like he did.

THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT.............PREFECTION AND TO THE POINT.........THANKS MAN.....A MILLION TIMES OVER

This man did in 5 minutes what took me about half an hour the first time I tried to do it the way the “average joe” would. Bravo.

Thanks Paul. Just setup my squire CV. Used fender vintage trem springs set it to your exact instructions and it plays a dream, even bends can’t be pulling the bridge and it keeps in perfect tune. Thanks again.

This is by far the best Strat trem setup video I've found - has worked flawlessly for me on multiple guitars. Thank you for sharing!

I followed this and it worked great. Still in tune after every go. Don't understand all the hate on the replies.

I've been trying for a very long time to set up my bridge to stay in tune Thanks a million for making this video just bought my first tele from you guys and i love it :)

This was useful, got me in the zone. The chock idea is great although you need to make your own chock to suit. I used several popsticks taped together to get mine where I wanted it. I also found I needed to loosen the top six screws a little or it wouldn't pivot at all even with no tension on it (strings or springs).

Good video, I’ve never had a tremolo before, I did this in about ten minutes and it worked as described, trem stays in tune well.

this video helped me out...Thanks for posting. my trem perfect now...

This Video Helped me set up my guitar after not having played a vibrato trem in 6 years. Thank you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Excellent instruction. Worked perfectly.

This method works! forgot the post it note way that others are doing. They aren't as accurate... this one actually keeps your guitar in tune, if you are very very precise with all the steps and making sure to tune it perfect before you put the 3rd spring back in and take the block out. For my block, I use 2 nickels taped together with masking tape until I have the size I need. I also set mine up like Carl Verheyen sets his up. G string goes up 1 1/2 steps when you pull all the way up on the bar. It took me a few tries to get this right, but I found out I was not tuning perfect enough on the last step before taking out the block. Make sure you tune it several times to perfect pitch, before proceeding. Now my strat plays like it should with a trem that I can dive bomb and pull up hard or whatever and it goes right back in tune. This fender dude knows his shit!

Great info, just what I was looking for. Brief and to the point. Thanks.

This was awesome info. Thank you so much. I'm doing all my own set-ups now, and I love Learning tips & tricks from the Pro's. Stay Safe.

I know it comes from years of practicing his trade, but the speed at which he does this is inspiring.

Works on floyd roses, too! This video saved me so much damn time, thank you! I see there are lots of people that are quick to judge this guy and they think they can do a better job. I can only assume it must be envy of the master builder's job. Well, the proof is in the pudding, I've never set up my guitar to a different tuning in 15 minutes before, so thank you for that.

After watching this video, I setup and floated my Fender Squire. I also changed the pickups. It stays in tune very well after I lubricated the nut and bypassed the string trees (except for the high E). She is now a serious instrument ! I can't get enough of her.

can you imagine having to listen to that all day? (back-ground, guitar tester. just teasing.

Great video I just floated the bridge on my MIM 2013 Strat it was pretty straight forward thanks to this video and saved me the time and expense of visiting a guitar tech I used a £1 and 20p coins taped together as my block it worked perfect thanks again

What's really cool about a floating bridge is that when you bend the string it pulls up the bridge just a hair to give you more clearance so the note doesn't choke out or buzz! Also it lowers the note a hair at the top of the bend so you have more stability of hitting the note correctly. It really is a difference you can hear and feel.

" I wanna set the bridge about where I wannit" . Is that metric "about" , or imperial "about" ?

Love the comments giving the Custom Shop guy pointers.

THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO ON SETTING UP A TREM BLOCK!! By miles! I had difficulty setting up my trem block and ive watched a dozen videos where they just confuse you. This is the KISS method. Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Great video. I've been wanting to set my bridge like Jeff Beck and now I know how. Fender's the best.

What is it that people don't understand here? This is a straight-forward and informative video.

Don't know why there's such that habit of setting up 2 springs in angle! Even when a guy, who happens to work at Fender Custom Shop (!), says "just because"! Yep! Great explanation!

I didn't think a floating trem would stay tuned as well as set 'on the deck', but I was wrong, it is perfectly stable and I love it. You just have to make sure you have the string gauge and tuning you want to stick with.

Well, that's an interesting approach!!

