How To SetUp a Fender Stratocaster with a Floating Tremolo -String Action, Neck Relief & Intonation 

Nice work - no drama or playing to the crowd, just patient and measured moves. A real craftsman at work, and a pleasure to watch. Thank you!

Really nice no nonsense explanations. Easy to understand and follow with no waffle and wasted words. Fantastic thank you.

Excellent video. I have watched numerous videos on this subject and this one, by far, is the best! Well done

Not only informative, but a relaxing watch as well.

Enjoyable. Great to watch you work. Thank you. Tucson, AZ.

Thanks for the video. I was going mine as I watched. I’ll just finish up tomorrow when things settle down. Mine is a 1988 Fender MIJ.

As I am preparing to work on my Strat I have watched several "how to" videos. Your video is excellent. I really like how you made this look like a simple process. The popsicle stick trick is exactly what I needed to see! Great tip! Thanks for a great video on this process. And yes I am a new subscriber now!

Excellent video thanks!!Very down to earth and helpful.Much appreciated!

The popsicle stick thing is brilliant . You answered some important questions with that one thing. And gave me an idea on how to not damage the finish under the tremolo

always nice to know how to do it, thanks !

Professional setup and vibes almost like ASMR- all in one. Great!

Adding to my favorites, thank you!

Have to agree that this was the best set up video that I have seen. Thanks!

This is quite simply one of the top videos on floating Strat setups I have ever seen. Hat's off to you!

This is a great guide. I’m currently taking apart my Strat to clean up all the hardware before I do the setup and this is the only video I’ve come across that explains how to get the floating bridge to the proper height. Thank you so much.

enjoyed the work. great info. good instructions

This was so beautiful, thank you for this

Very informative, I can now work with my strat like a pro

Love this guide! Really helped me learn and I'll keep coming back to use as a reference. Thank you.

a great job and thanks for showing us. very good info. cheers NZ

Thank you so much you have really helped. Have a wonderful day.

thank you for your professionalism... God bless your endeavors to be a blessing ✋

You are a amazing person. You do good work dude!!! Thank's for your videos.

Always set the truss rod first. It will affect the action, so needs to be done before setting the string height. This also goes for the nut height. The relief can greatly affect the string height at the 1st fret.

Well done!!!

Thank you for this amazing setup video. I just purchased my first electric guitar today. (Been playing acoustic & classical for couple of years.) Finally took the jump into electric G's. I have all the tools. Wanted to learn how to set it up properly. Really appreciate your calmness and attention to detail while explaining what's going on at every stage. Your tools setup and clean, efficient shop floor too. Fantastic!

Love your videos. They quite relaxing to watch.

Just brilliant thanks.

Thank you so much for this session! I'll be swapping out the pickguard, bridge and trem block on my project guitar in a couple of days. You take the worry out of floating a trem!

Professional work my man very nice 🤘🤘

The best Strat setup I have seen so far👍👍👍 going to give it go on mine😀😀😀

This was outstanding !!!

Just set up a strat using your video as a guide all perfect thanks for sharing

I'll bet you had one happy customer after this setup...I learned a lot ...thanks !!

Excellent, excellent, excellent. I bought the cheapest Donner Strat on Amazon. Out of the box it was damn twangy. After applying all your adjustments it sounds like heaven. Thank you so much. 😁

Against all the other videos out there, with all kinds of random information, this video is a breath of much desired fresh air. Thank you so much and yes I subscribed, liked and shared 🎉

Thanks, a very informed video.😊

Thanks for the great info!

Great video. Easy to follow with simple explanations. Fab!

Great video, easy to follow and understand. Subbed and liked.

Hey I live in the stittsville area and just ran across your video this morning. Very cool as I've been playing guitar my whole life and didn't know you were on RU-vid or the fact there was a guitar shop perhaps very close to where I live. Love to watch you work and your setup is a hell of a lot better than I've done.

very thorough. thanks!

Excellent. Appreciated.

I just bought an American Professional Strat. It has a floating tremolo, and looks very similar to that guitar. Now I know how to keep it set up. Thanks for the info.

