Opinions..

[Casper]

Since my migration to EBMM guitars, I have changed as a player. I had been using 10s for over 30 years..now I am using 9s and floating my trems. I like the versatility, but I find my bends take a little more effort, sometimes I feel like I am pressing to hard on the strings to make them go sharp as well. I suppose I'll get used to this. What do you folks do on the floating trem? Do any of you brace the trem to the body for more stability? Add springs or tension if you float? If so, what is the proper gap between bridge and body or is it a feel thing?
Thanks for the input..

 

[DrKev]

I float. I don't know when I started doing it (maybe 20 years ago with a strat). It took no time at all to get used to being careful about hand pressure on the bridge. (or at least that's how I remember it). 3mm (1/8") gap at the back of bridge plate (see photo). I use three standard springs. Works great.

And people go to scalloped fretboards and have to get used to not pressing too hard when fretting so it's all very do-able.

 

[Casper]

Thanks Doc- Having the floating thing is making me self concious about bending and sharpness..I'm amazed I haven't been breaking strings! I guess I'd like the trem to be stiffer like an old Floyd, but I like the subtlety..thanks again!

 

[fbecir]

Hello

Like Kevin, the bridge of my SUB floats (more or less the same angle as Kev).
I play with 10-52 strings so there is quite a lot of tension. Thus I do not have anymore the problem of "out of tune" notes when I fret the strings. I do not have big hands but I used to do a lot of mountain climbing when I was young (a long time ago !) thus I still have strong hands.
When I bend notes, it's not too sharp again because there is a nice resistance coming from the strings.
I use 3 springs but I had to screw the claws otherwise the trem is floating too much.

Hope that helps

 

[custom53]

It took me a while to get used to it.. I used to rest my hand on the bridge, which is a no no with a floating trem.. I even tried blocking it on one of my guitars.. Which did work, but then why have a floating one.. I adjusted my right hand to avoid resting on the bridge and now everything is fine..!

 

[Casper]

Thanks everyone! I like the different approaches. I lowered the gap some and added a third spring..its a bit more stable now.

 

[Benji Peterson]

I used to set my trems to 'decked' position so that the strings would behave more like a hard tail without the give from the trem. In this way you can still dive down the notes but have a familiar feel with the left hand. I've come to prefer the floating bridges though as they add a level of expression that can't be done with the left hand alone. As far as that extra distance you have to bend to achieve the same tone, it's something that you get used to. Now I don't even hardly think about it. I play 10's on all my jps fwiw.

 

[Casper]

Thanks Ben, my tech was kinda giving me a hard time about .09s today..he thinks the strings and bends would be truer as well as the trem not so volitale, not as much fret buzz, more stability. He doesn't like me using EB strings either, says D'dads are more consistent....EBs are a little rougher in feel than D'dads, but they play as well and long as D'dads as I see it? I may revisit 10s at some point just to see if I play these guitars any differently..Anyway..thanks all!

 

[Craiguitar]

I have mine set floating quite high, to approx 1.5 steps of upward pitch on the G string. That's the factory setting, but according to the EBMM F.A.Q page some prefer 1 step or maybe only half a step. It's a trial & error thing and partly what you're used to.

 

[Razzle]

I have been playing trems for many moons. I've learned there's no way you can get subtleties of a tremelo without floating it.

And it's a challenge on my Axis, I'm right on the edge with it ( ahem, no pun intended). To float it, you gotta angle up the back of the trem, but then that lifts the height of the strings. And then if the action is low, you have to lower it bringing the front edge of the trem to almost hit the top of the guitar. Its off the guitar by a hair. I've been thinking of getting it routed.

 

[Casper]

Changing back to 10s this week, just to see if the feel changes and to see if my tech was right about trem volitility. I imagine I will have to re-float and reintonate as well...which means I'll be right back at my techs..(I suck at set-ups)