Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

[GilmourD]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

It holds its tuning very well. That's one thing I do like. The big annoyance I'm having is I like to change tunings a lot. I may jam out awhile in one tuning then all the sudden go to drop d or drop c. Ideally I need 2-3 guitars set up for different things. But that is not an option.

That is one reason I have... 14?... guitars. I have to count again... LOL

This might be a solution, though.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--LINJTV89F?siid=124429&-bRoC0z3w_wcB=

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I will say, the Variax does alternate tunings very well. Apparently the Antares system does, too.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

It holds its tuning very well. That's one thing I do like. The big annoyance I'm having is I like to change tunings a lot. I may jam out awhile in one tuning then all the sudden go to drop d or drop c. Ideally I need 2-3 guitars set up for different things. But that is not an option.

I was thinking about buying a cheap guitar for down tuning but I just found I may pull the trigger for Digitech "The Drop", then I may keep my #1 guitar in standard E and my #2 guitar in drop D, that way I can try different tunings both drooped and standard without an army of guitars. But who knows, maybe GAS will lead me to get more guitars anyway.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I only have one guitar with a Floyd, an old heavily modded Kramer

My current main guitar is a Parker P-38. It has a Wilkenson trem. I have that set up with a WD trem stabilizer so it doesn't pull up. That way I can drop my E to a D and it stays in tune.


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[stratguy23]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I never understood why anyone would want a double locking hard tail
a hard tail (aka not a tremolo) isnt prone to going out of tune because it doesnt have a bar
why on earth would someone want to over-complicate an already stable design

Once strings get bent 1 1/2, 2 whole steps, then they're approaching conditions akin to trem bar use.

Tuning stability even with hardtails carries a whole host of dependencies at the points of friction:

- Properly cut nut
- No hangups at saddles (and string trees, if applicable)
- Properly wrapped strings at tuning pegs (if non-locking)

A double locking fixed bridge eliminates these variables.

Personally, I also prefer tuning via fine tuners at the bridge. Ergonomically they require less effort than reaching up to the headstock.

Whether a double locking fixed bridge affects tone vs. conventional hardtail configurations is another matter. I once played a conventional TOM-equipped Dean ML that resonated so beautifully from head to tail that I wondered if there was indeed something to the claim that larger headstocks and bodies improve tone. But for the purposes of tuning stability, clamping the strings down in 2 places is the way go to, IMHO.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

oddly I have just been looking at TP-6 and its Schaller equivalent with the fine tuners on the bridge

dont get me wrong
I think fine tuners are the thing
but a double locking Hard Tail
is just overkill in my opinion

Locking tuners, tusq nut
of course

fine tuners on the bridge
cool

locking nut on a hard tail
why?

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

If you ever get your guitar in tune, better drop a few wood screws in it to keep it there.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

Locking tuners, tusq nut
of course

fine tuners on the bridge
cool

locking nut on a hard tail
why?

Locking nut on a hardtail is a legitimate thing to question. After all, you have guys like Guthrie Govan using single-locking Floyds with no locking nut.

I'm actually in favor of overkill on tuning stability. Why even worry about it when it can be solved? I saw Unearth play, and their guitarist Ken Susi has an Evertune-equipped axe. Straight through the set with one axe, no stopping to tune at any point, the songs just flowed from one to another. I was tremendously impressed by how tuning stability can contribute to professional presentation.

That said, the traditionalist in me still thinks the best tone is probably still the old-school way of fewest moving parts and greatest simplicity. So, maybe something like non-intonatable wraparound bridge, non-locking nut, conventional non-locking tuners to get the whole guitar to resonate from end-to-end (acoustic guitar thinking).

Once you introduce a locking nut, you take the headstock out of the tone equation, and I'm not 100% sure that's a good thing. Again, that ML I played - I have never felt a guitar resonate like that from end to end. No way that would have happened with a locking nut.

I have a Melody Maker that just will not stay in tune. Locking tuners, Graphtech nut - still falls out of tune. I'm seriously of thinking of finding a used Schaller 456 (why don't they make them anymore???) with fine tuners and slapping an R3 locking nut to get it to stay in tune.

Basket cases like that might call for the overkill of double locking on a hardtail. Probably for most purposes, good hardware and a good setup will do the job, even if one has to stop to tune every so often.