Really great relaxing videos man!!!

I am so glad I found your video. I retired last year, and I now spend a lot of my time tinkering with my guitars. I had done setups on Les Paul's, and other non-tremelo type electric guitars but never one with a tremelo. I decided my strat needed a setup. I hadn't played it for eons. What I hadn't planned on was the surprise I got when trying to set the tremelo to float. I almost gave up, and took it in to get it set up. But then I found your video, I was able to get it done myself. Which really thrills me! Thank you for posting this! I am working on being completely self sufficient with my guitars. I just took a big step in that direction. I can now tackle my electrics. Now I have to get some time on an acoustic guitar, and I'll be set. Luckily I have an old cheap one I can practice on. I haven't done very much on them because I'm intimidated by them. The other acoustics I have were inherited from my father so I think realistically I probably wouldn't do those anyway. But the old cheap one will be fun to practice on.

what a great video! very informative. thanks! easy to follow...

So relaxing watching your work. Now thinking of unblocking the trem on my Player Strat.

Excellent video, I have the same strat as well. Great work and attentionto detail!!

Thank you. Most helpful.

This was just the best! Very informative. All this stuff is such a mystery when you’re a kid in HS with your first guitar, and nothing you seem to do, can make the thing either stay in tune, or make your job a little easier attempting bar chords, etc. I was surprised that you didn’t rely on any neck radius guides for string height. Which seemed totally OK. More than one way to measure/assess of course. Thanks again! I’ve always wondered about how many turns of the string on the tuning post too. I thought you might play some scales, etc. at the end.

Love the popsicle stick trick. I'll be using that to float my tremolo, right now the back is touching the guitar body. It's a brand new guitar so it needs a complete setup.

First time watching. Subbed!

Thanks!

Brilliant explanation of the techniques you use. Gonna change your measurments into metric. Thanks, subscribed and liked

Thank you so much for this fabulous video. I am an absolute beginner at playing guitar (much less tuning) and I learned a lot!

Very nice neat work, you’ve obviously been at it for a minute 😉

Very good instructional video. Kudos. Trying to "get it" with string height/intonation floating bridge. Bought one of those Chinese SRV cloned Strats A reliced Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat. It is to be a gift to an old friend who has a small collection of Guitars including his '67 Fender Jaguar which he bought new. (Yep, I was his friend then too) So the clone is to be more of a conversation piece/novelty, but I want it to be playable as well. So here is the issue: If you have ever seen SRV's "number one" Strat, it is an old tobacco sunburst guitar that is well used and well abused. (SRV was a terror) The guitar was a hybrid. '63 body, '62 neck, '59 single coil pick-ups. Stevie liked gold plated parts on Number One, so his guitar tech obliged him, but the only gold saddle he could find was left-handed. Which is why his tremolo bar is near #6 string instead of #1 string. Stevie Ray called this old Strat by two names "Number One" and "My First Wife". Look on the backside on No. One, at the claw, and there are five springs. My clone has five springs. The floating bridge is rigid against the body, I watched four or five videos on Strat set-up, and this one by Manotick StringWorks is clearly the best explanation of set-up and the floating bridge assembly. I want the clone playable, so I will start the set-up with removing two springs. An interesting "Voodoo Chile". Check out SRV here on YT. fantastic performances.

Just set my trem following this process, took a bit of time but I’ve got there. Thanks…

You’ve earned my Like and Sub just because you’ve confirmed that you know PRECISELY what you’re doing with this Strat setup. NOTHING more lazy and lame to me than seeing someone lock the trem down , blaming tuning issues they have? simply because they don’t understand how to set it up properly. I set ALL my Strats this EXACT SAME WAY with the exception that I do not utilize the middle trem block spring simply because I play .007-.036 strings on a fully floating tremolo, just as God and Leo, designed and INTENDED for it to be used. If I happened to encounter the need for a heavier gauge string, which is almost never, then all I have to do is pop the middle spring back in to compensate with zero additional adjustments necessary.

