If your into Drop tuning, this is the ticket! You can now make your "Trem stop" equipped guitar do the "Drop-D" and back without having to re-tune each time.
No need to undo the locknut every time. If your using locking tuners, you can drop tune in the same fashion or use the tuners on the head stock. You can "Drop-D " with any fulcrum system as long as it has this "Trem-Stop".
Here how it works:
Mounted in the spring cavity between the 2nd and 4th springs to the wood, the tremolo stop uses a ball point (on the left end) to ride smoothly on the side of the main block. The ball point is exactly like a ball point pen. In this picture below, imagine your guitar flipped over, in your lap, with neck going <---left, the trem stop is oriented as you see here between the 2nd and 4th springs and mounted to the wood underside, the ball point is butted up against the lower block side. The block, under string pull, wants to pull to the right, but the Trem stop ball point is in the way. The ball point shaft is extended out making contact with the block and in a sense, fending it off. (like pushing a boat away from the dock with a pole)
The shaft is extendable or retractable via the adjustment rings. Once mounted, you extend the ball point shaft into position using the adjustment rings. As you extend the shaft, the block gets pushed further back, like you're fending it off farther away.
From the topside view, if the guitar was on its back, when you see it, the tremolo is at a slightly tilted back angle but as you fend off the block more... the tremolo rights itself to a more level playing angle. This is where you want it to be. After all is set up and and playable again, you will notice that the arm still dives as usual, but the pull back stops at the set level position. This way as you rest your hand on the back of the tremolo while palm muting or during normal chops, the tremolo wont go out of tune and waver.
Why spend more for a tremolo stop when this is so simple to set up, and inexpensive!
A cosmetic note: These trem stops have been sitting around for over 20 years in open trays. They were dirty and grimy as you might suspect. I have since cleaned up all the units using a vibration unit. Thus they now have a very clean, "scrubbed" look. no worries, its hidden in the spring cavity and its just cosmetic. Click here to order one.
