Strat Spring Silencing Trick

[morsaremo]

Thanks!

[rockanthems]

I read where someone just put a piece of electric tape on the springs.Just use a piece of foam tape,works like magic.I cut some foam from a effects box (a ISP decimator) ,and pulled it trough the springs.It took about 1/2 hour , but still a little noise if you strike the springs .The foam tape works better , it totally deadeneds the spring sound and it's easier to do.10 seconds verses 1/2 hour ,and works better!!! ROCK ON !!!!!

[13liberpax]

Thanks so much for this super efficient and unexpensive trick !

It's even better than paying spring silencers because like this you keep the foam on every springs ! So you don't have to repeat any process ;o)

What you use = An old string + foam = super high longevity springs silencers system ;o)

I've just put 3 silencer

[BenjiBartlett]

@13liberpax You're totally welcome dude. Thanks for taking the time to drop by. Love and light, Benji

[WinyardProductions]

Just put clear plastic tube around the springs and cut to length...

[jackstrikergraphics]

Very useful and easy, thanks for post. :)

[dimmuimortis]

Won't the foam get stuck in between the spring when it's stretched as you use the whammy?

[BenjiBartlett]

@dimmuimortis - The foam stretches and compresses cleanly with the spring and never gets stuck in between the spring coils. Its such a simple trick to try. why not give it a go and if you don't like the improvement in your tone, you can always remove the foam.

[dimmuimortis]

@dimmuimortis Thank you, it worked out perfectly :)

[nitoniwatori]

OMG!!! this cool trick , Thanks for share this!

[wajang1000]

Over time, would the foam degrade and disintegrate and make a mess in the cavity?

[BenjiBartlett]

@wajang1000 Nope. It's not that kind of foam. Had 'em in one guitar for 5 yrs so far no sign of wear. ;o)

[polcamara]

Great!

[DerekGrever]

genius! and i love how you used an old guitar string too, very resourceful

[shlomiya]

This looks real fun to do I wish I get to try this some time

[flamingskullsable]

I like this method of silencing the sprung

[neochase1]

Cool trick man !

[justmeandthecats]

Wish I'd seen this before I ended up in an aquarium supply shop earlier today, trying to find rubber tube to fit inside the springs. That's £1.70 I'll never see again. Unless I buy a pet fish, of course. Brilliant tip anyway, thanks for sharing :)

[ManFromNothing]

Very cool, but sorry, I don't no why useful the spring silencing?

[BenjiBartlett]

@ManFromNothing The springs 'braying around like Donkeys in the background when you use the whammy bar is not a very cool sound. Much better to silence them and hear the true tone of your guitar. Think of it this way. Would you prefer the suspension in your car to squeak as it works or to function smoothly without noise? ;o)

[ManFromNothing]

@BenjiBartlett

Ah, thank you bro, I will try it today!

[KicksAndBigNZ]

I prefer to walk 

[KaktusCarlos]

Is this a floyd rose tremolo or stratocaster-like tremolo?

[Neuguy69]

I use wadded up pubic hair myself.

[MrGH3Man4]

I used elastic bands for my Legacy ST1 and it works perfwctly. learned this from Herman Li of DragonForce

[KeithWasHere1]

i have a saga st10 kit...and for some reason my tremolo arm doesn't work at all...is there something im missing? are you supposed to cut it to contact the strings? and please i know its a low end guitar but im just starting so no pisshead comments.

[Gx2Entertainment]

this is genius.

[ReasonableAssumption]

You Brits are just so effing clever :) Great idea !!

[alangriff1]

Surely it depends if you like a bit of reverb or not and what you're playing.

[kiloch]

Is this worth doing even if you have blocked the trem?

[fargenacle]

That's great! I usually just wrap a piece of electrical tape around the springs, but your idea is cool. Thanks.

[BenjiBartlett]

The "Arrowhead" spring configuration just seems to perform better. It has a slightly tighter, more stable feel and allows for precise adjustments of String Vs Spring balance from bass to treble side of bridge.

[jessejafrnd]

Whats the purpose of the tapered configuration of the springs, instead of the more parallel "adidas stipes" configuration, if you will..

[Nadz1lla]

Ah, nice, clutter-free trick! I never thought of sponge-feeding. I currently use a cut-up wrist sweat band and just fed it underneath the springs so they are muted, works pretty well but 'orrible to look at, heh.

[sxephlI]

aaah so clever. will try this technique hehe

[BenjiBartlett]

Good idea. I'm told that grandma's knickers are better for a more vintage tone...

[glanemann]

@BenjiBartlett That's probably the best comment I've ever read on youtube.

[beerbottlehead]

I put my stemums knickers in they work well but my guitar stinks

[1001casey]

But I like that Reverb Sound!

