Measuring For Routing Trem

[Mickguard]

I have a vintage-style tremolo here --it's not from Fender, probably just a cheapo knockoff. I've been looking at the template at the back of Melvyn's book, and it seems to me that the routes for the sustain block are quite a bit wider than I'd need.

The sustain block on the trem I have here is only 12 mm thick at the top-- but the top route in the book is 20 mm wide. Which seems to me, even accommodating the amount of play needed to use the trem, to be far wider than what I'd need. The sustain block narrows to just 6 mm at the bottom--do I really need 25 mm for the lower route?

So is there a way of measuring for the routes I'll need to make for this specific trem --or does it make no difference at all, and should I just go with what's in the book?

On a related note, can anyone tell me why they sell a cover for this kind of bridge? I can't recall ever having seen a strat with a bridge cover, and it seems like it'd be impossible to palm mute with a cover on.

[SwedishLuthier]

That is one were thin trem block IMO. But I wouldn’t be too concerned. I would go with the original routs, in case you would someday want to use a more standard sized bridge.

And the original Strat tremolos DID have a cover pretty much like the old Tele bridges. As with the Tele bridges the covers were taken off and more often used as ash trays.

[Mickguard]

That is one were thin trem block IMO. But I wouldn’t be too concerned. I would go with the original routs, in case you would someday want to use a more standard sized bridge.

And the original Strat tremolos DID have a cover pretty much like the old Tele bridges. As with the Tele bridges the covers were taken off and more often used as ash trays.

Too bad I quit smoking...

Good point about changing the block --I'll have to see how it sounds first. Obviously they saved a lot of metal shaping it this way