Farewell to Fender's 6-screw Trem! - Floyd Rose Install!

Time for an upgrade! This week I ditch Fender's Mexican 6-screw trem for something much better from Floyd Rose!
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Soli Deo Gloria!

[@jvanb231]

I just came here for the TREM-endous pun in the thumbnail

[@Nev06]

S. Richard I think so

[@southamericanrocker]

"Mexican system" like the American vintage system was different or better??

[@BabyThomas]

But it's not a tremolo, so...

[@jvanb231]

@@BabyThomas That's what people call it, so I get what you are saying but given you understood what was being talked about I would say your just being picky for pickiness sake. The meanings of words aren't static, language evolves and communication happened regardless of your pedantism.

[@o.w.dobbins6927]

@@BabyThomas Fact is, Leo Fender is a major contributor to the confusion of the term tremolo and vibrato, at least within the world of guitars. They marketed the Stratocaster as having a "tremolo" arm, even though its use produces vibrato. In addition, they had amp models, notably the Vibrolux, which were labelled as having a vibrato effect, even though the circuit produced tremolo. So here we have it and besides who would call it a Floyd Rose Vibrato anyways, lol!

[@jjdillon2007]

Being an American Standard owner, I was glad to see that they include a template for 2 post trems, to be able to locate and drill the four holes needed, to mount the rail.

[@r.llynch4124]

UPDATE: I finally got around to purchasing one of these from Floyd for my strat and I have to tell you it is frickin awesome. I can dive all the way down over and over without tuning issues and my intonation is dead on. Great job from Floyd Rose.

[@AidanStutzman]

Without a classic style locking nut or did you add one?

[@Edric09]

The parts that you removed from the strat can be used to upgrade squier strats

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Good call 👍

[@altrock86]

2 upgrades for the price of one!

[@edwardcastillo9750]

Wii fit a squire without mods?

[@user-ww9qn8ki7d]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Hey can I have that Mexican trem 😃 By the way, I feel the new trem isn't for your play style. Right now I noticed how large of a portion a floating trem is for your sound. Myself I like ducked one (no, I'm not begging for the trem)

[@matthewotremba9230]

My Squiers have the 2 post bridges , and , hands down , they are better than the original 6 screw bridges that I used to put a block of wood in and call it a day . And , I am 57 and perhaps have owned that many Vintage Strats . I have a mahogany "Trans Satin" (body is mahogany) model and a "Black and Chrome" model , that , are really good . Maybe I got lucky

[@PeterDad60]

Leo Fender recommended having the 4 inner screws loose, in fact a 1/32th inch gap between the underside of the screw head and the top plate of the guitar bridge/tremolo system. Only the two outer screws were to have the screw heads in contact with the metal plate securing the bridge/tremolo system to the top of the guitar. Leo also recommended a 1/8" gap between the back of the tremolo/bridge assembly and the top plate of the guitar. In this manner the tremolo can work up and down to raise and lower the pitch. Very few people know how Leo Fender wanted us to set the tremolo on his guitars, very few. Hence, well you can figure that part out....they don't work very well for those people! I found this information from a video image of a few pages out of a guitar set up manual written by Leo fender. I know, right, what a strange way to find that data. It was from one of "Dave's World of Fun Stuff" videos where he panned his video camera across the open pages of his manual. I froze the frame's and wrote it all down! It made a world of difference in the usability of my Stratocaster Tremolo. Much, much better. Most people just tighten the tremolo springs until it's like a hardtail. You can bend down but not up. That's the way I had it for a decade and more. I was wrong and I am sure so are 99% of the people who own a Stratocaster are.

[@GERBIGSTAR]

I have been on my own to try taking away the 4 inner screws, and only leaving the 2 of them in the outter extremes but I was doubtful. Now that you confirm Leo recommending what you described I' ll be rumning to try in my guitar such adjustment. Thanks.

[@allancrow134]

Just an aside for those that don't know, balancing your string gauge(string tension) and spring tension is critical for making a decked trem function. Some guys use more springs, or less springs, or different spring tension and configurations. You want your spring tension to hold your bridge decked on your hardest bends. That's the threshold you are looking for and everyone is different. Don't be afraid to find the perfect tension for you, there is a sweet spot. Generally the lighter the string gauge the less spring tension you need.

