Is Your Trem Sucking Your Tone? Trem Blocks / Sustain Blocks / Tone Blocks / I find out the TRUTH!

Hey everybody!
In this video I test the difference between a thin cheap Trem Block with a big fat tream block!! or is it Tone Block? or Sustain Block? I dunno... is it all nonsense or does this often overlooked guitar mod really make that much difference?
Watch this video to find out!
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[@BrentHutchinson]

Can you tell the difference?

[@TheLambLive]

Honestly, no... an neither can anybody else by sound alone. There may be a difference, but turning up to a gig and being able to guess the block in the guitarist's strat... not a chance. 😁

[@ronnienose8608]

@@TheLambLive Could you give me a link for those threaded inserts and bolts please?

[@mr.dampmods8518]

ciao the second sounds fuller with nice overtones , the first is trebly , the basic idea is the same of course , but i leave you the first and i take the second ahah

[@efuedingdong]

The second sounded better but not as long in the sustain. The guitar needs a setup, the strob is off on the strings.

[@jackh8561]

Second one sounds way better definitely thought it was the big block

[@astrums99]

I always thought they made a difference and have always upgraded to fat blocks on my import strats... That is until I got my hands on a Squier Classic Vibe 50's Stratocaster this week. The tone and sustain out of the thin 'pot metal block' is superb. No need to change. Even considering keeping the pickups

[@johnwetzel6200]

Pretty sure they're alnico, so well worth keeping

[@KyLesCaster]

After putting a full size wilkinson block in my Squier Affinity, the entire body of the guitar began to vibrate much more, you can feel it. also it sounds at least twice as loud acoustically. absolutely worth it

[@johnbeddoe782]

could you give me a link to the block you used? I have trouble finding a full block for an affinity. Thanks in advance

[@Gut_tt]

@@johnbeddoe782 Just find 36mm deep 73mm long Good luck dude

[@johnbeddoe782]

@@Gut_tt thanks mate

[@Gut_tt]

@@johnbeddoe782 If u not sure, Musicilly has special made full brass block for Affinity strat also has for China Affinity

[@johnbeddoe782]

@@Gut_tt yup I got it from them. Thanks again

[@lagernathy]

Replaced the trem block on my mim strat for a heavier one, and heard no difference in sustain or tone. I think a guitar's sustain is a combination of every factor in how the guitar is built. If your strat isn't sustaning enough for you, try another Strat.

[@silvansky]

The right way to compare them is to record a DI of your guitar with just a single all-opens strum and measure the audio tail to see if this affects sustain.

[@BrentHutchinson]

More of a feel and playing and tone comparison than a scientific one

[@DrMurdercock]

one thing ive learned is we hear with our eyes. When you make us use our ears, string gauge, pick ups, amps, ton blocks, all that goes out the window. At least for the kind of music I play.

[@tpike32]

With that being said . I heard “ green needle “😂

[@oncameramastery]

I hardtail my strats with all 5 springs, but I still like to get a big block in there if I can!

[@BrentHutchinson]

It's amazing what you can get into a small space with a bit of persuasion :)

[@oncameramastery]

the tone is once again lowered!

[@BrentHutchinson]

@@oncameramastery in more ways than one lmao

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@BrentHutchinson you are of course refering to number of clowns in an old British mini car - did I get it right :-)

[@ResaAdilaksana]

block with spring and block with wood have different tone 😊

[@soilsample]

What im far more interested in, yet cant seem to find nearly barely anything on, Is what does each length of block do for the response of the arm itself? Is a shorter block more responsive with a better flutter, or a longer block? Tone is not the concern iMO

[@periurban]

I could tell the second one was the new block, because the intonation was all messed up! lol I have a Pacifica I just upgraded with nice pickups, but I kept the old bridge with it's skinny block. I'm probably gonna change that if I can find one to fit! Nice vid.

