Brass Trem Blocks

[frankencat]

I have been interested in these for a while. I have had one or two Floyd'ed guitars with them and they sounded good. I just purchased a "Callaham" brass block from Specialty Guitars with a set of Raw Vintage springs just to see if it sounds any better that my Fender AVRI trem. Anybody play around with these and care to comment? Thanks and happy tone-age!

 

[cardinal]

I've used various brass and tungsten blocks with Floyds. They sound different, but I wouldn't say any sounds demonstrably better than the others.

They don't add sustain. None of them did.

But they do seem to change the treble response and resonance of the guitar. Worth trying out if you haven't already.

 

[B Money]

I had a guitar with a low-grade Floyd knock off bridge on it. The trem block was your typical pot metal alloy. I replaced it with a brass block just to see if it would make any difference and I did hear an improvement in tone and sustain. It wasn't a massive difference, but it was noticeable. For the cost of the brass block, I though it was worth it.

 

[GAD]

I have brass blocks on all my Floyd-equipped guitars. I love 'em. I have an import Jackson that is my favorite guitar, and the block was a wimpy pot-metal piece of crap. The big brass block really changed the guitar for the better.

This is the difference between the blocks on a US-made Jackson that I did (you can read about the project here: http://www.gad.net/Blog/2010/07/11/usa-jackson-soloist-sl2h-chrome-to-black/)

 

[Rhythm Rocker]

Love my brass block/bridge plate and saddles. Here's my reply to the thread about Strats over 9lbs.....
My '81 Lake Placid Blue Strat is over 10lbs. Northern Ash body, stock gold plated brass parts and has a brass block.
I'm not crazy about the weight, but it's always been my number one Strat because the tone and sustain are like no other.

 

[EADGBE]

Just a comment. I have a Gotoh Floyd Rose in my Gunslinger. It has the regular stock standard size brass block. Anyway I thought I'd try a big brass block. Long story short the big block didn't sound as good. It seemed to compress the sound too much. It lost bass and the strings lost clarity. I'm thinking Leo Fender and Floyd Rose got it right as far as the size of the block is concerned.

 

[Dale]

I have used steel and brass on floated vintage strat bridges. The changes were in the treble response to me. Steel being a bit brighter.

 

[Gevalt]

I liked my GFS brass block for a year, until I changed to a KGC, which was less muddy by comparison but sterile to my ears. I just could not get it to sound like a Fender. After a year each on the brasses, I bought a perfect sounding steel from CeltRocka, and I'll never again use anything but.
Brass has more sustain, but who cares if the tone is gold-foil-thin. Maybe I could've gotten a fat tone with a mega-mass block, but steel does more with less, regular-size. I hate too much treble but I don't get "ice-pick" with steel IRL.