[@tonidupont-mora1572]

I swear! Your smile brightens the day! Then I begin listening to your words. I am learning so much from you. Keep smiling. Wow! What an amazing sound!

[@Roundbeadadvocate]

That is awesome. I love this channel. Great vids that are straightforward, honest and entertaining. Awesome job!

[@Guitarrobb1969]

Wow, Darrell! That is an amazing tremolo upgrade for a Fender Stratocaster! I didn't even know that Floyd Rose made one of those! You made it look like such an easy installation, as well! I will definitely be installing those on some of my Stratocasters! 😊👍👍🎸🎶

[@chris_2714]

Adding locking tuners, graphtek nut and string tree and ensuring a straight string pull will greatly improve tuning stability with a regular trem. FR even recommends doing this for the rail tail.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Floyd Rose on a Mexican Strat? Heck Yes!! Long-Term Update: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHuvoplpralkg9U

[@ElKimesito]

*HECK* :)

[@landonbailey]

for sure EH! :)

[@ElKimesito]

lando27music Yo yes.

[@scarlettepunk2087]

Darrell Braun Guitar A Rose on a MexStrat installed and played by a very cool Canadian fella...that gets a “SI SEÑORRR” from this Texican dudester

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

😄👍 Thanks SP!

[@OutstandingBill1]

Been scouring the internet for a narrow-body-to-wide-strings bridge for my project, and the Rail Tail looks perfect. Thanks heaps for the demo and the pointer!

[@MrStephenlederle]

I want this! Then got sticker shock! My heart is still in my throat. $250.00

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Yeah, after-market trem bridges are pricey ($200-$300) from most companies.

[@lueyteledeluxe7457]

I'll never justify the spend. Whenever I've got that much money to spend on guitarama, I'll hold out for a little more and then buy another guitar instead! Having said that, this floyd should be more popular than iPod's in the 'naughties! They should really be selling out. Let me explain... I just got a prs se, and it has a bridge entirely based on the strat bridge (which I have aswell - a MIM too). Only the prs bridge is engineered to the astronomic specs that Prs is famed for - and it works like a Rolex, I kid you not! The engineering is insanely good - I am beyond impressed. I guess because I was raised on strats (mainly bad copy's), I got used to having a flimsy bridge, like it was normal. But now I know the difference. I watched this video 7 months ago. And then I thought "no way I'd spend that much money on a Floyd Rose that isn't even like a floating Floyd Rose!😂 Pull the other one! But now, after getting this prs, I rewatched this video, and thought wow! that would transform any mexican fender! You would literally be shaking your head and beaming for months over how fantastic the difference is! Sure, you could buy another guitar... but then you'd likely have two guitars in need of upgrades! Honestly, I don't know if my strat is worth that to me. But at some point, the dollar amount it costs is irrelevant. Do you love your guitar? Well, it needs a big upgrade. I mean, do you want the guitar you've become comfortable with, to get a major boost in playabilty, tuning stability, sustain, intonation, tone!!! It will significantly improve all of these aspects of your beloved old friend! That, to me, sounds closer to a personal signature guitar than most of us will ever get. I'm going to have to check these out...

[@magnoliasstressus]

@aleh bhaba I think it's because he uses this and his squier sometimes for gigs when he is nervous about taking a more expensive strat... he's said that elsewhere I think... cheers!

[@laughingdaffodils5450]

@aleh bhaba Because someone wants it? Really, are you going to modify a $4k guitar and ruin the resale value? Or put the bridge you want on something that's not a collectors item and use it?

[@marka6414]

Just increase the spring tension on the current vintage trem so that it locks against the body of the guitar and you'll get exactly the same results without the cost. Where vintage trem are difficult to get working really well is when they are setup as floating trems.

