installing a Schaller sureclaw in a HSS strat body

[randomperson]

Hi everyone. I am currently building a swamp ash strat with a HSS pickup configuration and was looking into using a schaller sureclaw. I read online that the screws often pop out of the middle pickup route but Ive seen some people who had it installed just fine. is there a specific way to install the sureclaw and is the sureclaw better than a normal spring claw system?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I have it on two guitars, and working towards two more. Just don’t overdrill the pilot holes and you should be fine.
Measure the body thickness, depth of the trem cavity, and the thickness of the sure claw in order to determine if you just slightly shorter screws. I’ve ground them shorter in other applications.

 

[randomperson]

I have it on two guitars, and working towards two more. Just don’t overdrill the pilot holes and you should be fine.
Measure the body thickness, depth of the trem cavity, and the thickness of the sure claw in order to determine if you just slightly shorter screws. I’ve ground them shorter in other applications.

oh okay that makes sense! does the guitars you installed the csureclaw on have a middle pick up route, and if so is there a picture i could see?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Current use is on HH guitars, however, Imam about to install one on an HSS over a pool route on this guitar.

 

[randomperson]

Current use is on HH guitars, however, Imam about to install one on an HSS over a pool route on this guitar.

could you please tell me how it goes once its installed? also id like to knwhat screws you used and how you installed it!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

could you please tell me how it goes once its installed? also id like to knwhat screws you used and how you installed it!

In the past, I’ve used the supplied screws. I center it with business cards, then I use a center punch to set where to drill the pilot holes. I only drill to 75% of the screw length as far as it enters the wood. You have to take the thickness of the sure claw into consideration rather than the entire screw. I leave a touch of the wood un-piloted just to get more friction strength on the screw, using the exact size Phillips head from my set of extensive screw bits just for added precision.

 

[randomperson]

In the past, I’ve used the supplied screws. I center it with business cards, then I use a center punch to set where to drill the pilot holes. I only drill to 75% of the screw length as far as it enters the wood. You have to take the thickness of the sure claw into consideration rather than the entire screw. I leave a touch of the wood un-piloted just to get more friction strength on the screw, using the exact size Phillips head from my set of extensive screw bits just for added precision.

oh that's actually quite a simple process. I was mainly worried about the screws piercing through the middle pickup route. Is the wood thick enough to hold the screws without it protruding out? I am just worried since is supposed to screw into a part of the body that has cavities on both sides.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

oh that's actually quite a simple process. I was mainly worried about the screws piercing through the middle pickup route. Is the wood thick enough to hold the screws without it protruding out? I am just worried since is supposed to screw into a part of the body that has cavities on both sides.

Hasn’t happened to me yet, and judging by eyeball on the back of the posted guitar, the screw alignment is to the bass side of the center pickup, so even on the pool route, even if it did come through (which I doubt that it would) it should clear the center pickup entirely. I want to say from memory that once you put the screw through the baseplate of the sure claw, penetration into the would is just abou 3/8” maximum. It’s not crazy deep at all.

Body is 1.75” thick.
Spring claw cavity at Sureclaw Screw Location is 3/4” deep.

This gives you another 1 full inch of body to work with.

I have the guitar covered with pickguard right now, so I can’t tell you what the pickup area of a standard Strat cavity route is, but I’m sure someone else here can chime in.

According to the Sure Claw page at Schaller (2 x mounting screws M3.5 x 25 mm (shorten if necessary).
Here is a .pdf from that page where can acquire the Sure Claw Dimensions to take into consideration to prepare for your installation.

https://schaller.info/media/0b/68/5a/1707212537/1314.pdf

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Here it is in my main sixer.

 

[randomperson]

Here it is in my main sixer.

that looks really good! could i know what the pickup configuration is?

 

[stratamania]

I have known of a custom builder using flat headed countersunk machine screws on an HSS where the screws clashed with the middle pickup. The flat head bolts were used on the pickup cavity side and corresponding nuts on the side of the sureclaw. Though he may have threaded the sureclaw holes themselves instead of using nuts.

The main benefit as sureclaw may give you is being able to adjust the spring tension through a hole in the backplate without having to remove it. But adjusting tremolo spring tension is not a job that needs to be done regularly.

 

[randomperson]

I have known of a custom builder using flat headed countersunk machine screws on an HSS where the screws clashed with the middle pickup. The flat head bolts were used on the pickup cavity side and corresponding nuts on the side of the sureclaw. Though he may have threaded the sureclaw holes themselves instead of using nuts.

The main benefit as sureclaw may give you is being able to adjust the spring tension through a hole in the backplate without having to remove it. But adjusting tremolo spring tension is not a job that needs to be done regularly.

I've seen that in a thread somewhere too, but I'm hoping I don't have to drill any holes to the other side of the body. the ideal scenario for me is that's it screw into the body with no protrusions or any modification aside from shorter screw possibly.