GUITAR HACKS! - How to block your trem

[@rectangularcuboid]

A 9v battery fit perfectly in my MIM strat cavity. Fast forward a couple years and it exploded while sitting on its stand. I thought stray bullet hit my apartment. Coins are definitely the smarter route and very metal.

[@JPTyler]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@brpadington]

I used the 9v method too. Until one day i noticed the battery was bloated while I was changing strings. It could have easily exploded or leaked acid all over my guitar. Coins or a piece of wood are the smarter way.

[@Damarcos29]

All that pressure on a 9v battery and you might as well be profiles by the TSA lmao.

[@muleblues71]

Nickel-back joke somewhere

[@Yupppi]

Have you coined a term for this??

[@Eatfard_5150]

Coining a floyd

[@STMNewEngland]

Nickel-back signature tremolo mod.

[@Nightwinflyer]

My solution was Popsicle sticks. They come in various thicknesses, you just cut the ends off to fit.

[@chriscampbell9191]

That sounds like a great alternative. I've been thinking about blocking my Ibanez trem. I've got a ton of popsicle sticks that were to be used on another guitar project (they weren't needed). Maybe I'll try using them.

[@Blue-jo5tl]

Uncle! I give. I hate tuning a floating trem. Take it away! Nickles to the rescue. Going from hardtail my whole life to a float bridge was like being able to drive really well my whole life then suddenly cars didn't work the same anymore. Forget tuning 3 times to get it tuned. Many thanks for this fix.

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

Heyyyyyy I NEEDED THiiiiissss!!!!!!

[@Sea_Jay]

Right on! This tip just saved me about $75 to block my favorite guitar. I used less that 10 pennies and it works so good! Thank you sir!

[@kevinstarofficial]

this is genius! thanks for saving me the hustle of woodworking trials and errors hahaha

[@AlmostLakai94]

So.. you basically just ended my worries on saving up for an American Standard lol. Highly appreciated 🙏🏽

[@declanfitzpatrick8268]

Wow! I've been using the same Strat copy for years. I just play for fun, so no need for anything fancy. When I bought it, the trem was driving me crazy, with the loss of tuning. I took the arm off, but I tend to rest my hand on the bridge a lot, so I was still getting "wobbly" sound. I opened up the back, and quickly figured out how the trem worked, and you'll never guess what my immediate remedy was? Yep! A block of coins! They're still there - old Irish 2p coins 😊

[@Gonzo2707]

How to turn an undercut Floyd into a „down-only“ trem (=no more out of tune, sharp palm mutes because paw on trem): 1. Double-sided sellotape in cavity, i.e. right in the undecut on the guitar‘s top. 2. 2x4 Lego brick on sellotape (Pro tip: blue Lego bricks have the tightest bass, yellow ones the chewiest mids) 3. Profit. If it‘s stupid, but it works, it‘s not stupid...

[@danielvelkovski3156]

You can get a stabilizer. Can still dive up or down while being stabilized and in tune. Palm mutes wont affect it. Id never turn a floating trem into a hardtail. Just sucks the Tremblock I ordered doesn’t work well on my Charvel.

[@allboutthemojo]

@@danielvelkovski3156 what kind of stabilizer will allow up or down trem? I need dive only but want string and tuning changes to be easy like a hardtail. Suggestions?

[@danielvelkovski3156]

@@allboutthemojo sup man. I believe this is the one I had guitar specialist install: Rockinger Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer.

[@allboutthemojo]

@@danielvelkovski3156 thanks. I'll check it out!

[@alansturgess1324]

I was wondering whether it matters what density of wood you use for blocking (balsa/pine/mahogany) and I also wondered if using a metal block made a noticeable difference. Never in a million years would I have thought of using coins - genius!

[@troyancheta3803]

Tried both, there's no difference in sound (In my ears atleast). So I only use coins after that. I would also put it to my friends guitars. Locked trem + stretched strings = awesome tuning stability. Even with cheap machine heads

[@brad_genx_sk8er]

I think bubinga blocks would give you the best sustain & tone for blocking your floating tremolo.