[@fastfretfreddy4449]

Thank you Darrell! Great demo. I couldn't be happier with this bridge! I truly feel it's the perfect balance between a hardtail and a tremolo that most players are looking for. Yes, it is a bit pricey but so are beautifully crafted high-quality watches. If your looking for high-quality components, something aesthetically stunning, and an upgrade in performance like instant sustain and tuning stability, then look no further. The Rail Tail is the Rolex of guitar bridges. ⌚

[@BaconatorJames]

I installed it on my Strat & it's much better at keeping tune. I use 9.5 gauge strings & have all 4 trem springs installed. It's heavier than the stock (American Performer Strat SSH) trem but I like it. More predictable. Smoother. Looks really good too. I don't dive bomb as a rule, but will do it occasionally because I can. Makes a bit of a 'clunk' when I let go of the trem after bending, so I likely didn't install it perfectly. If I did, then you'll want to consider this if you're taking it to a studio.

[@SuperBeeA12]

Great video Darrell, very informative! The spacer you mention at 2:48 is also used as a conversion template for installing it on the 2 - point tremolo system as well.

[@rebeccadgeney]

Thank you! My hubby's been waiting for something (exactly) like this for years! All your vids are great, this one especially. Keep up the excellent work. Nice playing too btw!

[@SteelSkin667]

The Rail Tail is a rare sight, I almost forgot that it existed! That's a really neat unit, very different from anything else on the market.

[@wizrom3046]

Dont forget to lube it up good. It's a XXX bridge

[@acoffeewithsatan]

That's a really cool bridge! I think the best usage of those MIM bridges are to be used as a Squier upgrade - they fit without an issue some of the most popular nodding models such as the CV and SE and so will fit the Affinities and Bullets if you don't use the backplate.

[@33cattt49]

I haven’t binge watched a channel in years; your channel is great . . The most honest outlook on guitar gear and upgrades . Great stuff - subbed

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks! Welcome to the channel!

[@idontwantaname9750]

I watched this once a long time ago and I had to watch it again!! I've been looking for this a long time!! I'M SO HAPPY!!

[@THEDRAWINGSTUDIO1]

This video came out at a perfect time. Was looking for a professional take at a Floyd rose tremolo installment on a strat. Thanks

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Great timing 😀👍

[@kennhern]

That tune up on the high e string was nerve-wracking. Don't scare me like that, it brings back war flashbacks :( (kidding haha)

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

😄👍 I still flinch every time tuning the high E. Even after 20 years lol.

[@kennhern]

Darrell Braun Guitar Even with a pack fresh set I still feel it may break anytime. That's why I use Rotosound Yellows not for tone, but for the extra high e included in the pack. If the first one survives, then I still have one more for the gig.

[@utubehound69]

Try tuning down a 1/2 step or a whole step it sounds much better imo & you can bump up the gauge so you get better tuning stability & bends are much easier w/larger gauge strings tuned down w/all the full tone goodness that comes with using 10's at lest.

[@kennhern]

Watchman4u I am using 10s

[@777sicilia]

Darrell Braun Guitar great vid Darrell! Thanks to u I'm $600+ poorer in 2 days...lol..I have a Sophia now thanks to you.

[@BaconatorJames]

A little update - I've had this exact trem on my American Performer Strat for almost a year now & have no complaints. I'm using all 5 springs, so I can change from 9-42 to 9.5-44 to 10-46 without making any adjustments. As for tune stability, I have to admit upgrading to a Graphtech nut is what did me the most favors, but that, combined with the FR Rail-Tail & locking Fender tuners, I cannot force this guitar out of tune. I don't notice any change regarding sustain or tone - but there could be, I'm not a musician & only been playing since late 2017. This system was expensive. I'm happy with it though & it's nice to have a trem arm that I don't have to unscrew to put it back in the case (loose enough to pull out, tight enough to stay in while playing). Trem springs belong in my vacuum now, not my Strat. This was a great recommendation, Darrell.

[@dagthewog6290]

AWSOME!!! The excitement left me TREMbling!

[@Craig_Fussell]

Wow! Love this tremolo system! I keep my MIM’s standard bridge “decked” to keep it from doing weird things and keep as much sustain as possible, but leave it to our pals at Floyd Rose to come up with something that does it all without having to do non-reversible modifications to the instrument. Well done! Thanks for sharing! Now that I’m steeped in GAS, I’ve gotta figure out how to scrape up the $250!! 🎸😳

[@brianohamill7236]

Craig Fussell it was invented by Boogie Rail and apparently sold to FR

[@J155P]

Dude, you're a great guitar player and teacher. It's easy to see you're a really good person. 👌👍

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks Joe! 😀

[@J155P]

Darrell Braun Guitar You're welcome 😁

[@MisterGuitarItalia]

Great video, very informative and the production is flawless. You're easily one of the best out there.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks man! I appreciate the kind words

[@chrisgentry2217]

Damn that tail piece is like a jewel on that strat. Sounds as awesome as it looks.

