Lightweight Trem Block for Gotoh510t

[ghostrider]

I've got a few bodies with Gotoh 510t bridges and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a lighter-weight trem block I could switch with it...?

I have some back pain from years of collision sports and shaving off a little weight (the guitar and also myself, frankly ) would be nice.

I took off one of the blocks and it weighs in at 8.8 oz which is a pretty reasonable weight so I'm kind of skeptical that I'll find a block that is too much lighter than that, but I figured I'd ask in case someone knows of one.

 

[ruscio]

I don't know of one, and this is already a reasonably slim/light block. Sorry about the back pain. I feel it in my neck/shoulders with a heavy guitar. I've learned through weighing a *lot* of guitar parts that by far the largest source of variance is the body. By comparison, nothing else makes very much of a difference, probably nothing detectable when playing. Bodies will make up at least half the weight of most guitars, and differences in bodies (even for the same size and shape) can be substantial (e.g., strat bodies range from roughly 3 to 5 lbs). All other parts--necks, bridges, pickups, tuners, etc.--combine to a nontrivial total weight, but each of these components varies fairly little from the lighter to heavier options (ounces, not pounds). The best way to get to a light guitar is to buy/build one that starts with a light body; without that, all the light components you can hunt down won't yield a very light guitar.

 

[Hodgo]

RockRabbit sells an aluminum block (3.5oz) and a titanium block (5.3oz).

They also sell everything else in titanium too. But it’s wildly expensive…

The lightest body I own is a pine Tele with a 1.5” thickness. 2lb 10oz.

 

[ghostrider]

RockRabbit sells an aluminum block (3.5oz) and a titanium block (5.3oz).

They also sell everything else in titanium too. But it’s wildly expensive…

The lightest body I own is a pine Tele with a 1.5” thickness. 2lb 10oz.

Wow, that is way lighter! It looks like they don't have much available on their site at the moment. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Hodgo]

Sure thing. Don’t neglect to get a nice wide strap too. When I was building a bass for my dad, I added a GruvGear neoprene wide strap too. It was amazing how light that bass felt on the shoulder.

 

[ghostrider]

I don't know of one, and this is already a reasonably slim/light block. Sorry about the back pain. I feel it in my neck/shoulders with a heavy guitar. I've learned through weighing a *lot* of guitar parts that by far the largest source of variance is the body. By comparison, nothing else makes very much of a difference, probably nothing detectable when playing. Bodies will make up at least half the weight of most guitars, and differences in bodies (even for the same size and shape) can be substantial (e.g., strat bodies range from roughly 3 to 5 lbs). All other parts--necks, bridges, pickups, tuners, etc.--combine to a nontrivial total weight, but each of these components varies fairly little from the lighter to heavier options (ounces, not pounds). The best way to get to a light guitar is to buy/build one that starts with a light body; without that, all the light components you can hunt down won't yield a very light guitar.

You are 100% right. The body I'm starting with is 3.53 lbs which, with my current parts, should yield a guitar somewhere in the 7.5 lbs which is pretty good, although, I'd ideally love to get it down to close to 7.

 

[Don O]

Sure thing. Don’t neglect to get a nice wide strap too. When I was building a bass for my dad, I added a GruvGear neoprene wide strap too. It was amazing how light that bass felt on the shoulder.

Totally agree. A 3” wide, padded strap is the way to go.

 

[Spud]

I've got a few bodies with Gotoh 510t bridges and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a lighter-weight trem block I could switch with it...?

I have some back pain from years of collision sports and shaving off a little weight (the guitar and also myself, frankly ) would be nice.

I took off one of the blocks and it weighs in at 8.8 oz which is a pretty reasonable weight so I'm kind of skeptical that I'll find a block that is too much lighter than that, but I figured I'd ask in case someone knows of one.

I dunno about fit, but there are "short" blocks out there that may be lighter..................

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I use LM Enterprises 3.5” wide glove tanned leather straps, spreads the weight evenly and accommodates my beadwork nicely.

 

[ruscio]

+1 on the wide strap recommendations. Switching from 2” to 4” leather strap made a world of difference for my shoulder.

 

[supertruper1988]

Which Gotoh Block do you have now? I have one of their zinc blocks and one thats steel the steel one is heavy.

 

[ghostrider]

Which Gotoh Block do you have now? I have one of their zinc blocks and one thats steel the steel one is heavy.

I have this one which I bought from Warmoth...

https://warmoth.com/510ts-fe1

 

[supertruper1988]

Oooof yeah that is the steel block. Gotoh also sells one with a zinc block.

510T-FE1 - G-GOTOH

Sttel SaddleString Spacing : 10.8mmwith FST Mechanism

g-gotoh.com

Its much lighter and can be purchased from Allparts:

https://www.allparts.com/products/sb-5330-gotoh-510t-fe1-fulcrum-tremolo?variant=18579873923129

 

[ghostrider]

Oooof yeah that is the steel block. Gotoh also sells one with a zinc block.

510T-FE1 - G-GOTOH

Sttel SaddleString Spacing : 10.8mmwith FST Mechanism

g-gotoh.com

Its much lighter and can be purchased from Allparts:

https://www.allparts.com/products/sb-5330-gotoh-510t-fe1-fulcrum-tremolo?variant=18579873923129

I’ll check it out. Thanks!

Any idea about how much lighter?

 

[supertruper1988]

I went from the all steel one with block saddles to a zinc block with bent saddles and lost almost 1/2 pound on total weight on the guitar.