I Love Floyds Thread::Show Your Appreciation

Wow dude, that thing looks like just the ticket - what's it called? (so I know what to search for when I inevitably buy one :D) And I assume you'd mount it between two of the screws in the rear cavity? (with the screw pushing against the trem block; also, I'd probably put a piece of squishy double-stick tape on the end so it wouldn't make that annoying "clunk" upon returning from a bend)

Also, it would be even cooler if I could find one with a flat nut type thing on the end, for a more even distribution of force (you know, like what's on the end of the screw part of a C-clamp, for example)
 
Thanks dude, looks like just the ticket! I'd probably have to use 3 springs though, so would there be any particular arrangement that would work best? (e.g. assuming there are 5 "slots" in the cavity of a trem, would it be better to have it from low-string to high-string as spring/spring/trem stop/spring/blank, or perhaps spring/spring/trem stop/blank/spring, or spring/trem stop/spring/blank/spring or... :goggly: )
 
Good question - I've only seen them mounted like this picture:

Mean_Street_Guitars_Trem_Stop_Insta.gif


I wonder if it would be worth it if using more than two springs to possible get two of them and mount them in the two cavities formed by the spring positioning?
 
I have a question for you trem guys, and I'm dead serious about this since I do actually like the usability of trems a fair bit; there's just always been one thing that kills them for me.

And please don't assume I'm just some newb who can't set one up. The guitars with Floyds I've owned include an RR-1, and ESP M-II Maple (both OFR), an Ibanez RG1527, and an RG1077xl (both Edge Pro). There was one consistent quality to them all that I've narrowed down to being due to the tremolo: the strings have a distinct 'rubbery' or 'dead-ish' feeling to them. When you first change strings it's sparkly and chimey and whatnot, but they die quickly and they just don't feel as responsive or 'alive' as on a TOM or even a 2-point trem. This is with the trem blocked or floating, didn't matter - I wasn't stretching them out like crazy with the Floyd, if that was going to be your first answer.

I'd like to solve this, though. Is this just an inherent quality in guitars with locking tremolos and I'll have to deal with if I ever want the benefits of a Floyd type system, or is there something I can do to counteract this? Or am I just batshit crazy and this doesn't happen to anyone else?
 
Dude, i think what you are experiencing is the "spongyness" of a set up where the bridge (in this the trem) is not fixed. In the same way that when you bend it feels "easier" on a trem because the trem is giving/pulling forward slightly and obviously that doesnt happen on fixed bridge. I also notice this feel is acentuated as the strings "dull" but i actually like this feel more than a fixed bridge...somehow i feel with a trem, that the strings bounce back as i pick (i know that should nt be the case because the trem should "absorb" the pick attack but....:goggly:)
 
Since we are talking tremolo units here, I was just thinking it would be interesting to see what everyone's thoughts and usage was in regards to tremolo springs. How many are you using, do you like a stiff tremolo a la an Eric Johnson strat with 5 springs standard, or something like like Jeff Beck who only uses 2 springs.

I have personally prefer a firmer tremolo in my Ibanez so I'm using 5 springs (parallel pattern) in C tuning, while for strat project guitar with vintage 6 hole tremolo I've stuck with the standard 3 springs (parallel pattern.) As I noted earlier, for quite some time my Ibanez was blocked in dive only configuration and I really like having it very firm.

So - the question is how many springs and in what pattern do you have them installed - standard parallel, arrow, Z pattern (I've only seen it used a few times and I'm not really sure of the benefit), or an imbalanced pattern for string tension balancing?

Also - has anyone played something like the Steinberger ZT-3 with the TransTrem system which to me looks pretty cool (the trem, not the "no headstock" look.) I've wanted to play one, but have not found one around here. I think I could deal with the "no headstock" look if the guitar was very good. There are times in my life that function wins over form - especially since I'm not a gigging musician. I like the fact that it seems it would be a great travel guitar with it's length of 33" and a weight of only 6.5 lbs. Anyone play or own one - what were/are your impressions?

steinberger_ZT3.jpg


 
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16S said:
Dude, i think what you are experiencing is the "spongyness" of a set up where the bridge (in this the trem) is not fixed. In the same way that when you bend it feels "easier" on a trem because the trem is giving/pulling forward slightly and obviously that doesnt happen on fixed bridge. I also notice this feel is acentuated as the strings "dull" but i actually like this feel more than a fixed bridge...somehow i feel with a trem, that the strings bounce back as i pick (i know that should nt be the case because the trem should "absorb" the pick attack but....:goggly:)
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, too, but the feeling persists even when the tremolos are blocked or have tremol-no's in lock-down mode installed. I think it's just the nature of a double-locking trem, as 2-points and Wilky's don't fuck with me the same way.
 
The other difference is that the string is locked and terminated at the nut and the bridge. Without a double locking setup, the amount of string behind the nut and behind the bridge contributes somewhat to the feel of the guitar, as does the break angle. I haven't heard it described exactly as you've described it, but that may explain the differences you notice in the feel of the guitar.
 
I think it's directly to do with the string being terminated at the bridge; with/without locking at the top didn't seem to make a huge difference, but the Wilky style trems and whatever EBMM OEM bit is on the Petrucci 7. The ZR is pretty solid, as well - too bad none are available for purchase alone in 7 string form. Looks like it'll be a hipshot hardtail on my next Stinnett. :lol:
 
How is the way the string is terminated in a locking trem any different than how it is on a "Wilky" or any other trem though?
 
There's actually string behind where the string contacts the bridge; that could be causing it. In all honesty, I only get the problem with trem's that have locking saddles, not locking nuts, so it makes sense (or at least I want it to because any other explanation is beyond me and I want to solve this shit haha).

Wilky = wilkinson, btw.
 
Seriously... the only trem I like better is the one on the Petrucci EBMM's, and I don't like any of the woods they use until you hit BFR prices and that's just... fuck my life. Stinnett's are like half the price at that point, and play even better.

Then again, the EBMM factory is 5 miles from my dorm. Maybe I could stage a coup...
 
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