[@marka6414]

That trem looks incredibly high quality and a lovely upgrade to the guitar. But of it is not floating to keep the trem in tune and locked against the guitar body. You could just tighten the springs on a vintage trem and lock the trem against the body. Doing this give excellent tuning stability and stops double stops going out of tune in exactly the same way as the Floyd rose and its totally free unless you need to add a couple more springs to get the right tension.

[@pedrosilvamusician]

Right, but a normal tremolo system, even if correctly setup will detune the strings if you do dive bombs

[@marka6414]

@@pedrosilvamusician If that's the case there's a problem with the nut not being cut properly or smooth enough for the strings to move over them freely or the string are not wound properly on the tuning pegs.

[@rorycunningham5457]

Exactly and who wants to do diveboms only?Whats cool about a floating bridge is that you can do a nice vibrato with and diveboms if you like and it stays better in tune when its floating because you can just jerk it one time and its back in tune.

[@alwaysrockn2009]

Great video. I've always been annoyed with Fender and Squire for continuing to make a sub-par trem system knowing that it's garbage and people don't like it. Nice to see a great alternative to that issue. Now if only Fender would catch on.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

So true!!

[@acoffeewithsatan]

That's because the brand lives up of tradition. Fender is the kind of brand whose buyers usually seek for vintage stuff - as they "where used to be made", as Stevie Ray/ Jimi Hendrix/ David Gilmour etc. used them - rather being innovation-based. Over the decades numerous brands have came up with improved designs for the system - even Leo Fender himself designed a better floating bridge when wonrking on G&L - but Fender keeps up with the heritage.

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

When I realised that Squier and Fender kept the old flaws to satisfy the nostalgia of their customers, I went straight to Ibanez and I'm never going to be looking back.

[@guntherabrahamowicz4659]

Leo of Red Keep As have many. The staunch "traditionalists" are actively destroying Fender's and Gibson's future.

[@Teleman73]

That's like the Gibson headstock flaw, we won't fix it because it's a traditional!

[@scarlettepunk2087]

TREMEND-ROSE!!!! Good on you Darrell...maybe on my list now...I just hatdtailed mine

[@32ShadowWolf]

Man what a awesome Production dude! Every thing I wanted in a guitar tutor. Well done mate Greetings from Australia .

[@marcolalama6729]

That was fantastic content!! Thank you!

[@uspsdaveable]

Looks great and seems like an easy install, would of liked to see how you set up the saddle height and intonation , for a novice upgrader

[@casperboo5465]

That Looks And Sounds Awesome Darrell, Think im Going To Have One Of Those, Great Video As Always, Thank You, Cheers

[@Thestripper1]

9:11 I've never seen that before but I'm glad it's finally here. I have ordered a automatic fret hand so that I don't have to work so hard with all the fretting and bending and stuff like that.

[@fernandovlogs27]

Last time I was this early, MTV was focused on music and not crappy reality TV shows.

[@tooties545]

Wow, I love it! I've got a 2001 MIM Strat, I hope it fits. I'm getting one.

[@gabrieloalgo]

That Mex Strat sure screams! Cool loking trem, nice touch on the roller saddles.

[@Hera_91]

Awesome video set up!! I really really enjoy your content its great! Congrats from a fan in México!!

[@michaelmendillo4614]

Sold ! I hate the factory bridge on mine ! Sharp set screws sticking up right where I like my hand,, this looks very smooth and well made ! I am a happy camper right now ! TY Brother,,,, 😁✌

[@officialfloydrose5849]

500,000 views! Well done Darrell 🤘

[@coreydavison4971]

That chrome looks sick on that bright red strat! I love the outcome you had. Going to upgrade my MIM strat too!

