Floyd Rose replacement block question

[thegame]

Ok, so all these various replacement blocks on the market (brass, titanium, tungsten, granite) claim to improve tone and sustain. With a fully floating floyd, I can see how the added size, weight and or density of the different block materials can do such a thing, especially how little contact the floating bridge has to the body, namely the two pivots.

Now, I'm noticed substantial improvements in tone/sustain by blocking a Floyd to dive only, or completely blocking it to render it a hardtail in essence. Since blocking a Floyd gives it more contact with the guitar's body, would that negate the effect of these replacement blocks ? I'm not sure I'm thinking about it in the right way, but the increased contact to the body of a blocked Floyd may provide more "mass" that any of these replacement blocks would to a floating Floyd.

 

[Rufus Leaking]

Ok, so all these various replacement blocks on the market (brass, titanium, tungsten, granite) claim to improve tone and sustain. With a fully floating floyd, I can see how the added size, weight and or density of the different block materials can do such a thing, especially how little contact the floating bridge has to the body, namely the two pivots.

Now, I'm noticed substantial improvements in tone/sustain by blocking a Floyd to dive only, or completely blocking it to render it a hardtail in essence. Since blocking a Floyd gives it more contact with the guitar's body, would that negate the effect of these replacement blocks ? I'm not sure I'm thinking about it in the right way, but the increased contact to the body of a blocked Floyd may provide more "mass" that any of these replacement blocks would to a floating Floyd.

I don't think that blocking a Floyd negates the effect of adding a heavier block, it will only add to it.

The whole idea is that the more rigid and fixed the bridge is, the less it will sap movement and energy from a vibrating string, thereby enhancing sustain by allowing the string to vibrate longer. Blocking the trem and adding a heavier block both help to make the bridge more rigid. Which has more effect on sustain, I don't know.

Makes me wonder why aluminum Stop tailpieces are coveted, and not steel, brass or even tungsten... unless it's that there is a balancing act going on... you actually want just a limited amount of rigidity present, one that allows the hardware to vibrate in sympathy with the string...

 

[IceMan]

I have a few guitars upgraded with brass blocks from Floyd Upgrades and they are DEFINITELY an improvement over the stock block. I blocked one to add a D-Tuna to it for a bit (got rid if it eventually because I didn't like fucking with it to keep it in tune) and I didn't notice any difference EXCEPT it felt like the guitar seem to resonate a little more, but it didn't really sound different. But, the guitar I did this to has a white body with a pretty thick lacquer finish. I think if it were a natural body or nitro finish, it may have had more impact on the tone, but in a good way.......I think.

 

[paulyc]

I've made blocks myself out of aluminum, copper, and brass, with various thicknesses and widths to increase or decrease mass...I think what finish (or more specifically what finish it doesn't have) makes more tonal difference. Unfinished or lightly finished bodies seem to resonate more.

 

[BigBellyRocker]

I have a guitar with a nitro finish with a big brass block and it doesn't have the sustain of my other guitars. I think it's a combination of body wood and the big block that provide the overall sustain.

 

[bananaladonpcp]

I have a brass big block in a Jackson SL2MAH. The guitar was very resonate before I changed the block and now it is even more resonate. I had to put some shrink wrap on the springs because I was getting a fluttering effect when I picked higher notes from the increased resonation. I haven't noticed any change in the feel of the guitar except that I seem to have better control with the whammy bar now.... Maybe I'm just using it more?

The idea behind the big blocks is to add mass. You'll be adding mass to the guitar whether the bridge is blocked or not.

-Alex

 

[nigelpkay]

I have some floyds floating freely, some blocked with a small brass tremstopper (the little screw kind), and also decked and floated traditional Strats. It really depends on the guitar, some of the traditional strats I've decked, they might sound heavier but the overall sound is worse? Leo Fender designed them to float for a reason I guess as that springiness really adds something.

For floyd superstats, I've used the tremstop for drop-d purposes, and some guitars it sounds better, others it sounds worse. Sometimes you improve the vibrations and resonance for the better, and sometimes you don't. It all seems guitar and body wood dependent to me and the only way to find out is experiment.

 

[anomaly]

These sustain blocks do not make a huge difference in your tone, regardless of what people say... it's minimal at best.

 

[bananaladonpcp]

These sustain blocks do not make a huge difference in your tone, regardless of what people say... it's minimal at best.

Yeah it's a pretty minimal difference. A lot like my boost pedals or the strings I like to use or the picks,cables, power regulator, pots, caps, tuners, nuts.......
It's all pretty subtle.

-Alex