What does a trem do to sound

[Assumer]

A quick question. With the Axis Super Sport, does getting the trem change the sound much from a non trem?

 

[The new guy]

they used to say it gives you less sustain, a hassel to change them strings ect..
BUT ...
not in ebmm guitars i have the luke model and used to have the axis
talk about sustain my friend......
it lasted for a s*** loads of time
and no hassel to chnge strings what so ever
i cant tell you about the floyd rose system couse its horriphic!!!!!!

 

[Colin]

I've gone off Floyd's myself, and to my ears the non trems just ring better...

 

[robelinda2]

non trems for sure ring better, i hate floyds.

hardtails rule, especially on the rosewood ASS!!!!!!

 

[Assumer]

thanks for the reply just trying to decide on hardtail or trem. I already have an axis SS hardtail and thought the trem would be something different.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Hard tails are the way to go. No tuning hassles either!

 

[BetaCAM]

My SUB1 guitar which is the first musicman I ever bought is with the vintage trem.
I had lots of hassles at the beginning, that's before I used the Big Bends Nut sauce which simply makes using a trem much a joy. it stays ten times better in tune, and you can abuse the trem a lot more and still maintain tunning stability

Sound wise, I used LOTS of Floyd equipped guitar, I must say that non Floyd guitars generally have better sustain, they sound better to me. they have brighter and punchier tone than Floyd guitars.
I generally dislike Floyds and I'm so glad to avoid them totally.

It's true though that Hardtail is the way to go to my taste, no hassles at all, and you don't need to tune often... but Trem is important to me so I couldn't give it up.

Each to his own.

 

[CudBucket]

I guess it all depends on what you like. I don't use them much but I don't have any problems with trems. Floyd or otherwise. My ears aren't good enough to detect much difference in tone. I think you'd have to have two of the same guitars with different bridges and really A/B them.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I know that my AL rings with the trem and there was a thread on the forum posted a few months ago that contradicts the impression that hardtails sustain better.

The concensus at that time was that trems added a resonance with the springs.

I know that EC used to play Strats with Trems blocked off for that reason.

CandidX posted to that thread and has such a nice way of describing things like this - over to you Candid !!

 

[Spudmurphy]

oh and the MM trem is as stable as a rock! No tuning problems with the locking tuners and no problems with double stop bends - Albert Lee has no problem either !!

 

[candid_x]

Am a MM vintage trem convert, even though I almost never use a trem. I like what it does to the tone: more twang, and to my ears, even more natural harmonics and complexity. Plus, it makes bending strings seem easier. But I also recognize a bit of voodoo in these perceptions. I just sent my blue one in so BP can degauss my tuners and "top off" my pickup poles. (just kidding!)

 

[Spudmurphy]

Am a MM vintage trem convert, even though I almost never use a trem. I like what it does to the tone: more twang, and to my ears, even more natural harmonics and complexity. Plus, it makes bending strings seem easier. But I also recognize a bit of voodoo in these perceptions. I just sent my blue one in so BP can degauss my tuners and "top off" my pickup poles. (just kidding!)

8loody 4ell !
that was quick !!!

 

[candid_x]

8loody 4ell !
that was quick !!!

I try to stay current.

I'm thinking that what BP was possibly referring to in his degaussing comment was something called cryogenic treatment, such as what's promoted by Callaham Guitars:

"Cryogenics started with the Super Conductor / Super Collider to accelerate particles to the speed of light. Like many discoveries made by science it works its way down to the common man, or in this case, guitar players and improved guitar tone."

When I used to participate in shooting sports, it was a popular idea to have a long gun barrel cryogenically treated. It’s supposed to line up the molecular structure of the barrel and also harden it. It did make a difference in tighter grouping of shots, greater accuracy. We're talking a 1/4" difference at 100-200 yards (and you thought guitar players are anal?). But with guitar pickups and tuners? Sounds pretty superstitious to me.

 

[Fusionman]

I dont think there would be a great difference in tone between a hardtail and a vintage trem gtr. Im looking to buy a hardtail then Ill know I guess.

 

[David]

Am a MM vintage trem convert, even though I almost never use a trem. I like what it does to the tone: more twang, and to my ears, even more natural harmonics and complexity. Plus, it makes bending strings seem easier.

Agree completely with these statements. The vintage trem does "something", not sure what, but I like it.