[ddirtz666]

is it an ibanez?coz it looks like one

[BenjiBartlett]

@ddirtz666 Yup! Jem model

[jdiddy27]

"Kool" **Thumbs up** lol

[2SugarsPleeze]

I hate a STRING that goes ZING!

[BenjiBartlett]

Yes of course! It is best to use the toilet paper before it is covered in shit. Otherwise your guitar will attract flies. ;o)

[96lolstar]

What about some toilet paper will it works?

[fraterlucifer888]

got one of my own, you can find in in your hard ware store little thick felt pads with adhesive on one side used to put under the edges of furniture to keep it from scratching flooring ,comes in different cuts and shapes ,my fave to used is a long narrow shape that you can slide lengthwise under the springs on the gtr body, that way you dont have to use the cavity cover if you dont want also even easier if a kind of adhesive puffy weather stripping you stick to the back of the cavity cover

[FroZenCyanide]

@BenjiBartlett okay i was just commenting k? im not starting shit with you so you dont have to get negative towards me okay?

[BenjiBartlett]

No Worries Dawg! ;o) Good work on ya Metallica cover. Spend some practice time improving your ear and tuning skills. It'll make ya sound even better ;o) Peace BB

[nuaurea]

Doe's anyone know the spring internal diameter???

[malmsteen1984]

mmmm I'd have liked to hear what the guitar sounds like after doing that.

[AceOfHeart2012]

I did the same thing with clear rubber fish tank air hose tubing. Get the small OD size that will fit the ID of the spring. Cut to length. Really increases the sustain.

Works with all spring type tremolos.

[bowslap]

@AceOfHeart2012 3/16" clear nylon line....works like a charm, much more effective than the foam trick displayed by the gentleman posting this clip.

[BenjiBartlett]

@polishskaterdude32

Less spring noise. No unwanted 'Strat Reverb' . Basically your guitar sounds better. ;o)

[cbureriu]

brilliant!

[moe354sa]

just spray wd40 on it..

[BenjiBartlett]

Hi, Many thanks for your question. Am silencing the reverby-ringing sound made by the springs on Strat style guitars.

Hope that answers your question. Best Regard, Benji ;o)

[BUFFW]

this works for floyd rose right?

[BenjiBartlett]

@BUFFW This trick works for any guitar that balances it's vibrato unit using springs. So if it happens to be a Floyd - Yes Sir! Enjoy ;o)

[AHTSvideo]

another trick is to take a hair tie (without the metal clip that holds the band together)

and snip it anywhere, then tie it around the springs, not extremely tight, but just enough so it's snug. but i like this one too.

cheers!

[SCRIBESCREEN]

Nice,Way to do it, we use to use the same methhod It was a trick I learned from jeff beck but instead of the foam you can just use a washing up sponge to save money it works just the same as you know it gives a better sound but to go one better coat the spings in clear nail polish after you put the sponge in...this keeps the sponge spead and in place...

[BenjiBartlett]

Aaah. Maybe fitting a large rodent to your whammy bar might help to keep the roaches down? Or you could lure them away from the springs by placing very old pizza on your headstock? Hope this helps

[BoIivarDan]

I didn't have any foam so I used french fries... But now I get interference from the roaches munching while I play.

[cydonianman]

@BoIivarDan LMAO

[cydonianman]

@BoIivarDan i guess that crunching sound didnt work out well then.

[FuhrerKaiser]

good trick man. thanks

[infectionsman]

You should use fuel tubing, it works just a little better!

[idl3mind]

great tip!

[miketrigs93]

i just stuffed toilet paper in the spaces between the springs, worked fine, but it's a bit visible through the backplate.

nice video, i'll try it at some point! :)

thumbs up from me

[lighteningboy]

Hey, that's a great trick! I will do it with my Strat. Again, another reason why Telecasters rule the earth. Great trick!

[systematicchaos421]

Vai stuffed his trem cavity with a bunch of cotton balls =P

[motorenico]

I think that the best way to remove springs noise is to put some rolled sheet like a cigarette or a small plastic tube,because foam or sponge creates a wee bit friction into the springs doesn't keep in tune.

this is guaranteed because I tested it!!!!!!!!!!

[iSlash96]

Gibson Les Paul!!!

[MrJTMagnum23]

nice!

[BenjiBartlett]

Nope. Ibanez Jem Dude! X

[ShortFingeredShreder]

Is that a Godin?

[niverent]

The company should do this.

[RobSoundtrack]

@niverent No way. The more easy fixes we can do ourselves as musicians, the less they can overcharge us for. To suite the example, a company or two have already begun making coated springs that are "noiseless." Last pack of three that i saw were $35.