[@bub2010]

LOL.. funny you could tell because of that.. hah. I listened to another video and couldn't tell a difference between 4 different kinds, but I thought to myself IF I SCREW UP the intonnation I'm spending more time or money fixing that issue. LOL

[@geoffmead9081]

Thanks for the video. I've got a Harley Benton strat and I've just put in a £20 brass block from Amazon. I was sceptical but it was a cheap upgrade to try. The difference is astonishing. It suddenly has a rich, full tone with loads of sustain.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

It’s funny how players have been fixating on little things on guitars over the years mainly because people listen to them on the internet. Saddles, bridge blocks, string trees, pots, the finish etc. what next? The air surrounding the instrument? And while pickups do make a difference all the other stuff is mostly nonsense and a good player knows this! Thanks for mythbusting! Tasty licks!

[@BrentHutchinson]

Yeah was discussing moisture in the air effecting guitar tone the other day 🤣

[@geosmith3436]

Suppose it gives these saddos something to do.

[@jakeritchie3805]

I gotta disagree if your actually using the tremolo. That big block will help tuning stability a ton

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

@@jakeritchie3805 Explain how? Just curious. Thank you.

[@jakeritchie3805]

I feel like the larger, more dense metals, balances the string tension better, when your playing. The larger block really helps the return to zero in all of the cheap strats ive upgraded. Im no scientist and im sure there is a better way to say what im tryung to say lol

[@TheLambLive]

I changed out a rotten jammed up Fender bridge for a heavy block Wilkinson and it felt better... but what really made it feel better was replacing the neck screws with threaded inserts + bolts. That made the whole guitar much more stable and rigid. You should give it a go. Easy mod and your guitar will be better for it. Cheers.

[@BrentHutchinson]

Wow great idea thanks

[@ronnienose8608]

The Lamb Hi. Have you got a link for those threaded inserts and bolts? Much appreciated.

[@ラウこ]

@@ronnienose8608 did you find it ?

[@ronnienose8608]

@@ラウこ No, he didn't reply. Do you have any idea where to find these?

[@manos1710]

@@ronnienose8608 www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-PRECISION-REPLACEMENT-NECK-INSERTS-SCREWS-FOR-STRAT-TELE-BASS/232157248168?var=531363045844&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item360da67aa8:m:mIlfS6bH1WLPxbb-YkyvNwQ&enc=AQAEAAACcIQvEcHUrT7nmUC3yY5qbPyaBN1nJEDYW8MyypsJPgXKF3BJAAYks2a%2Bk4Q1TtMfwC9Vg0OGRUVY4jFq61oDc4dWquYlUtixX4H8jiOrcWqhVmPXN%2Bw7738%2FGY9y1ECfwMutLRClE5m4slpogjpqzukcegZ89DcrGnnLZk0q63BhJLQCUiWqvtJxVHUerha%2BUJSOowrkG6mu8ZZ0pNyMciGPIRWC%2FKJ2%2FpwjDjwWjjFuB7WPfCfXsTQ53nmr%2BskVk0M5BTcK323ZDRWHKzSP8tSRvB0mlZXsCI93csyj65pglS8NRzvUXx872wtZxWqGxkZyy0bj84k11bbmnbGv%2FVF4XUSENCiqsy324SzaIYwFUUMJIY3il6Y%2FN710YP7mAzgRZ4MneSJEu1Jc8fyP9C0MLqeMkc14cWGMUzMlmVcF1QwE0IZSCZpQFh8sd9IaXuQ0Bn08DDOnGhKeZYvUkwKmvgNNojgRDGeDlD1%2F%2Bg5pAIHOO8WQanTpFfzmT1VdshIS4qvpWnaNPpr3OMJLSk3ilgodHK81wPv2WgP6fbPX9jeYjK%2B89OWxu4Nn8RX8cabGr8rjiCqyYxNgxJ8dBUjz%2FPsRSS5Qq%2BQe0bLkCEzrahXUcP9P3hZxk04oTtyaN%2BW3zF2er6nGJOMtjUe8L0szZF%2FUXzeK%2FjkR8cRCUE6WdWz4%2BfJYZnaP3NLq592qg5U9rTygfFIiPN2PgvCmP%2FxgElTwTmgigYWAKVceRPKlrN43qSxwr36YrIh0PIYQ2lP1z8km76yJlX1%2BwLZ5CvI6qWIML7umzZIiBaeLNqJpmIbM1BpDLB2wcBCVWqjQ4g%3D%3D&checksum=232157248168873c858abbb44d20a1294cde7940df31

[@perothing]

I've got an early 70's Japanese Rokkoman-strat with the thickest tremblock I've ever seen; it's a 17-millimeter thick steel block! Normal ones measure approx 12mm. Unfortunately, it won't fit in the cavity of my newer strat-alikes.

