I was thinking about replacing my 'whatever' metal trem block (but still a very large one and with string ends dropping in all the way to the bridge plate) in one of my so called strats, and started experimenting what helps soundwise.

I started by again jamming the trem down firmly with a block of wood - turned out I didn't like the results at all. First of all, with the bridge really jammed down so it couldn't move, the guitar stayed in tune far worse than when the bridge was down tight with five springs screwed tight, but could still move even if ever so slightly upwards. It would appear to me that this allows for the guitar to, well, 'auto-adjust' itself to temperature changes, whereas when it's solidly jammed down, temp changes caused clear problems with tuning.

I didn't however note any change in sound.

Then I almost ordered the steel block, but before I did that I dug out my strat's ugly sibling which is exactly the same in all but it has no pickguard and a maple fretboard/one piece neck - BUT it sounds, due to some reason I haven't scientifically yet pinpointed - clearly somewhat more alive and 'spanky' and screaming than its sibling. Better to my ears, that is.

To my surprise I realized that this better-sounding strat actually had two major differences I hadn't paid attention to befofe:

- It has only 3 springs and the bridge isn't after all actually 100% flush with the body but can still (ever so slightly) be pressed lower (pull up the tune).
- It has a TINY trem block of same nondescript alloy - but there is hardly any metal there, just a very thin block barely enough to house the strings - and the strings also only sink into the block a few millimeters, not all the way in.

So now, what I'm thinking - rather than getting a steel block I might prefer and want one of those slim blocks instead...so I'll be posting to the local buy/sell group to try and score one of those cheapo Squier etc. bridges to put in my other strat to replace the sturdier USA-made(? style anyway) trem system. Maybe someone has done the opposite 'upgrade' and that'd work well for me!