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. Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. I've ordered a set of 5 springs to see if that will help some. Then apply a light coat of lemon oil and wipe away any excess with a paper towel. Premade saddles must be hand fit and adjusted to perform properly, custom saddles are hand-made from a blank. 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. If your acoustic guitar has an unfinished wood bridge, … The bass side of the pad will pull that string sharp and the treble side of the pad will push that string flat. Age: 45 Messages: 9. Flat Mount; Stud Mount Newsletter. If not, you can find a set at most music or guitar shops, or you can order one online. Syncop8r New Member! 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! String the guitar the same way you normally would. In this case, I leveled all the frets, setup, and intonated this Epiphone Joe Pass hollowbody before I started securing the floating bridge. Piezo Volume Adjustment How to adjust a PRS piezo bridge. Note that there is provision for up to five springs. 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. Joined: Aug 2, 2019 Location: Tasman, New Zealand. NEW GUITAR SETUP - FLOATING BRIDGE. Strat trems can be setup to be floating, but the gold standard of floating vibrato systems is the Floyd Rose. What should I do? 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). This really depends on what you want out of the guitar. 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. Some guitar players prefer a floating bridge, as it allows them to manipulate the whammy bar in both directions instead of only forward. Use a guitar pick or a sharpened Popsicle stick to dislodge the grime that cakes against the frets and directly beneath each string. 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. About PRS. You can make all sorts of weird and wacky noises diving and raising the whammy bar. Other sources say to set the screws at … The tool wedges between the body and the sustain block to lock the bridge perfectly flat while the guitar is tuned to pitch. Rod is a gifted engineer and if you're lookin… Hi guys, I'm having trouble setting up a Wilkinson floating bridge. Guitar setup 101: how to set up your tremolo. P.S. View Cian's Profile When you buy an electric guitar, the choice between a fixed bridge and a floating bridge is a major factor. If the bridge is leaned backwards, you'll need to loosen the claw screws in the bridge cavity and retune it. When locking the nut pads you will notice they will twist following the motion of the Allen wrench. This will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and in its natural resting place while performing the setup. TransTrem Guitar Set-up Instructions. iii. From simple pitch variations to harmonic squeals, car engines revving and fluttering noises, floating bridges provide hours of fun. 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. community app, message board, free community tool, community chat, community forum, community platform, mobile community, group app, group communication When working with the bridge setup I always strive for the most musical and in-tune mechanical operation I can find. Once in tune, alternate tightening the claw screws a 1/4 turn at a time until the block falls out. ii. 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. String the guitar 2. Set the bridge plate height a. STAY CONNECTED . Signature Club. Installing a Nut/Cutting Nut Slots Information on fine tuning a nut slot. Signature Club is open to anyone with an interest in PRS. 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. I’ve heard of people marking the top of the guitar around the bridge with a pencil or marker (or sometimes even a knife!) Floating bridges are great. These are detailed and step-by-step instructions for the set-up and operation of a TransTrem equipped guitar. Tremolos (or, technically, vibratos) are great when they’re working, but a nightmare if you don’t look after them. Gotoh Fender Floating Tremolo Install: The following is the DIY laid out step-by-step. I read that a floating bridge can put additional pressure on the neck and may also case some tuning issues. Ask questions, show off your gear, or simply chat with fellow guitar fanatics. Fender recommends the bridge height be 1/8th of an inch above the body. In these setups, the guitar’s bridge is actually suspended, or “floating” in the guitar’s body when the bar is not being used. my account | view cart | partner login | partner application ; GUITAR TREMOLO AND FIXED BRIDGES . Most of us know that you need graphite or pencil lead in the nut of the guitar to help with tuning stability. The Two Guitar Bridge Types (Fixed Bridge & Floating Bridge) There are many different types of guitar bridges out there. These are the steps I follow with every floating bridge guitar I setup. 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. so they know where exactly it should be located, but this is ugly and unnecessary, and needlessly permanent. A callaham bridge and heavy block certainly help though. 21/02/19 5:00pm - 5 min read . Learn how to balance floating, two-point style Stratocaster systems . Floating bridge guitar setup. 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. If properly intonated, the fretted and harmonic 12-fret pitches of both E strings will agree, with none of them being sharp or flat. Shares. To me this is the ideal way to set up a floating bridge. Pitch bends are accomplished by pulling up or down on an arm screwed into the tailpiece block, usually free to swing. De-tune your guitar strings. By Jack Ellis 10 March 2020. What are the factory specifications for my PRS guitar setup? 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). Once you tune the strings, check the bridge to make sure it's floating level. Fender recommends 1/8" at the rear of the bridge. This can also be adjusted a little stiffer if you want to avoid de-tuning while bending. Any questions or comments on the job will be forwarded to him. Believe its Peavey, i don't remember. 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 also have a PRS S2 Custom 24, and they recommend the bridge to float 1/16th off the guitar, basically half closer, … However, their construction fits into two anatomies. This is the first time I used this guy for a setup so I'm not sure the rationale. I was not asked my preference, but the bridge was flush when I dropped it off. Sign up here to get product announcements, artist news, and more delivered straight to your inbox. Measurements for setting up your PRS to factory specs. Unless you have a really light touch you can get lower action with 10's in standard tuning. Tune up the inner 4 (or 5) strings until some amount of tension is placed on the trem system. 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. 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. Verheyen Stratocaster Full Floating Tremolo Bridge Setup For the last 20 years the Fender Stratocaster has been my main guitar. and that all if you don't break a string while trying to tune the guitar normally! This tool can reduce the setup of a Floyd Rose® or Fender® style floating tremolo from an hour long task to about 10 minutes. Wilkinson floating bridge setup issue. 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. Problem is: when I try to use the whammy bar my guitar goes completely out of tune. One involves “blocking” the bridge by wedging a wood block between the trem system and the body of the guitar. i. 3 ... How do you restring a floating bridge on a 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. If your guitar has a floating tremolo, then it will require some additional setup to ensure proper tuning stability. Cian Hodge. A set of springs housed in a routed cavity at the back of the guitar body balances out the tension of the strings. Some sources say to set the bridge parallel, which would mean adjusting the screws so that the front is also 1/8". Everyone has a preference when it comes to a type of guitar bridge. 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. There is a great list of sounds and how to do them in Peter’s article on Five Fun Floyd Rose Tricks. Thanks for checking this out. Labs / Electric Guitars. Rear view of synchronized tremolo. You'll need to retune periodically to get the right balance between the strings and the springs. Can't find a pic. My suhr is setup to float with the bridge parallel to the body at 1/16" off the body. BuffaloHound, May 3, 2020 #3. A bridge set to 'float' off the guitar lets the guitarist raise the pitch until the bridge presses against the body. Gonna try to find a pic of that thing. Read the PRS story; get factory tour details for your next visit, and check out our career opportunities. The other is to “deck” the tremolo by adding extra springs and tightening the spring claw to deck the bridge against the body. Instrument Setup Instrument Building Electronics Finishing/Refinishing Inlay and Binding Repair and Maintenance Tools and Workshop Tips ... A real floating bridge. 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