It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:14 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Bridge floating or flush
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:56 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:30 pm
Posts: 1
I purchased an American Deluxe Strat about a year ago without playing it much as I mostly play my other accoustic guitars. Now I want to play my Strat more so I took it in to my local guitar shop (Elderly's in Michigan) to have the strings changed and guitar checked out. I am keeping the same string type but I want the intonation checked. The tech suggested I have the bridge flush to the body.
I am a beginner to an electric guitar playing through a Lone Star Special and sometimes using a DI into Logic Pro. I play mostly pop and some country in my home studio. I would like to learn some Pink Floyd music.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a floating or flush bridge?
Also where else can I find info about this topic. Thank you for your advise.
Carlos


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Bridge floating or flush
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:28 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:44 am
Posts: 7282
Location: Washington
carloscast wrote:
The tech suggested I have the bridge flush to the body. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a floating or flush bridge?


If it is floating, you can raise the pitch. You might want to try it both ways to see how you like it. I guess we know how your tech likes it ...

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:06 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:02 pm
Posts: 111
I keep mine flush to the body... in my opinion, it stays in tune better, and may have better resonance. Clapton blocks his off, and others keep it flat.

Floating the trem came about in the 60's, and when the system was designed, it came flat to the body on the 54s and later.

It's personal pref. Try it out, and if you don't like it, switch back.

_________________
Some Guitars played through an amp...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:17 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:37 am
Posts: 597
Location: Australia
Welcome to the Forum!!!

Well I have always had my tremelo's flush against the body but.

Recently I purchased a new Strat and it's set up was with a floating tremelo. For some strange reason I decided to leave it as it was.

After playing it for a while I am now hooked on using the Whammy bar for a fair few songs I play in my band. CCR etc...lol.

I am hooked on how much more a floating tremelo has to offer as far as different options go.

Of course there are quirks about it but that comes with the high's.

Good Luck.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:24 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
Why not try both settings and see which you prefer. Personaly I wouldnt use a tech that tried to enforce his ill-informed opinions on me. His job is to set the guitar how you want it not tell you how it should be set and what you should do.

The fender strat trem was designed to float from day 1. Heres the original drawing for the patent.

Image

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:40 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:35 pm
Posts: 50
Location: LA
Sorry for my ignorance, but how to change from a floating to a non-floating trem? Just add springs? And what does it mean to "block off" a tremalo?
Thanks,
BC


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:53 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
To block off the tremolo block you insert a piece of wood inbetween the inertia block of the tremolo and the side wall of the guitar body. To set the trem flush and have it still usable without king kong arms, just tighten the tremclaw screws dont add springs. If you dont want to use the trem then add springs. Loosen your strings off before making any adjustment.

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:48 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:51 pm
Posts: 240
Location: Durham, NC
nikininja - Thanks for posting that patent diagram. I've never seen that before. It's amazing to see how little has changed over the years from that diagram. Even down to the shape of the saddles.

I noted that 5 springs are shown - is there any arrangement where 5 springs would leave the bridge floating? Maybe they had weaker springs. Or, possibly it's just an artist rendering of a possible configuration.

_________________
Custom Shop '59 Stratocaster
AV Hot Rod '52 Telecaster
AV '56 Stratocaster
'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:33 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:10 pm
Posts: 13467
Location: Palm Beach County FL
ckfoley wrote:
nikininja - Thanks for posting that patent diagram. I've never seen that before. It's amazing to see how little has changed over the years from that diagram. Even down to the shape of the saddles.

I noted that 5 springs are shown - is there any arrangement where 5 springs would leave the bridge floating? Maybe they had weaker springs. Or, possibly it's just an artist rendering of a possible configuration.


The patent drawing demonstrates just that, the floating bridge it was designed to have, and the vintage springs are heavier.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:59 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
Ckfoley

You can put 5 springs on and have the trem floating. All you have to do is loosen the screws on the tremclaw. It gives a very difficult trem arm action to dip notes and doesnt improve raised pitch pulls any.

As Doc said, its just included to show all possible variations of setup for the patent. I suppose If Mr L.Fender had patented it as 3 springs he'd have been stuck with 3 springs. Maybe the 5 spring claw lugs and extra holes in the inertia block could have been questioned.

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:54 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:11 pm
Posts: 2621
Location: Sunny So Cal
Well my friend I have played with my trem both ways over the years and I prefer to have it floating (as Leo intended). Look at the original patent drawings and you will see that this is the case. I like being able to take the pitch up just a bit sometimes and with the trem floating it's very easy to do. My guitars have always stayed in tune and I haven't noticed a difference in sustain having the trem flush or floating. Try it both ways and see which you like best.

_________________
"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:41 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:10 pm
Posts: 13467
Location: Palm Beach County FL
nikininja wrote:
Ckfoley

You can put 5 springs on and have the trem floating. All you have to do is loosen the screws on the tremclaw. It gives a very difficult trem arm action to dip notes and doesnt improve raised pitch pulls any.

As Doc said, its just included to show all possible variations of setup for the patent. I suppose If Mr L.Fender had patented it as 3 springs he'd have been stuck with 3 springs. Maybe the 5 spring claw lugs and extra holes in the inertia block could have been questioned.


You recall, from some of our other threads, that in the developmental test bed they started with three.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:08 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
Yeah the 50's/60's 5 spring affair was no doubt because of the thicker string gauge. Can you imagine putting 12's on a normaly set 3 spring trem arrangment. I bet it lifted the trem so much it would only dip a half a tone. :D

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Bridge floating or flush
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:44 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:08 am
Posts: 9034
Location: Louisiana
carloscast wrote:
I purchased an American Deluxe Strat about a year ago without playing it much as I mostly play my other accoustic guitars. Now I want to play my Strat more so I took it in to my local guitar shop (Elderly's in Michigan) to have the strings changed and guitar checked out. I am keeping the same string type but I want the intonation checked. The tech suggested I have the bridge flush to the body.
I am a beginner to an electric guitar playing through a Lone Star Special and sometimes using a DI into Logic Pro. I play mostly pop and some country in my home studio. I would like to learn some Pink Floyd music.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a floating or flush bridge?
Also where else can I find info about this topic. Thank you for your advise.
Carlos


I've got strats set both ways but if as you say you'd like some Floyd action I can tell you that my CS Gilmour is a floating one! :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Bridge floating or flush
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
fhopkins wrote:
I've got strats set both ways but if as you say you'd like some Floyd action I can tell you that my CS Gilmour is a floating one! :wink:


Thank you. I was waiting for someone to mention that. If you're going to learn Pink Floyd songs you'll need a floating bridge. Just remember that Dave's use of the floating bridge is based on the premise that less is more. He uses light spring tension, a short control arm and a light & gentle touch with the vibrato.


(You'll also need a good compression pedal and a very luscious high quality reverb but that's an issue for another thread.)

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: John Sims and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: