How long does it take you to tune a Floyd Rose or floating tremolo?
- Thread starter Wayne27
- Start date
If the strings are in relative tune, it's not too hard.
Depending on how far away you are, it's a good idea to overshoot the correct pitch because tuning the other strings will pull it back that direction.
If the trem was setup properly, perfectly flat, you can use that as a visual cue. If it's not flat you know how far you have to go.
i guess for someone who hasn't sweated through this many times, it must seem crazy to have to deal with.
Depending on how far away you are, it's a good idea to overshoot the correct pitch because tuning the other strings will pull it back that direction.
If the trem was setup properly, perfectly flat, you can use that as a visual cue. If it's not flat you know how far you have to go.
i guess for someone who hasn't sweated through this many times, it must seem crazy to have to deal with.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Yep, block and stretch! A recessed Floyd makes it easy, you can block it flat, tune, pull the block then use the claw to get it back in tune.
On my floating standard Strats I do a bit more of the balancing game.
ItsaBass
New member
Once it has been stretched and stabilized, it's a very quick process. Getting to the point of being stabilized involves more steps than a normal guitar, because of chopping the strings and locking down the nut. I get them fully stretched and stable before I clamp down the nut. Usually I will tighten the nut a day or two after restringing.
Why do you block the trem?
All you have to do is change one string at a time and it stays in tune.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
RorySquier
New member
;>)/
I change one at a time. Most string changes I do not oil and polish.
When oiling the board or polishing frets on a guitar with an established setup already ;(not on a project guitar that's getting a new setup, pickups and the works)
I unlock the pads at the nut but leave them on, then loosen all the strings just enough to pull the bridge of the pivot-posts (that's why I use two or three wraps at the tuning posts), I pop the springs off before the bridge gets laying back much always.
With a superstrat shape you can hold the guitar with your palm next to the strap button and with your fingers hold the bridge as you remove springs,,very handy (p.i.).
Then after cleaning/oiling/polishing I put the bridge on the posts and begin tightening the strings and putting the springs back on one at a time between tightening strings.
Only takes me a few minutes to have the springs on and the strings in tune close enough,,,,,,,,,,then I just put a new set on one string at a time like always.
I've never blocked in my life, but I'll admit it's ultimately the least amount of work. I've used only floating trems since 1991, so it's all very easy at this point.
When oiling the board or polishing frets on a guitar with an established setup already ;(not on a project guitar that's getting a new setup, pickups and the works)
I unlock the pads at the nut but leave them on, then loosen all the strings just enough to pull the bridge of the pivot-posts (that's why I use two or three wraps at the tuning posts), I pop the springs off before the bridge gets laying back much always.
With a superstrat shape you can hold the guitar with your palm next to the strap button and with your fingers hold the bridge as you remove springs,,very handy (p.i.).
Then after cleaning/oiling/polishing I put the bridge on the posts and begin tightening the strings and putting the springs back on one at a time between tightening strings.
Only takes me a few minutes to have the springs on and the strings in tune close enough,,,,,,,,,,then I just put a new set on one string at a time like always.
I've never blocked in my life, but I'll admit it's ultimately the least amount of work. I've used only floating trems since 1991, so it's all very easy at this point.
nexion218
New member
^^^This. Don't even need to touch the pads. Pop out the springs, bridge comes out, do yer thang with the fretboard, bridge goes back in. Since you haven't touched the locking nut, you don't even have to tune, it will be in tune. Then come the new strings one by one. I feel like sometimes people make string change and setup of a Floyd look worse than actually is...
ErikH
Well-known member
I have one guitar with a Floyd and it is decked. Takes about the same about of time to change strings and get it in tune as it does on any of my other guitars. Now, with a floating Floyd, block it so it is essentially decked, do the work (change, stretch, tune, stretch tune, stretch, fine tune), remove the block. Everything should be stable as it was before once the block is removed. Makes it so much easier.
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PFDarkside
of the Forum
While I’ve got your attention....
What is the appropriate torque for the bridge string locking screws? I know they are easy to strip but I also don’t want strings letting go.
What is the appropriate torque for the bridge string locking screws? I know they are easy to strip but I also don’t want strings letting go.
Well.. lets see.
If you are using power tools, that's too much torque.
If the string is slipping out, that too little torque.
Somewhere in between.
This is one of the great mysteries of the Floyd. If you have had a string slip, you will tighten more, but if you are using a Floyd Rose Special, you may eventually strip the saddle.
I have Ibanez Edge saddles that I have over tightened for 20+ years without any problem. Dont know if you can abuse a OFR the same way, but I'm assuming you can.
I have a FRS that over five years, one saddle stripped, so now I'm careful. Don't think they have published torque specs. If they did, you'd need to fit a torque wrench in there with an allen bit.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
I ask because I had an old Deluxe Plus Strat that had a “Floyd Rose” bridge (basically a locking, standard 2 point Trem) that I definitely over tightened a few times to be “safe”. I’ve got access to small torque wrenches that would probably work. All it would take is one time to understand how that torque “feels”.
I know it’s pedantic and overkill, but I’m still curious.
Its a totally legit question that I don't think an answer exists. I was reading the Floyd Rose FAQ on there site yesterday and I don't remember seeing that.
I think the answer is that with a steel saddle OFR and a short allen wrench, you can finger tighten as much as you reasonably can. With a cast FRS saddle if you tighten that much, you will eventually strip the saddles, so the answer is "enough so that the strings don't slip".
In the past month I bought two floyd guitars, one with a FRS and one with a 1000 OFR. The FRS guitar as shipped from factory, all the strings slipped from the saddle and needed to be tightened more. Which tells me they didn't tighten enough to risk breaking the saddles. I think they are designed to be a consumable part.
tldr; You can finger tighten as much as you are able with a real OFR, but with a FRS you should tighten a little bit less.
Just hand tight, but not as tight as you can go with your hands. I never thought much about it, and I've never stripped them nor had strings slip out.
ErikH
Well-known member
That is a great bridge! Fender worked with FR on that one. With a roller nut and locking tuners it the guitar stays in tune really well.
You want them tight enough. Plain strings might need to be slightly tighter than the wound strings.
