Conference napalm::guitar

    I never had this problem,,, maybe it was due to never having installed
    it in the first place!!!!   I just locked down the springs, throw the
    bar in drawer at home it it fits in the case very nicely. :)
    
    Sorry, could resist
    Bruce  (who has the same case for his Strat Ultra)

    Can you take the tremelo bar off ??

      
    
      My Strat Ultra came with a lizard skin case (fake, if you had to ask).
    They must've recently switched to molded cases.
    
      BTW - I have to remove my tremolo bar to put it in the case. It pops
    out fairly easy.
    
    								-B{}{}M-

      
    
    I have a Fender Strat Plus, and it very specifically states
    in the owner's manual that removing and replacing the tremolo
    bar on a regualr basis will eventually wear away the threads.
    
    I was very nervous about putting it in the case when it was
    brand new (about 4 months ago) but I haven't had a single problem.
     
    Like you mentioned, I suspect the bar may be depressed a little but
    there seems to be no ill effect.
    
    The manual says to swing the bar over the input jack, and that's what
    I do, with perhaps a little tweaking either way.  I put my guitar in
    its case every single time I used it (well, after every single time
    I use it :) ) and generally it even stays in tune.
    
    Dig out your owner's manual, or, if you don't have one, carefully line
    the bar up over the input jack.  Everything will be fine, and you
    won't strip the threads out of the bridge piece.
    
    Brian

    I have the manual & tried to line up w/the output jack. There's no way
    it will fit. My solution (so far) is to roughly line it up with the
    bridge - it seems to fit the best that way, but it definetly depresses
    a little bit.
    
    I wonder if Fender has switched to a cheaper case. The one that came
    with the guitar has the Fender logo molded into the top, but the
    corners are rounded enough so that the tremelo bar cant fit when
    pointed towards the output jack. Not like the wooden rectangular case I
    remember always came with Fenders.

    
  Inside the case, I always take my whammy bar off.

I believe that all American Std's come with the cheapo pvc case...At least mine
did, and my whammy has to come off also... So, I took it off and never put it
back on.  :-)

jc

    I hate the standard tremelo's in the strat's. Jeez...the 1st time I
    tried putting on the tremelo bar I stripped the threads. Then on top of
    that you have to adjust the springs on it to get it the way you like
    it. I could never adjust it the way I wanted it..you pay all the $$ for
    a strat and the tremelo strips on you...

They are just for looks Stig!

jc

    I have no problems with my std trems. Sounds like you'll need to replace
    the trem block and arm, Stig.

    BTW, I've found that on vintage type std strat trems, removing the
    middle 4 screws makes a world of difference. Once I did that and put
    some dry graphite in the nut, my unit never went out of tune during
    tremelo usage.

    --Ron

    
    
    		Why don't you cut a groove out of the foam lining, just
    		deep enough for the bar?

RE: -.1

Yeah, now there is an idea...  Except I be you could use a ballpeen
hammer and crush the foam behind the furry stuff instead of cutting...

Damn good idea!
jc

    I gave away my 63 Strat a couple of years ago but I recall that the
    in-case position of this bar was rotated around to the input plug
    position.  This position was closer to the body of the guitar because
    the string tension held the bridge at the proper angle.  If the springs 
    were too loose or the strings were tuned loosley the bar would stick up
    away from the body of the guitar when the bar was rotated.  If the
    springs were of proper tension and the strings were tighter or heavier
    guage the bar would lay flat almost touching the body of the guitar.
    
    I noticed the difference when lighter guage strings were used 10's or
    lighter.
    
    The newer guitars may be different and I might be leading you astray.
    
    I hope this helps.
    
    Mark 

	I have a '92 Am Std and it fits in the case just fine. I rotate
	the trem arm over the socket and close the case.

    I don't believe Fender ever intended that screw-on tremelo arms be
    removed every time the guitar is put into the case. Every old case I've
    ever seen has imprints inside the top where the arm is. I find the the
    best position for the arm is pointing towards you and to the right, i.e.
    4 o'clock ish, towards the corner of the case nearest you on your right.
    Closing my case with the arm this way raises the pitch about 1/4 tone.

    I'm speaking about old style tremelos and old style cases.

    --Ron

    re: .13
    
>    I gave away my 63 Strat a couple of years ago ...
    
    If you have any more of these, Mark, feel free to give them to me.

