Trem springs

SteveK

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Aug 1, 2016
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I picked up a new to me Santana III. The trem feels VERY tight, takes much more effort than my old DGT. It has 4 springs installed and the trem is against the body, no room to raise the pitch. Do the guitars normallly ship with 4 springs installed, or 3? Thanks!
 
They ship with 4. Sounds like a claw adjustment may be in order. I just checked a couple of Santanas, a DGT and a CE24. They're all about the same. No noticeable difference.
 
Thanks for the quick response! So I need to back the screws out a bit from the wood to get it to float. Will this help with the tension also?
 
Thanks for the quick response! So I need to back the screws out a bit from the wood to get it to float. Will this help with the tension also?
the tension might also be because you have to leverage up to float first and then down to what you're trying to do...
... let's see what it does once you move the screws out a bit.
 
the tension might also be because you have to leverage up to float first and then down to what you're trying to do...
... let's see what it does once you move the screws out a bit.

Yep, what he said!
 
If the 6 screws are too low your trem will be harder to move check out this video the screw heads should be about 2.5 mm

 
Reporting back in. Did the work today. The claw was snugged up tight against the body. Backed the claw screws out ~ 3/8" and that did it. Also added a set of PRS faux bone tuning buttons that I bought from someone on TGP to the phase II tuners . I am pleased :D
 
Something to think about. If you tune below standard pitch then it's possible that you will have to back the claw out too far and that creates weird stuff like trem block trying to compress springs. That would mean going to three springs and resetting claw.
 
I thiniking of setting up my 2019 ce24 in Eb with 10’s. What will work better, leaving 4 springs and loosening the claw or dropping to three springs and tightening the claw. (It’s currently in factory std setup e with 4 springs)
 
number of springs would be more about feel than matching string tension/trem position...
If you like the current feel I'd just adjust the claw.
I thiniking of setting up my 2019 ce24 in Eb with 10’s. What will work better, leaving 4 springs and loosening the claw or dropping to three springs and tightening the claw. (It’s currently in factory std setup e with 4 springs)
 
I thiniking of setting up my 2019 ce24 in Eb with 10’s. What will work better, leaving 4 springs and loosening the claw or dropping to three springs and tightening the claw. (It’s currently in factory std setup e with 4 springs)
You should leave the springs and slightly adjust the claw. The top of the bridge top plate should run parallel to the body. Also, if you run Eb tuning, you should consider using 11s. I run Eb on all my guitars.
 
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