[@Studio_940]

The second clip sounded completely different through studio monitors. It was much fuller and not as trebly. I'd say it's a real upgrade for sure.

[@victorvelez4660]

I'm surprised no one commented on the thin block bridge on the table. Dead giveaway... 😁

[@GitaraDad]

I can't tell the difference and the audience at gigs won't even give a f*ck about it

[@unofficialbhb7284]

Thanks as always M8ty for filming and sharing all of these vids...... will watch properly with Maria laterz when we will also watch back last night's Q&A session..... M&MX / Mark T X

[@salvianofernandes9851]

MAN that guitar das smoken...thank you and Rock on brother !

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

I wonder if a heavier block will give the player more control over the bridge, making a more precise use of it possible. I suppose this is something an experienced player who's compared them could tell.

[@BrentHutchinson]

I definitely feels nicer to play

[@AchillesWrath1]

Great playing. I could tell the big block was in the second one. It's not a "OMG what a difference" but it's enough of a difference i can tell. A little more clarity to the notes.

[@BrentHutchinson]

Yes it is subtle but a worthy upgrade

[@philtangerine]

Hmmm. Well, I thought the sound was louder, clearer, and more dynamic with the first one. I hope everything was equal...meaning that all the settings were the same in both demos. I don't want to give it away. But I wonder if different types of block materials and sizes do "absorb" a different amount of soundwaves, requiring that volume be increased or decreased in order to make them play at the same volume. Assuming the answer to my question is no, and everything was truly equal, to my ears, the first sounded better.

[@stevelaferney3579]

The only thing missing with the way you did this test was playing the guitar unplugged. No amp. No electricity, period. Just acoustic sound to compare would have been the final be-all gold standard test. Cause you thoughtfully used only one guitar. Thank you. For everything.

[@cleangoblin2021]

Ah thanks. But i heard that it keeps it in tune better if the block is heavier? What do you think>

[@BrentHutchinson]

I would agree

[@DrMurdercock]

How does that make any logical sense though?

[@voodoochild1975az]

HUGE difference in sustain. As I was listening to the 2nd run, I kept thinking 'I am going to laugh my ass off if this is the small block, because I totally hear a difference in sustain if nothing else'... Helps that you were also skeptical but heard the same thing. In the immortal words of Adam and Jamie, Myth Confirmed

[@stefanlohrer7160]

Nice job. Sustain definitely increased with the bigger block.

[@lightfoot413]

I put a brass block in my Squier Affinity..Absolutely made a difference..Surprised my friend at the local music store also made him a believer and he sells guitars...thanks for the video..well done...

[@juricabura8967]

Block makes la losts of difference. It's more about balanced sounds. Which is better? Well the one you like more :)

[@joshuamichael4312]

Nice playing man. Smooth as heck. May I ask what your signal chain is for this video? Thx

[@BrentHutchinson]

Been a while but at the time I was using a line 6 pod 2.0 into my focusrite Scarlette 18i8 interface

[@rokinrandy]

More material more sustain. Leave your guitar unplugged and lean the headstock against your night stand or wooden door. The vibrations will resonate through it. Physics Another test would to be look at the edit view before and after. The tone will show to die off quicker in edit view A. If any of it sounds better or not is nothing more than a subjective opinion.

[@xaviervansteen290]

yes yes but what do i do when i bend a note and while bending this note play another note which now sounds about 15-25 cents lower because now my bridge is rising due to the bending of the first note?! :( HELP ? Would a bigger and beafier block of metal solve this problem ?

[@bearsound1667]

I’ve found that getting a bigger brass block on a Floyd as approsed to the smaller brass one or zinc? Ones the Guitar has a more overall warmth, now on a strat type trem, I think it has less of an impact

[@henryhunter5026]

I guess that there might have been some differences in tone between the two blocks but I think that spring tension has a greater effect on the sound of a Strat than the block size/material.

