info
Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Whammy bar custom bend
233 views
Skip to first unread message
Nil
Jun 17, 2016, 7:11:05 PM6/17/16
to
Anybody ever bend a Stratocaster whammy bar into a different shape? I
recently bought a new Fender American Standard bridge for my parts
project Strat and it works fine, but the bar is very oddly shaped,
compared to my early '80s Strat. The '80s one has a slight bend to the
left, but the whole thing is in the same plane. The new one has a
similar leftward bend, but at that point it also goes "up", that is,
pointing away from the face of the guitar, toward the room (while in
playing position) by a few degrees. I hope that description makes
sense. I do not like this shape - it feels more difficult to grab,
seems to get in the way more, and I sometimes kind of stab my hand on
it.
I'm aware that people like David Gilmour have custom shaped their
tremolo bars by bending and cutting it. Is there any tricks to bending
it? I have a fear that it might be brittle and break, or that the
chrome finish will flake of. Is my fear groundful, or should I just
attack it with a vise and pliers?
recently bought a new Fender American Standard bridge for my parts
project Strat and it works fine, but the bar is very oddly shaped,
compared to my early '80s Strat. The '80s one has a slight bend to the
left, but the whole thing is in the same plane. The new one has a
similar leftward bend, but at that point it also goes "up", that is,
pointing away from the face of the guitar, toward the room (while in
playing position) by a few degrees. I hope that description makes
sense. I do not like this shape - it feels more difficult to grab,
seems to get in the way more, and I sometimes kind of stab my hand on
it.
I'm aware that people like David Gilmour have custom shaped their
tremolo bars by bending and cutting it. Is there any tricks to bending
it? I have a fear that it might be brittle and break, or that the
chrome finish will flake of. Is my fear groundful, or should I just
attack it with a vise and pliers?
The Repair Guy
Jun 18, 2016, 12:03:41 AM6/18/16
to
Nil <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
>I'm aware that people like David Gilmour have custom shaped their
>tremolo bars by bending and cutting it. Is there any tricks to bending
>it? I have a fear that it might be brittle and break, or that the
>chrome finish will flake of. Is my fear groundful, or should I just
>attack it with a vise and pliers?
I've bent my Kahler Steeler trem arms. Clamp it in a vise
>I'm aware that people like David Gilmour have custom shaped their
>tremolo bars by bending and cutting it. Is there any tricks to bending
>it? I have a fear that it might be brittle and break, or that the
>chrome finish will flake of. Is my fear groundful, or should I just
>attack it with a vise and pliers?
with wood on both sides, aimed how you want it, then
rap with a rubber mallet. No scratches! Haven't noticed
any flaking, but I don't bend them into figure 8s or
anything :-P
The Repair Guy
Nil
Jun 18, 2016, 7:18:59 PM6/18/16
to
On 17 Jun 2016, The Repair Guy <repair...@yahoo.com> wrote in
alt.guitar:
> I've bent my Kahler Steeler trem arms. Clamp it in a vise
> with wood on both sides, aimed how you want it, then
> rap with a rubber mallet. No scratches! Haven't noticed
> any flaking, but I don't bend them into figure 8s or
> anything :-P
No figure 8s, just want to straighten that kink out a few degrees. I
guess if it breaks or looks real ugly, new arms aren't too expensive,
though I wonder if they all have this funny shape nowadays? Not
ergonomic for me.
OK, time to put on some Olivia Newton John and get physical!
alt.guitar:
> I've bent my Kahler Steeler trem arms. Clamp it in a vise
> with wood on both sides, aimed how you want it, then
> rap with a rubber mallet. No scratches! Haven't noticed
> any flaking, but I don't bend them into figure 8s or
> anything :-P
guess if it breaks or looks real ugly, new arms aren't too expensive,
though I wonder if they all have this funny shape nowadays? Not
ergonomic for me.
OK, time to put on some Olivia Newton John and get physical!