    Those PVC cases suck.  All of the cheaper Fenders use them, only the
    high-price models have the old style cases.  Mine is self-destructing
    after seven years.  Both of the hold-open straps broke, so the top
    flops open, and the hinges are working their way out all the time (they
    are merely staked in).  Garbage.  
    
    Even if you have to pay extra, get the better case when you buy a
    Fender...trust me on this one! 
    
    							Brian 

	I've owned my last plywood case. I'm perfectly happy to replace
	a cheap ABS case every couple of years instead of lugging a
	case that weighs more than the guitar.

	Gig bags rule. I wouldn't trade my moradian for the world.

    Re: .19
    
    Curious as to how the Mooradians hold up (they are top dollar)  My
    Steinberger gig bag ($90 new) needs serious repairs after 8 years.
    
    I guess in the long run, buying a new case or bag is cheap enough
    *but* the old plywood cases last a looooong time and cost about the
    same.  In fact, Mooradian bags cost more than most cases!  I priced one
    for my Ampeg Baby Bass, it was like $300 (gulp).
    
    The ideal for me would be Anvil but they weigh more than some Twins 
    8^) and like to eat the upholstery in your car.
    
    						Brian

	So let me make an example of my foolishness.....

	I bought my moradian for $85 back in the spring of '90. I'd
	bought a Fender Bullet H2 without a case and thought a top-
	of-the-line gig bag would be just right.

	So far the bag seems to be holding up just fine. At the rate
	I'm going I'll be able to hand it down to my great grandkids.

	Sh!t I got get myself into a gig....

	As I have stated in previous notes, I hate plastic cases. I have nice
    hardshell cases for all of my guitars, except for the Dobro I just picked 
    up. I'll be ordering a hardshell for the "Bro" in the near future. When I 
    bought my American Standard Strat, I insisted on them swapping the ABS 
    plastic case with a Tweed hardshell. I had to pay a little more, but it 
    was worth it in my opinion. My favorite case is the brown case that came 
    with my ES175. It has hot pink fur inside with a flap that covers the entire
    top of the guitar before you close the cover. I recently bought a Tweed 
    hardshell case for my Guild D25-12. I ordered it through Mandolin Bros. It 
    is made by Everest (Canada) and ended up costing about $140 with shipping. 
    No local shops had anything that even comes close. I couldn't get any of 
    the locals shops to special order it for me either. 

	I guess it could be argued that plastic takes a beating better than
    Tolex covering. No matter what type of case you use, care should be taken
    when carrying it not to bounce it off of things. I baby all of my cases. 
    I never cram them into a trunk or the back of a truck. I always make sure 
    they are laying flat with nothing else piled on top. As far as I am 
    concerned, the case is just as important as the intrument it protects, and 
    a nice vintage guitar should have a classy case. Most hardshell cases are 
    constructed of 3-ply plywood. One manufacturer (Harptone) offers cases 
    made of 5-ply plywood. These cases are considerably more expensive than 
    3-ply cases, and are also much heavier. Tweed cases made by Harptone have 
    real luggage linen on the outside, as apposed to tolex. 

	Speaking of classy cases, I've got a picture of Stevie Ray Vaughan's 
    National Duoleon Steel guitar which shows a Brown Hardshell with Leopard 
    fur lining. Tres' Cool !!  The Fender Custom shop issued a limited edition 
    Shoreline Gold Strat a few years ago and shipped them in hardshell cases 
    with Gold Paisley Tolex covering. Fugly, but cool !! 

	When I was a kid, I owned a Gibson Firebird I which came with a soft
    case. A few times when walking up a flight of stairs, I banged the head-
    stock against the steps and bent some of the tuning machines. That Gibson
    Firebird served me well. Wish I still had it.

	If anyone needs a hardshell case for an ES335 type guitar, I have an
    old case looking for a good home. It looks pretty beat, but the handle and
    latches are sound and it protects the instrument. Free to the first taker.
    There is an ad in guitar player every month for a case company (forget the
    name??). They sell a selection of carpet-covered cases for $50.00 including
    guitar cases, mic cases, and other cases as well. In my opinion, a carpet-
    covered plywood case would beat a plastic case any day.

	Mark	

For those that want a *really* strong case, take a look at the Mark Leaf case.
My guitar came in one and I can't imagine anything happening to it while in 
that case.

Jim