[@jimallison6292]

You knocked it out of the park again man with that ans a set of locking tuners and a bone nut and some top of the line Pickups the mex kicks ass .

[@ahdbw8494]

Definitely putting one on my strat. I’ve been looking for a better bridge for it and I think this is the answer! Floyd Rose makes great products.

[@sirjames45]

I really like Darrell Braun. He is one of those typical super nice, super polite Canadian guys. Great show, and great information. I am American and We say harsh things like "fender Tremolos SUCK!"

[@wyattsdad8561]

Nice! I was just asking you all about this subject on another vid. Thank you for posting this!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Perfect timing! 😀

[@jasonkirkham550]

Thanks for the info & demo. I've been looking for an easy upgrade. And I believe I will try this new floyd.

[@bigfootingermany]

Hey Darrell, thanks to this video, I reached out to Floyd Rose and it looks like I am going to have the Rail Tail as an option on at least 2 of my models. Thanks for video. I'm really not a big fan of Floyd's, so I don't even keep up with their latest. If someone wants a Floyd type bridge on their build, I usually go with Schaller. For me, it's a local company, unlike FR. While I know the orig design is an awesome piece of hardware for the shredders, most of my customers are just blues and rock players. We're mostly old. lol. The only thing I dislike worse than a FR is the old school 6 screw trem. Without some specific modifications to the screws themselves, it's simply an outdated design. The newer 2 point is better, but even it has it's limits, as you point out. I know that by saying bad things about FR, I'm going to get flamed in the comments, but these are people that either don't have one, or rarely ever have to work on them. They were a pain in the a$$ in the 80's and still are. But as a retrofit for the old 6 screw, that Rail Tail is one sexy piece of modern looking hardware!!! Are you still loving it, or have you found something you would prefer was tweaked? If you still have some guitars laying around with the old 6 screw trem, the modification is rather simple, but requires some work. If you dont have a lathe, you can pull one screw and mod it at a time. Put it in a drill, and whatever the thickness of your baseplate is (Fender and Squier have used different thicknesses over the years) measure down that distance from the under side of the screw head. Use a triangle file, thinner the teeth the better, and turn on the drill. Use the V and cut into the shaft of the screw and hog out about 0.6-0.8mm of material from the shaft. Polish it with some extra fine sandpaper, and then green scotchbrite or 0000 steel wool to really get it smooth. Reinstall the screw and move to the next. When you use the tremolo arm, the base plate will drop into that groove smoothly, and return back to pitch, smoothly. You'll love the way it feels, but honestly, it's still only a bandaid for an old tired design. But again, thanks for the video and enlightening me to this awesome product FR has now. Take it easy, and waiting for the next video. Bob in Germany Piedmont Custom Guitar Co.

[@HRodMusic]

Excellent video broski! im considering this for my mexi strat.

[@just_trash1214]

Your channel is always amazing!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks so much!

[@DavidTaubner]

Thank so much you for posting this. I've been wanting to replace my Strat's tremolo system, and this looks like a good bet!

[@MrBHBjr]

I'm getting this!

[@RGMDG]

Nice tremelo, but very expensive.. It is nice that is is fully reversible too if you wanted to restore your guitar to the original condition. Thanks.

[@Stratisfied22]

I never thought of the foam under the springs. That's a great tip!

[@GabrielNardinMusic]

That bridge looks amazing, never paid that much attention to it.

[@phreak1118]

Sweet device! I hate the 6 screw trem. But I cant see myself putting a $250 trem on my $300 MIM strat.

[@jeffreyprice773]

Remove 4 screws.

[@phreak1118]

The bridge still wouldnt pivot on the remaining 2 screws...

[@sisajtegabre]

Bay old Ibi Com for like 300 euros and you get that trem and great guitar....☺ old Esp's are pricey anyhow some have same ''blade'' solution trems not 100% sure but some of old Kramers have them to

[@TommySixGun]

I agree. $250 is just too much money. I like the concept a lot.

[@bzbcustoms4520]

they are great guitars if you love it I would but keep the factory one case u want to sell it definitely not a great idea if you buy and sell alot but if you hang on to them I would upgrade

[@donald-parker]

Another big plus .... when you break a string it stays in tune

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

True! That's a big plus for sure!

