3 ... How do you restring a floating bridge on a guitar? Gotoh Fender Floating Tremolo Install: The following is the DIY laid out step-by-step. Shares. Verheyen Stratocaster Full Floating Tremolo Bridge Setup For the last 20 years the Fender Stratocaster has been my main guitar. You can make all sorts of weird and wacky noises diving and raising the whammy bar. Ask questions, show off your gear, or simply chat with fellow guitar fanatics. When locking the nut pads you will notice they will twist following the motion of the Allen wrench. The Two Guitar Bridge Types (Fixed Bridge & Floating Bridge) There are many different types of guitar bridges out there. Tune up the inner 4 (or 5) strings until some amount of tension is placed on the trem system. Premade saddles must be hand fit and adjusted to perform properly, custom saddles are hand-made from a blank. Everyone has a preference when it comes to a type of guitar bridge. Learn how to balance floating, two-point style Stratocaster systems . Main reason: Well this design of bridge does not allow the user to tune the guitar differently from what it has been setup to be without having a grueling task of tuning, changing spring tensions, tuning again, changing spring tensions again and so on and so forth till the bridge is sitting properly on the guitar! Most of us know that you need graphite or pencil lead in the nut of the guitar to help with tuning stability. This has the bridge resting on the body with just enough spring pressure so that the plate does not flutter against the body during hard strumming. Use a guitar pick or a sharpened Popsicle stick to dislodge the grime that cakes against the frets and directly beneath each string. A set of springs housed in a routed cavity at the back of the guitar body balances out the tension of the strings. Any questions or comments on the job will be forwarded to him. A bridge set to 'float' off the guitar lets the guitarist raise the pitch until the bridge presses against the body. Measurements for setting up your PRS to factory specs. What are the factory specifications for my PRS guitar setup? Joined: Aug 2, 2019 Location: Tasman, New Zealand. Age: 45 Messages: 9. I didn't see the guitar in front of me (it was in a catalog) but i think the bridge should go only downwards due to the guitar body. Once you tune the strings, check the bridge to make sure it's floating level. I agree that the lack of communication is probably the bigger problem here rather than the ability of the tech to set up the guitar; however, hopefully their customer service will come through and they fix it to your liking right away as part of the original service. Rod is a gifted engineer and if you're lookin… By Jack Ellis 10 March 2020. The first, guitar bridge construction type is the fixed bridge, whilst the second type is floating bridge type (also known to be the tremolo bridges). 21/02/19 5:00pm - 5 min read . However, their construction fits into two anatomies. Some sources say to set the bridge parallel, which would mean adjusting the screws so that the front is also 1/8". To adjust floating bridge intonation on a guitar, first check the 12th-fret harmonic and the fretted 12th-fret tuning of both E strings (high and low). From simple pitch variations to harmonic squeals, car engines revving and fluttering noises, floating bridges provide hours of fun. The other is to “deck” the tremolo by adding extra springs and tightening the spring claw to deck the bridge against the body. If your acoustic guitar has an unfinished wood bridge, … i. Fender recommends the bridge height be 1/8th of an inch above the body. I’ve heard of people marking the top of the guitar around the bridge with a pencil or marker (or sometimes even a knife!) Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. Newsletter. Some guitar players prefer a floating bridge, as it allows them to manipulate the whammy bar in both directions instead of only forward. Signature Club. De-tune your guitar strings. String the guitar the same way you normally would. Allowing the bridge to float freely (no tension on the tremolo arm) using the claw screws in the tremolo cavity, adjust the bridge to your desired angle—Fender spec is a 1/8" (3.2 mm) gap at rear of bridge. I used to use the term "Pro Setup" to describe what I did to guitars, but as time goes by I see that term being thrown around at every turn, to where it has become near meaningless. Believe its Peavey, i don't remember. Piezo Volume Adjustment How to adjust a PRS piezo bridge. Tremolos (or, technically, vibratos) are great when they’re working, but a nightmare if you don’t look after them. There is a great list of sounds and how to do them in Peter’s article on Five Fun Floyd Rose Tricks. Locking-tremolo bridge (Floyd-Rose style) $45 + Setup Floating Bridge (Archtop) Sanded to match top contour $65 + Setup Acoustic Instruments A setup is required for saddle replacement. You'll need to retune periodically to get the right balance between the strings and the springs. These are detailed and step-by-step instructions for the set-up and operation of a TransTrem equipped guitar. Here is a tip for those who have a non-locking style floating tremolo bridge on a Stratocaster type of guitar, and are having trouble staying in tune. Strat trems can be setup to be floating, but the gold standard of floating vibrato systems is the Floyd Rose. These are the steps I follow with every floating bridge guitar I setup. Labs / Electric Guitars. my account | view cart | partner login | partner application ; GUITAR TREMOLO