ST-1M. My first build. Need some help

Hi all,

Embarking on my first build. Thought I'd start simple, so I kicked on with an ST-1M. I just love the maple neck and fret board and the ash body gives plenty of scope for staining to great effect.

My aim with this first build is to perfect the basics and the important stuff, like getting the neck right and getting a handle on staining timber I'm not used to working with before going mad and immersing myself in a more complex build

So.........in the interest of getting off on the right foot;

I was doing a dry run build, getting familiar with the hardware etc that comes with the kit and that was gong along OK and then I started to look at the bridge, which prompted a couple of questions.

Can anyone advise how the bridge is actually assembled and installed? The lack of a simple diagram makes this h/ware a bit of a mystery to put together

Its has a tremlo and there are springs in the kit. I can't find any post or commentary in the forums on 'how-to' and none of the videos cover the ST-1 so any assistance here would be great.

Thanks in Advance

aj

"When sanity fails, reach for coffee"

Welcome to the madness that is GAS, I'll answer here but start a build diary if you haven't already and ask questions as you go there because most will come here and say hi and not look back at this thread.

The formula to locate the bridge holds true for any guitar and a quick search will get the scale length correct for you.

Don't over tighten the bridge screws, the bridge floats on them.

For strings I only use 10s for my F style guitars and 3 springs on the bridge, once mounted up, strung and tuned to pitch you should have around 3.2mm between the back edge of the bridge and the top of the body.

Remember with the sprung bridge it is a case of tune and tune again to achieve correct tuning as each string you bring up to pitch pulls the bridge up slackening the string(s) you have already tuned this dropping them down.

Hi and welcome.

Just Google for Strat trem cavity and you should get hundreds of pictures showing how the trem goes together. e.g.

Attachment 36195

It needs the strings fitted before you can set it up at all, so it's one of the last things you'll do.

You'll need to solder a ground lead to the trem claw in order to ground the strings and reduce electrical buzzing.

Of the six screws holding down the front of the trem plate, only the two outer ones do the real work. The other four are really redundant and should be set a turn higher than the outer ones so they don't interfere in its operation.

As Dave says, start a build diary.

I'll add this info - first up, don't use the above method of spring attachment, as the two outer springs are doing most of the work, and the centre one is pretty much redundant. Check this video for an easy, pretty well foolproof setup which allows full trem use, both up and down in pitch. I back off all screws a bit, securing the bridge baseplate to the face of the guitar, not just the inner 4.
This trem setup is not for everyone - some screw the claw all the way in, and don't let the trem pull up in pitch - whatever works for you I guess. The updside of that approach, is that if you break a string when playing, the other strings don't go out of tune, but I figure if I've got a spare guitar handy (who doesn't?), I'll take the first trem setup every time, as for me, it feels much better/easier to use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarmonIser

I'll add this info - first up, don't use the above method of spring attachment, as the two outer springs are doing most of the work, and the centre one is pretty much redundant.

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It's certainly not redundant. It gets increased/decreased in length when the trem is used, which means that it still provides a restoring force which adds to that of the other two springs. So more overall tension when using the trem than if the centre spring was missing, but less overall tension than if all three springs were set up in parallel. All the different spring combinations will put a different balancing force on the trem block, requiring different trem claw positions to get the balance point correct (especially if going for a floating trem). That particular 3-spring arrangement is the one Dave Gilmour uses, and no-one accuses him of having dodgy trem work.

It is certainly recommended that the spring claw isn't set exactly parallel to the trem block as being angled somehow improves tuning stability (I have no idea how, but some people swear by it).

So there are multiple ways of setting up the springs in a Strat (or even a Floyd Rose) trem and almost none of them are wrong. There is certainty no one single way that is right. A lot depends on how much tension in the trem you like. Some people like it hard to move, some people like it really easy. Some people think there is a sonic benefit to having the springs under different tensions so they don't resonate at the same frequencies.

So try a recommended set-up, but don't be afraid to experiment with some others.

FWIW I did see a Hendrix video and was surprised to see that he had all 5 installed.

cheers, Mark.