[@gypsytears22352]

this is perfect. i just got a jackson pro series sl2q but was frustrated with the fact i cant tune to drop d on the fly, so now this helps tremendously

[@socratrees47]

I just did this on an Agile Perihelion 8 string and so far it's working. I put new strings on it and it didn't like the gauge..the springs couldn't get it to standard.. SO stuffed 5 quarters in the back of the trem and 5 pennies in the other side and it was still wobbly tunning so I put a dime on top of the pennies and it works, I have my 8 string back!! 😂

[@chriscampbell9191]

Great vid. Very useful idea. Especially for those guitar players who don't want to install something quite permenent.

[@jonljacobi]

If you're looking to make your guitar dive-only, and don't need to change it back often, a simple slotted angle bracket screwed into the guitar underneath the springs and extending into the trem block cavity, will do the trick. Cheap, adjustable.

[@ottolofstrom3896]

Hi! How do you mean? Thinking about doing mine to dive only!

[@melvinthomas9292]

As soon as he pulled the change from his pocket I liked the video, it’s how I do it

[@philsmith3019]

Really useful tip for when you want to buy a guitar with a fixed bridge, but it only come available with floyd.

[@aceonwheels2349]

My brother stacked paint stirrer sticks. Cut them length wise to fit the cavity and wedged.

[@jesseblanchette6861]

I used a bread knife to cut a wine cork to size. It’s firm enough to hold it and squishy enough to wedge in there 👌🏼

[@h1de]

The video I didn't know I needed. 😀👍

[@joeyvanostrand3655]

Did you buy that Friedman pre-beat-to-shit or has it been genuinely loved?

[@phillamoore157]

I just watched a channel that just chose to screw those two screws in the top further into the wood. Is there any reason that would be a bad idea? I have no problem with this method, I just wanted an option a little "cleaner". I also have another question. Because I'm primarily a rhythm player, I never use a tremolo, never mind a Floyd Rose. But, in my never-ending quest to have a guitar stay in tune longer than 5min.... It seems a Floyd Rose, stays in tune very well. Would it be wise to install it, then just block it off??? At this point, I'll do whatever it takes. Giving a shout out to Michael, or anyone in the know...

[@BigHairyGuitars]

If you have a guitar with a trem that you don't use. Put in all 5 springs, and just block that off, if it's still not solid enough for you. If you're having tuning problems, you might want to consider either (or both) putting in locking tuners (at the headstock), and maybe more importantly take the guitar for an excellent professional setup. I wouldn't go through the destructive non reversible process of adding a Floyd to a non- Floyd guitar.

[@phillamoore157]

​@@BigHairyGuitars Perfect....thanks for the quick reply, Michael!

[@TheBoomtown4]

Would perhaps a solid block of hard wood transmit the vibrations more, potentially leading to more sustain and resonance? Seems like that rubbery tape would absorb potential vibrations.

[@nicemutant]

I used a block of wood and the resonanance/sustain definitely improved 🤔...

[@icomfire]

good video thanks for the tips. Just got an agile interceptor 727 I was wanting to block the tree on

[@abettik3243]

Great technique! it worked very well on my squier strat affinity, thx a lot!

[@error8418]

I do think it changes the sound very slightly. My Mexican Strat seems to have a little bit more sustain when the trem is blocked.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

I agree. I think partly because the strings aren't loosing energy by pulling on the trem, but possibly also the extra mass.

[@error8418]

@@BigHairyGuitars Yeah, it probably has to do with the improved transfer of vibrations through the solid metal of the the coins rather than the springs which might actually dampen the strings to a certain degree. Would be fun to see a "which coins sound best" after all the tone wood debates... 😂 Euro cents don't sound bad either!

[@JimVincent]

If I'm ever on stage and someone in the crowd asks if I can break a quarter for them, I'll have 'em covered.

[@JohnnyBeane]

Thanks for the tip!

[@BOBANDVEG]

I have looked at diff options..... This is phqn genius

[@Ikaros4-10]

Genius. That simple.

[@tobiasblaeser7943]

Thank you! This was very helpful indeed. ☺️

[@Brightblade43]

Bought a new guitar with a tremolo for the first time. Me and the tremolo aren't getting along Found this video Problem solved Thank you🙏

[@joachimlindback]

Now the question is what coins sounds the best?

[@juergenheering174]

Krugerrand

[@FreddyGaming]

Picks also work the same way!

