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As the title suggests, the supposed TVL trem I got is pretty squeeky, and noisy. Anyone have any idea on how to troubleshoot and fix?

Check some of Puisheen's videos. He has one where he services a MIJ (?) that was noisy.'
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TLDR: Check teh pivot plate - the underpiece - and make sure it is properly squared. slight lubrication may help as well.

rubbing in the cavity ?
at the string anchor , near the lock button or on one side

Many times it's the pivot plate. If it isn't totally flush with the plate that it contacts, it can rub and make weird noises. Usually is more of a problem with the cheaper versions of the vibrato.

Also make sure the collet is secure. Use Loctite if you have to. Sometimes it can rattle.

ludobag1 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 12, 2021 12:55 pm

rubbing in the cavity ?
at the string anchor , near the lock button or on one side

That is worth checking too - I once spent a lot of time working on the trem unit until I realized it was rubbing the right side of the cavity

On MIJ units, I find that rounding off the end of the pivot plate works better than simply making it square & sharp. A bit of work with a file and sandpaper, turning the piece regularly to counteract any bias in your filing / sanding, and Bob's yer uncle. A drop of 3-in-1 oil on the pivot doesn't hurt.

Next is (usually) the trem arm being loose in the collet. Sticking the last 1/2" in a vise and gently pushing on the 90 degree angle to create a slight bend in it usually does the trick.

Once you get the hang of those little tricks, you really can get cheap units to work smoothly and feel solid, which is really satisfying. Although I don't really do repairs & setups, I ended up getting quite a few local JM / Jag players bringing their instruments to my shop. I do it for free and they usually go away thinking I performed some kind of black magic on their guitar

I just recently took my AVRI unit off and applied Vaseline to all the moving parts as I was getting a weird noise and it worked a treat, (the pivot plate contact points, the spring and spring bolt thing, the arm end and collet).

Tell us where the noise is coming from. The vibrato has many parts so we cannot guess.

If it’s the cavity, sand it back as the plate is rubbing against a wall

If it’s the spring, get a new unit.

If it’s the string anchor, try sanding the hole smooth or get a new unit.

If it’s the collet, get a staytrem collet or new unit.

If it’s the pivot, sand the face flat with a metal file, or get a new unit.


I went from MIM to MIJ with a staytrem collet and I went from disappointed to joy.