Blocking FR, local techs work??

[desertdude]

Hello,
I wanted to block my Floyd Rose, hear is a picture of how a local tech did it.
g, and b string have horrible sustain, Shouldnt the block be fitted on the other side? its not even Quartersawn? very confussed please help.
Thanks

[Bfeeney]

Here is mine. It's just dowel rods I cut and shaped, probably overkill but it is SOLID. Plan 'A' was a Tremol-No from AllParts. I don't have any sustain issues with it.

[whatshisname]

I just used a stack of pennies, and tightened the screws down.

[desertdude]

cool, I was thinking about ordering the Tremol-No, I saw a vid of a dude the made one with littlle L bracket, set screw, and a wood screw (same thing I guess) Looks like the block I had put in should be on the back side, took a measurement and Im off to home depot, like I should have in the first place.
Thanks

[Bfeeney]

Keep in mind I never said 'this is how to do it', it's how I did mine. I'm faking it 'til I make it.

[desertdude]

right right,

[ItsaBass]

That doesn't block the vibrato. It makes it dive only, and the block will fall out if you do dive. I cannot think for the life of me why he would have done that, unless he is retarded. The wood block should go between the vibrato block and the rear wall of the cavity.

That said, there's no reason to expect it to be Quartersawn wood, though. As long as it is solid, it'll work fine. One of mine is made of cedar, just because that's what I had around at the moment. That's a very soft wood, but I've got no complaints on it, and it's been there for nearly 10 years. Also, I can't think of why that would cause the G and B to have horrible sustain. I'd guess that is a general setup issue, not having to do with the block.

I'd get your money back and use it to block the vibrato yourself, and get some burgers with the change. All you need to make the block is a small piece of wood and a miter saw (or a hand saw and a miter box). Then some filing and/or sandpaper to fit (if necessary).

[desertdude]

That doesn't block the vibrato. It makes it dive only, and the block will fall out if you do dive. I cannot think for the life of me why he would have done that, unless he is retarded. The wood block should go between the vibrato block and the rear wall of the cavity.

That said, there's no reason to expect it to be Quartersawn wood, though. As long as it is solid, it'll work fine. One of mine is made of cedar, just because that's what I had around at the moment. That's a very soft wood, but I've got no complaints on it, and it's been there for nearly 10 years. Also, I can't think of why that would cause the G and B to have horrible sustain. I'd guess that is a general setup issue, not having to do with the block.

I'd get your money back and use it to block the vibrato yourself, and get some burgers with the change. All you need to make the block is a small piece of wood and a miter saw (or a hand saw and a miter box). Then some filing and/or sandpaper to fit (if necessary).

Yea I was trippen, I fixed the problem, and everything is good 2 go. The tech is just a Bugger.

[BloodRose]

Desertdude,
As Itsabass said, quartersawn would be overkill in this use. I have a block in my rg570 in the front like yours so that it dives only. That way my D tuna doesnt catch on the body and I only want it to dive.. I just made the block with a chunk of wood, (but made mine big enough to fill the cavity and the springs hold it in.)

[darthphineas]

depends on the blocking you're trying to do. typically, people will put something on the side of the block that faces toward the springs and claw. some people do use wood like that, but a block of wood that goes all the way across. if you want to be thorough you can track down a nicer tone wood to work with the wood of your guitar... but as long as it's wood you should be fine. to get it to stay, some people glue it in there. others that don't plan on doing any dives just leave it there and fill out the claw/block with 5 springs so it's so tight it won't budge.

you can also get a brass trem stop. when I was needing a few guitars with a D-Tuna, I went with the brass trem stop. it also helps with sustain. a neat trick is to put a little spot of gaff tape on the sustain block where the trem stop hits so that you can avoid the 'dink' sound when the block hits the stop when coming back in to place.

I also have a guitar with a tremol-no. that's a great little gadget. you can totally block it where it's essentially a fixed bridge. or you can set it where it's dive only. or you can totally disengage it so you have all the benefits of a floating Floyd. as since the claw that comes with it is more mass and the arm that goes between the claw and the block adds another connection... it all adds up to more sustain. you do have to set them up properly, but if you are fluid with the proper setup and maintenance of a Floyd, you should be good with a tremol-no.

[Mr 9finger]

I'd be having a talk with that "tech" and getting my money back. A 5 year old could have done that in 5 minutes.

[desertdude]

I'd be having a talk with that "tech" and getting my money back. A 5 year old could have done that in 5 minutes.

I believe I will.

[Darth Nihilus]

For all we know that wood block might be screwed in or glued in in which case, he's good to go. There's no reason to put a block on the other side of the block anyway. If he doesn't use the tremolo, it won't affect it at all by not adding a block there and if he wants to use the bar, he can in dive only mode.

Just make sure you increase spring tension enough so that the bridge doesn't tilt forward when bending strings and you're done.

[ItsaBass]

There's no reason to put a block on the other side of the block anyway.

This is what decks/blocks a Strat-type vibrato, which is what the OP wanted done. He didn't say he wanted to make it dive only. In that case, the job done would have been fine.

[desertdude]

I just used a stack of pennies, and tightened the screws down.

Pennys worked the best, for me, cool thanks

[Warheart]

You're making a big deal out of nothing.

Doesn't need to be quartersawn. And it is on the right side. Usually when you block a floyd, even it you do have it set like that for dive only, that is fine, as long as the block is glued to the body. It is a little bit harder than you'd think unless you have a belt sander.

The only issue with that I can see is he should have used a wider piece of wood to make more contact with the bridge.

[bruce bennett]

i Do blocking jobs for people all the time,
and thats not what I'd call a blocking job.

a true blocking job converts the tremolo into a "Faux Hardtail" so to speak.

I use two maple blocks 1 in front and one in back they are the full width across the cavity and I usually turn the grain so that its in the same direction as the bodies grain.
both blocks are cut so that the tremolo is in perfect "parallel" to the top of the body.
they are driven between the tremolo sustain block and the body on both side and glued with drop of super glue to the metal sides only so that they can be removed later with no damage. then I remove the springs.

once done, you can hear a tremendous different in the tone of the guitar.
and the "reverbiness" of the springs is gone too.

the main point of blocking is to get rid of the springs and not have all the tuning issues associated with the tremolo.

[ItsaBass]

i Do blocking jobs for people all the time,
and thats not what I'd call a blocking job.

a true blocking job converts the tremolo into a "Faux Hardtail" so to speak.

I use two maple blocks 1 in front and one in back they are the full width across the cavity and I usually turn the grain so that its in the same direction as the bodies grain.
both blocks are cut so that the tremolo is in perfect "parallel" to the top of the body.
they are driven between the tremolo sustain block and the body on both side and glued with drop of super glue to the metal sides only so that they can be removed later with no damage. then I remove the springs.

once done, you can hear a tremendous different in the tone of the guitar.
and the "reverbiness" of the springs is gone too.

the main point of blocking is to get rid of the springs and not have all the tuning issues associated with the tremolo.

+1. There is a difference between blocking it and making it dive only/non-floating. Blocking (i.e. "decking") requires a wedge on the rear of the block.

But if you remove the spring, what do you do about the ground wire? I fold over the bare end of the wire a few times, and then wedge it between the wood and the vibrato block