Flasherly
Jun 19, 2016, 8:11:05 AM6/19/16
to
On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 19:18:57 -0400, Nil
<redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
I guess if it breaks or looks real ugly,
-
<redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
I guess if it breaks or looks real ugly,
Metal won't break, although working at tensile strengths without a
suitable jig can be ugly. Why I've three, a 1lb., then a 3lb., my
most particularly ugly 5lb. mallet, to swing at a rather large 100lb.
vice mounted on the corner of a table bolted together with wooden
lengths at 2x4". It's not a share of nicks along the mallet handle
from missed blows, but a cumulative effect on tendons and joints and
sore muscles, which makes for ugly, thick and cumbersome metal stock.
A point to realize past a whammy bar bouncing and singing back at you,
like a tuning fork on steroids, with each ineffectual blow.
-
I am not really myself except
in the midst of elegant crowds...
...at the heart of rich districts...
...or amid the sumptuous
ornamentation of palace hotels...
...an army of servants and
a plush carpet underfoot...
What is true about music is true about
life: that beauty reveals everything...
...because it expresses nothing.
-Velvet Goldmine (film)
Pudentame
Jun 19, 2016, 10:41:40 PM6/19/16
to
On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 19:18:57 -0400, Nil
<redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
<redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
https://www.allparts.com/tremolo-arms
jtees4
Jun 20, 2016, 10:02:27 AM6/20/16
to
slowly a little at a time with my hand...never a problem.
Pt
Jul 4, 2016, 10:54:08 PM7/4/16
to
On Friday, June 17, 2016 at 6:11:05 PM UTC-5, Nil wrote:
or should I just
> attack it with a vise and pliers?
And a torch to heat it.
or should I just
> attack it with a vise and pliers?
Pt
Pudentame
Jul 5, 2016, 11:19:16 PM7/5/16
to
On Mon, 4 Jul 2016 19:54:06 -0700 (PDT), Pt <peat...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Might not be such a good idea if it's chromed and/or tempered. In that
case, you'll want to cold bend it.
wrote:
case, you'll want to cold bend it.
Nil
Jul 6, 2016, 2:46:54 AM7/6/16
to
JNugent
Jul 7, 2016, 11:45:21 AM7/7/16
to
On 20/06/2016 03:41, Pudentame wrote:
> Nil <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
>> The Repair Guy <repair...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.guitar:
>>> I've bent my Kahler Steeler trem arms. Clamp it in a vise
>>> with wood on both sides, aimed how you want it, then
>>> rap with a rubber mallet. No scratches! Haven't noticed
>>> any flaking, but I don't bend them into figure 8s or
>>> anything :-P
>> No figure 8s, just want to straighten that kink out a few degrees. I
>> guess if it breaks or looks real ugly, new arms aren't too expensive,
>> though I wonder if they all have this funny shape nowadays? Not
>> ergonomic for me.
>> OK, time to put on some Olivia Newton John and get physical!
> You can probably find the older style arm from allparts.
> https://www.allparts.com/tremolo-arms
Historic photos seem to indicate that the first Stratocasters featured
that upward-hook (which I dislike) in the tremolo arm shape. Like this:
<http://www.stratcat.biz/images/4027-1954-l.jpg>
Later (by the end of the fifties), that had been tamed down to something
like this (which I prefer):
<http://www.eddievegas.com/images/products/d0fde4ea12f489f393870f78258429b1.jpg>
When the USA reissues started to appear, the fifties models had the
hooked arm and the sixties models the straighter arm.
But almost all Oriental and Mexican versions of the Strat (from the $120
jokes to the super-duper $1000+ models) ALL seem to feature the earlier,
hooked, arms, whether or not they are period-correct for the model being
offered.
