Adjusting a ”clucking” EBMM Vintage Tremolo bridge?

[Carl M]

I have set up my vintage bridge according to EBMM’s instructions. Decked and tight enogh to bend from G to A with out moving the trem, but no tighter.

But when I use the trem there is a ”clucking” sound during the first part of movement, which wasn’t there when the bridge was still floating. Any idea on what I need to do to get rid of the ”cluck” and the resulting uneven movement when using the trem arm?

With my non-EBMM guitars I keep my bridges slightly floating, but I thought that I should try setting this new to me EBMM SS as close to the manufacturers recommended set up as possible including using Slinky 10s (9s doesn’t really work for me) to see what it’s like the way it was designed be, since this is first time I am playing a Music Man with more than four strings…

 

[daneford]

I have set up my vintage bridge according to EBMM’s instructions. Decked and tight enogh to bend from G to A with out moving the trem, but no tighter.

But when I use the trem there is a ”clucking” sound during the first part of movement, which wasn’t there when the bridge was still floating. Any idea on what I need to do to get rid of the ”cluck” and the resulting uneven movement when using the trem arm?

With my non-EBMM guitars I keep my bridges slightly floating, but I thought that I should try setting this new to me EBMM SS as close to the manufacturers recommended set up as possible including using Slinky 10s (9s doesn’t really work for me) to see what it’s like the way it was designed be, since this is first time I am playing a Music Man with more than four strings…

I'm not exactly a wizard guitar tech, but I'd think it could be a couple of things.

1. Could be the springs themselves.
2. Knife edge of the trem plate against the posts.
3. The trem plate could also be rubbing against the pickguard or body. I had an issue with that on a silo special that I solved by sanding away a small amount of the pickguard that was touching the trem plate. Raising the trem posts and then lowering the saddles to get the desired action could solve it.


If it's the springs, I'd experiment with different springs, or adding/removing springs and adjusting the claw.

 

[Carl M]

I'm not exactly a wizard guitar tech, but I'd think it could be a couple of things.

1. Could be the springs themselves.
2. Knife edge of the trem plate against the posts.
3. The trem plate could also be rubbing against the pickguard or body. I had an issue with that on a silo special that I solved by sanding away a small amount of the pickguard that was touching the trem plate. Raising the trem posts and then lowering the saddles to get the desired action could solve it.


If it's the springs, I'd experiment with different springs, or adding/removing springs and adjusting the claw.

Thank. I will check all that. Of the things you are mentioning, I'd say it's most likely that the treble side (or both sides) of the trem plate is set slightly off and that the bridge knife edges slides into position when the first start moving when the trem arm is used. Thanks.

 

[tbonesullivan]

Have you lubricated the tremolo pivot points? Also, I think EBMM sometimes puts a small pad on the bottom rear of the plate, so it's possible that may be sticking as well.

 

[Carl M]

Have you lubricated the tremolo pivot points? Also, I think EBMM sometimes puts a small pad on the bottom rear of the plate, so it's possible that may be sticking as well.

No, I've just bought it and is setting it up for the first time. What should I use to lubricate the pivot points?

I will check for the pad under the bridge. Thanks!

 

[Carl M]

As a first attempt. I just loosened the springs enough to set the bridge plate parallel to body and now the "cluck" is gone. I will fine tune it further, but since I prefer my trems to float at least a little bit.

It could be that the pickguard was touching the bridge plate when it was decked. I will continue to fine tune the trem, but now it's working really well. I will use it a bit now to see if it stays in tune. If it does, then great. If it doesn't, then I just need to continue to fine tune the setup.

 

[daneford]

As a first attempt. I just loosened the springs enough to set the bridge plate parallel to body and now the "cluck" is gone. I will fine tune it further, but since I prefer my trems to float at least a little bit.

It could be that the pickguard was touching the bridge plate when it was decked. I will continue to fine tune the trem, but now it's working really well. I will use it a bit now to see if it stays in tune. If it does, then great. If it doesn't, then I just need to continue to fine tune the setup.

Good to hear you've got progress. Have we seen a pic of the guitar yet?

 

[Carl M]

Good to hear you've got progress. Have we seen a pic of the guitar yet?

 

[tbonesullivan]

No, I've just bought it and is setting it up for the first time. What should I use to lubricate the pivot points?

I will check for the pad under the bridge. Thanks!

I use Dumonde Tech Pro-X Regular Bicycle Chain Lubricant. It's what Anderson guitar works uses.

 

[Carl M]

I use Dumonde Tech Pro-X Regular Bicycle Chain Lubricant. It's what Anderson guitar works uses.

OK, thanks. I have never lubricated a trem before.

 

[DrKev]

Contrary opinion coming in: I no longer think we need need to lubricate the knife edges, just make sure they are clean. Why? Because lubrication is for surfaces rubbing across each other, i.e. linear motion. But the knife edge is not moving across any surface, it's rotating about a fixed point (the bottom of the V notch in the mounting post. I used to do lube it and recommend it too, but I stopped a few years ago and I've not noticed any difference.

(I still do recommend lubricating the top of the saddles and the string slots in the nut. Use lithium grease or lip balm or vaseline or pencil lead or any made for guitar stuff, but no liquid oil and no food stuff oils).

 

[tbonesullivan]

Contrary opinion coming in: I no longer think we need need to lubricate the knife edges, just make sure they are clean. Why? Because lubrication is for surfaces rubbing across each other, i.e. linear motion. But the knife edge is not moving across any surface, it's rotating about a fixed point (the bottom of the V notch in the mounting post. I used to do lube it and recommend it too, but I stopped a few years ago and I've not noticed any difference.

(I still do recommend lubricating the top of the saddles and the string slots in the nut. Use lithium grease or lip balm or vaseline or pencil lead or any made for guitar stuff, but no liquid oil and no food stuff oils).

Kinda depends on who you ask, but I remember from setting up a Tremol-No a while ago that they definitely talk about lubing the tremolo contact points as a really necessary thing if you have a floating trem and want a good zero point. The knife edge has quite a bit of tension on it, with .009 strings putting about 80 lbs of tension, and the springs having to put an opposing amount of tension, though it is leveraged through the spring block. That's still quite a bit of weight on two tiny contact points. Metal can still wear and gall even if it's just "rocking" back and forth, and I'd rather have something there to protect the edges. The bike lube stuff is a "dry" lubricant, and stays where you put it, which is why Anderson recommends it, and uses it in their final setup for guitars. I'm always amazed that more companies don't. I'm definitely in the "lube all joints" camp, though on most guitars there are only a few.