Floating trems and double-stop bends

[Meeotch]

I'm needing some advice on floating trems, as I don't have much experience with them. One thing that has bugged me when playing double locking systems like a Floyd, is how significantly other strings pitches are affected with bends (ie double stop bends).

Recently while playing a PRS with it's traditional tremolo, I noticed bending had less of an effect on the other strings pitches. I could get away with half step bends on the plain strings without affecting the others if they were ringing out. Just wanting to confirm that this is indeed a difference between traditional trems and double locking systems? Or am I imagining things? Thanks!

 

[skullfxr]

that is unavoidable with a floyd. was the PRS decked? that gets you around it a tiny bit.

FWIW i deck all non locking tremolos, but don't own any Paul Reed Smith's.

 

[JSutter]

Using a device such as an ESP arming adjuster will keep the other strings in tune.

 

[peckhart]

Using a device such as an ESP arming adjuster will keep the other strings in tune.

I have one in one of my guitars so that I can go up and down on the bar. It can be set with enough tension that it does not move on string bends. Pretty awesome gadget.
On my other trem guitar I have a trem stopper so it is no longer a true floating trem, but I can dive bomb and set the claw deep enough to provide enough tension that string bends do not move the trem on that one either.

 

[cardinal]

The Arming Adjuster works very well. Allows easy double stop bends and quick drop tuning, but if you really want to pull up, you can. You do lose flutter and it’s very hard to pull up.

 

[Meeotch]

So far it sounds like there shouldn't be a difference in double stop bends between non-locking and locking tremolos. I don't believe the PRS that I played was decked, but I didn't take a close look at it. Plus I've never owned a traditional tremolo guitar so I've never played around with the setup.

I'll take a look at the Arming Adjuster, sounds like a cool solution. Would another option be to just increase spring tension? It seems like more tension would result in less movement of the other strings when bending.

 

[cardinal]

Yes: increased spring tension makes it harder to stretch the strings, which makes it harder to knock out of tune with bends IME.

 

[Stradazone]

A tremol-no also works when put in 'hardtail' mode, works great for double stops..

 

[guitarnerdswe]

Spring tension, saddle height over the base plate, saddle distance from the fulcrum point, angle of the tremolo. All of these things affect how much the tremolo moves when you bend a string on a floating tremolo. Personally, I bend the higher note a little bit as well when doing double stop bends or unison bends, to keep them both in tune. I actually didn't even realise I did this until somebody pointed it out for me.

 

[splatter]

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... stabilizer

these work well for floating trems. If the trem is decked all you have to do is tighten the springs so that they have enough tension to keep the trem from coming up on a bend

 

[PBGas]

Using a device such as an ESP arming adjuster will keep the other strings in tune.

This is what I have on all of my Floyd Rose based guitars. It works perfectly and they have been very reliable for years now.

 

[Riggins1966]

I have an arming adjuster on my Adrian Smith sig along with a Tone Vise Pitch Shifter. Does drop D very well with minimal to no tuning adjustment, and I have it set where it will almost warble nicely. You still feel that zero-point a little bit though.