Replacement bar for Fender Tremolo

[markstullkc]

Does anyone make a much thicker tremolo bar (think floyd rose style) that is a direct replacement for the Fender one with the plastic tip?

I have a Jimmy Vaughn strat, love the guitar, do not like the whammy. I feel like a could bend it!

 

[Totally Bored]

Hit it hard, your not gonna bend or brake it while it's on the guitar

They do wobble a little. Plumbers tape wrapped a few times around it will solve that problem or get the little spring to drop in it.

 

[RnB]

Callaham has Stainless Steel trem arms in various lengths. Should fit a JV Strat? They're 10-32 Threads & are fairly durable....

 

[monty]

Hit it hard, your not gonna bend or brake it while it's on the guitar

They do wobble a little. Plumbers tape wrapped a few times around it will solve that problem or get the little spring to drop in it.

Not true, I've broken 2 of them over the years.

 

[AdmiralB]

You can't really make a bigger bar without also drilling and tapping the block (which can have its own problems, depending upon the bridge type).

If you use larger rod stock - say, 1/4 inch - and then neck it down at the block for the stock threads, you'll create a stress riser at the transition and it will flex (and possibly break) there.

You could drill the block - Blackmore did this, famously, in the '70s - but it really only works if the hole in the block is 'straight', that is parallel to the string holes. The American Standard block has an angled hole and you can't really overdrill it much without blowing out the side.

 

[markstullkc]

So the answer is learn to live with it or replace the entire unit with something like a gotoh?

 

[Totally Bored]

Not true, I've broken 2 of them over the years.

You sir are the Chuck Norris of guitar players

 

[mellecaster]

Callaham has Stainless Steel trem arms in various lengths. Should fit a JV Strat? They're 10-32 Threads & are fairly durable....

^^^^ This....and look into Your Balance between gauge of strings and how you have the Trem set-up with regard to number of springs and Claw tension.

 

[markstullkc]

Term is decked. Down only. Three springs.

Strings are 09-42

 

[monty]

You sir are the Chuck Norris of guitar players

LOL, I cant be the only one because they sell replacement bars.

 

[swiveltung]

Not true, I've broken 2 of them over the years.

If you've broken a trem bar... I'm surprised you haven't torn the neck off your guitar! If you have ever put a trem bar in a vise to try to bend the angle just a bit... man... they are some hard steel...

 

[VicAjax]

Callaham has Stainless Steel trem arms in various lengths. Should fit a JV Strat? They're 10-32 Threads & are fairly durable....

Do the Callaham arms have less free play than the stock Fender arms (in a Fender block, not Callaham)?

I use the springs to reduce wobble, but they wear out pretty quickly.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

I prefer plumber's Teflon tape over the springs. No wobble. Trem arm stays where you want it.

I can't imagine anyone breaking a trem arm. You must be a beast.

 

[Astronaut FX]

LOL, I cant be the only one because they sell replacement bars.

Because people lose them, or buy used guitars that didn't come with one???

 

[Chris6870]

I have an American strat and I like the trem and the bar. On my Mexican version I hate the angle of the bar. You can't spin it back past the input jack due to the angle,it hits ,the guitar cable.Very annoying since I like to keep it pointed towards the back when not in use. Any of the aftermarket angled more like a FLoyd or American version?

 

[Doctor Morbius]

I have an American strat and I like the trem and the bar. On my Mexican version I hate the angle of the bar. You can't spin it back past the input jack due to the angle,it hits ,the guitar cable.Very annoying since I like to keep it pointed towards the back when not in use. Any of the aftermarket angled more like a FLoyd or American version?

Stick it in a vice between 2 blocks of wood and bend it.

 

[RnB]

Do the Callaham arms have less free play than the stock Fender arms (in a Fender block, not Callaham)?

I just switched-out trem arms to see & the Callaham Arm fits tight w/o any wobble in a Fender Vint RI Block. Almost too tight. Not to say it's going to be that way for every Fender block, since I've come across a few inconsistencies w/ their blocks & arms. Can't go wrong w/ a Callaham block & arm...imo!

 

[VicAjax]

I just switched-out trem arms to see & the Callaham Arm fits tight w/o any wobble in a Fender Vint RI Block. Almost too tight. Not to say it's going to be that way for every Fender block, since I've come across a few inconsistencies w/ their blocks & arms. Can't go wrong w/ a Callaham block & arm...imo!

Interesting... Are you going to switch out the block eventually?

I don't want to invest too much into modding mine, because I don't think it will be my "forever" Strat.

 

[RnB]

Are you going to switch out the block eventually?

Hard to say what I'm going to do? Having plenty of Strats, I'm constantly moving parts around or building another one. Most have Callaham blocks & a few have Ti blocks, but only a couple have Callaham Trem arms. The '64 (5.25" long) is the one I favor though.

 

[your name here]

If you've broken a trem bar... I'm surprised you haven't torn the neck off your guitar! If you have ever put a trem bar in a vise to try to bend the angle just a bit... man... they are some hard steel...

I've broken a few myself. It's not that hard to do. Right where the threads meet the rest of the bar. Luckily, there's always been enough sticking out of the block to grab and twist it out with a pair of pliers.