> Nil <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
>> The Repair Guy <repair...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.guitar:
>>> I've bent my Kahler Steeler trem arms. Clamp it in a vise
>>> with wood on both sides, aimed how you want it, then
>>> rap with a rubber mallet. No scratches! Haven't noticed
>>> any flaking, but I don't bend them into figure 8s or
>>> anything :-P
>> No figure 8s, just want to straighten that kink out a few degrees. I
>> guess if it breaks or looks real ugly, new arms aren't too expensive,
>> though I wonder if they all have this funny shape nowadays? Not
>> ergonomic for me.
>> OK, time to put on some Olivia Newton John and get physical!
> You can probably find the older style arm from allparts.
> https://www.allparts.com/tremolo-arms
that upward-hook (which I dislike) in the tremolo arm shape. Like this:
<http://www.stratcat.biz/images/4027-1954-l.jpg>
Later (by the end of the fifties), that had been tamed down to something
like this (which I prefer):
<http://www.eddievegas.com/images/products/d0fde4ea12f489f393870f78258429b1.jpg>
When the USA reissues started to appear, the fifties models had the
hooked arm and the sixties models the straighter arm.
But almost all Oriental and Mexican versions of the Strat (from the $120
jokes to the super-duper $1000+ models) ALL seem to feature the earlier,
hooked, arms, whether or not they are period-correct for the model being
offered.
LULU
Jul 7, 2016, 2:15:49 PM7/7/16
to
I like the Gilmour style whammy. It kind of fits into the palm of the hand and is useful for more subtle kinds of pitch bends. Nice and small too. There are variations of the Bigsby palm pedal that are almost as big as the trem itself.
Good Luck,
Lulu : )
Pic down the page -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Short-Strat-Tremolo-Arm-DG-Black-Strat-Style-Short-Strat-Whammy-Bar-/280772317750
Palm-O-Low Bigsby trem arm -
http://guitarpr.com/tremolution-offers-introductory-discount-on-new-palm-o-low/
======================
Richard Guy
Aug 20, 2016, 5:43:09 PM8/20/16
to
Nil
Aug 20, 2016, 5:59:30 PM8/20/16
to
On 20 Aug 2016, Richard Guy <guytro...@gmail.com> wrote in
alt.guitar:
Yeah, I've looked at their stuff, and in fact I have a Callaham bridge
on another guitar. Quite pricey, though. And in fact, a few weeks ago,
I swallowed my fear and bent my own arm! Wasn't hard at all! I bent it
to roughly match the Callaham arm, and I like it much better. Now I
don't spear my hand when reaching for the controls like I did with the
old angled-out one.
Now I'm thinking I'd like to shorten it by an inch or so. I'm going to
see if I can saw it off and cut new threads for the tip with a die.
alt.guitar:
on another guitar. Quite pricey, though. And in fact, a few weeks ago,
I swallowed my fear and bent my own arm! Wasn't hard at all! I bent it
to roughly match the Callaham arm, and I like it much better. Now I
don't spear my hand when reaching for the controls like I did with the
old angled-out one.
Now I'm thinking I'd like to shorten it by an inch or so. I'm going to
see if I can saw it off and cut new threads for the tip with a die.
Message has been deleted
Richard Guy
Aug 29, 2016, 4:39:02 PM8/29/16
to
On Friday, June 17, 2016 at 7:11:05 PM UTC-4, Nil wrote:
%
Aug 29, 2016, 5:42:52 PM8/29/16
to
Richard Guy wrote:
> On Friday, June 17, 2016 at 7:11:05 PM UTC-4, Nil wrote:
> On Friday, June 17, 2016 at 7:11:05 PM UTC-4, Nil wrote:
Nil
Aug 29, 2016, 5:50:36 PM8/29/16
to
On 29 Aug 2016, Richard Guy <guytro...@gmail.com> wrote in
alt.guitar:
> Callaham makes a nice Gilmore Arm.
I know! You told me ten days ago!
alt.guitar:
> Callaham makes a nice Gilmore Arm.
%
Aug 29, 2016, 6:21:22 PM8/29/16
to
0 new messages