Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

[Jeff5]

So I've been playing my Jackson now for a little less than a year now. (It's an SL2H) The guitar plays and feels incredible. However, I feel that when I play standing up, my picking hand angle is messed up by the floyd rose and especially by the fine tuning screws. I actually have the floyd sitting back a bit, which helps some, but I still feel like I'm fighting it. Especially on faster runs higher up on the neck. It also feels like the angle makes it harder for me to pick and harder to mute on my high D/G strings when playing high on the neck.

I know that's kind of hard to explain. Has anyone experienced this or any other difficulties with their picking hand when using a floyd equipped guitar? Any tips that may help would be appreciated.

Oh, I play fairly high slung, with the bridge about an inch or two above my hip bone. I find that playing with the guitar slung any lower makes it worse. (I never would anyway)

Thank you!
Jeff

 

[SGFanatic]

Re: Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

Hey. I've been playing with Floyd Rose equipped guitars a and fixed bridge for years and I know what you are talking about.
When I play one or the other I have a small period of adjustment till I get comfortable again.
If you're standing up, try rotating the whole guitar towards your right hip (If your a righty). This position will have picking hand "choked" up a little more, away from the bridge.
When I play my TOM style bridge, I rest the pinky side of my palm on the bridge, with the Floyd I use the heel of my hand and my pinky and find a reference point on the top of the guitar to go to at any particular time.
It's really a matter of time on the guitar. It was for me anyway.
Hope that helps.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

Thanks for the suggestions I will try that!

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

What? You have a problem encountering the fine tuning screws with your palm when muting? Why would your hand be anywhere near the fine tuning screws?

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

It's not really when palm muting. Just in general they seem to be in they way and kind an annoyance for my picking hand. Maybe I pick too far back, but I've always done this as I've used fixed bridge guitars for years now. I could try to pick further toward the neck, and maybe I just need to realign my technique. I may have gotten into the habit of moving my hand back as I pick further down the neck and maybe this is a habit I just need to break.

 

[Varg]

Re: Picking Hand Angle With a Floyd Rose

I don't understand this.

a) How can you be playing with your hand over the fine tuners?

and

b) How are you able to stay in tune? I tried to play like you describe and the pressure on the Floyd makes the tuning go out constantly.

I switch from Floyds to tune-o-matics to a bass when we play live and I don't have any issues like this.