Fender Strat - Right One For Me Upgr.[UPDATE: Found Strat]

extra springs are useless, yes, but I added extra springs to my ibanez simply because I like that extra tension when im using the bar. I also find that it keeps the guitar in tune much better. But maybe i'm imagining that last part.

The point is that, unless you adjust the yolk, that holds the springs to the body, you simply cause the vibrato to rotate backwards, raising the action and changing the intonation.

I read in GuitarWorld that Ritchie Blackmore got this one dude to set up his Strats, and he fixed the springs/tremelo so they never go out of tune.

Greybeard,

Does it really make that much of a difference? I have not noticed any intonation issues since i did this about a year ago and the action is as low as ever.

I usually use 9's on my Burns, but decided to try some 10's. With 4 springs, the 9's line up perfectly, but with 10's the front of the vibrato was all but on the face of the guitar. I put another spring, which slightly overcompensated and left the back of the vibrato closer to the body than the front.

In all of the common vibrato units, that integrate bridge and vibrato (such as the Fender and Floyd Rose types), the point at which the string meets the saddle actually moves, in relation to the nut and the frets. By causing the unit to move it's "rest" position (and, therefore, the relationship between saddle and nut), you are automatically changing the intonation.