Three Springs versus Five Springs

[just strum]

I've always had my Strat set-up with five springs (came that way when I bought it from Plank). The other day I removed the 2nd and the 4th so I could have easier use of the tremolo bar. In doing so, I noticed that the guitar sound more mellow or less harsh (maybe not the right words to describe it).

Is it my ears fooling me or does removing some springs make a difference in tone? I am referring to straight playing (no bending, no tremolo bar).

[Spudman***]

It may have changed the bridge resting on the body. If you only have 3 springs now and didn't do any retensioning of the trem springs then the strings probably pulled the bridge offf the top of the body and now you have less contact with wood. That would chage the sound.

Also, if you remove the mass of those 2 springs that will probably have an effect on the sound as well.

Where is the bridge now? Is it pulled back against the body? Is the back slightly up and off the body? Is it over a river? sorry I couldn't resist.

[ted s]

Is it over a river? sorry I couldn't resist.

The bridge is by the river...... shot it's baby..

sorry, I couldn't resist :

[just strum]

The bridge is against the body, although I see some very, very slight movement when I bend the strings. I keep the bridge screwed down tight.

Tough to tell from there photos, but it is against the body.

[wingsdad]

The trem cavity itself acts like a resonance chamber. The looser the trem (float), the more the resonance effect of a 'springier', livelier tone.

If you want the trem 'clamped' because you've little use for it as a matter of style or you want an edgier tone, use all 5 springs. If you want a 'floating' trem, use 3. There's more adjustments to the bridge screws to set the gap tight to or off of the body. The tone will generally be more 'acoustic'.

As a rhythm player, or one who prefers the 'latex quack' of the 2 & 4 pup positions, my STRAT has been set up with the 2 & 4 springs out since the day I got it (81), with about a 3mm gap between the trem briege plate and the body. My 5 spring is slung at an angle, from the 5 lug at the bottom end to the 4 lug up top, and the 1 spring is alos angled, goes from the 1 lug at the bottom to the 2 lug at the top. The 3 spring is straight, 3-3.

EDIT: Here's a diagram I found that shows on the right what I tried to describe about my trem spring setup. On the left is the 'usual' 3-spring setup, with the 2 & 4 springs simply left out.

[markb]

I use 4, fully floating. Fitting the cover also makes a difference. If the cover is off your body tends to damp the spring resonance.

[TS808]

I've never used 5 springs on mine and always use the 3 spring method where the 3 springs are connected to the innermost 3 claws forming a "triangle" as Wingsdad described. My strats have always sounded very resonant.

I actually read an article not that long ago; in fact, someone may have posted it on here, about also removing the back plate for an even livelier strat. The writer of the article explained that the springs act almost like a natural "reverb" within the guitar, and when removing the back plate from the strat, you will notice a much livelier guitar.

I never tried taking the back plate of my strats but notice that guitarists such as SRV and Eric Johnson always had theirs removed.

[sunvalleylaw]

Mine comes as the original owner had it set up, tremelo screwed down, five springs. I don't use my Whammy bar, but probably should try it sometime. I like the sound of my axe.

[pes_laul]

I like three myself but I'm a whammy sorta guy.