string blocks stuck in a Floyd

[stratoquack]

Tom,
Any advise for getting string blocks out of a Floyd that are stuck? I guess they got tightened too hard and have split.

I've broken 2 screwdrivers, jabbed myself multiple times and created a slew of new curse words.

Thanks,
Bill

[tom]

There are a couple methods, but if they're really stuck, they are split for sure and the only way is to remove the saddle, take off the little brass plate, then beat it out from the bottom side. You can usually press the brass plate back in. It's a horrible enough job that it will usually teach you to not crank down so hard in the future. You can easily spend an hour rebuilding a bridge even if you know what you're doing.

[stratoquack]

am I better off to spend $20 on a set of 6 new saddles from Stew Mac?

[tom]

my only concern is that they are "die cast" which usually means zinc which i would not expect to last long at all. the real ones are hardened powdered metal.

[stratoquack]

okay, I'm on this now! What purpose does the little brass plate serve? I'm asking because I've lost one already. The good news is I've gotten 4 of the blocks loose so far

[tom]

the brass plate keeps the clamp block from falling down too low if you back the screw out past where it will fall out of the hole in the block. if you don't back the screw out overly far when you change strings you'll never know it's not there. oh, it also it also keeps you from pushing the string down too low. if you bottom the string against the baseplate, you could limit the fine tuning range.

[stratoquack]

Thanks Tom! Got 'em out!