Music Man 2 pivots Tremolo: how do you set it up?

[Iperfungus]

I love the MM 2 pivots tremolo.
It's one of the best I ever tried: soft, accurate, it perfectly comes back to zero position.
I have it on all my 3 MM guitars and I cannot live without anymore.

Setting up my ASS yesterday, a question arose: there's a specific way to set it?
Or can you set it up to your taste?

The PRS 6 screws tremolo (another awesome unit!) must be set-up on a precise way, in order to make it work as it must.

I set my MM tremolos this way, 'cause I love them floating:

1) a little lifted from body's top on the pivots (round 1mm)
2) slighlty inclined forward (as traditional Fender tremolos on a Strat)

How do you set yours?
There's any reccomendation from MM about 2 pivots tremolos settings, as far as you know?

 

[beej]

You can set it however you like! The Luke has the same trem- it's set so you can pull up a minor third on the G string. So do whatever feels good

 

[DrKev]

I recommend just a hair of space at the front of the bridge, like just enough to slide a piece of paper in. (because if the bridge is in full flat contact with the guitar top, the posts could be set a little too low which will could affect tuning stability). The Luke setting is basically the Jeff Beck setting, approx 3mm gap at the back of the bridge, which as Beej says, gives a minor third up pull on the G string.

If you want the bridge "decked", flat to the guitar top, I recommend just enough spring tension to keep the bridge flat when bending a hole step, but no more than that. There is no need or benefit to any more back pull than that. Worst case scenario is 5 springs and screws fully engaged which could leave indentations in the guitar top over time.

 

[Iperfungus]

Hey guys!
Thanks for your answers and the tips&tricks!

Yes, I've that tremolo on the Silhouette, Luke III and Axis and, more or less, I set them up as DrKev suggested.
I don't like tremolo flat on top...I like it floating and free.
I had the only doubt that correct tremolo's rest position were when it lays parallel to top, just lifted up a litte.

Maybe I've to lower a little on front side, but it works fine and tuning stability is perfect.
I will measure the gap between bridge and body's top on back side.

 

[Iperfungus]

This is how I adjust tremolos on my MM guitars...

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Honestly, the Music Man 2-point vintage style trem can be set up however you want it to be. I've got 7 MM guitars with the 2-point trem; I have my Luke 2s/3s floating at factory spec (minor 3rd pull up in G-string), my Axis Sport and AL HH decked, and my BFR AL with just a slight amount of float...about 1/8" gap between the back of the bridge, which is about the same spec for Fender American Strats.

 

[Ted]

I like my Strat's trem to float in the Jeff Beck/ Carl Verheyen way. Considering my next EBMM guitar which will probably have a trem-- either the vintage style trem bridge like the Albert Lee or the modern one like on the Cutlass. Can both of these be set up basically the same? Both floating and decked?

Also, is there some kind of padding on the bottom of the platform (of both the vintage and modern units), where it contacts the body? Decked trems make me nervous-- I'm afraid I'll try a bar flutter or a deep dive bomb and let go of the bar too hard and crack the finish on the top of my guitar. Is that a thing that can happen?

I've become much more of a happy hardtail player in the past few years-- and the tuning stability of my EBMM guitars with their roasted necks leaves me feeling spoiled. But sometimes I do find myself reaching for a bar that isn't there and I think my next EBMM will have a trem.

Also that little "shelf" on the vintage trem- that allows you to grab the bridge and manipulate it without using a bar-- would be pretty damned useful.

 

[DrKev]

Can both of these be set up basically the same? Both floating and decked?

Yes, they both can.

Also, is there some kind of padding on the bottom of the platform (of both the vintage and modern units), where it contacts the body? Decked trems make me nervous-- I'm afraid I'll try a bar flutter or a deep dive bomb and let go of the bar too hard and crack the finish on the top of my guitar. Is that a thing that can happen?

Crack, no. I've never seen that. Leave a slight indentation? Yes, I have seen that. My Silhouette Special (vintage trem) has a strip of thin adhesive felt on the bottom. The Cutlass trem does not, but it's easy to add it if requried.

 

[Iperfungus]

Crack, no. I've never seen that. Leave a slight indentation? Yes, I have seen that. My Silhouette Special (vintage trem) has a strip of thin adhesive felt on the bottom. The Cutlass trem does not, but it's easy to add it if requried.

Tremolos on my MM guitars have all the adhesive protection strip in the outer side (not pivots side) of the bottom.
But it should be almost impossible to crack top finish using the tremolo...neither Eddie Van Halen did that!

 

[DrKev]

@Iperfungus Specially for you my friend!

 

[Iperfungus]

@Iperfungus Specially for you my friend!

Thank a lot, mate!
Great tips!!!

I'm very honoured!
I made the same setting to my Strat Plus and it works great, of course.
Free to float and soft as butter!

I see a lot of interesting videos you made!
I will have a look.