Hold the phone on trem arm!

[candid_x]

This morning someone asked how to connect/disconnect their trem arm, and I advised to just pop it in and out, as someone else on that thread also said. I can't locate the thread, but I just realized that some EBMM vintage trem arms do screw in. I have one of each.

So to the guy who asked the question, look first to see if the trem end is threaded before forcing it in or out.

 

[jongitarz]

I bleeb the only non Floyd Rose trem that would screw in is the old Schaller system from back in the day. All the Vintage trems will pop in and out. I could be wrong, the Schallers were before my time at EB/MM.


Oops...I forgot about the Wilkinson(sp) trems. They may have screwed in as well

 

[wolfbone07]

The six-screw Wilkinson trems also had a screw-in trem arm. The threads for the arm are the same as the american std strat tremolo threads. I have had two ball with this trem, and I liked them a lot. Hope that helps. I like the pop-in arms better.

 

[candid_x]

That's what I thought too, but this afternoon I plugged in my stock 2000 autumn redburst silo special, and noticed that the trem arm in the case was threaded, then screwed it in snuggly. It's a standard MM vintage trem, just like my other one, but it screws rather than pops in. Will take pics if it helps.

 

[candid_x]

Pardon fuzzy shots, took these quickly.

View attachment 3149

View attachment 3150

 

[jongitarz]

That is not a stock EB/MM arm....Did you buy this guitar new? Where?

 

[candid_x]

That is not a stock EB/MM arm....Did you buy this guitar new? Where?

Hi Jon,

I bought it off eBay. The seller was a keyboard player and claimed the guitar rarely came out of its case. Judging from its condition (frets etc), I believe him. What I don't understand here, if the arm isn't EB then why does it screw perfectly into the MM bridge? The standard arm from my other silo won't snap it because the MM bridge only accomodates the screw in arm. So if the arm isn't stock, neither is the MM bridge? Again, the two bridges are identical in every way except the way the arm attaches.

confuzzled

 

[Warg Master]

any chrome tips for the trem arms?

 

[candid_x]

any chrome tips for the trem arms?

 

[Warg Master]

It has nothing to do with your thread.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Hi Jon,

I bought it off eBay. The seller was a keyboard player and claimed the guitar rarely came out of its case. Judging from its condition (frets etc), I believe him. What I don't understand here, if the arm isn't EB then why does it screw perfectly into the MM bridge? The standard arm from my other silo won't snap it because the MM bridge only accomodates the screw in arm. So if the arm isn't stock, neither is the MM bridge? Again, the two bridges are identical in every way except the way the arm attaches.

confuzzled

2 things previous owner may have done:

Replaced the block a threaded trem insert...
Had the trem insert tapped for threads...

Previous owner is prolly whacked...

 

[jongitarz]

I can also see how a threaded arm might work in our trems. There is a bar in the inertia block. It is what causes the snap when you push the arm in. The tension from the bar may result in the feeling of "threads" being screwed in. If he bought the guitar from GC it would make more sense. This is not a GC bash, but sometimes they have to take the arms off so they don't get stolen. I have seen the wrong arms used because of this.

Try the non threaded arm in the other bridge. I bet it works.

Keep me posted,

Jon

 

[candid_x]

2 things previous owner may have done:

Replaced the block a threaded trem insert...
Had the trem insert tapped for threads...

Previous owner is prolly whacked...

With all due respect, I really doubt it. He seemed like a genuine and intelligent guy, but he knew very little about guitars (keyboard player). He said he bought it new, never even developed calluses, and by the appearance of everything on the guitar, it looked brand new when I received it. I've had the back cover off and the block looks identical to my blue one. I think it must just be an anomaly. Anyway, it plays and sounds great, the trem fits well, so it's no big thing. I just wanted to save the guy who asked about his, earlier, some grief.

Thanks for your input.

 

[candid_x]

I can also see how a threaded arm might work in our trems. There is a bar in the inertia block. It is what causes the snap when you push the arm in. The tension from the bar may result in the feeling of "threads" being screwed in.

Try the non threaded arm in the other bridge. I bet it works.

Keep me posted,

Jon

I did try the non-threaded arm, and it clearly felt like threads digging against the arm post, and pushing it would have only boogered the threads. Nope, thought of that too. It's a clean and tight fit.. a match.

 

[OrangeChannel]

With all due respect, I really doubt it. He seemed like a genuine and intelligent guy, but he knew very little about guitars (keyboard player). He said he bought it new, never even developed calluses, and by the appearance of everything on the guitar, it looked brand new when I received it. I've had the back cover off and the block looks identical to my blue one. I think it must just be an anomaly. Anyway, it plays and sounds great, the trem fits well, so it's no big thing. I just wanted to save the guy who asked about his, earlier, some grief.

Thanks for your input.

Whacked isn't a negative connotation. There are guys out there who are mad scientists (I'm one of them). Not knowing what you said, I was going to add that some cats are anal about the trem bar situation...sorta like Eric Johnson with licking 9 volt batteries...and will only play with screw in bars because they think it adds something to the tone. The real vintage cats.

In your guitars case, I'd guess that it was the GC issue...I'd try using that pop-in bar again, you might have to press it a bit...good luck dude. From my sig you can see I LOVE Silos...

 

[jongitarz]

This is the bottom line. Our Vintage trems are NOT screw in. If your trem screws in, it has either been modified, or I was right in my other post. Not to sound big headed, but I kind of know what I am talking about. Trust me.

 

[candid_x]

sominabitch... you guys know yer chit!

I shined a bright light in the socket, saw threads, and also noticed the shape at the bottom looked as though it should fit the non-threaded arm. So what the hey, I popped in it, and voila! It fits. Then I tried the threaded arm again, and it fits too, loosely or tightly, with one extra turn.

Whacked!

you guys rock

 

[candid_x]

Trust me.

I do . I did before, but this is impressive.

 

[jongitarz]

The threads on the arm might have cut threads in the inertia block. Stranger things have happened.

 

[OrangeChannel]

The threads on the arm might have cut threads in the inertia block. Stranger things have happened.

Pete Townsend's had bars self tap into his hand... Ouchies!