[@ElvisPereira-ex9dy]

Do you think more tension equals more sustain or the other way around?

[@bluwng]

In what way?

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

I put a USA steel Fender tremolo on my CV strat. It changed the sound quite a lot. It sounded much brighter. I used to love the sound of the middle pickup and thought the neck was a bit lacking. With the new tremolo this reversed. Guitar felt more alive. That's not to say the old one was bad just different. I left it in there anyway ☺

[@BrentHutchinson]

Yeah I was shocked that this made so much difference

[@waltseher7115]

You can tell, by the look on your face. When you held that note......like forever! Lol

[@TheFatneck59]

Just come across this vid and funnilly enough have just purchased a nice fat wilkinson to go in my HB ST-62 vintage series (2014) with the wilkinson pups in it. listening to different guys who have done the same thing, they also say you may need to route some more out of the body. Going to put new trees on it and tuners as well. I am only doing this because I had a go on a Fender strat MIM and was disapointed in the sound. Might as spend few bob on HB then I'll try another fender.

[@BrentHutchinson]

Yeah man I love my hbs. I put all fender parts on my black paisley strat. It is an awesome beast now. It was great before but just has a little more after the upgrades.

[@TheFatneck59]

@@BrentHutchinson Chuffed to bits, had to take a very little out of the bridge hole on the body. 2 outside screw holes out of centre so dowled and that put that right. Had to open up tuner holes to 10mm. Put the fancy little trees on (not sure what that would do but looks nice). Tried the bridge with just 3 springs as per the old one but action height moved so change to 4 and set it back up. It's a revelation yipeee, all with wilkinson hardware at very little cost.

[@BrentHutchinson]

@@TheFatneck59 that's brilliant..doesn't take much but little tweaks can go a long way ! Happy days

[@Cheguebuddha]

The 1st guitar sounds more clear to me. When can we know the results?

[@Cheguebuddha]

Ok I see you mention that the 2nd one was the big block and thats exactly what I have found out in my own expereince. My old Harley Benton ST-20 has a thin block and sustains for ages so does my ST-62MN. The Harley Benton ST-90SA has a thick block and has that slight thumpy sound , almost as if it sucking up the tone and shortening the sustain.

[@ericgendell8874]

Great Playing

[@andy123blues1]

I exchanged plastic pins to Brass pins for my dreadnaught guitar and there was a change in sound brightness and sustain. Strings on resting in the bridge. Its difficult to get an accurate reading with two different guitars. I am currently replacing a zinc cracked trem for a brass trem on a 1987 series 10 by Bentley. I am not sure what to expect other then my tremelo bar to finally work.

[@BrentHutchinson]

Interesting I have never messed with the pins I must try that

[@perkristoffersson4153]

Changing trem material seems to make a very noticeable difference to tone. The trem block somewhat less so. Noticed this when I temporarily replaced the licensed floyd in one of my guitars with the real deal from one of my others. Less dampening of vibrations I guess. The difference was audible here as well in a similar way.

[@gertvanrooy428]

Why would you leave these backplates off?

[@daimamirrudin10]

To easily change strings

[@bluwng]

Your guitar sounds good and looks cool

[@DHgtr1]

Wouldn't it be better to try both trms in same guitar??? a lot more work..i know ..I have some squire guitar w/skinny blocks that stay in tune better than fener big blocks thanks...DH

[@DHgtr1]

SORRY I GUESS JUST ANOTHER STUPID COMMENT GREAT VIDEO...DH

[@ashscott6068]

Once you take the strings off, you'll never get them back on the way they were. They always sound a bit different, cus they're not sitting the same. Especially if they were used a little bit before taking them off. but I don't see the trem block making that much difference. It's not really connected to the vibrating part of the string. The vibrations are mostly transferred to the body through the saddle, the grub screw, the trem plate, then via the pivot and down through whatever posts the trem uses. Changing those might affect sustain. And setting up the trem to float, definitely does.

[@1RobHunter1]

Yes, the big block more sustain and more mellow - gold tone.

