Question about upgrading Squier CV tremolo

[RoaringTwenties]

I just purchased a Squier CV Jaguar that I am stoked about! Maybe I'll post some pics and more info later.
The previous owner already put a Staytrem bridge on. I want to upgrade the tremolo/vibrato unit. My understanding is that the AV units will drop right in. Are the AV tremolo arms screw in, as opposed to push in, and if so, do they stay in place, or do they swing and dangle? I did already order a Staytrem collet, but there is a long waitlist. Is there a better option than an AV unit?

Thanks!

[ryanthellama]

The AVRIs have a push-in arm. That would probably be my recommendation, though I do really like the Staytrem arm. I also like the Panorama a lot, but its spring issues make it hard for me to recommend it to anyone.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I just dropped an AVRI vibrato into a Squier CV Bass VI. Holy wow, what an improvement! The Squier arm isn't compatible. I ended up ordering an AVRI arm as well.

The AVRI vibrato is just fine and is a direct replacement.

[Tiga]

I just put an AVRI tremolo in my CV Squier - huge improvement. Dropped right in - no drilling needed. It is a push-in arm however on mine the angle of the arm is too high. I need to bend it a bit - but otherwise the upgrade was well worth it. My stock unit was noisy/clunky.

[marginwalker]

You could always swap out the AVRI collet for a screw in collet and arm like what’s on the classic player/vintera series. That’s what I did on an AVRI trem that I’m putting in a partsmaster and I’m digging it. The arm does swing around freely though, but you won’t have to worry about it falling out

[GreenKnee]

I just put an AVRI tremolo in my CV Squier - huge improvement. Dropped right in - no drilling needed. It is a push-in arm however on mine the angle of the arm is too high. I need to bend it a bit - but otherwise the upgrade was well worth it. My stock unit was noisy/clunky.

If the arm is too high you can adjust the height of it by adjusting the screw in the middle of the unit. Takes a few goes as the strings change pitch when adjusting and so the screw will need further adjustment.
This can throw out the trem lock function, if you use it, and so in that case bending may be the best option.

[SmoggyTwinkles]

I just purchased a Squier CV Jaguar that I am stoked about! Maybe I'll post some pics and more info later.
The previous owner already put a Staytrem bridge on. I want to upgrade the tremolo/vibrato unit. My understanding is that the AV units will drop right in. Are the AV tremolo arms screw in, as opposed to push in, and if so, do they stay in place, or do they swing and dangle? I did already order a Staytrem collet, but there is a long waitlist. Is there a better option than an AV unit?

Thanks!

I don't understand why you would want anything else if you've already ordered the staytrem collet, which comes with an arm I'm pretty sure.

My main guitar is a 93 MIJ Jaguar which I've owned for nearly 30 years, and just last year finally "fixed" it with the Staytrem bridge and the Tremolo (vibrato...) collet and arm. Really awesome upgrades.

I don't remember it taking that long to get it, I think they are kind of made by order type thing as opposed to a waiting list. I wanna say it was less than two months for me to get them, maybe even just one month, can't remember but it wasn't that long.

Totally worth it btw. It will still dangle but very slowly and won't fall out, and won't bottom out either if doing a big dive bomb.

[BoringPostcards]

I just bought a Squier CV70s Jag and will be going with a US unit on it. If it’s a keeper, it’ll get a mastery bridge as well.
The stock one has a nice collet and arm, but it stops there. The innards are not well executed, so it’s noisy when operated at anything more than a subtle wiggle. It makes a loud clang if you try to get any downward range out of it.
Rather than take it apart and grind smooth whatever part is fucked up, a la Mike Adams, I’ll get a US unit.

[CVBassVI]

If the arm is literally falling out, you have literally not put it in all the way. Properly pushed it, it does not fall out. There are videos on Youtube about this non-issue.

[JSett]

[timtam]

Prior to the Am Pro II's Panorama trem appearing, there was the 'American Professional' trem that came on the original Am Pro jag/JM series guitars. That was basically an MIA AVRI trem but with a screw-in arm. You could buy it as a separate part. But a quick check suggests that that trem has disappeared from sale as a part - neither Riley, Guitar Parts Resource, nor Angela have it. You can of course now buy the Am Pro II Panorama trem as a part. But given the issues that some people have with the Panorama, it might make sense to re-release the original Am Pro trem as a part. However the Korean-made Classic Player trem (on some MIM offsets) can still be bought as a part and does also have a screw-in arm.

[BoringPostcards]

Prior to the Am Pro II's Panorama trem appearing, there was the 'American Professional' trem that came on the original Am Pro jag/JM series guitars. That was basically an MIA AVRI trem but with a screw-in arm. You could buy it as a separate part. But a quick check suggests that that trem has disappeared from sale as a part - neither Riley, Guitar Parts Resource, nor Angela have it. You can of course now buy the Am Pro II Panorama trem as a part. But given the issues that some people have with the Panorama, it might make sense to re-release the original Am Pro trem as a part. However the Korean-made Classic Player trem (on some MIM offsets) can still be bought as a part and does also have a screw-in arm.

I’m pretty sure you can still order the American Vintage unit and arm. It has the push in collet and arm, rather than screw in.

[echoplex]

But given the issues that some people have with the Panorama

What are the issues some have with the Panorama trem?

[Powdered Toast Man]

But given the issues that some people have with the Panorama

What are the issues some have with the Panorama trem?

It was well documented but I think it was Mike Adams who actually figured it out. If I remember correctly the spring and whole design of the new Panorama vibrato is designed to work with 9's or 10's. The problems came up when owners tried to put 11's or higher on them and suddenly they were having all kinds of problems with the vibrato tension and the arm bottoming out.

https://youtu.be/wNTXt1YFmpA

[JSett]

Pretty sure we'd collectively figured it out on here well before Hamface Adams did his video. There's a huge thread and I seem to remember a lot of people saying they only had issues moving from the shipped 9's onto proper strings.

You can feel just with your fingers they're a softer spring. It's immediately obvious when you have them side by side. I've got a bag of parts for all different vibratos and the AV65 and vintage seem to be the best balanced, Panorama and 90s MIJ are softer (Panorama the softest), 00s CIJ are a touch firmer, Squiers look like the cheapest spring ever made.

I need to take out a vintage one to my garage as they look just like Ford or Chevy valve springs and I've got a bunch in a tub all labelled up.