Worked great for me. Thanks for the video.

Hi Paul - Fantastic - this video explains in a clear way how to set the neutral position using the shim - simple but perfect!

Ritchie Blackmore Strat, will try tuning from springs. Thanks!

you sir know what your doing. fine video

thank you ,goes fast and works

Thanks Paul!

Easy solution for that is putting the middle spring on an angle as well,usually parallel to the top spring where the low E is,so no matter what you do,that middle spring will always have somesort of tension to keep it in place.

First attempt, it worked! Thanks a million!

Thank you very much. Peace🙏

Great tutorial!

I finally found it. Thank you

Bloody hell! Amazing!!!

That's pretty slick!

excellent thanks :)

Very cool thanks Fender and Paul! :-)

Honestly I'm against that springs at an angle thing. Isn't it more logical to set them parallel so tension is the same at every spring?

cool man...great tutorial!

GREAT video!!

I'm a Fender man of 36 yeras...I was taught by Rene'Martinez. I'll tell you, there's No way that Trem's going to stay In-Tune...Another thing...he didn't explain how to set the Plate and Bridge Screws to the Body & he hasn't adjusted the Springs to the Tension of the Strings... I work on Tremolos and the end result is a floating tremolo that stays in tube 99.5% of the Time Floating :-) (Stock Tremolo) It's an Art Folks. Doc

Succinct simplicity + economy of words: PRICELESS.

That's how I set my 2 springs too. I like a light trem 👍

This is my dream job. Working on fenders.

Good stuff.

The best way is from Dave's World of Fun Stuff, this guy almost gets it right

I did it the hard way LOL Thanks for the tip c];-D

He makes it look so easy

I have my Squire Deluxe claw attached at an angle, don't know why? Maybe to keep it in tune more

so, if the 1st string pull-up on bar is equivalent to 1/2 step (open e to 1st fret f), how far up in pitch does the open b and g strings go? please.

Like a NASCAR pit stop! 🤘

I set up my vintage trem to float and I achieved the desired intervals with correct intonation and action. It is performing in both directions, pulling up and pushing down. My question; is it expected to have a high gap between deck and bridge? Mine appears very wide. Should I be concerned? If so does it mean that I need to approach my setup differently? My action and intonation was set prior to adjusting the claw. Not to mention my springs are in a V formation, should I parallel them instead? My strat is not staying in tune. Thank you sir in advance. Hope to hear back

when you say step...? did you retune the E string?.with the 2 springs? to get from E-F#....my 2 springs fall off. i have the gfs 2 point trem upgrade . are my springs stiff as all get up? a little clarification . thanks. all good on vid..just missing something? maybe me?

Uh, I believe that's a half-step Custom Shop Dude...

HOLYMOLY i know this is 10yrs old but new to me , so awesome thankyou so much love it

removed 2 springs and on my first string change added a thumb fingernail extra string length, added a few lines of pencil and got good results with my Squier transfat HH so...

That was as slick as snot on a door knob. Bring it into tune with the claw screw adjustment.

Should the bridge be flat on the guitar? My guitar has the bridge a bit separated from the body (I'd say 1,5 cms) and I dont know if thats the way it should be... Ive been fixing it by myself, but I really dont wanna mess it up!

0 to 7th fret - adjust truss. 12th down, adjust bridge. Fairly simple. BTW nut to 1st should be no higher than 1st to 2nd fret. No string should have more space than a credit card thickness to the fret.

he made it seem so easy, i said why not? and so i went in there backed up my screws a bit to get them springs off just for it to go off like a bomb. im not trusting myself with guitars on the technical part no more lmao.

Ah wow either I'm dumb or that is really clever! I didn't think of that haha :) thankyou...and yeah I'm probably dumb :)

LOL, every time I get a new strat the first thing I do is take the back tremolo cover off, put it in the case and leave it off permanently. I prefer the first setup as shown in the video with five springs, I don't use the whammy bar.

Would you set your action at 5/64ths at the 17th fret on a road worn Fender with 7 1/4 radius neck?

Would have liked to see the whammy bar screwed in and the tuning checked after using it.

perfect..

