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I've bought cheap used electric guitar with nice reviews.

As I played entire mounth I didn't encounter this problem. But yesterday the problem appeared when I use whammy bar (vibrato bar). It seems to me the noise is coming from the point where the springs are hanged onto the metal plate (which is screwed into the wood). enter image description here

The best explanation of the problem would be to watch short 20 sec video.

What I did to fix the problem:

  • put a lubricanton the joints. Didn't resolve the problem
  • put some plastic cloth (some kind of buble wrap, but with much more finer bubles and generally more dense). Didn't resolve the problem as well

The guitar is currently not usable at all. I use whammy bar very often.

Any help is welcome.

UPDATE: I've fixed the issue with rubbery/plastic tubings (bought in garden store) as was suggested by Tim. Though I don't find these tubings as an ideal solution. 3 months have passed and it still works. Maybe tube material is squishing over time, hence strings' tension drops, which requires one more strings tuning per month, but it is still better than nothing

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    The metal sheet where the springs connect to is commonly called the "claw". The other end, where the springs connect to the bridge, is the "block". Knowing these terms might make your problem more searchable.
    – Dave Jacoby
    Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 0:10

3 Answers 3

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I'd be inclined to find a bit of plastic tubing - for aquarium use, or similar, that fits over the claws that hold the springs. Take springs off, add tubing, cut to length, replace springs. Ought to last a long time. Heat shrink would also do, but is much thinner.

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  • Thank you for the answer, tomorrow I'm buying that foam, and respond whether it helped or not.
    – Qeeet
    Commented Jan 21, 2018 at 18:54
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    Heat shrink tubing is what I use for both guitars and for Key clicking on woodwinds. There are thicker types available than tubing made for electrical work, although outside of repair suppliers I'm not sure where you would get it (probably internet). You can put small pieces on the spring hooks. The other option is a product called plasti-dip, which is a rubber coating for tool handles. You paint it on and it hardens into a flexible plastic coating.
    – Alphonso Balvenie
    Commented Jan 21, 2018 at 20:30
  • I just realized that plastic tubings will greatly shifts the springs up, which will cause the strings to detune a lot. When I'm done I'll reply
    – Qeeet
    Commented Jan 22, 2018 at 15:39
  • Depends on the wall thickness, but all is adjustable with the two long screws, which will be slackened slightly to reinstate the existing spring tension.
    – Tim
    Commented Jan 22, 2018 at 15:41
  • Though I don't find these tubings as an ideal solution. 3 months have passed and it still works. Maybe tube material is squishing over time, hence strings' tension drops, which requires one more strings tuning per month, but it is still better than nothing
    – Qeeet
    Commented Apr 27, 2018 at 7:24
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I agree with Tim's plastic tubing suggestion, and would add that many tremolo players routinely keep small blocks of packing foam (see photo) jammed behind and in-between the trem springs.

Bulk foam packing blocks, ready for cutting-down

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  • unfortunatell it didn't resolved the issue. The noise was maybe slightly less hearable, but still it was enough to be annoying
    – Qeeet
    Commented Apr 27, 2018 at 7:30
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I had the same issue with a Wilkinson strat trem and thought it was a ground issue. I put a thin sheet of foam from the packing the came in a fender pickup box under the springs in the cavity and the noise was gone. I am not sure why the springs caused the scratchy noise...something mechanical? ... but the foam cured the problem.

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