 

[NYcibbyRyder]

Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

Just buy a tremol-no. I have one in my Ibanez RG 1570 and I can go from e standard to drop B if I want to in 20 seconds. Not that you should.. I've since bought another guitar and put 12 gauge strings on it strictly for lower tunings.

https://youtu.be/xiZnipHc1ec

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[Jeff5]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

Not a fan. If I was a guy who did a lot of crazy whammy stuff, maybe. But I've owned two guitars with them and sold both. I'd rather a guitar have a great trem and locking tuners, like a PRS, Ernie Ball, Suhr, etc. and be able to dive and use it somewhat. I can dive pretty well and hit it hard and my CU24 will rarely go out of tune.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

In the 15 years I have been playing (where did the time go???!!!) I have never owned a trem equipped guitar. When I have played about with one, whether fender type, or Ibanez edge I had a lot of fun. Nothing particularly musical, but I enjoyed it!

For the first time though I must admit I really really want a guitar with a Floyd. I have a feeling my next guitar will almost certainly have one.

 

[Diego]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

In the 15 years I have been playing (where did the time go???!!!) I have never owned a trem equipped guitar. When I have played about with one, whether fender type, or Ibanez edge I had a lot of fun. Nothing particularly musical, but I enjoyed it!

For the first time though I must admit I really really want a guitar with a Floyd. I have a feeling my next guitar will almost certainly have one.

Unless you really need the Dimebag/Vai drops, I strongly suggest you to try a Wilkinson trem before buying your next guitar.
It's very smooth, simpler than a Floyd Rose, and very stable if you keep your whammy abuse within reason.

I'd happily own a Wilkinson loaded guitar if given the chance.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I don't use the vibrato for deep dive-bombs. While I appreciate others' techniques, the Floyds, Kahlers and Edge systems are not for me. I just don't have the patience for tinking with them.

I never had much problem with keeping the vibrato on my old 1960 Strat in tune, with proper setup and maintenance. And I had it set to float, so I could pull it up or down.

And the Dual Fulcrum Vibratos on my G&Ls is the BEST. (Leo Fender was a brilliant engineer.) In one of my old bands, the other guitarist was constantly tuning his Floyd and Kahler guitars. I'd get my Legacy in tune to start the night, and maybe touch it up once or twice between sets...and that was it. I've got 18 G&Ls, and they're ALL like that. Doesn't seem to make a difference if the nut is bone or graphite, or if the tuners are Schaller split-post or locking tuners from Schaller or Sperzel--they all stay in tune.

And if he broke a string...well....we were doing the next set as a three-piece.

No...not a fan of locking vibrato systems.

Bill

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I don't use the vibrato for deep dive-bombs. While I appreciate others' techniques, the Floyds, Kahlers and Edge systems are not for me. I just don't have the patience for tinking with them.

I never had much problem with keeping the vibrato on my old 1960 Strat in tune, with proper setup and maintenance. And I had it set to float, so I could pull it up or down.

And the Dual Fulcrum Vibratos on my G&Ls is the BEST. (Leo Fender was a brilliant engineer.) In one of my old bands, the other guitarist was constantly tuning his Floyd and Kahler guitars. I'd get my Legacy in tune to start the night, and maybe touch it up once or twice between sets...and that was it. I've got 18 G&Ls, and they're ALL like that. Doesn't seem to make a difference if the nut is bone or graphite, or if the tuners are Schaller split-post or locking tuners from Schaller or Sperzel--they all stay in tune.

And if he broke a string...well....we were doing the next set as a three-piece.

No...not a fan of locking vibrato systems.

Bill

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

That's the fine-tuner version of the DF Vibrato. VERY rare.

Thanks for posting!

Bill

 

[man-in-moon]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I'm going to find something different. The locking trems just aren't for me. The only thing I use one for is when I play some 80's stuff or A.I.C.. my biggest influences were always Gilmour, Steve Stevens, jerry Cantrell and dimebag. So I always thought a Floyd would be fun. Which it is but it's more of a hassle when I barely use it.

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

No, although one day, I will have a TransTrem Steinberger.

I recall when Wilkinson + locking tuners was being touted by some as a possible replacement for the Floyd-----but no dice. It simply can't compare to the solid feel and stability of an OFR. PRS has a nice alternative to the OFR, the Ibanez Edge is awesome, and I'm sure the unit in the EMBB JP guitars is very nice, but I still love the Floyd.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

Never knew that guitars had tremoloes...nor "locking" ones...

 

[zanshin777]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

I'm tired so I put a block back of the guitar and fixed the tremolo bridge.

I currently think tremolo isn't much functional.

 

[daenius]

Re: Anyone ever get tired of locking trems?

Grab a tremol-no! It's easy to install and allows you to change to all kinds of tunings very easily. Heck, if you use the dive-only mode you can even still do your drop tunings wih no issue. Easier to do intonation adjustments is also a great bonus