S.Tinkerer

https://www.thespringstore.com/pc125-703-6250-mw-1090-cg-n-in.html This spring still wasn't perfect but much closer to holding it down completely and much more stable overall. Now it at least returns to the same spot each time. And I think I actually like it floating just that little bit. As far as how to install it, I did not get any special pliers or anything. I just unscrewed the side screws that hold the top and base together / where the bridge actually rotates. Then it was easy to put the spring in place and screw it back together. Way easier than trying to squeeze a quality spring into that spot. Still much more work to make this guitar actually nice but I'd say it's at least giggable now.

Thanks for using a brain when I forgot to. I grabbed a couple different springs from that site (partially because it's a $40 min) and I'll post what (if any) model works best.

Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place, please tell me where I should go instead if that's the case. I'm fixing up / having fun with an old Teisco style guitar with gold foils. It's mostly gone well for what I'm trying to get out of it. Recently got it to what could be called a complete state for the first time. Still a few tweaks I need to do to get it actually playing well though. One of those things is the whammy is currently floating which I do not want to be the case. It's one of these When I got it at first the spring was already too short to push it all the way back but it was easy enough to make a spacer for it. But now that the guitar is strung up (admittedly 11's on a 25.5" scale tuned to standard) the spring isn't strong enough to push the arm all the way up. Any suggestions on where to get a spring that will be? As well as recommendations on how to install the spring because it already wasn't easy with the one it came with. I hope that makes sense. Thanks for your help!