I have been playing with the floating setup on a Fender 2009 American Standard Strat seeing how accurate I can get it.
Am interested in what system you use. Especially if you are a guitar setup tech or roadie. So please share what is your full floating setup method?

SPECIFICALLY:
1. With standard Tuning
2. Explain the order of the setup (so its easily reproducible)
3. Include when you intonate (essential)
4. Exact spring configuration and tension
5. Tuning stability after whammy/trem used
6. Lubrication points or if you don't lubricate explain
7. Any string breakage prevention methods

Include as much detail in the "science" around your method as you wish.
Please no links unless you believe them to be foolproof methods. Give credit if you borrow.

Don't feel too compelled to contribute unless your knowledgeable in this area.

Cheers

Note: my first post

In any guitar setup the order of events is essentially the same but how those tasks are accomplished is sometimes different.

1) select a gauge of strings and stick with it
2) tune to standard tuning
3) adjust neck relief then re-check state of tune
4) adjust action/saddle height if required then re-check state of tune
5) adjust intonation
6) adjust pickup height


It's important to keep checking the state of tune of the strings after every setup adjustment. There's no point in trying to set up a guitar using incorrect string tension. Varying from the chosen string gauge or using non standard tuning will throw the setup out of whack. The more you deviate, the further out of whack.

Once the guitar has been set up then and only then can you evaluate the state of float in your trem. Unfortunately adjusting the trem will require another setup as the trem adjustment will affect action, intonation and pickup height. Neck relief should not be affected unless there is a change in tuning or gauge.

_________________

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.

Welcome to the Forum!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I'm good with leaving those out of the equation for now.

So your method would be to fully setup and intonate the guitar and then do it again after you have evaluated? Please explain how you evaluate.
Fill me in on how you adjust to get the best tuning stability.


Hey thanks!

Well I set my springs and float first, with the set of strings already on, so that I get the proper float height. (Always remember to retune after even the tiniest shift in spring tension.) I like to have the plate about an eighth inch off the body, although for a while I had it set higher. My spring setup looks like /lll...I find that having the top 3 springs provide tension against the heavy-gauge strings and the bottom spring providing tension for the lowest gauge strings gives me the best tuning stability (I'm a "purist," I don't have or like locking tuners or nuts or trems or anything).

After setting all of that up, I get a fresh pack of the SAME SET of strings (not same gauge, not same material, but the same set). Even if you switch around different strings within the same gauge you will find variation in the tensile strength and it will throw the whole setup off. I personally am a fan of regular slinkys. String up, tune up, tune up, tune up...same old same old, pull on the strings to make sure everything is tight and on correctly, and tune up.

Last thing I do is check intonation and adjust.

Best thing is, this is all a one time thing as long as you keep using the same strings. I set my float up eight months ago and just keep on throwing slinkys on and it tunes up perfectly and holds tune exactly as I need it to.

All of this assumes that you have the neck set properly, so make sure of that beforehand...a lot of people say to have a bit of relief, some say straight, I personally find that a straight neck works best if I'm floating and a relief works best if I crank the trem down flat.

I'm a floater, I find that on my strat in particular my tuning is MUCH more stable when floating, especially during those Gilmour bends and Hendrix shreds. I like it.

Hope this helps...

_________________
Gear list:
2004 Epiphone Casino
----Peerless, USA electronics
2001 "Firewood" ES-335
----USA electronics, Gibson and DiMarzio PAFs
2001 Cort NTL20 Jumbo Acoustic
2007 Hofner Copy
Vox AC4TV/V112TV
Voice
Fingers
Cowbell

oh yeah, p.s., I lubricate at the nut with graphite and on the low gauge string saddles. my trem claw is set at a slight angle (maybe an eighth of an inch), with the lone spring side closer to the body than the three spring side. I think that covers everything...

_________________
Gear list:
2004 Epiphone Casino
----Peerless, USA electronics
2001 "Firewood" ES-335
----USA electronics, Gibson and DiMarzio PAFs
2001 Cort NTL20 Jumbo Acoustic
2007 Hofner Copy
Vox AC4TV/V112TV
Voice
Fingers
Cowbell

Got a photo of the backside? So did you stumble on this spring config yourself after trial and error or?

Yeah, here it is...this is kind of weird because you can't really see how the claw is slightly less than even, but I guess that goes to show how small it is. I settled on this after trial and error...three springs weren't providing the right amount of tension and it felt like i was strumming a kid's guitar, five was too much and i wasn't able to get the right pressure on for bending and such. Four straight springs wasn't working quite right either, because the B and E strings felt slippy even though the top four felt secure. This is a great balance for me, because i frequently switch from strumming to riffing and soloing and it gives a great, strong feeling for both without impeding my ability to bend.

Of course, when floating it is pretty essential to remember that every player is different and will want to feel different things for different styles.

_________________
Gear list:
2004 Epiphone Casino
----Peerless, USA electronics
2001 "Firewood" ES-335
----USA electronics, Gibson and DiMarzio PAFs
2001 Cort NTL20 Jumbo Acoustic
2007 Hofner Copy
Vox AC4TV/V112TV
Voice
Fingers
Cowbell

Yes. I always perform a full setup on any guitar I acquire. It's prolly the first thing I do and then after playing it for a while I decide if I want to make changes from standard. My personal preference for my own standard setup is pretty close to what they show at Mr. Gearhead. After that I might decide I want a blocked trem on this guitar or maybe a full 50/50 float or a 70/30 float. I may decide this guitar will be set aside as a drop tuned unit only. In any case I always do a complete standard setup first and then mess around later if I wish to. Sometimes that messing around requires a new setup.

Evaluate = look at what I've got, test it's effectiveness for what I want it to do and decide if I want to make changes. Pretty standard.

http://www.mrgearhead.net/

_________________

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.