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Over the weekend, I had some time to tackle a project that has been bothering me for a while - getting the vibrato arm on my partsrite at the height I like.

Really there are only two ways to adjust the height - shimming the existing spring, or finding a new spring. I decided to find a new spring, so off I went to the local hardware store. There I picked up a few different springs that were in roughly the same diameter and stiffness as the springs I have from Zamminc and Hallmark. I picked out one spring in particular that looked promising, but too long. So I took out my handy Dremel, put on the cutting wheel, and started cutting. The key to the process is to cut a bit off the spring, put it on the guitar, and tune it up. If the arm is too high, cut off more. I started with cutting a whole loop, then a half loop, then quarter loops until I got it where I wanted it. As you can see in the pictures below, it doesn't take much difference in spring height to make a big difference in arm height.

Afterwards I wound up repeating the process with a slightly lighter spring that had a more featherweight feel. I'm still deciding which spring I like more, though I'm leaning towards the lighter one.

Two notes - first, wear safety glasses - you're going to break a few cutting wheels and you don't need those in your eyes. Second, expect to break some strings over the course of all the tuning and detuning, so have spares. For good measure I put a fresh set on the guitar once I was done.

Good job Mel, the difference is very noticeable. In the last pic your trem arm is practically at the same level/angle as my Hallmark's (factory strings are 10/46's). That angle(level) suits me fine.
I notice you did the cutting at right angles. I suppose it would be a bit of a tough challenge to cut them at an angle to get the spring to fit in more 'flush'...

I have done the same, except used the Dremel cutting wheel to flatten out the spring ends, so they sit flat in the vibrato base. Good job, Mel.

Dennis

The right angle cut works fine, though I did flatten the ends this time around. The spring with the right angle cut was the original spring I cut last year.

Interesting that the spring on the 60 Custom puts the arm in the same position. When I had the Excellent 65 I had to shim the spring to get the arm up.

In agreement with the others... Well Done MacGyver!
Definitely a nice "Field Mod" and Great Pictures as well...
Do you use a Tripod and if not what's the make on the camera?

I've done this too to my V2 models. a small cliff note though. it doesn't hurt to pick up a new spring and mod the new one. cuz if you screw up or cut the spring too short, at least you haven't ruined an original part.

The camera is a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS "Elph" that I bought refurbished on eBay. I didn't use a tripod, but for the pictures of the vibrato arm height, I did use the edge of the table for balance (does that make it a "bipod"?

Also, I agree, don't cut an original vintage spring. The two in the pictures above are not Mosrite factory springs, but they are reasonably close in stiffness to the "heavy gauge" spring that Zamm sells. As I mentioned above, I also did this with a thinner spring, which I prefer, and has a feel more similar to the spring in my '66.

Mel,

What hardware store did you purchase the spring? I've been unable to locate anything remotely close at Ace, Lowes or Home Depot.

It's a TrueValue. I'll get you a couple of springs next time I'm there.

Mel , Thanks for the info and great photos. I never considered trying to buy springs at a hardware store and making them work, excellent idea.