[BlackAngusYoung]

Thanks for posting. Great tip! I'm glad your video was at the top of the list on Google search when I looked up strat springs. 5*

[xMETALLICAROCKERx]

god i hate when my guitar rings like that! i cant find any of that foam to fix it but ill keep lookin

[foil666]

@xMETALLICAROCKERx I just jammed some cotton in there. It did the same thing for a cheaper price.

[northbayguitar]

Ingenious - great video. Thanks!

[synthesizer301]

nice & easy and it works oke :)

that guitar looks like a jem or not

[drgrimdeath1]

That is a cool trick. Never would have thought of it.

[ialvarez357]

im so trying this...i tried to stuff it the springs on the outside lol

[METAL612]

i tied a hair tie around my springs it works good

[Ticcaso]

i used this trick on my floyd rose guitar

i hear only improvements in the sound

my guitar had low sustain even without the sponge things and if it would of gotten any worse i would of noticed it

i tried to play a thing where the sustain died just at the end and no change w/ the sponges on

i saw the tube thing but i didnt have one around, but i did have this foam

thank yuh mr BenjiBartlett

[kdc300z]

This must affect sound. no?

[infectionsman]

to silence the idle sounds, a good thing is to coat the tremolo cavity with aluminum tape, or copperfoil (the copper foil must be grounded) preferably both, and then eliminate any ground loops by redoing the wiring in the control cavity. humbuckers dont usually need any modification but waxpotting of the bridge pickup can do wonders, for singe coils you should buy noiseless ones (dimarzio hs-3, yjm, etc)

[infectionsman]

just do it like in the video where you use plastic tubing inside the springs it works much better!!!

[mikeyFear0n]

I just whacked a pair of old underpants in the back of my guitar, that also worked XD

[cydonianman]

@mikeyFear0n was it girls underpants? :D

[kyus74]

@mikeyFear0n Make sure their clean or it will sound like shit!

[joeylodes]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

[corderazo00]

genious man...

[OwnedRL]

when you're playing tight and heavy riffs with lots of distortion, when you stop and mute the strings, the springs in the back vibrate and come through the amp. it's annoying.

[Keskin1975]

Cool trick, much better than the silicon tube thing.

On mine i just used a stripe of foam and taped it with those double sided tapes across the cover. So it pushes a bit from the top onto the middle of the springs and dampens them.

[mitchskater]

noise gate

[hooyacrusty]

if you're using an SSS strat a noise gate is fine, but better is to use noiseless pickups - or even better use both :) If you can't afford either, do what I do, and play int the out-of-phase position with the middle pickup set deep into the body, and the lead pickup right close to the strings.

[Snowbag1998]

great trick ! ,took me 5 years to get the solution...thanks dude !

[thecydonianknight314]

is theres no side effects for doing this? wont break or nothing? or make it sound crappy?

[BenjiBartlett]

No Side effects dude. Tom Anderson use this technique. That's where I got it from. there's another way using rubber tubing inside the springs that's also good. Enjoy!

[LeftyLP80]

genius, thats great. thanks

[salchaw]

thanks ben that was my chritsmas present , i'm gonna try it tomorrow morning on my strat...happy hollidays

[dudemycarz]

awsome

[Rocket1771]

can you still whammy with this

[slipknotfan911]

ofcourse

[Rocket1771]

Can you still use the bar?

[xLesPaulGibsonx]

durrr

[Rocket1771]

ehh, i just thought the stuff would expand the strings stretch and shit

[YEABOI000001]

why would you want to do this?

[BenjiBartlett]

To prevent the noise from the springs being picked up and interfering with your tone. Strats sound great, their springs do not. Peace Bro, BB

[KyleP133]

Do soem heavy strumming with open chords, quickly heavily mute the springs and listen. If you dont hear that annoying warbly reverb type resonance going on, then you're lucky. Frankly it drove me crazy until I fixed it (I just put cotton balls in the tremolo cavity, but this foam solution is much more elegant) and if you hear it will start to drive you crazy too.

[HaydenLM1]

just kidding! awesome video mate!

[HaydenLM1]

wow ibanez jem

[todd0000420]

i used to just tie a couple of rubber bands around my springs but this is a better idea

[walterockmx]

steve vai put tissue paper on the back of his guitar to silence the springs and to have a better guitar tone

have you try this?

[BenjiBartlett]

Thanks for the tip. The method I use is very successful - I'll give the tissue paper a try though. I'm a big Vai fan. Peace, Benji ;o)

[walterockmx]

If you do that please upload a video about it!!

=D

Thank you Benji

ciao

[Sudds05]

Great idea. I've been putting strips of gaffer tape along my springs for ages but I'm gonna try this instead.

[Zsoli20]

good idea...

[thejunkyardbear]

wow didnt know this......

[megamania500]

two thumbs up!!

Imagine my surprise after I get rid of the 60htz buzz by switching to noiseless pickups, only to find some pinging sound after my notes...and it was loud, too.

I'm definitely trying this.