[@mickm8028]

So does a six screw bridge if you have it flat to the body

[@ingekvam324]

Right! I bet those rollers eats up some sustain too. It reminds me of the Shift-2001 which was a terrible system. It is actually possible to "dive" a Fender trem staying in tune. There are just some small secret tricks to getting it right. I know them, You don't. :-)

[@livewire6925]

Very Cool. Just what I needed. Great Strat with a so so Tremolo. That will now change

[@matthewotremba9230]

love the string lock trick , and the tuner gadget

[@yvettefaubert4019]

If you are in love with your sratocaster is the best thing to do, great demonstration thank you very much... Robert.B.Thom

[@rustinonthevine]

It's a dive only trem. I really like being able to pull up on my trem arm.

[@DaniWhiteESP]

Omg that bridge is awesome!!

[@MrCanadianCaber]

What a great piece of upgrade hardware!

[@DBSG1976]

On my beautiful MOD Shop Daphne Blue Strat I have the Two Point Custom Classic Tremolo which I love, it stays in tune, and is easy to change strings (even for me). The also beautiful '57 Surf Green AVRI has a Vintage Trem and it is a step up from the Tremolo found in my two Classic Series 50's Strats, they stay in tune IF I leave the thing alone (no bombs...etc). The only reason I don't replace them is the Floyd Rose on my Charvel San Dimas allows me to get all the dives out of my system, even though my Luthier has to replace those strings because I am unable to (he tried to show me/I watched your vids, and I can't figure it out). Nice upgrade to your Strat and very informative video as usual!

[@MindsetMastery75]

And your point is??? Besides showing off all your guitars in a comment and being full of yourself.

[@CesarAllGuitar]

Interesting vid. Thanks for sharing

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Anytime! ☺

[@Bigjoedo66]

Great Video Darrell!! What an improvement

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks Joe!

[@brianbuck7352]

REALLY GREAT INSTRUCTOR! all is clear, & by the way. . .GREAT PLAYAH!

[@egalitarianvegan8806]

I love my Super Vee Bladerunner tremolo. It bolts on for great sustain, and still gives me a floating tremolo. Because is a spring it always stays in tune perfectly.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

I'd definitely like to check one of those out someday. 👍

[@Iheartdgd]

Wow..that is gorgeous, I’m ordering one right this minute. I can’t believe how easy this is to install, I figured you would’ve had to at least do a little bit of routing

[@kylesnyder9452]

I was just looking at these trems. Seems like a winner!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Good timing!

[@kimaram6499]

Another excellent video! Now I have another upgrade to seriously consider.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks Kimara!

[@paksland]

don't see or hear much of difference fro the oem tremolo. is it just me?

[@jettramel]

That looks awesome & I know it sounds good, I've played every kind of setup, had a 73 hard tail even & yes being decked gets that sustain at maximum. I've been looking to set on Strat up for Jeff Beck style playing, I might have to sacrifice the pull ups & wing it with this instead. This has to be the best Strat setups I've seen, no routing, looks great & built like a you-know-what. Thanks for the great video.

[@kencrosby1]

Thanks Darrell, I loved this video for the Floyd Rail Trem upgrade on your Strat. I've been thinking of swapping trems out trems on my '86 MIJ Strat and/or my son's LTD. I hadn't seen one of these before, it looks like a relatively easy swap for the old ones.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

No problem! It wasn't too bad at all ☺

[@1251wire]

Great instructional video that tremolo bar that you installed looks fantastic it looks like a tank of how well-built it looks... and that Fender reminds me of my first serious Strat.. I was 14 or 15...I'm 50 now... mine was a cheapy from a flea market but it looked exactly like yours and I loved... it may have been a phantom or a Memphis or no hold on a minute it may have been an Olympic.... it had just a regular stock fender tremolo and I did every trick in the book to fix it floating, I used to put a coin in the back of the neck to fix the action all kinds of things I learned on it....graphite on the nut, strings wound perfect..but I still prefer the tuning instability of the regular Fender trem...but you know that's just like me saying I love Floyd Rose instead of Kahler cuz I made that mistake before ! I upgraded by trading my cheap Olympic strat AND an Arbor explorer for a Japanese Aria Pro II Stray Cat it was glossy pearl white...I installed a Khaler AND Bill Lawrence PU on the bridge...I was 14 and overnight I was treated like a serious freaking high school guitar hero...I got the idea from seeing George Lynch on the back of the tooth and nail album...this was about 1984-ish ? I've been lucky enough to have been around awhile and a zillion guitars laters I still love all of them no matter what. Keep playing and experimenting. Cheers guitar geeks !