[@o.w.dobbins6927]

That's not a very accurate way of testing sustain difference, SMH. Why not pick an individual open string, with guitar plugged into a tuner and let the string sustain until the tuner goes blank?? Seems like that would be a pretty accurate way to test the natural sustain wouldn't it.? Plus being plugged into an amp can cause the strings to sustain by themselves by way of feedback.

[@Highways6]

There’s a guitar on the ceiling 🙃

[@An2oine]

Ok, you rip. The green guitar has my attention.

[@johnwetzel6200]

Oh, I think I saw that guitar on marketplace

[@waldemarpierzchalski]

I just changed zinc block in my MIM Fender to steel Kluson block and it has a lot more clarity. To hell with sustain, it's main misconception that heavier block will improve sustain in audible way, i can't hear difference in sustain, but in clarity difference is very audible, each string has more separated sound from others, it's the best way i can describe it. Maybe because lighter block allows vibrations of each string to interfere with each other and steel block is better with maintaining separation of vibrations. It does play, in purely musical way not necessarily tonally, better.

[@ragnaroksangel]

That means you are losing the sound from the strings somewhere else. Most likely at the nut. The way sustain works is sound is reflected back to the strings, MOSTLY at the nut and saddles. Denser materials equals more sustain because the sound continues going back and forth across the string instead of continuing to travel and ultimately dampening into other components. So, YES, a brass block does fucking help with sustain- it prevents the sound from continuing to travel into the springs, into the claw (typically made of really cheap shit), the claw screws, and into the guitar body, where that sound is lost. Having a bigger, denser block stops that sound travel and returns it back towards the strings. You gain some of what you would have otherwise COMPLETELY LOST. Your problem is somewhere else. Most likely the nut and saddles. If you upgrade those 3 to denser materials, you damn sure will have an incredibly noticeable difference. If you can't tell a difference with the block change alone, that means you have a shitty nut and possibly whatever is beyond it. You change that to something that doesn't suck, and you WILL hear the difference from the block. You'll hear it even more after replacing the saddles with a denser material.

[@philoshaughnessy906]

What about wood? What about pickups?

[@waldemarpierzchalski]

Yes

[@johngannon9954]

Pretty sure if Eric Clapton uses one in his guitar then its probably NOT a myth.

[@MagnusGoGo]

Disappointing. This would've been much better if you edited the sound clips together for A/B testing. A presentation like this is what I would expect from a non-serious amateur uploading to KZbin in 2009, not someone who wants to "find out the TRUTH" in 2019.

[@CRUNCHCOLE]

The second one had more sustain and seemed like it sounded better but with that dead sounding guitar it was hard to tell. That has to be the worst sounding guitar I ever heard. Sounds like the strings as 10 years old

[@dvscool]

It isn't a "vast improvement". Its a subtle change in tone, which you made sacrifices to get, and if its better or not, is subjective. You literally have zero dive, you could hear it bottoming out. There are applications where these are worth the money, but generally speaking. They are not. And I own several. Just play your guitar.

[@sorgutentarer]

Why take advice from a man who doesn't have the musical ear to notice that his guitar is out of tune with bad intonation? :')

[@BrentHutchinson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@DougHinVA]

again... it's an excuse to make faces and show-off his playing. it is NOT about trem block material.

[@donlessnau3983]

Lame

[@BrentHutchinson]

Yes you are

[@no_modsiwantguitarstock5162]

Waste of time and money! Weell the last fool aint born yet! Its like saying theres a diff on wind sound wintertime vs summertime when speed and other surcomstansies is the same.

[@DMSProduktions]

But winter & summer SMELL different!

[@BrentHutchinson]

I'm confused...

[@DMSProduktions]

@@BrentHutchinson LOL! His WEAK attempt @ English metaphor!

[@no_modsiwantguitarstock5162]

@@DMSProduktions what about it? Theres millions of languages in the world try another one than english man..live and learn....

[@DMSProduktions]

@@no_modsiwantguitarstock5162 LOL! Not viddout da Finnish source! ;oP

[@dimebagtribute]

I love how people are surprise by the difference between a zinc and a brass block for example!! Even if sometimes audience cannot ear any difference, the guitarist can easily feel it and usually it's quite substencial!!

[@BrentHutchinson]

yes its definitely for the player