There is a simple solution that works quite well for although it might not =
be the perfrect one:
=20
Fill all the spring positions with standard replacement strings. I believe =
that Strats come with three springs that might be loaded in line with their=
 slot of crossed over to another slot. When they are crossed over to an adj=
acent slot, the spring will be tighter and should provide more tension on t=
he whammy bar. You should only need to buy two or three extra springs. On t=
he other hand, to really make sure that all the springs are the same when t=
ension is applied, you can buy five springs. This also a nice cheap fix (wh=
en compared to alternatives that might alter the body of your guitar) that =
is easily reversed.
=20
I have five springs in the back of my Strat and it seems to be able to take=
 a bend (applied with the fingers) without going out of tune. I can even at=
tach the whammy bar. When I use a whammy bar, I can get a full relief whamm=
y bend but I do not get a good whammy tension bend due to the fact that the=
 bridge is already so close to the body from the extra spring tension.
=20
***************************************************************************=
************
Hey all! Since I've noticed theres a few of you on the list who know a thin=
g
or two about guitars, I figured I'd ask here.

I have a Fender Mexican Standard Stratocaster (humbucker, single, single
pickups) and a floating bridge for the tremolo which I do not use. I want t=
o
immobilize the floating bridge because it won't let me do full tone string
bends. If I try to bend a string more than a semitone's worth, the
spring-loaded bridge moves with the string and partially relieves the
applied tension. This won't allow a full tone bend due to insufficient
tension. I want to somehow immobilize the bridge and fix it in place so it
doesn't bend whenever I bend the strings.

Story: I'm trying to nail that David Gilmour sound on the neck pickup (as
heard in Shine On You Crazy Diamond from the album Wish You Were Here by
Pink Floyd), and there's a lot of full tone bends in there. Right now, I'm
just playing a fret higher to begin with and bending there in order to
simulate a full tone bend. But that's annoying and I don't want to do that =
		 	   		 =20
--=20
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