Ugh, Floating Trem

[alex1fly]

I know there have been some discussions lately about this, but I can't find the threads so here it goes again. Sorry for the grumpy tone.

One of my guitars has a floating tremolo, Floyd 1000. I've had it for 18 months, played it extensively, and I want to enjoy the soft feel of the bar, the extra bit of travel, the shimmery warble. But it feels weird and I'm just not convinced that the fuss is worth it. There's something different about it compared to a decked Strat tremolo (which I totally dig). Here are the pros and cons of the floating tremolo.
Pros: can pretend to be Jeff Beck/Satch/Vai, which I never do. Can do extra large bends, which doesn't compel me.
Cons: can never do alternate or drop tunings. Fussy to tune. Bends screw up any drone notes. Picking hard creates a warble and uneven sound.

What can I do? Should I block the thing? Can I replace the bridge with a fixed bridge? Would more springs make it feel more "solid", and is that a good thing? What devices are "tried and true" for stabilizing/blocking the bridge, and which ones are bunk?

Or is it worthwhile, long-term, to leave it as is and give myself the chance to develop a style on it? I love so much about this instrument and selling it is not in the playbook.

The guitar is basically this one: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...fire-red-burst

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SECU24FRFR--prs-se-custom-24-floyd-fire-red-burst

[GuitarStv]

The blocked trem thing is fine. I did that for a long while when first getting a floyded guitar. Just cut a bit of wood and stick it in place with a drop of superglue in the trem cavity and it'll come right out if you don't like it later. The sound changes when it's blocked than when it's floating too. Not necessarily better or worse, but it's definitely different - a bit bassier for sure.

My trem guitars are all set up free floating with .10-52s or .11s in standard tuning and five springs on the claw, which I find significantly reduces weird warbly sounds from heavy picking. The trem moves smoothly and it's much easier to control than a regular floyd set up (which can be a little floppy when trying to do subtle) . . . it's great for gentle wobble on chords or double stops, and can still do dive bombs if you need that.

[Aceman]

Tremsetter

[nexion218]

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/forum/the-guitar-shop/6098835-tremolo-stabilizer-from-russia

[1neeto]

Option one: accept that a Floyd rose style tremolo is not for you. Sell the guitar and get something you’re more happy with.

Option two: install a tremol-no or other tremolo-blocking gadget that can fully block your tremolo, or set it for dive only. Dive only will allow you to do alternate tunings without going out of tune because it will keep the bridge from sinking into the cavity.


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[GuitarStv]

Having purchased and used a tremolo-no for a while, I would never recommend one.

[JamesPaul]

I know there have been some discussions lately about this, but I can't find the threads so here it goes again. Sorry for the grumpy tone.

One of my guitars has a floating tremolo, Floyd 1000. I've had it for 18 months, played it extensively, and I want to enjoy the soft feel of the bar, the extra bit of travel, the shimmery warble. But it feels weird and I'm just not convinced that the fuss is worth it. There's something different about it compared to a decked Strat tremolo (which I totally dig). Here are the pros and cons of the floating tremolo.
Pros: can pretend to be Jeff Beck/Satch/Vai, which I never do. Can do extra large bends, which doesn't compel me.
Cons: can never do alternate or drop tunings. Fussy to tune. Bends screw up any drone notes. Picking hard creates a warble and uneven sound.

What can I do? Should I block the thing? Can I replace the bridge with a fixed bridge? Would more springs make it feel more "solid", and is that a good thing? What devices are "tried and true" for stabilizing/blocking the bridge, and which ones are bunk?

Or is it worthwhile, long-term, to leave it as is and give myself the chance to develop a style on it? I love so much about this instrument and selling it is not in the playbook.

The guitar is basically this one: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...fire-red-burst
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...fire-red-burst

I am a 38 year floating Kahler cam tremolo user. Last year I got a Fender LE HM Strat with a Floyd - my first Floyd. The Floyd is so much freer floating, it was a struggle just fine tuning it. I truly wanted this HM Strat and it does a much better "Cricket" than my Kahlers, so I was determined to keep it and work at making peace with the Floyd.

I am still not 100% with the Floyd, but I am much better than last year. I find the Floyd is requiring a much lighter touch while playing than I am used to with my Kahlers or a Fender trem.

