Schaller Sure Claw

[Jumble Jumble]

I realised I should probably repost this here, as buried in my build thread isn't a great place for anyone not interested in that build:

So this weekend I fitted the Schaller Sure Claw to the body. It's a very nice part, no doubt.

But sadly I feel I must strongly caution against using it in a Strat body with a middle pickup rout, or with the swimming pool.

When I drilled the holes for the mounting screws, they went straight through into the middle pickup cavity. This gives you a very thin piece of wood to mount the claw to, which isn't great considering the full tension of the strings will be pulling on those screws. The screws that were supplied with the claw protruded into the middle pickup cavity by about half an inch - possibly a little less.

If you were using vintage-style Strat pickups with the classic shape of baseplate (like this) then this completely rules out using the Sure Claw. The two screws would hit the baseplate in the area where the wires are attached. You would have to modify the plate to allow those screws to pass.

In this guitar I am using EMGs which don't go into that area (as seen here). However, that tiny thickness of wood is just not enough grip to mount the tremolo claw, in my opinion. So I needed some other solution.

Fortunately for me, because I was able to use the space where the holes came through, a decent solution presented itself. I got some 4mm machine screws and screwed them through the claw (which they gripped tightly), then through the wood with a new hole drilled at 3.5mm. At this point, because of all the threads in the metal and in the wood, the claw was already quite secure from wriggling - the same as it had been with the supplied wood screws. On top of this I was then able to drop a washer over the bolt from the other side, and tighten a nut securely over the top of that. This gives me a fitting that I am comfortable with. But it wouldn't work at all if I wasn't using EMGs or some other pickup that shape.

I think it's a great design, and I'd recommend it for any guitar with no middle pickup, but for a regular SSS Strat, chances are it's not going to work. "Suitable for all trems" indeed...

 

[Cagey]

Good write-up.

I had seen and briefly considered using one of those parts some time back, but had the same mounting concerns that you've brought to light. Then, I tried to remember the last time I had to adjust my spring claw(s) and came up empty. I very rarely change string gauge or tuning, so the claw tension has always been a "set it and forget" thing for me even though I always float my vibratos. Once the guitar is adjusted up, it stays there. So, I've passed on them and will now continue to do so.

I've also considered using one of these machined brass parts...

From Killer Guitar Components (KGC)​

But, they're pretty pricey and I have very strong doubts about their claims for the thing. I just thought they looked nice.

One thing I wish was more common would be claws with machine screws and tapped holes to tie a ground wire to, as you see in the picture above. It's an awkward part to solder to reliably.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Maybe I was unlucky with my last build, but putting the claw screws in, I thought I was going to break something. Plenty of wax, etc, but just the amount of elbow grease meant I wasn't in complete control.

The Sure Claw is definitely a more elegant solution, but sadly it just doesn't quite work.

If I build a 2H guitar with a trem then maybe I'll use it, but otherwise I'll stick to the regular claws.

I never really have trouble soldering to the claw. I scratch it up really good with a wire brush and then just heat it over a gas flame briefly to save time. I like to solder to the bottom of the claw to keep things tidy.

After I'd put the sure claw in and tightened the nuts—quite a tricky operation—I suddenly thought "oh crap - bridge ground wire". Fortunately, of course - EMGs. Don't need it. That would have been annoying.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I've also considered using one of these machined brass parts...

From Killer Guitar Components (KGC)​

But, they're pretty pricey and I have very strong doubts about their claims for the thing. I just thought they looked nice.

One thing I wish was more common would be claws with machine screws and tapped holes to tie a ground wire to, as you see in the picture above. It's an awkward part to solder to reliably.

I had a KGC block on my Wilkinson VS-100 ... until it got annoying enough to remove.
Poor design = excessive size on the wrong side of the block which limited dive depth a great deal.
I put the stock block back on and I think the stock block sounds better.
The KGC block had very slightly more mids but also attenuated the crunchy upper mids so I like the tone of the stock block better.

 

[stubhead]

I drill the claw usually and run a 6-32 nut & bolt on, just to screw the wire too. It seems like a saved step, not an added one. I have problems trying to figure out what was wrong with the original, early, cheap claw. Sure they look cheap, but the idea that adding mass at the other end of the springs is going to do fudge-all for the tone? If that was the case, then the springs must be a design error!* Of course the people who've spent $$ for massive brass everything can clearly hear the improvements, as can all their friends and the mailman - except when somebody spends $$$ for ultra-lightweight titanium everything, then even the mailman's dog perks up and loves it! Everybody is just trying to con you all the time, it seems. No spring claw ever wrote a song, loved a woman, won the big game, impregnated the mailman's dog....

*(there are those of us pro-level logicians who just do suspec.... arf! arf! "DAMMIT">

 

[Cagey]

I do the 6-32 thing now, too. At 40 watts, my soldering iron really isn't big enough to heat up the steel heat sink that is a spring claw hot enough to solder to, at least not reliably. It'll make the joint, but not one that I ever feel good about.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

To follow on from this, the rest of the bridge arrived and so I was able to pretty much finish assembly last night. Callaham American Standard upgrade kit: block, saddles and arm. The bridge plate is an American Standard two-point.

Firstly, something I hadn't noticed before: you can only use 3 springs with the Sure Claw. That's how many I like, anyway, so not an issue, but something worth keeping in mind.

Lesson learned: on a SSS strat, you could move the claw a 1/4 inch towards the block end of the trem cavity, so that the screws were going into solid wood, and still have plenty of scope for adjustment in either direction. This is kind of key for me - it means that the design suddenly becomes totally great again. I think in the swimming pool rout you'd be fine to use the machine screw and bolt method I used above - just by making sure that you have the bolts come up in a place you're not using for pickups. Not sure about an HHH guitar though.

Setting up the floating trem was an absolute pleasure. They worm gearing means you can pop an allen driver in the hole, then hold the guitar in playing position and watch the bridge move as you turn the driver. Then the whole "tune up, adjust springs" cycle becomes so quick and easy. You can turn the allen driver with two fingers.

This guitar's nearly finished; I expect the next post will be in the "completed" section.