Favored Method for “Up-Only” Trem Blocking?

[Noisy Humbucker]

Hey all,

Messing around with a UV70P and I’m thinking I’d like to block the tremolo - specifically for pull-up only function.

I’m guessing a proper width block taped to the inside of the body is the way to go, but figured I’d ask what other solutions folks might prefer.

Much obliged!

 

[ShredmasterD]

7 people have done this before. maybe 6.

 

[CanserDYI]

Not going to lie, didn't know anyone did this at all.

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

7 people have done this before. maybe 6.

Referring to creating a thread on this topic? Guess I went the lazy route.

Figured I’d just go for it versus an unintentional necro bump. I’ll get of my arse and try a site search.

EDIT: And if you’re referring to up-only blocking itself, maybe it’s one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” situations.

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, I didn't know this was a thing. I think your solution is probably the way to go, though.

How much can you pull up on your trem? A full step? I have a shocking number of guitars where the Floyd is fully floating, but (even with the recess) can't be pulled up very far without bottoming out against the body. So I rarely use the pull up function.

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

It basically amounts to “I’d have been fine with a fixed Edge unit, but since it’s an actual trem I can’t have the function be totally vestigial” (because I’m weird like that). And since I’ll basically never use the bar, I figured I could “push” it sharp every now and then when I’m noodling.

I’ll have to mess around with it a bit…

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

I also have never heard of this before but I always love experimentation. Your solution sounds pretty good. You could also put a he-head screw in the cavity on the back side. That lets you fine tune the height with a pliers. That's more or less how I've done dive-only blocking in the past and it's handy to adjust.

 

[spudmunkey]

I knew someone who shoved a 9v battery behind his block. That always seemed sketchy AF...

can't be pulled up very far without bottoming out against the body. So I rarely use the pull up function.

Sounds like you need the Levinson Falcon trem.

"Incorporates a patented double block system that also allows uptrem while sitting flat on the guitar body."

Additionally...
"The Falcon Tremolo [...] stays in tune even if a string is broken – a feature that floating trems cannot do. Even deep bends against open strings are possible – the open strings do not detune."

 

[Hollowway]

I knew someone who shoved a 9v battery behind his block. That always seemed sketchy AF...

Sounds like you need the Levinson Falcon trem.

"Incorporates a patented double block system that also allows uptrem while sitting flat on the guitar body."

Additionally...
"The Falcon Tremolo [...] stays in tune even if a string is broken – a feature that floating trems cannot do. Even deep bends against open strings are possible – the open strings do not detune."

Dammit, I'd never heard of those, and now I want a Blade RH-4. But they're pretty damned expensive, so maybe not so much.

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

I reached out to Rich (@Ibanez Rules) with some questions and he mentioned the Edge Zero-II being one of the most stable platforms out there… massive praise coming from him.

I had initially done a quick block with a stack of picks just to fool around. After getting off my tuchus, I went ahead and restrung it and gave it a full set up (sans picks) - gotta say the man’s not wrong. It’s a lot more fun (and sounds a lot better) to play now for sure!

Now just to decide if it’s going to stay before swapping out the Blaze set for some Lundgrens.

Speaking of the Blaze - don’t know if I’d ever actually played on those in all my years. Holy instant Korn sound! I already had my gear set to a “Mesa-esque” tone, add the Blaze to that and BAM - it’s like it’s 1995!

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

I love the blaze pickups. I hated them initially but yeah man, run them into a mesa and it's just fabulous. Nails that 90s Dream Theater "Awake" sound.

 

[ZXIIIT]

I used a piece of 3m removable wall tape and a bottle cap on an RG7620 I had, worked well lol.