best video

Very nice work, and thanks for your very uncomplicated explanation. I was expecting that you would have been checking the nut, but perhaps you know from experience whether it would need attention or not. I've learned a lot from watching you work, so thank you. 😊

Finally someone who takes the time and has the right specs to show us. I've been trying to get my Strat setup and it was buzzing. I tried your method on my American Telecaster that wouldn't stay in tune and buzzed and using your method, it's playing perfectly and no buzzing frets. I wonder if you ever get a setup in that requires an adjustment to the screw hole on the back of the neck pocket plate. I'm suspecting my Strat neck angle is off just enough to cause buzzing no matter what I do but I'm guessing someone like you would know what that spec is and how to do it. Or at the very least help eliminate that possibility. Thank you so much for the video and your setup tips.

Thanks for this video one of my strats is a little all over the place and i think the springs are too loose. im about to re string so ill go through this process

the method on the 1 2 3 I forgot abaught the nut job I'm glad I seen this vedio.

The modern, 2 point, Fender Strat Tremolo is designed to be set up Floating. They recommend it to be parallel to the body and raised 1/8" off of the body this will give the player the most tremolo action. The vintage, 6 screw, tremolo bridge is designed to be set up at an angle with the back edge of the bridge being 1/8" off of the body and the front edge nearly touching. These are the guidelines set forth by Fender.

Oh, one more thing! You mentioned Tele bridge. I sure hope you do one! Video yesterday talked about, “splitting the difference” on intonation of the pairs of strings. I also heard about actually bending the paired string saddle. That seemed drastic, but...maybe it works? Getting at the bridge saddle screws on my old ‘64 Mustang was really difficult. I recently sold it. Godfather type, “offer I couldn’t refu$e”

I've seen a few ways to set up the 2-point tremolo system. The one that you did here, where the bridge is angled, with the largest amount of space at the back of the bridge. I've also seen it set up where the whole bridge is off the body, running parallel with it. I've seen most people do it like that, the last option I mentioned. What's your take on this? Angled vs. Parallel? Have a great day. Cheers.

Very helpful, wish I knew where you got your tools...very important! I tried StewMac and Luther's site but to no avail. Please include tool list and source(s)...? Thanks again 👍

Yep...just what i do every month for my f sc...awwww not really...great video and much thanks for the tips...

Thanks for the information . It was pleasant and explained clearly this FENDER floating bridge mystery for me . Anything to help me to not hit those sour notes .

Great vidéo. Very nice explanations. Thanks you to take time to share yours knowledges. But if you can adds metrics unités at same time than inperial it will be good for the rest of the World. Thanks again.

Such an excellent, easy to digest walk-through. How lose/tight would you recommend setting the bridge screws towards the pickup side of the bridge? Tight down to the body or should it have some play? Mine has 6 screws across the bridge, not just the 2.

Great job but I still have an issue intonating the high E string. I have an American Strat similar to the one in your video. It also has two bolts / screws in front securing the bridge. My strobe shows the high E string slightly flat and I cannot shorten the string antmore because the saddle mechanism is right up against the bridge bolt. Neck relief and string height are set to spec. Do you have a solution? Thanks. .

When do you need to shim, please explain, thanks.

subbed! very calm and informative. do you happen to know what model is that strat? I think I have a similar model but with rosewood fretboard and a hb in the bridge. but I cant find this model online. I bought it used. the s/n is good but it doesnt show much and I need to get the neck off for more info but im not doing that, ill break something :D

Liked and Subscribed. Sooo many, "Guitar Luthiers" make videos with endless bad advice and nonsense methods..... I would love to see you with a million followers. No nonsense and all the work simply explained but to technical specs. Ahhhh what a relief someone who uses specs and guidelines. EXCELLENT workmanship!!

Thanks. I'm saling a guitar . Joel B.

I wish you were my guitar tech in Minneapolis.

