Soldering a tremolo arm

[randylahey]

I'm building a jaguar and I have a japanese tailpiece and tremolo arm and they fit together fine, but its very easy to pull it back out and it doesnt click at all going in. I'm thinking of putting a ring of solder around it when it's in to stop it from coming back out, it should work fine as long as I dont attach it to the receptacle. Has anybody tried this or have any other ideas?

[kaeth]

It might be difficult getting the solder to bond well to the arm.

[soggy mittens]

I remember when I first found out about this issue I thought, how about gluing a bit of magnet to the end of the arm. it can sit in and spin still and with a good tug it would come free when needed. It would have to be a strong magnet to have the arm to stay in place wherever you leave it though. *shrugs*.

[Larry Mal]

Solder isn't all that strong, either. You're thinking of welding or something, solder is only to make electrical currents flow through, it's not designed to handle stress. Just get a StayTrem system and be done with it.

[slavemaster]

I remember when I first found out about this issue I thought, how about gluing a bit of magnet to the end of the arm. it can sit in and spin still and with a good tug it would come free when needed. It would have to be a strong magnet to have the arm to stay in place wherever you leave it though. *shrugs*.

Interesting idea. However, I wonder, if one is to put a really strong neodymium magnet, would that magnet mess with the neck pickup???

I "solved" the problem by squeezing the collet a little bit with the arm in, and by never taking the arm out. Now the arm stays put and it takes some effort to change its position.

[PJazzmaster]

http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... em+arm+fix" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Telenator]

The hose clamp fix looks pretty good.

I'd be tempted to drill a hole across the end of the bar, slip on a flat washer, and then press a pin into the hole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_pin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or a cotter pin and washer on the end of the trem arm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_pin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[soggy mittens]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=68870&hilit=trem+arm+fix

oh geezzz, ima try this!

[druunkonego]

Best solution I've seen to keep your trem arm in place is to put a small bend in the arm where it inserts into the trem/tailpiece. You can do this a number of ways. I bent mine by drilling a small hole into some scrap hardwood, just big enough to fit the end of your trem arm, about a quarter inch deep or so. Inserted the end of the trem arm and applied pressure until it had a small bend in it. Then, once inserted into the tailpiece it had more friction and prevented the arm from swinging freely. It still moves but will stay in place wherever you leave it.

Since first doing this about two years ago, I've never had an issue with my trem arm not being where it's suppose to be.

[randylahey]

Yeah that hose fix definitely looks like a good way to go, but I ended up soldering it and it worked well. It bonded fine, and its strong enough cause its not like I'm trying to tear it out or anything. And I've seen the staytrem one but I refuse to pay $60 for a tremolo arm!