My goal with the Floyd does not include alternate tunings or blocking it. More springs will make a Floyd feel more solid, but I already have that with my Kahlers. Again, I am focusing on adapting to the Floyd.

Best of luck pursuing your goal(s) for your Floyd.

[nexion218]

It's also worth mentioning that in certain cases adding more springs can be counterproductive (due to Hooke's law I think, but don't quote me on that and may give rise to tuning problems. That is because adding more springs may make the bridge feel stiffer and keep the bridge floating, but the springs themselves will be less stretched, thus storing less energy and after diving it will not return to zero, but rather a tad bit flat. A slap on the bar to make it flutter returns everything to zero in that case, but not a desirable situation. I would go for stronger springs ( I've had success with the red ones from FR, but FU-Tones and many other make similar products). Those will feel stiffer too but will be considerably more stretched when set up, thus storing more energy to pull the bridge back to zero.

The gadget I reviewed in the thread I linked in my previous post aids the springs in doing their work: it pushes and pulls on the block at the same time thus maintaining the zero position. As an added bonus, strings wont go immediately flat when you bend one and supposedly a drop tuning on the fly is possible too. I'd try something similar, because it helps negate some of the drawbacks of the Floyd while letting it be a Floyd. You only sacrifice the flutters. I think if you have it is worth learning to use it. Now that you have why prevent it from doing what it was designed to do?

[GuitarStv]

If your trem isn't going back to zero point, the knife edges are likely worn. I have several floyd guitars with 5 springs and no issue at all getting back to tune.

[nexion218]

If your trem isn't going back to zero point, the knife edges are likely worn. I have several floyd guitars with 5 springs and no issue at all getting back to tune.

Yep, likely scenario, but not the only only reson for returning flat. I have one with 5 springs too, but the length of the cavity is a factor here I think. Either way, it is my experience that in some cases adding extra springs doesn't solve the issue but using stronber/shorter ones does. I just did one recently, where 4 springs didn't work well, but 3 stronger ones did.

[GuitarStv]

Yep, likely scenario, but not the only only reson for returning flat. I have one with 5 springs too, but the length of the cavity is a factor here I think. Either way, it is my experience that in some cases adding extra springs doesn't solve the issue but using stronber/shorter ones does. I just did one recently, where 4 springs didn't work well, but 3 stronger ones did.

Weird. I suppose that's possible.

FWIW - I've found that using a mix of different lengths and/or tensions of springs seems to give me better stability while floating for some reason, so usually do that when setting up . . . but I'm not 100% sure if it's not all in my head. :P

[nexion218]

Weird. I suppose that's possible.

FWIW - I've found that using a mix of different lengths and/or tensions of springs seems to give me better stability while floating for some reason, so usually do that when setting up . . . but I'm not 100% sure if it's not all in my head. :P

Nope, its not! Or at least we have it both in our heads then. I have one with 2 springs, but in that one I can drive the claw back far enough to create enough tension with only two springs. That's why I think that somehow the cavity, or more precisely the block-claw distance somehow plays a role.

[Chistopher]

If you don't like it floating just weld the blade edge to the posts

[dave74]

JamesPaul dive-bombed onto a good point, that it takes a bit of time to adapt to the overall lighter touch required with an OFR/Edge type bridge.

[Mr Wolf]

I went through this debate myself recently. My decision was to set the floyd to down only, and I chose to use a floyd rose trem stop. This is a simple bracket in the rear cavity with a bolt pushing against the block. Nice, simple and reversible (save for two screw holes for the bracket).

For me, the loss of ability to pull up on the floyd, and the loss of the feel of a floating trem was lesser than gaining simpler tuning, not worrying about being heavy handed and string bends behaving more like on a fixed bridge. Also, down only was good enough for Eddie!

In the band, most of the playing is inevitably rhythm, and whilst I of course do leads, having a floating floyd is less important against the benefits. That said I fully appreciate if I work on things and adopt new habits I can of course learn to work with a floating floyd - in which case I'll remove the bolt/adjust springs and off I go. I am happy with how things currently are though. Floating does allow some nice stuff so I won't rule it out in future.

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