Is it safe to leave tremolo arm in whilst travelling?

[paynec]

My son travels on train 10x week with his Strat. He uses the tremolo arm. He only has a soft bag, no hard case. Until now he has always removed the tremolo arm to travel (and the block is now stripped).
Questions:
does anyone leave the arm in place for travel?
Would it be safe to do so or is there a chance of damaging something?

Thanks

 

[MGW-AB]

I would never leave the arm in, soft case or hard.

Just out of curiosity, do the threads on the arm show any galling?

 

[LostPlectrum]

It probably depends on how much you travel, and on whether you'll be watching over the guitar at all times during journeys. I've gone to a couple of gigs (in my car) with my Strat in a soft gig bag and the arm still in (pointing towards the bottom of the guitar), and I never had any problems. Of course, if it's dropped, pressed or impacted in any significant way while in transit, you may run the risk of damage, or at least whacking the guitar of tune.

 

[Believer7713]

Especially in a gig bag, you take a chance of it getting hit and either bent or broken off at the threads.
I'm not saying it's not ok to leave it in. Just saying I don't.

 

[paynec]

I would never leave the arm in, soft case or hard.

Just out of curiosity, do the threads on the arm show any galling?

The block is zinc. Yes the arm threads clogged. I used a die to clear them (2x). Now the threads in the block are gone.
I’m going to replace it with a steel block so hopefully won’t have this problem again. But someone suggested leaving the arm in, so that’s why I asked

 

[El Gobernador]

My arm has been in place for 38 years. The guitar has travelled back and forth across the country in cases and in gig bags inside rolling tour cases.

It's fine.

 

[PlayerOne]

I always remove the arm before putting the guitar in it's case. I'm not a big trem guy, but I prefer not to gamble with tuning issues that leaving the arm inserted might cause.

 

[The Ballzz]

My son travels on train 10x week with his Strat. He uses the tremolo arm. He only has a soft bag, no hard case. Until now he has always removed the tremolo arm to travel (and the block is now stripped).
Questions:
does anyone leave the arm in place for travel?
Would it be safe to do so or is there a chance of damaging something?

Thanks

I've been doing it for years, with no issues at all. The last trip included multiple plane changes, with items stuffed around the guitar in the overhead compartment and when I pulled it out of the bag, it was still in tune. Let's consider a couple things:
A> What do we do with a tremolo? We push, yank and bang on it, sometimes almost violently. The banging around in a padded gig bag is not severe enough to cause damage to knobs, pickups, strings, bridge, etc, so……..……? Any impact gets dampened/absorbed by the springs and strings of the tremolo system.
B> The process of repeatedly unscrewing and screwing the arm, out & in is more likely to damage the threads, as opposed to leaving it in place. The dissimilarity in hardness of the arm and block (even when they are both "steel") helps facilitate this thread damage. Also, a removed arm allows the opportunity for the spring and ball to fall out of the threaded hole in the block!

Your Guitar, Your Choice, But I Say "Leave It In!"
Gene

 

[paynec]

O

I've been doing it for years, with no issues at all. The last trip included multiple plane changes, with items stuffed around the guitar in the overhead compartment and when I pulled it out of the bag, it was still in tune. Let's consider a couple things:
A> What do we do with a tremolo? We push, yank and bang on it, sometimes almost violently. The banging around in a padded gig bag is not severe enough to cause damage to knobs, pickups, strings, bridge, etc, so……..……? Any impact gets dampened/absorbed by the springs and strings of the tremolo system.
B> The process of repeatedly unscrewing and screwing the arm, out & in is more likely to damage the threads, as opposed to leaving it in place. The dissimilarity in hardness of the arm and block (even when they are both "steel") helps facilitate this thread damage. Also, a removed arm allows the opportunity for the spring and ball to fall out of the threaded hole in the block!

Your Guitar, Your Choice, But I Say "Leave It In!":

that raises another question, is a ball and spring necessary with a steel block? Or just soft metals?
Has anyone ever tried plumbers Teflon tape to make the arm “stick” instead of a spring?

 

[Willmunny]

I take them off, even when storing at home in the hard case.
That has more to do with ocd tendencies than worry about damage
Ymmv

 

[Quikstyl]

My son travels on train 10x week with his Strat. He uses the tremolo arm. He only has a soft bag, no hard case. Until now he has always removed the tremolo arm to travel (and the block is now stripped).
Questions:
does anyone leave the arm in place for travel?
Would it be safe to do so or is there a chance of damaging something?

Thanks

I take my Floyd arm off wen in the case so as not to mess with the trem springs when I'm not playing it. My American Standard's are decked.

 

[AxemanVR]

I leave mine in.

Sure, commuting is fraught with all sorts of unexpected dangers, but anything hitting the tremolo hard enough to damage it will probably wreck something else as well, depending on the quality of the gig bag.

Carrying it so the back of the guitar is facing outwards towards any potential danger (tremolo side towards your body) should prevent a direct impact from affecting it.

Anyway, assuming the traveler takes as much care as they would a beloved child, I don’t see it as being a major concern…

.

 

[The Ballzz]

O

that raises another question, is a ball and spring necessary with a steel block? Or just soft metals?
Has anyone ever tried plumbers Teflon tape to make the arm “stick” instead of a spring?