I like your calm style, very soothing..... String winding: one wrap over the end, the rest under. This locks the end in. To check for fret buzz you have to play some chords. I always play simple 2 note rock chords "with a pic" all over the neck, you will hear it right away. Sideways plucks with fingers is not relevant in the playing world....plus you played all the notes so fast, how can you hear anything. Also, the bench clamp you used for stringing is not necessary, simply let the body lay flat over the edge of the bench upside down and drop the strings through the back of the spring block. Gravity will actually assist....lol.

This is kind of dumb question but can i switch mine to floyd rose i have stagg s250 and really want fliating tremolo

Very Helpful video ... What is that tool you use at 3:30 for string height . Can't find it anywhere . thanks

Have ever thought of doing this with a G&L dual point trem?

Thank you for the video, guitar set up makes much more sense now. One question, where do I find those L-shaped gauges that you used to measure under each string. All I can find is the credit card type gauge but it seems both would be handy.

...Wonderful Vid,Sir, Thank you...Fender should put-this information with the "case-candy"...Peace...

What the size for allen keys that you used it? In mm please

Looking tuners....!

Great Video. What and where you get those Z shape tools you were using to check the action. Thanks

Great videos. What is the name of the tool that you use to measure the strings from the pickups at 30mins?

When restringing, on the tuners I usually wind the first rotation of the string loose end under the string feeding into the tuner. Then the remaining rotations over the string. I was taught this creates a lock. Thoughts?

Hey thanks fir your time and effects in making this vid, I did all in sequence, but I have a cheapo back tremolo system, it has roller wheels on the bridge blocks, came with a copper spring claw, no matter dhat I do it never stay ls/goes ba k to in tune, I used the pickguard as a packer/shim to set the bridge height just a little tin bit of blue tack away from to back if bridge just ebmnought to keep it from falling out while working on the bridge and springs, set up it all up I've a 6 screw bridge plate instead of two pegs for mounting, it's pain in yhe proverbial butt. Any tip on 6 string 6 screw plate trem set up, gonna get the two peg one I thinks best, question do you tune the strings while the floating bridge packer is still in and tenion still on the trem claws and springs?

where can I get those fret erasers? got a link?

I swapped my broken (threads inside) AVRI bridge with a Callaham equivalent. And when floated it just won't stay even remotely in tune. I noticed that a single dive bomb always makes all strings go FLAT by almost a half tone, whereas one pull up on the bar makes them all SHARP i.e. the opposite of what a sticky nut would usually do. Then I noticed that the bridge simply does not return fully to the same position. It's visibly floating higher after a dive bomb and lower after an upward bend with the bar. I tried 3-4-5 springs, different springs, nothing helped until I decked the trem. I know this is common with Bigsbys when there's friction in the mechanism... But there's no noise when diving the trem, no obvious friction against the pickguard. What could it be? 6 screws too tight? Too loose? Only decking the trem takes care of the issue owing to the sheer force of the spring tension.

Loved the video! This was incredibly helpful! Does anyone know where I can purchase the tools he was using to measure the string height? I have a hard time reading the ruler type and those gauges with the wooden handles look amazing. I have been searching but have not found anything like them.

I’m curious, should the two screws at the top of the trim be tightened down all the way? Thanks

My telecaster has few strings buzzing they seem to be very close to the fret board it is still the way I bought it can I do anything myself to sort it out

I have subbed and watched your setup videos and followed your instructions and successfully floated my Strat. Can you please tell me where you got that particular hex wrench that you use on the saddles. (2307). Thank you

Where did you get the Allen tool for,adjusting the string saddles?

Lol i accidentally made my trem float like that. When i got my first guitar(strat probably) i've been trying the whammy bar but it feels stiff, it is very hard to wiggle so i came up with a solution to removed one of the springs of the trem block and loosen the remaining 2 screw so the spring won't pull the trem so hard and it work. The problem was that when i set up my guitar like that at that time i'm only using 9's and a few weeks later i've switched to 11's and didn't notice my trem floated from the pull of 11's strings until a day of use.

Hi thanks for the video. But when you were checking the relief what measure did you use 12.000s so is that the same .012 so 0.30mm ? Having buzz issues and I'm not sure my tools are correct. Appreciated thank you.