[@Jack-qn6jb]

I just removed one my trem springs and screwed in the hooks holding them further and completely disabled it as 90s strat trems are rubbish

[@fullmetalsal]

Why do some manufacturers put a $10 block instead of a brass block on $4,000 guitar?

[@aftondill2837]

thanks buddy! just did it with my first-ever floating bridge. it was really annoying having it floating haha.

[@masonevans6059]

Is it bad if the screws are to close to the body?

[@reillybowes9302]

Your voice is very close to Bob Odenkirk’s

[@aliveandfilming2]

Ben sacrament! Thanks for putting in your 5 cent on the matter ..... gonna try it as soon as I get home

[@billyanggranesta8722]

Is it necessary to put coin on the back of the spring? I dunno how to pull out the spring and afraid to try

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Don't worry about the spring. some needle nose pliers make it easier to grab the string. You do need coins on both side of the trem block

[@poundtacos4006]

I'm assuming this will work on a non locking trem as well?

[@error8418]

I have been using this trick on my strat ever since I got it and it works perfectly.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Rock Cut yep Same idea

[@ottolofstrom3896]

How do you fit in the coins so well? I've tried but never get the angle of the baseplate right.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hmm, I'm not sure. All of my trem blocks sit parallel to the wood. Sorry

[@mariopalumbo9898]

Great trick. I will try it.

[@BuffDad55]

thank you so much for this !!!!!!! I've been fighting the urge of buying another guitar for months because dropping my current one is always a nightmare so this might just have saved me 800$ Edit : It saved me 799.55$ factoring in the cost of the coins

[@rsty138]

Before breaking piggy bank… How many nickels does this take ? Thx

[@RC_Cola2020]

What do you do about the nut? Do you keep it screwed down, or let it sit loose?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

I keep it on the guitar, so I don't lose the pieces. But, you can take it off totally, OR, leave it on. Don't tighten them down, so then you can tune with the head tuners and the fine tuners.

[@RC_Cola2020]

@@BigHairyGuitars I took mine off and put them in a small ziplock bag, and put them in the compartment in the back of the guitar where the springs are :)

[@Mountline]

When blocking a Floyd Rose for dive-only, how inportant is it for the bridge to be exactly in level with the body?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

It's all a personal preference thing. I would try to get it fairly level with the body as a starting point though.

[@Mountline]

Michael Nielsen thanks! Since my Floyd is non-redessed (Kramer Baretta) i guess I meant ”paralell” to the body rather than ”level”.

[@matthewenglund3502]

Genious idear man, thanks for the tip 👍👍🏻

[@GalansKey]

fix a lot! Hope I can use it on gigs

[@bi0lizard1]

Awesome! Low tech solution. I love the look and playability of my Charvel, but have ALWAYS loathed that stupid Floyd Rose shit tremolo. You have saved my guitar for me with this trick. Now I can play it and enjoy it again. ❤️

[@atomichaser]

actually tremel-no is a great product....i got one and its what every trem should have!!!

[@poundtacos4006]

I'd live to get one, but only have nickels to spend at the moment! Haha! Hopefully Canadian nickels will work!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hi Rock! I have a Tremol-no on my blue Friedman with a Gotoh trem. It IS a great product. To be honest. I kinda like this method better. I would switch live, but in the studio it’s fast to switch out. I don’t love how the tremor-no affects the feel of the trem just a little bit. BUT, I do agree. Tremol-no is a great option

[@JimVincent]

One is $70, the other isn't even 70 cents.

[@VOLKER-ge4tk]

Cool T-Shirt!

[@zac1002]

Question: If I block my trem like this, do I still need to have my locking [allen] bolts on the nut?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Nope. I leave it on so that I don’t lose the parts, but I don’t bolt it down

[@zac1002]

@@BigHairyGuitars thanks for the reply! I'm trying this right now [with my Ibanez Edge III floating trem] and I have one more question: I'm not able to get my middle spring back in with the coins in the way and I don't have the option to install that middle spring beside the coins. Can I just leave the middle spring out since my trem is "blocked" anyways??

[@michaeljohn7996]

You are genius.

[@ZitherBeast]

I would have probably never thought of this. I am going to try it on a cheapo guitar I have that actually sounds great, but one hint of touching the whammy, and it's out of tune. COOL.

[@uralemekci]

Hi Michael. What did you put in the cavity to eliminate spring noise? Amazing video btw, I was trying to figure out how to disable my tremolo without a luthier's help.

