Replacing the tremolo block on a American strat two pivot tremelo

[Slobrain]

Hey fellas,

has anyone found a brass tremolo block that GFS maybe sells that will replace the trem block on the American 2 pivot trem bridge?

Or maybe someone else sells a replacement brass trem block for these?


I tried one of the tremolo bridges from GFS on a MIM strat and wow... what a difference in tone it made making the guitar sound fatter with better lows and smoothers hi's.

Thanks

[jrfrond]

An American Strat with a two-point floating trem will have a full-size block that is usually tapered on one side to allow more bending range. I don't recall if the block on that tremolo is diecast zinc or steel. However, because it is full-size, you might find that it makes a less radical difference than what happened to you MIM Strat, which has a puny, thin diecast zinc block on the stock Sung Il tremolo system.

[Slobrain]

Hey jrfrond,

Yes, its a steel block from what I can tell. I see that a site that sells the brass blocks for the American strat two point trem but they charge around $70.00 for these. Too expensive... but in saying that I'll bet it would improve the guitar. I have a ash body American strat that was submerged in Ike and got it back going after much restoration and a new maple neck and it sounds great but I wanted to get a brass block for it. GFS said they do not carry a brass block to fit that trem...

I just installed another brass block trem on a alder body strat with a maple neck and wow, much better rock tones...

I havent tried a brass nut in years but was considering trying that lately. Brass makes a comeback on guitars after 30 years...LOL..

[Gtr_tech]

A brass (or any metal) nut will only make a difference on open strings. I don't care for them because of that. open strings tend to sound real bright and pingy as compared to fretted notes. I would stick with a good nut material such as bone, "tusq", micarta. I can't stand Floyd Rose nuts because of this....and because you can't optimize string height individually.

[David Schwab]

A brass (or any metal) nut will only make a difference on open strings. I don't care for them because of that. open strings tend to sound real bright and pingy as compared to fretted notes. I would stick with a good nut material such as bone, "tusq", micarta. I can't stand Floyd Rose nuts because of this....and because you can't optimize string height individually.

But if you think about it, fretted strings are sitting on a metal "nut"; the fret wire. I find brass to be kind of dark sounding, but I have made aluminum nuts and they sound great. I use zero frets in my basses, so the nut material doesn't affect the tone of the open strings.