There are multiple takes for improvements on the multiple facets the standard Fender tremolo design. The Callaham approach is one such improvement and so is most of the approach of the blocks on American Professional models, all except for that stupid "bejeezus" clip for the "pop-in" arm that is destined for failure and/or loss, through daily repeated use!

I wish I had pics of the process, but I'll tell you what I do with standard Fender units. It's not for the faint of heart or those without a good drill press and the skills to use it properly! It boils down to a combination of the American Professional and Callaham designs and can be done with both zinc and steel blocks.

1> First, I counterbore the outer 3/8"-1/2" of the arm hole, to a proper diameter for a Delrin bushing, similar to what the Callaham blocks use.
2> I then drill and tap for a small, allen head set screw (either from the rear or end of the block, depending on the angle that the arm enters the block), to press against that bushing, for arm tension adjustment.

This works quite well for me and I ALWAYS leave the arm in place! I have become rather fond of the stainless Callaham arms, for their well manufactured consistency of sizing, sturdiness and construction.

This is well worth the read:

Tremolo Bridges and Screw-In Tremolo Arm Insertion Difficulties

Tremolo Bridges and Screw-In Tremolo Arm Insertion Difficulties

stratcat.biz

And This:

Our Custom Designed and Manufactured Tremolo Arms

About Our Tremolo Arm Designs

stratcat.biz

As well as the Callaham dissertation on the subject:

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts (Technical Info: Block Details)

We also sell most of the parts used on our vintage Strat reproduction guitars. ie. Callaham Tremolo Blocks, Lindy Fralin Pickups, etc.

www.callahamguitars.com

And yes, teflon plumbers tape CAN and HAS been used by many. It is my considered opinion though, that this simply a "band aid" for a more fundamental problem/issue!

Just My Way Of Thinkin'
Gene

 

[Ronkirn]

well. . . where are ya goin'?

 

[MGW-AB]

The block is zinc. Yes the arm threads clogged. I used a die to clear them (2x). Now the threads in the block are gone.
I’m going to replace it with a steel block so hopefully won’t have this problem again. But someone suggested leaving the arm in, so that’s why I asked

I have a small pill bottle in which I store a small amount of "nut sauce" that I mixed myself with a quarter teaspoon of Vaseline and a quarter teaspoon of powdered graphite. It works better than store bought nut sauce because of the graphite and at the rate I am using it that half teaspoonful will likely last me the rest of my life. I apply it to my guitar nuts with a short piece of leftover guitar string. It's messy so I always wipe down the wire before storing it and the surface of the nut after the application. I think if I was going to be screwing and unscrewing my trem arm a dozen times a week or more I would apply a small amount to the threads in the block and each time I removed the arm I would wrap the arm threads with tissue and secure the tissue with Scotch Tape before putting the arm in the case to prevent it leaving a greasy black mark in the case.

That practice would most likely have prevented the galling you've experience. Just a thought.

 

[Stratafied]

It’s against the law.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

My son travels on train 10x week with his Strat. He uses the tremolo arm. He only has a soft bag, no hard case. Until now he has always removed the tremolo arm to travel (and the block is now stripped).
Questions:
does anyone leave the arm in place for travel?
Would it be safe to do so or is there a chance of damaging something?

Thanks

I would never take it out, but position it in the case so it doesn’t protrude up.

 

[GrooVey]

I leave it in.

 

[Electgumbo]

I almost never take the bar off of the Strats…. I turn them to the butt end and leave them in… hard case … gig bag it don’t matter…

 

[paynec]

There are multiple takes for improvements on the multiple facets the standard Fender tremolo design. The Callaham approach is one such improvement and so is most of the approach of the blocks on American Professional models, all except for that stupid "bejeezus" clip for the "pop-in" arm that is destined for failure and/or loss, through daily repeated use!

I wish I had pics of the process, but I'll tell you what I do with standard Fender units. It's not for the faint of heart or those without a good drill press and the skills to use it properly! It boils down to a combination of the American Professional and Callaham designs and can be done with both zinc and steel blocks.

1> First, I counterbore the outer 3/8"-1/2" of the arm hole, to a proper diameter for a Delrin bushing, similar to what the Callaham blocks use.
2> I then drill and tap for a small, allen head set screw (either from the rear or end of the block, depending on the angle that the arm enters the block), to press against that bushing, for arm tension adjustment.

This works quite well for me and I ALWAYS leave the arm in place! I have become rather fond of the stainless Callaham arms, for their well manufactured consistency of sizing, sturdiness and construction.

This is well worth the read:

Tremolo Bridges and Screw-In Tremolo Arm Insertion Difficulties

Tremolo Bridges and Screw-In Tremolo Arm Insertion Difficulties

stratcat.biz

And This:

Our Custom Designed and Manufactured Tremolo Arms

About Our Tremolo Arm Designs

stratcat.biz

As well as the Callaham dissertation on the subject:

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts (Technical Info: Block Details)

We also sell most of the parts used on our vintage Strat reproduction guitars. ie. Callaham Tremolo Blocks, Lindy Fralin Pickups, etc.

www.callahamguitars.com

And yes, teflon plumbers tape CAN and HAS been used by many. It is my considered opinion though, that this simply a "band aid" for a more fundamental problem/issue!

Just My Way Of Thinkin'
Gene

well the zinc block is stripped so I might as well give it a go! (although Ill have to convert the inches to metric drills)
where can I get those derlin bushings?