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Chudallica

Tremolo Block Upgrade

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What's your thoughts on tremolo block upgrades for tone and sustain ?

 

Steel, Brass, Titanium, Tungsten, Do these metal types make much difference ?

 

I have a brass fat block at the moment and I'm thinking about reverting it back to the original nickel plated brass that I had on my Floyd Rose.

It's a lot smaller but I haven't heard much change whilst using the fat block.

 

Thoughts ? Discuss !!!

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I don't use the tremolo much, but I do believe it adds an airy element to the tone, so I tend to fix it down it in Eric Clapton style.

I have tried steel and brass blocks of various sizes but I haven't found it add or reduce tone in any big or meaningful way. The only difference I found was when swapping a really cheap cast trem from an import guitar for a 'proper' one. It added a little (and only a little) of body to the tone, but that could have been a combination of fit, quality, saddles, the trem itself as well as the trem block.

Edited by randythoades
clarity
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I had a Floyd Rose on  Washburn guitar back in the day. Didn’t use te term and had blocked with a piece of wood which I think was ebony. Certainly a hard wood.  No effect on tone that I could detect.

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Just to clarify , I'm on about the solid block fixed on the underside of the Tremolo, blocking the tremolo or clamping it to essentially make it a fixed bridge is another thing.

 

Let's hear your thoughts on clamping it too.

 

Edited by Chudallica
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On 06/09/2024 at 21:20, Chudallica said:

Just to clarify , I'm on about the solid block fixed on the underside of the Tremolo, blocking the tremolo or clamping it to essentially make it a fixed bridge is another thing.

 

Let's hear your thoughts on clamping it too.

 

As I said, I have tried different sized tremolo blocks of steel and brass and couldn't tell the difference (sorry if that was unclear on my post). I can't tell the difference either between a floating or fixed/blocked tremolo either, I only do it for convenience as I don't use the trem.

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Just replace the brass fat block with a steel fat cat from Feline Guitars, I have to say that this (In my opinion) sounds better in tone than the brass block.

 

I'm finally happy with my tone. (For now at least !)

 

 

IMG_0161.jpeg

 

 

 

Screenshot 2024-12-12 at 20.20.10.png

 

 

 

Edited by Chudallica
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