Great video. I followed all the instructions, had the guitar perfectly step up with the bridge spacer inplace (flawless tuning / intonation / action), but the problem always happens after adding the 3rd spring at the end / removing the spacer and retuning the guitar with the tremolo screws using a middle string: once the middle string is in tune, the tuning on the other strings gets completly messed up and is all over the place. I need to retune each string, which changes the floating bridge position, ruining the action…. My guitar is a squier. I’ll soon try to upgrade the tuners to see if it fixes anything.

I thought Fender was insane for the prices they charge for their custom shop guitars after seeing this video I think they're certifiable

I really was expecting more from a Custom Shop guy. Running the two outer springs at an angle means more tension on those two springs (stretched further) than on the middle spring (stretched less) . The setup described does not give any particular "float" to the trem, meaning you don't know how many steps it will pull up. It just gives you a non-specific ability to modulate the tone using the trem. If that's what your after, just about any adjustment that gets the trem plate up off the body will do for you. But there is a lot more that needs to be done if you want a floating tremolo that you can PLAY like Beck, and not just warble around with like Hank Marvin .

What is the advantage of having the middle spring in there with the outter 2 at a angle? The inner one has a different tension on it when they are like that. I do mine all parallel for a more uniform tension when using the bar. Stratocasters are awesome!!!!!!!!

Hello Paul! Any idea why the trem cavity in my FSR has not been painted??? Or treated or ?

I want to set my '84 Standard with the bridge floating so that I can pull up on the bar instead of just pushing down, but there is no back cavity on the guitar. Everything is accessible under the pickguard. How can I make that float? Is there a video for that?

Just because the times I've set the springs parallel I get a sound like I've flicked the trem bar each time a string is hit hard. two springs at an angle cancels it out, like a damping effect. Wonder if this guy from fender has had the same experience.

is it really okay to make your fender squire into floating tremolo?? just asking pls i need answer because i wannt to have float trem so i can do dive bomb

How about starting with no standard 09 string from the facorry.. I put 11 one it after i got the Fender stratocaster vintera ll, and the whole brige come far up.. On the back I scruw it up.. But dont know if everthing is good.. Its sysy in tune, but string above mij fretbaord are a little higher now?

Its in tune now but for how long with locking tuners mine will not stay in tune and I don't use the whammy bar but PRS that cost less than my Strat has had no funning problems at all.

funny how fender recommends if you use 2 strings, put them at an angle. 3 strings go straight. And tightening the bridge saddles under tension? Am I wrong?

Great info. Perfect setup for the perfect guitar by skilled Technician.

I just bought a 50s classic vibe strat and the weak fender instructions says the vintage style 6 screw trem IS NOT A FLOATING TREMOLO BRIDGE?? I have a MIM strat with the same 6 screw vintage tremolo bridge, floated a full step and it stays in tune great. Why does fender claim this 6 screw vintage tremolo bridge IS NOT A FLOATING BRIDGE!? I'm confused, I would like to set it up the same as my MIM strat. I've tried and I can't get it to hold tune. Is it really not possible with the new Squier CV stratocasters? Its a fine guitar...

Very useful my strat has a perfect setup after watch this.

i have a roadworm 60s strat and i feel the tone sound a little muddy to me, i was thinking in upgrade the bridge for a callaham or maybe fender pure vintage brigde with pat pend stamped saddles, what do u think should be better choice ?

I really dislike the look of my modern custom deluxe snap in trem i would like to vintage it a little like add a plastic tip and maybe vintage styles saddles, is this possible?

What size allen key fits those saddle screws?

How the bridge is set up at the beginning, is it ok to use the wam bar in that position? Im just using it slightly. Sounds great but could i strain/damage anything? Thanks

Don't you have to adjust the intonation after this? And Im wondering wouldn't you have to again tune it after you mess with the action, not just before. Because that clearly changes the string tension.

The problem I have with my new Elite is that if I hold one or two strings and bend another string simultaneously, the strings I'm holding but not bending sound out of tune as the tremolo bridge gives way. Can this be fixed by just tightening the bridge? Any advice? Thanks!

I have a 63 Jaguar and have to wonder if there is ever going to be a roller saddle made for it.

What do you guys use for the block?

Two questions: 1) How would I do this when the only way to get to the springs is under the p/us and pick guard? 2) What do I use as a "block"? Thanks