[@danielvelkovski3156]

Why not get noiseless springs? Instead of 3 stock springs my guitar uses 2 red noiseless springs by floyd rose.

[@uralemekci]

Daniel Velkovski i haven’t heard of them before. Will check them out.

[@TurboMountTV]

Or just dampen them with rubber, foam, felt I've seen. Whatever.

[@Jmc349]

Wrap them with electrical tape.

[@Jason-ik2ok]

Wait so you dont need to adjust the intonation for this trick?? If you dont then youre a wizard

[@matttheamazing5312]

Can you also just deck the tremolo(only dive) with this, so you can still detune your guitar easier and have some tremolo capabilities?

[@rocktorrocks]

I think you can. Just need to put the coins on one side of the trem instead of on both sides. I wanna try to do this with my Floyd rose to make it down only.

[@zachswiftmusic]

I tried decking my stratocaster and the string height was way too low at the max setting.

[@doctorbillzable]

....oh great....now I hafta sink more money into my guitar.....lol...Thanks!!

[@funnelbeaker9839]

just tighten the springs and tighten the bridgescrews, no need for coins or anything else

[@vitaliistep]

It's a miracle! :)

[@dannyspitzer1267]

cool idea, thanks

[@MajorTom106]

Do you loosen the spring claw when you do this?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

nope. You just wiggle in the coins. Sometimes you have to take out a nickel and put in a dime, or add a nickel. Depending on how the bridge is sitting. But you don't really have to change anything on the guitar.

[@RichLunaMusic]

Literally costs less than $1! It would’ve been funny if the coins fell out when you were banging on the thing. But you could’ve just edited that out anyway haha.

[@scarecrow1385]

I used my toe nail clipper lmao coins is the way to go

[@RickBomhof]

dude. wouldn't it be MUCH MUCH faster to just wind electrical tape over a battery, push down on the whammy bar, put the battery underneath the floyd and release

[@CruckDuck03]

"for less than $1"

[@RIPbob]

Thanks a bunch! :)

[@nitromeda]

And I already bought two tremol-nos for xx million dollars ... *sigh

[@BigHairyGuitars]

I have 1 also. They're really good. But I find that once I block the trem with the Tremol-no, I usually just leave it there.

[@danielvelkovski3156]

Michael Nielsen out of curiosity why didn’t you get the blackbox instead? It goes back to neutral and lets you dive up/down.

[@d.andrews6687]

Dude, I will watch any video you post. Make a video where you discuss toast recipes. Go ahead, see if I watch it. I'll watch it and read all the comments, too.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

THANKS D!!!

[@RockGuitarVibes]

OK, but by using a red tape it would sound better ;-)

[@NELJHAN123]

Thats like my bridge block a wood

[@TheDdkk1]

Very cool. Thanks for posting this. I always appreciate an easy method that even a tech newb like me can follow. Sorry if this is a stupid question but would this also help with guitar tuning stability. I have a charvel dk I like but maintaining tune can be tricky. Does blocking the trem help?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hi Dan, yeah the blocking will help tuning stability. Especially if you are coming from full floating.

[@AmericanVetMusic]

@@BigHairyGuitarsthanks for the reply. I also have a new Charvel DK24 that has tuning issues. This is genius!!! Oddball question but doing this won’t ruin my warranty will it?

[@juanrogelrodriguez8285]

Genial y barato,a lo mejor hasta mejora el sonido!

[@fullmetalsal]

Money well spent

[@browill9]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@davidcogan9936]

Legend

[@brianmckenzie1318]

I dig it! \w/

[@stevekent]

Or just tighten the spring claw (as designed) into the body until the springs are so taught the trem block no longer moves 🤪

[@rockandrollmd541]

Won't work on a 2 post floating tremolo. The bridge will sink because there isn't any wood underneath it. It will only work on a 6 screw vintage-style tremolo.

[@clancywiiiggum8438]

Woah woah, six nickels!? I'm not a millionaire dude!

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Nice video man. Have a good day.

[@adilsonobelard9690]

Stupid tip you don’t have money to buy a trem block is because you have shit guitar and it’s better to use a wood block

[@Locoandchooch]

🤘🏼

[@freegraceau]

A bit insufferable.