Tremolo springs and tone

[Steve R.]

Call me crazy, but I have found that different manufacture springs used with a Floyd Rose affect the tone quite a bit.

I tried a set of Ibanez Edge springs (.052" wire diameter) and the guitar sounds a bit brighter with less mids.

Then I tried the springs that came with a new Original Floyd Rose (.0495" wire diameter) and the guitar sounded not as bright, but a bit darker, and had a really thick middy sound.

Finally, I tried some Schaller springs from the early '90's and the sound was close to the sound of the Floyd Rose provided springs mentioned above, but not quite as dark, and not quite as thick... And certainly not as bright as the Ibanez springs.

Now having said that, what springs have you guys found to be superior? I'm sure the wire diameter, and spring material make a difference and I'm looking for a clear bright tone.

Thanks in advance.
-Steve

 

[nuntius]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

I guess it would make some influence over how a floating floyd vibrates when you hit the strings... It would make sense to I suppose, but I've never really thought about it.

Do you have clips?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

I have similar questions about my vintage Fender trem. If you put heavier springs will that affect/improve sustain and overall brightness of an alder body strat?

I hope that you get some answers. But, it seems inevitable that spring size/mass would affect tone? Are there superior sounding trem springs? I never thought I would ask a question like that.

 

[Steve R.]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

Heavier strings or springs?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

I have similar questions about my vintage Fender trem. If you put heavier string will that affect/improve sustain and overall brightness of an alder body strat?

I hope that you get some answers. But, it seems inevitable that spring size/mass would affect tone? Are there superior sounding trem springs? I never thought I would ask a question like that.

You meant spring...not string right?

To answer your question: I don't know! :smack:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

You meant spring...not string right?

To answer your question: I don't know! :smack:

Just kidding! I don't know of heavier springs for a vintage Strat Trem, but I use all five because I think that does sound better and makes things sound more solid.

I use all five and then screw the claw in as tightly as I need to in order to be able to hold one note and bend another note against it without the first note going flat.

In other words, I adjust my Strat trem so I can bend notes without the bridge being pulled forward and lowering the pitch of the other strings.

Doesn't really answer your question though.

Instead of heavier springs, just use four or all five of the regular springs.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

Yes, Tremolo springs. Not tremolo strings!

Use 5 springs. Got it.
Thanks.

 

[Steve R.]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

Use 5 springs. Got it.

Yeah, that doesn't work with a floating Floyd Rose bridge, though. ;-)

So back to my original question, Does anyone have a particular spring set that they feel sounds the best? Again, I'm looking for something on the brighter side, which, in my experience so far, would be the Ibanez springs.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

Yeah, that doesn't work with a floating Floyd Rose bridge, though. ;-)

So back to my original question, Does anyone have a particular spring set that they feel sounds the best? Again, I'm looking for something on the brighter side, which, in my experience so far, would be the Ibanez springs.

Thanks,
Steve

sorry for the hijack :smack:

 

[Artie]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

I'm in sorta the same boat with Lew. I've never tried different springs, just added two more, (total of 5), and tightened the claw all the way down, effectively disabling the tremolo, (which I never use.) The improvement in the harmonics, sustain, and overall richness was surprising.

I rule out placebo affect to a certain degree, because I wasn't trying for, and thus, not expecting any change in tone. I was simply trying to solve a tuning issue and disable the tremolo.

 

[Boston Joe]

Re: Tremolo springs and tone

I'm in sorta the same boat with Lew. I've never tried different springs, just added two more, (total of 5), and tightened the claw all the way down, effectively disabling the tremolo, (which I never use.) The improvement in the harmonics, sustain, and overall richness was surprising.

I rule out placebo affect to a certain degree, because I wasn't trying for, and thus, not expecting any change in tone. I was simply trying to solve a tuning issue and disable the tremolo.

I added two extra springs to some old Strats to achieve that full "5 spring effect". Two Strats now house two extra Ibanez springs and another Strat has two new Allparts springs. It would be difficult to discern how much of an effect each brand has on each guitar without a series of comparisons of each spring in a different guitar, but several traits now common to the instruments are a very pronounced acoustical projection, a wide array of complex harmonic overtones, and a strong and prolonged resonance as well as an increase in sustain.