The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    hi all,
    ive decided I’m gonna hard tail my Pacifica
    112v (think strat)

    Qu
    after blocking up the trem block with a piece of wood ,
    would you recommend I remove the trem springs and claw that holds them in place
    normally

    i know I will have to extend the earth
    wire to the tremolo block somehow
    so the strings will still be earthed
    but I think I can handle that ...

    cheers mates

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  3. #2

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    I would leave the springs in for their reverb effect. But if a dry tone is desired then not.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by pingu
    i know I will have to extend the earth
    wire to the tremolo block somehow
    so the strings will still be earthed
    but I think I can handle that ...
    On Strats, the springs are connected between the bridge block and the spring claw; the claw is held by a pair of wood screws and the ground wire is soldered to the claw.

    If you remove the springs what is left is the wood screws holding the claw clanging loose in there with no ground contact to the strings. If you cut the ground wire from the claw and remove the claw (and maybe the wood screws), you need a place to connect the end of the ground wire that gets to the strings.

    On my Strat, my ground wire connection to the pot stays put and the connection to the claw was long ago cut and moved to the hole in the bridge block where the "L" shaped end of a spring is inserted into that block hole - I just removed a little insulation from the end of the ground wire, put it into the hole, then pushed in the spring end. It holds tight. The advantage of this is that the whole pick guard assembly can be moved much further from the guitar when you have it open for working inside. So, this is another reason for keeping the springs and claw and wood screws.

    If you do remove all that you would need to attach the ground wire to something. The little block holes where the spring ends go would be empty, so you could insert the wire end and follow it with something that fits mechanically firm, maybe a small screw that just barely fits so the wire end in there makes it just right. Or maybe bind the wire end so held in the block by the string ball end of the low E string (refreshed each string change).

    Not sure if your guitar is just like a Strat in all these particulars, but hope this helps you think through the best way.
    Last edited by pauln; 02-28-2021 at 07:54 PM.

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by citizenk74
    I would leave the springs in for their reverb effect. But if a dry tone is desired then not.
    I agree, try it first with the springs in and don’t mess up the string ground.

    When I hard-tailed my Strat I just added another spring and didn’t need to add a wood block. I had no problem adjusting action and intonation. Maybe my body had been routed a little differently than most, as I know the wood block is usually needed.

  6. #5
    An update ,
    I personally didn’t want to hear the springs
    so I did remove them and the claw too

    I unsoldered the earthwire from the claw and extended the wire a few more inches
    I fed the longer wire up through the bridge
    cavity and wrapped some bare wire around one of the front 6 bridge screws ,
    it’s not visible

    I then blocked the bridge with a suitable
    lump of wood and lastly tightened down
    the 6 bridge screws ....

    I’m doing some more setting up on the
    guitar and waiting for parts so I havent
    got strings on it yet

    all seems fine though
    thanks for all the info and advice folks