Trem blocking tonal changes

[Valtiel]

I was going to revive the other trem blocking thread, but it seems to be gone. I wanted to ask, have any of you guys that have blocked your trems noticed a change in tone of the guitar? I have the trem on my 20th Anniversary CU22 blocked with a piece of wenge on each side of the trem block wedged VERY tightly and I experienced a notable increase in the guitars unplugged volume and clarity. Enough to make my other trem equipped CU22 sound "cheap" by comparison. Any one else experience this?

[Bruce O'Donnell]

I don't notice the tone change as much as the feel. Trems have more give in the attack of the notes because as you hit the string it pulls up on the trem, same as when you bend a note. I only block my trems so that I can't pull up. This allows me to dive bomb, but the guitar won't go out of tune if I break a string. Alot of people (like SRV) use 5 springs when they set them up this way, so it's clamped to the block. This allows them to bend strings a step or more without pulling up on the trem and having adjacent strings go out of tune. I do this on trems that go out of tune alot (Fender vintage) but have my PRS setup with the same number of springs as when it floated. I cut the block to match the gap at the float point, glue it in place, and then just tighten slightly on the trem claw screws to increase the tension.

You can also buy a Tremol-no, which gives you the best of both worlds. Lock it when you want it blocked, unlock and trem away.

[Valtiel]

Yea, I tried all these methods before I blocked it. I would have it setup for dive only with 5 springs or dive only to where it is just barely against the body so I could still do regular tremolos on a note bent a full step. But no matter what I did I always had tuning problems. I had the nut replaced with a Graph Tech Trem Nut but after a short while the wound strings would always end up sharp. Thats when I decided to block it and I havent had any issues since.

[Jmilliondead]

i've blocked off trems before, got a massive increase in sustain by doing so, i'll probably use a tremlo-no on my cu22 as i don't really ever intend on using it

[Fons]

I have this StewMac Tremconverter unit -similar as Tremol-no, and its real fast when I want to block off my trem and I'm very happy with it. Maybe something to consider, too. I think these units are underrated as they add so much comfort and (de-tune) possibilities.