AND FIXED BRIDGES . Signature Club is open to anyone with an interest in PRS. Can't find a pic. Thanks for checking this out. The actual work was done by a good friend of mine named Rod. There are two main methods to convert a Stratocaster with a floating tremolo bridge to a hardtail Stratocaster. Set the bridge plate height a. Floating bridges however add another twist to the mix: the floating bridge itself is designed to be able to move parallel to the direction of the strings by swivelling on a pivot. This process involves perfectly balancing the tension between the strings and tremolo’s spring system, allowing the tremolo to freely move back and forth an equal distance. Floating bridge guitar setup. STAY CONNECTED . One involves “blocking” the bridge by wedging a wood block between the trem system and the body of the guitar. Both floating and fixed variants have their pros and cons - exactly why we’re going to explore what the best choice is for you. Note that there is provision for up to five springs. Read the PRS story; get factory tour details for your next visit, and check out our career opportunities. BuffaloHound, May 3, 2020 #3. When working with the bridge setup I always strive for the most musical and in-tune mechanical operation I can find. Sign up here to get product announcements, artist news, and more delivered straight to your inbox. This really depends on what you want out of the guitar. Other sources say to set the screws at … I've ordered a set of 5 springs to see if that will help some. My action is set to 4/64th at the 24th fret on every string and my relief is set to exactly .05" at the 7th fret. TransTrem Guitar Set-up Instructions. String the guitar 2. Unless you have a really light touch you can get lower action with 10's in standard tuning. and that all if you don't break a string while trying to tune the guitar normally! Problem is: when I try to use the whammy bar my guitar goes completely out of tune. I also have a PRS S2 Custom 24, and they recommend the bridge to float 1/16th off the guitar, basically half closer, … When I coined the term I meant it to describe "Setup to the standards the pickiest working Pro would be satisfied with", setup *for* a Pro, not setup *by* a Pro. Cian Hodge. P.S. I was told to take away the whammy bar and set the two screws (the ones that hold the springs in position) in order to have the bridge parallel to the body. I was not asked my preference, but the bridge was flush when I dropped it off. community app, message board, free community tool, community chat, community forum, community platform, mobile community, group app, group communication Wilkinson floating bridge setup issue. If the bridge is leaned backwards, you'll need to loosen the claw screws in the bridge cavity and retune it. Installing a Nut/Cutting Nut Slots Information on fine tuning a nut slot. A callaham bridge and heavy block certainly help though. However, a Fender Stratcaster bridge that floats too much can damage the bridge, as well as put too much tension on the neck, causing it to bow or bind in a way in which it is not meant to. This is the first time I used this guy for a setup so I'm not sure the rationale. Syncop8r New Member! This can also be adjusted a little stiffer if you want to avoid de-tuning while bending. Fender recommends 1/8" at the rear of the bridge. I read that a floating bridge can put additional pressure on the neck and may also case some tuning issues. What should I do? If properly intonated, the fretted and harmonic 12-fret pitches of both E strings will agree, with none of them being sharp or flat. View Cian's Profile When you buy an electric guitar, the choice between a fixed bridge and a floating bridge is a major factor. In these setups, the guitar’s bridge is actually suspended, or “floating” in the guitar’s body when the bar is not being used. Floating bridges are great. This tool can reduce the setup of a Floyd Rose® or Fender® style floating tremolo from an hour long task to about 10 minutes. Instrument Setup Instrument Building Electronics Finishing/Refinishing Inlay and Binding Repair and Maintenance Tools and Workshop Tips ... A real floating bridge. Rear view of synchronized tremolo. Pitch bends are accomplished by pulling up or down on an arm screwed into the tailpiece block, usually free to swing. About PRS. Hi guys, I'm having trouble setting up a Wilkinson floating bridge. This will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and in its natural resting place while performing the setup. Flat Mount; Stud Mount so they know where exactly it should be located, but this is ugly and unnecessary, and needlessly permanent. ii. If your guitar has a floating tremolo, then it will require some additional setup to ensure proper tuning stability. If not, you can find a set at most music or guitar shops, or you can order one online. To me this is the ideal way to set up a floating bridge. My suhr is setup to float with the bridge parallel to the body at 1/16" off the body. iii. He was not in when I picked up the guitar so I couldn't ask him about it. Guitar setup 101: how to set up your tremolo. Gonna try to find a pic of that thing. Because floating bridges are usually found on archtop hollow- or semihollow electric guitars, whatever guitarists think of as the sound of a floating bridge is largely affected by the sound of that type of guitar. The tool wedges between the body and the sustain block to lock the bridge perfectly flat while the guitar is tuned to pitch. 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