[@williamamos1716]

Looks much more...user friendly! Mine is blocked solid. Took a chance on a MexiStrat due to the labeling "Improved" trem. design, on a 60th Ann. Mexi-Strat. Nope! They missed again! Junk! I like this trem you're installings design, but I'm going graphtech saddles and nut too. Fenders factory nut is junk as well on this particular guitar. Intonation and stabilty must be fixed from both ends. String tree addition, and stiction issues resolved too! But the playabilty and tone of these guitars is fantastic! Thank You for the motivation😷👍

[@easye9-21]

William Amos Yeah I agree with you. My 2006 MIM Strat wouldn't stay in song for 5 minutes. I changed the nut to a Tusq XL and got a bladerunner bridge and now perfect.

[@drothberg3]

It's a tradeoff between the doublestops being in tune and having the added utility of being able to pull up on the bar, which make a whammy bar much more expressive. I recently readjusted my stat trem to float, actually using one of your videos on the subject (thanks!), and I miss my double stops being in tune, but the trem bar is a lot better that way. I'm not sure which I like better.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

That is a tough decision! I've always floated my bridges, but wanted to try something different. It will be interesting to see how much I miss it.

[@tomholton235]

Guitars are just a whole bunch of compromises... which is why you need lots of guitars :)

[@utubehound69]

Chk out my comment above I figured out the method of keeping a six screw bridge intune whist floating & yes I can do double stop bends w/out the other strings going out of tune. Even better results w/this method than Double Locking Floyd Rose trems. I've tried for years to over come that issue on the Floyd doing double stop bends & the other stings going flat. I need to apply this method on my Floyd trem Gtrs.

[@michaelwoods9005]

Just adjust your technique to compensate. I've gotten into the habit of *slightly* bending up the non-bent string on double stop bends. It doesn't take much practice and I can do it without thinking about it.

[@danriley903]

hey darrell, 3 years later what do you think? iv'e always found rolling saddles to kill sustain although i understand the why. ???

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Man that bridge looks nice. I bet it feels really smooth and comfortable on your palm

[@Zach-yh7kh]

As always, great vid!

[@RC32Smiths01]

Ahh man you are doing the insane now!

[@tridner1]

Interesting (but not totally surprising) that another company would come out with this type of design. The Super-Vee Bladerunner has a great implementation of this design/concept (I think they were the first) where the bridge is anchored to the body through a small rail/plate that is screwed in with 4 screws (for a 6-screw bridge). The difference is instead of pivoting on the rail itself like the floyd, it connects the majority of the bridge with a flexible piece of steel that allows the bridge to pivot back and forward. That flexible piece of steel goes through the both pieces of the bridge plate. One benefit (subject to each's opinion) is that the bridge still looks like a Fender bridge, but operates much better in terms of sustain, staying in tune, and trem feel. A detriment to the design is that Super-Vee kept the screw-in design for the bar - although there is an adjustment on the underside of the bar's hole to adjust the tension. It would be great if they would have incorporated the design of a pop-in arm. Another benefit of the Super-Vee Bladerunner is that it's a bit cheaper than the Floyd - coming in around $170 US, depending on the desired finish. I run the Bladerunner on all my Fender Strats, and have had phenomenal results. I do have a custom Carvin strat that still has the 2-point modern Fender-style bridge on it, and I'm tempted to give this a shot to see how it compares to the Super-Vee Bladerunner. That might be worth a comparison/shoot-out video (wink, wink). Always enjoy and learn something from your videos, Darrel! Keep 'em coming!

[@rottenberry4]

That chrome looks so good on that red 😮

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Excellent video and playing. Keep up the great work!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks Lucas!

