Just installed a guitar fetish big steel block.

[Toe-Knee]

I didn't go down the usual Brass route as I find it rounds the highs too much and softens the attack significantly which is exactly the opposite of what I was aiming for.

What I did do was go with a solid steel big block from guitar fetish.

After installing it and playing for a few hours or so I can say it's surpassed what I expected by far. The low end is a lot snappier and punchier and the mids have a really nice bite as does the high end and its a little brighter too.

Overall the tone is thicker and tighter. For $21 I am incredibly happy and will also be replacing my Ibanez blocks as soon as the edge blocks are available.

Here is a picture of the stock block attached to the trem




And here is the new block sat next to the old




From here I bolted it down onto the trems baseplate




And then we have a final comparison shot




And here we have the trem installed in the guitar

[guitarkid]

Thats great to hear! Been planning one putting one of those in my strat.

[Toe-Knee]

Thats great to hear! Been planning one putting one of those in my strat.

For the price you really cant go wrong. Even with the shipping it was very cost effective for me in the UK.

[AdamBrad]

When I put a Wilkinson trem on my Pacifica, I bought it with a big block at the same time. Sounded so much better.

[Kam]

^ What Wilkinson did you put on your Pacifica? I always thought that bridge was a funny size.

[AdamBrad]

^ What Wilkinson did you put on your Pacifica? I always thought that bridge was a funny size.

It is funny, the total width from string to string is 52.5mm, whereas a Fender one 58mm. Wilkinson have a six screw model with wider holes, that will retro-fit 53mm-58mm spacings and fits well enough. "WPVP6" is the model "WPVP6SCBR" is the incredibly convoluted model name for the steel block as standard...

[TheLivingDead]

Very cool.

Been thinking about picking up a few of these.

[bluesbend]

I've installed them in two of my Strats. Made a noticeable improvement.

[MetalManiac]

They are good blocks, but they arent that good That guy deals in a bunch of junk. His steel of inferior quality to Fender or Callaham, oand the Brass is inferior East Indian grade crud is my guess unlike some of the premium Bell Grade Brass like FU ..

[bluesbend]

They're still 1,000 better than the pot metal sh!t that we replace them with.

[JeffB]

Jeebus. What a cheapass weeny block the unit came with. Is that an Ibanez floyd block?

EDIT- duh. Strings through the block wouldn't be a floyd. What kind of trem/guitar??

[post toastie]

good to hear !!! i bought the Import Upgrade full tremolo for a build i'm working on. i too chose the steel block over the brass. eventually i plan to add Raw Vintage springs and change out the saddles, but i want to see what it does on it's own first.

Congrats on achieving better tone.

May We All.

[gman128]

Does it affect how far you can dive down, or pull up, on the trem?

[crguti]

IMO the Tremol-no adjusted to dive-only is much better than any big block.

[sosomething]

IMO the Tremol-no adjusted to dive-only is much better than any big block.

Except that you can't pull up. That sucks.

I know a lot of people don't mind it- I even have the trem decked on my EJ Strat, but I have to admit that using it is like driving around a car that can only turn left.

[Toe-Knee]

Does it affect how far you can dive down, or pull up, on the trem?

I find for regular strat usage it doesn't make a difference whatsoever.

If you were wanting to go for major divebombs like you would on a Floyd guitar I can see it causing a little restriction.

[Toe-Knee]

IMO the Tremol-no adjusted to dive-only is much better than any big block.

Hmm or you could get a big block and a tremelno!

I have a tremelno set to dive only on my RGD and it didn't really add any tonal differences such as this did but it is a fantastic piece of kit

[King IzzO)))]

So they make this to fit a Floyd? I wonder if they make one that will fit a 580LP.

[Toe-Knee]

So they make this to fit a Floyd? I wonder if they make one that will fit a 580LP.

Currently they only make them to fit USA/Mex/Import Strat trems but they told me that Floyd and Ibanez edge ones will be coming towards the end of this year or the very beginning of next

[King IzzO)))]

Cool, I haven't seen steel blocks for Floyds before, I'm sure someone makes one though. I'd kinda like to try it.