tonyv77 Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 So this my first post ever, I hope I get some feedback since this is my first guitar project. I recently bought a used Yamaha Pacifica 112M ("m" for maple neck) for $125. It plays pretty well for not being touched for quite some time and needing adjustment in every way. I took off the old strings (felt like 9s to me) and put on 10s. This seemed to put a little more tension (yeah i know, no kidding) on the tremelo bridge. My first question is do I add another spring to counteract this or tighten the spring screws in the back? Thanks Future upgrades planned: Stainless Steel Bridge Saddles - GFS - $13 (stock vintage style are worthless in my opinion) Graptech or bone nut - $12 (semi-hollow plastic nut gots to go) EZ-lock tuners - GFS - $25 (just in case I use the tremelo once and a while, and for added tuning) Feedback welcome on my upgrades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 10's ... hmmm. I would probably look for some stiffer springs or tighten up the three it has. I run 4 -5 springs on my guitars with 11s tuned to E. But 11s are tough and I like stiff tremolos. When you move them to 10s or tune the 11s down to D 5 springs usually do not have enough tension to keep the springs tight in the block and and hte lack of string tension makes the tremolo pull hard. I have found that stiffer springs help a lot. The biggest issue is the feel of the tremolo. So if you like an easy tremolo just use the three you have and tighten them. If like your tremolo stiffer try replacing the springs before adding another spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv77 Posted August 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 ok, so there's advatages to both. I'm not an advanced tremelo user, been playing on on a Epi Sheraton 2 and a Les Paul for too long. So I guess I will just have to test it out. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 these are great guitars for the money but also perfect for 'improvement' - there was an article in the guitarist magazine here in the UK where they gave a few members of staff a new yamaha 112 to mod as they wished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshvegas Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 these are great guitars for the money but also perfect for 'improvement' - there was an article in the guitarist magazine here in the UK where they gave a few members of staff a new yamaha 112 to mod as they wished just don't stick it on the barbeque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv77 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 I'm a big fan of Yamaha for quality, value and playability. I expect this project when done should smoke a MIM Strat easily, all for under $200 (under $250 if i replace the humbucker). If you know the issue of that guitarist magazine I'd love to try to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 issue 304 - july 2008 - page 67-76 this magazine: http://www.guitarist.co.uk/ they did 4 1. got BBQ'd hence the previous post. they put a black strat pickguard on it with two duncan p-rails pickups and upgraded the bridge.. it had a few new switching options as well to make the most of the p-rails 2. got the EVH treatment, black with white stripes, put a camo d-sonic and chopper dimarzios in it and changed it to gold locking tuners with gold saddles 3. was rather subdued - new nut, vintage style tuners, painted the pickguard black, vintage trem and pickup upgrade and an oil finish 4. was another that you might not spot the difference on, all new pickups again (this time bare knuckles), new nut, saddles and a new logo!! they got yamahas guitar product manager to judge which one was best... he liked the 1st one best they got a lot of stick for doing the article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshvegas Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 personally I thought they should have got a lot of stick for basically telling someone not to try and construct their own strat type guitar. It was the editor who said hat and it was also him that set light to the guitar I think he might be a bit of a tube! Top magazine though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 i remember sometime in the 90's when they did an article on guitar smashing, quite scientifically they took a squire strat and did over the head swings onto a concrete floor it took about 10 before it was unplayable and even then the neck and neck join was still intact, but the body had split away around it they got a lot of stick that time because people said they should have given the guitar to the needy rather than destroy it in that manner.... do these people not understand rock & roll!!!! Similar thing this time, people kicking off for the BBQ incident even though the guitar was still fully playable after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djhollowman Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Surely the amount of abuse a guitar can take is a selling point? Paul Stanley never played Squier Strats then obviously, he'd batter one at the end of every show and more often than not it would snap in half with the first smack. Saying that though, you could tell he was almost miming it a few times! Hmmm......calls to mind the Top Gear Hi-Lux - what does it take to kill it?? DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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