Question What’s your favorite EBMM Bridge/Trem strictly from sound/tone/sustain perspective?

[Slav123]

I was curious about what everyone would say their favorite EBMM bridge/trem was strictly from a sound, tone, and sustain perspective. Since not all of the EBMM guitars come with the same bridge/trem options (some only come on specific models) and some don’t have a floating or trem arm options, usability/flexibility should not be a factor in your decision. I’ve had the pleasure to play them all and my favorite is the Vintage trem, followed closely by the Floyd and the JP floating trem.

1. Strings-thru-body bridge (hardtail)
2. Vintage trem
3. Floyd Rose licensed trem
4. Custom JP floating trem
5. Tuneomatic bridge (SM standard bridge)

So what’s yours?

Slav

 

[Spudmurphy]

My favourite? - now that's a good question - it all depends on what I'm playing music wise.

I love the tradditional trem found on my JP and AL's. I have one of my ALs set floating and one with the trem set flush.

I sometimes swear at my JP trem - but don't forget my JP was a road dog and I'm going to get to the bottom of that thios weekend.

My EVH has the "strings through" as it is one of the rare hardtails - but that guitar brings a smile to my face not because of the through strings but because of the neck/power in the pickups and all the controls.

So at this moment my fav are the AL trems but the JP needs another chance!!

 

[RocketRalf]

I have only played the hardtail, so... I've read a few of the 25th owners who's played both prefer the hardtail.

 

[azazael]

I have never tried the JP trem although I sure would love to and I suspect I would love it however...

I think the Musicman Vintage Trem is the best on the market.

The massive block and design works wonders and if you wanna hardtail it just screw it up.

I don't really notice much sustain difference between my two hardtail guitars which are my Sub1 and my blue Super Sort and my Vintage Trem Super Sport.

My Silhouette has a fair bit of sustain too and it has the Vintage Trem also but its a different animal entirely due to woods and neck.

A lot of people overlook that a good thick neck is a good source of additional sustain I feel.

Essentially it is what is missing from these Japanese manafacturers Superstrat type guitars when they go for pointy body designs, skinny necks and outlandish tremolo routes.

Simply put the Vintage Musicman Tremolo System is the best darn stablest vibrato system I have ever used and when set properly it will annihilate any Floyd Rose system.

It has the stamina and scope of a Floyd, the humble looks to not look out of place when you show up at your local blues jam night and not scare the old fogies (at least until u plug in and let rip) and sustain of a hardtail without the compromise.

I believe it covers all bases you could hope to want.

*phew*

 

[Slav123]

I have never tried the JP trem although I sure would love to and I suspect I would love it however...

I think the Musicman Vintage Trem is the best on the market.

The massive block and design works wonders and if you wanna hardtail it just screw it up.

I don't really notice much sustain difference between my two hardtail guitars which are my Sub1 and my blue Super Sort and my Vintage Trem Super Sport.

My Silhouette has a fair bit of sustain too and it has the Vintage Trem also but its a different animal entirely due to woods and neck.

A lot of people overlook that a good thick neck is a good source of additional sustain I feel.

Essentially it is what is missing from these Japanese manafacturers Superstrat type guitars when they go for pointy body designs, skinny necks and outlandish tremolo routes.

Simply put the Vintage Musicman Tremolo System is the best darn stablest vibrato system I have ever used and when set properly it will annihilate any Floyd Rose system.

It has the stamina and scope of a Floyd, the humble looks to not look out of place when you show up at your local blues jam night and not scare the old fogies (at least until u plug in and let rip) and sustain of a hardtail without the compromise.

I believe it covers all bases you could hope to want.

*phew*

Wow! it sure does, thanks bro! Have you ever tried the JP trem?

Slav

 

[beej]

I'll take a hardtail any day of the week. Love the Morse TOM bridge in particular, but that's just 'cause I love the guitar.

 

[brasco68]

I'll tell you in 2 months.

 

[Slav123]

I'll tell you in 2 months.

Thanks but, this poll is only for the righty bridges/trems. Everyone knows that lefty bridges/trems sound different and weigh more...

I kid cause I love!
Slav

 

[agt]

Tune-O-Matic and Vintage Trem are my favorites. I voted for Tune-O_Matic since it has a sound rather different from any of the others and tons of sustain.

 

[mb99zz]

I voted for the standard string-through body. It's such a simplistic design and has very good sustain. My second choice would be the Vintage Tremelo.

 

[threeminutesboy]

I voted for the standard string-through body. It's such a simplistic design and has very good sustain. My second choice would be the Vintage Tremelo.

+1 same for me 4 hardtail against 2 trem

I use the trem parsimoniously

 

[browndog]

I have owned 5 Axis’s all with Floyd & 1 SS with a vintage trem. Between the 2, I prefer the Floyd. I can’t wait to get a JP and try his trem.

 

[Sub1 Zero]

I chose the vintage and the JP, as they're actually the same bridge.

 

[bkrumme]

All of my guitars have trems, but out of all of them I like the trem on the 25th best from a tone/sustain perspective.

From a feel perspective, it's all about the JP trem.

 

[azazael]

Wow! it sure does, thanks bro! Have you ever tried the JP trem?

Slav

No mate.
I have not.
I have never played a JP guitar ever and I would sure love to try one.
I have never seen one in any of the shops around here.
My best mate done a setup on one though but before he decided to tell me it was in his workshop it had been handed back to the owner. I would have been down there like a shot to have a feel.

Its funny how I say feel and not play... I think we are all just tone perverts.

 

[bkrumme]

I voted for the JP trem. I've tried a handful of different trems in my day, but the JP trem is the best, first and foremost, bar none.

I'm actually surprised that more people haven't commented on the JP trem yet, seeing as it's usually in high praise for it's feel. It is still the first page though, so I reserve the right to predict that there will be lots of votes for the JP trem in the following pages!

For feel, I agree with you 100%. There is not a floating trem which feels better to me.

For sound/tone/sustain I don't agree. The JP trem is amazing and doesn't sound bad at all. I just think the vintage trem sounds better due to the interface between the bridge and the guitar. And that only makes a difference as long as you don't set up the vintage trem to float.

When all is said and done, we can chalk it up to personal preference. JP sure loves the trem on his guitars. Steve Morse loves the stop-tail/tune-o-matic on his. Luke likes a vintage trem set up to float on his.

 

[paranoid70]

I have 3 hardtails and one vintage trem, and I swear I cannot tell a difference 'tone wise'. I perfer the tone of the 20th, but I am sure that is mostly due to the maghagony tone block and the pickups rather than the fact that it is a hardtail.

 

[ScoobySteve]

The hardtail will have more to do with sustain and tuning stability than tone.

But since I've only had two balls, I'll give my input on those:

1. JP Floating Trem - Full floating trem, no locking nut, and it stays in tune. SAY WHAAAAA!!! (Serious, after years of LP T'oM's and Ibby FR this is a big deal) It doesn't full better than the JP.

2. My 25th Hardtail. How wonderful is the string through body hard tail? When I need an upper in my day, I put my ear to the body of the 25th and strum the strings. Resonnnaaannnnceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mb99zz]

When I need an upper in my day, I put my ear to the body of the 25th and strum the strings. Resonnnaaannnnceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the second time you've made that comment....I need to try that

 

[Astrofreq]

You guys are nutz if you thing the vintage trem has more sustain than the hardtail. Am I right, Tim?