Jeff Beck style conversion?

[DrJzT]

Hi guys and gals. Amongst my many other projects (namely amp and ext cab hunting). I've been toying with the idea of carrying out a jeff beck style conversion to my tokai goldstar. At the moment the guitar i believe is completely stock from the factory. I've got the guitar strung up with 11s at the moment, and whilst i love the sound of heavier strings. I've started listening to Jeff Beck a fair bit.
Im not quite sure what ive done to the tremolo set up on my guitar, i followed the instructions in "how to make your guitar sound great". I think i may have done something alien to the trem. Ive got the trem set up so it floats half way, i can bend notes down. For gentle wobbles. But if i pull up, it seems to lock it up. Until i push down and then it returns to its normal pitch (sometimes slightly out). Whilst i appreciate its a vintage style trem with vintage style tuning pegs and its not a nasty floyd (no offence intended). I'd like to be able to do some trem work with it. Now as Mr Beck is known for his bending technique, should i look to ape his set up? LSR roller nut, sprezels and stringing up with 9s?

Ideally id like to keep the same gauge of strings (11s). As i like to buy them in bulk and use them for all my guitars.

In addition any suggestions for upgrading the pick ups? Are the fender hot noiseless ones fitted in the JB sig any good. I seem to have read mixed reviews on them. Open to suggestions up to around ?100-150

 

[Anonymous]

If you fit a roller nut to a poor innocent Goldie, I may well have to drive to Bristol to shoot you. :evil:

Seriously though, I believe many locking nuts restrict you to a certain gauge of string, probably 10-46. And Hendrix made a fair bit of use of the trem arm without the need for locking tuners!

A few suggestions before you start with the powertools..... Have you tried just getting a pro set-up? It might be enough. The US Standard trems seem a bit better than the vintage type because they have a two point pivot - you could try removing all the screws that secure the trem except the two outer ones, it might reduce friction.

Certainly worth a try before doing anything irreversible. Remember the butchery caused by Floyds in the 80s...... :roll:

As for pickups, every poster will have their own suggestions, there's nothing as personal as pickup preference.

Mike

 

[JohnA]

As Stratman pointed out there's plenty of people use a trem without the need for a roller nut, using 11's you probably need the nut slots cutting a bit wider, and a touch of pencil lead may help too.

 

[japaxes]

+1 for stratman & john a .I have vintage trems on most of my strats,they have all been set up with the two outer screws being the set point all the others are 1/4~1/2 a turn higher,with the nut cut correctly (i put some vasaline on before stringing/works just as well as nut sauce & a lot cheaper) never had any problems .but a good set up is paramount..

 

[DrJzT]

thanks guys, im not quite sure how my kung fu would stand up against a gun :wink:

Yeah i think i just need to get a pro set up done, i really like the sound of heavier strings anyway. I was a bit hard on myself in college, and kept going up in gauges from 9s to 12's. Basically to try and get of constantly bending notes all the time. I think if i can bend a tone thats enough for me 8)

I used to own a Strat plus years ago, and that **** thing never stayed in tune. Even with the super oiled spring thing. Although i was 17-18 at the time, so it was probably me being a fool!

And if SRV can keep his guitar relatively in tune, then surely i can

Any suggestions for decent pickups then? I know its all subjective anyway