Got a Strat back in my collection again after not having one for some time. Been settling it in and adjusting to find the right set-up and it's all coming back now, the fussiness and dilemma of the Strat, well at least the 2 Custom Shop Strats I've owned.
I switch between a floating and decked trem and get the following:
With 5 trem springs and bridge decked to allow no bridge movement I find that I get noticeably more fret buzz on the lower strings on the lower frets, even with correct neck relief, action and pickup height, plus it just feels and sounds stiffer.
With 3 springs, trem floating and a 1/8th inch gap between rear of bridge and body it's a nicer feeling set-up on the fingerboard, with noticeably less fret buzz and a generally slinkier feel. I don't use the trem too much but it's nice for shimmers on chords, however, I have to consciously play without my palm on the bridge, or just gently for palm muting or have the bridge move and wobble the pitch as I play. With a floating bridge I find my picking hand naturally moving forward and picking around the neck pickup on a Strat but just it seems to play and sound better than decked.
So there's the dilemma, decked bridge with more fret buzz and stiffer feel but able to bash harder like on a Tele or a floating bridge, lot less fret buzz and a slinkier feel and somehow better tone, that requires a more careful technique.
I'm going to leave it floating for now but raised that 1/8th to give a full tone pull up on the trem on 2nd string makes the bridge plate feel quite high under the hand so we'll see,
Funny old thing a Strat, no other guitar quite like them,
Comments
You should defo try some Raw Vintage springs. Cost very little and can really transform some guitars. Can easily float with all 5 springs on, but I have settled on 4 on mine, and it is great.
Again a floating bridge will always give you more of a 'spongy' feel as the bridge gives a touch as you bend - Equally 5 springs and bridge flat adds more 'resonance'
I've heard that looser springs can affect tone but I'm not convinced after my own testing. It is very hard to A/B in any meaningful way, but I wound up leaving three ordinary springs in rather than 5 'vintage style' ones.
That said, my guitar definitely better with 3 springs than it does with 2 or 4, floating or otherwise. So there is something in it. Or maybe I'm just inventing things in my brain
Personally I like the trem floating no more than about 0.5 mm, but not against the body. I primarily use the trem to lower the pitch and I don't like other strings going out of tune when doing unison bends which can happen if the springs are too slack/bridge floating too high.