[@sosmooth7]

That Mexican Strat sounds so good!! I really like the Mexican Strats a lot better than some of Fender's upper range instruments. I really appreciate your reviews and demos because they seem so genuine!! Thank you so much!!

[@stevenclarke5606]

I always panic when fitting new strings because it feels like they are going to snap and fly off risking eye damage

[@andrewryder1319]

Great! I'm going to give it a try on my strat!

[@josephetherton]

Damm ive been wanting a rail tail. Great choice Darrell!!! 😁✌🎸

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

If you really want to improve your trem, buy a SuperVee Blade Runner. It drops in, uses the same bolt holes, but there is none of that rocking and tilting crap. It bolts solid to the body. It transfers all the string energy straight into the body. It uses spring steel to flex. Check out the specs online, but it is the best thing ever to happen to a Strat. I replaced all my Strats with them, even the two post that comes on the American Standard.

[@projectgoatse]

Can you set it up floating?

[@jimmyb1tch35]

Now all you need is an LSR nut and a rolling string tree and you're in Jeff Beck territory

[@tompantaleo9441]

dvanhandel96 whats a rolling string tree

[@iann8733]

Tom Pantaleo The string tree (string guide, string retainer) are located at the headstock. Typical designs look like little arches that hold some of the strings down and guide them. When bending, strings can get caught on them which causes a little tuning instability. Rolling string trees make it so that the strings are guided through little grooves that physically turn when you do string bending making it so that there’s no uneven tension and that the strings won’t get caught up anywhere. They are designed to help tuning stability. I have them on my strat and they do help a lot. If you don’t have them, they are like a $15 upgrade or so.

[@MrMarkRoads]

I have a squire Strat, I got a loaded pick guard from 920d that I love, I just ordered this trem. Looks and sounds amazing

[@gigaphonicon]

That's awesome I'm going to have to get several of those

[@everybodylovesgav]

Surly locking tuners and graph tech or roller nut would improve the tuning even more

[@arthurivex2298]

It did for me, my fraken-Squire stays in perfect tune after some upgrades (the upgrades you mentioned) this very channel recommended!

[@secondthought2320]

Just another sale for over priced Floyd Rose at $250 USD. You probably got yours at no cost !! And you have no locking tuners!! You can buy Fender brand locking tuners for about $60 USD, and it will do more to help with the stability of the strings! Change the nut , $20 USD and guy go with 4 new springs, about $10 USD, leaving the middle space empty and your great to go!! So for about $100 or less if purschase from a good company like Sweetwater, you did the best up grade to a Mexican Strat that is affordable!! Remember always to lube the bridge strings and nut if needed, usually does. You will hear, feel the difference immediately and not a large hit to your pocket book!!

[@idontgivea1769]

Like everything else in this world, superior quality means more expensive...

[@ErGoyoTV]

Thanks, excellent review!. Can't go wrong with that upgrade, and one can tell by your more than usually happy face. Only thing to be aware it is a dive only, but there are so many more advantages.

[@matdemaz]

Yeah, dude. Super Strats are amazing. You make this look so easy, lol. Took me a bit to learn how to install most bridges right.

[@seerattan]

A wilkinson bridge for 50 bucks will do just fine.

[@sniffmatip3865]

Wilkinson make some not bad stuff, pretty underrated in my opinion, seen there trems come in some higher end guitars aswell.

[@alexander_winston]

For the $250-300 for this upgrade, I might put the loot towards an American Standard instead?

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

For sure.! Any bridge upgrade is really only good for a guitar that a person plans on keeping long-term. If your goal is a US Strat, then best focus on that ☺

[@utubehound69]

You will still have tuning issues w/the system unless you learn how to set it up to float & still stay in tune.

[@LeonMadrid]

Alexander Winston Mexicans strats are great quality instruments. And Japanese strats too

[@jono4708]

Of course it's not too hard to put the original trem back on the original guitar if you want to sell it. Cheers

[@stringsattached67]

Not if you've already got an American or custom shop strat ' because those Bridges suck too.

[@sleevelessace]

came for the trem installation but and now leaving to get that roto tuner device! best idea ever whoever made that!

[@mjallenuk]

Fantastic! Love that upgrade and it looks WORLDS better than the tat it replaced!