Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: bareknucklehead on March 31, 2009, 05:05:39 PM

Title: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: bareknucklehead on March 31, 2009, 05:05:39 PM
What's up guys. I wanna know what's your favorite floating tremolo and why? What I mean is what features you like the most like the materials they are built with, the tuning stability and intonation, stringing them, etc.

I'm asking this because I'm going to get a custom guitar and I would like a floating tremolo on it (for the occasional dive bombing), and I want the best in terms of stability and reliability. (too bad that parker and steinberger don't sell their trem parts)

Cheers.

Also, I've heard that most of the floating trems have a "knife" type of structure while others have a "ball bearing" mechanism (or something like that) which is supposed to be better in the long term, so if you could also clarify that for me I would appreciate it.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 05:06:50 PM
Blocked ones.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: gwEm on March 31, 2009, 05:28:02 PM
steinberger
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: indysmith on March 31, 2009, 06:08:09 PM
Ibanez ZR - great tone, not much loss of sustain, relatively easy to set up, if you break a string guitar doesn't go out of tune, has built-in d-tuner, smooth ball-bearing action (rather than knife edge), very likeable tremolo!
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: gingataff on March 31, 2009, 06:13:49 PM
If you're getting a custom guitar I presume you've already owned/played quite a few guitars before.
What did and didn't you like about the trems on those?
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on March 31, 2009, 06:28:20 PM
Locking trem - Floyd Rose original
Non locking - Hipshot tremolo
Vintage type - BKP strat trem
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 06:32:59 PM
Wait, yeah, the ZRs take away a lot of the headache of trems while still leaving you with a trem. Good stuff. Thats my vote.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Brow on March 31, 2009, 06:56:27 PM
Ibanez ZR - great tone, not much loss of sustain, relatively easy to set up, if you break a string guitar doesn't go out of tune, has built-in d-tuner, smooth ball-bearing action (rather than knife edge), very likeable tremolo!

+1! :)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: James C on March 31, 2009, 07:11:50 PM
Vigier/Schaller 2010 trem, pivots on ball bearings, smooth and wont wear easy.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Philly Q on March 31, 2009, 07:39:04 PM
I'm not a big fan of trems, but I do like the feel of the Kahler.

I would like to try the Vigier and Ibanez ZR.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: JDC on March 31, 2009, 07:49:07 PM
Ibanez ZR - great tone, not much loss of sustain, relatively easy to set up, if you break a string guitar doesn't go out of tune, has built-in d-tuner, smooth ball-bearing action (rather than knife edge), very likeable tremolo!

since the ZR trems ain't on a knife edge can you still do flutters on them?
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2009, 07:51:36 PM
Blocked ones.

+999

 :lol:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 07:58:05 PM
Blocked ones.

+999

 :lol:

:drink:

These are among my favourite secret weapons

(http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/17/1000988.jpg)

I screw the trem in so jacks into the body, lift it to level, and lock that down. Permanently. Get more resonance out of the guitar that way.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2009, 07:58:26 PM
Ibanez ZR - great tone, not much loss of sustain, relatively easy to set up, if you break a string guitar doesn't go out of tune, has built-in d-tuner, smooth ball-bearing action (rather than knife edge), very likeable tremolo!

since the ZR trems ain't on a knife edge can you still do flutters on them?

i don't use mine (but unlike the other floating units i own/ed i've there was no need to block it...), but as far as i know they're a lot less "floating" than floyds... they can be set on very rigid setting or can be left highly mobile, though.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2009, 08:00:48 PM
Blocked ones.

+999

 :lol:

:drink:

These are among my favourite secret weapons

(http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/17/1000988.jpg)

I screw the trem in so jacks into the body, lift it to level, and lock that down. Permanently. Get more resonance out of the guitar that way.

 :o
had i known before...
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 08:06:01 PM
Blocked ones.

+999

 :lol:

:drink:

These are among my favourite secret weapons

(http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/17/1000988.jpg)

I screw the trem in so jacks into the body, lift it to level, and lock that down. Permanently. Get more resonance out of the guitar that way.

 :o
had i known before...

Now ya do. These things keep my options open, basically - they mean I can still buy FR equiped guitars :lol:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2009, 08:12:08 PM
it's no good for me... this removed one of the few GAS-suppressor factors...  :lol:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 08:14:44 PM
:lol:

The cats out of the bag now, though - if you see a guitar with a floyd that you'd like, I defy you not to remember the tremol-no!
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Sifu Ben on March 31, 2009, 08:34:52 PM
Wilkinson VS. I am curious about the Hipshot though.....
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Simon D on March 31, 2009, 08:53:35 PM
+1 on the Wilkinson VS100 - loads of movement potential especially if you have a small cavity routed. The PRS trem is also a very very good non-locking unit, but I suspect it's very expensive to buy as an off-the-shelf part.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Adam.M on March 31, 2009, 09:29:10 PM
I absolutely love my PRS trem, but i doubt i'll use it much. Great piece of engineering.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Pete24v on March 31, 2009, 09:37:11 PM
Wilkinson VS100. Buy direct from Trev and you get the Gotoh made one which looks and feels better made than the licenced versions i've seen/had. He also does a version that locks into the trem cover, i recall having one on an Eggle LA which worked great.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: yellowv on April 01, 2009, 04:39:24 AM
My favorite is the Schaller Floyd with the OFR a close second. Kind of a mott point those as Schaller makes both of them and they are pretty darn similar.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Ratrod on April 01, 2009, 11:26:48 AM
The good ole Bigsby. (yes you can bend up with those too)

You still have a bridge for palm muting, you can press hard without going sharp.

Great tuning stability when setup right.

It might not have big range but the effect is dramatic.

The arm doesn't wobble around, it stays where you want it.

Great tone.

Great looks.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: _tom_ on April 01, 2009, 11:33:10 AM
Blocked ones.

+1 :lol: Silly devices which have no use in normal music :P
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: bareknucklehead on April 02, 2009, 08:19:06 PM
http://www.tremol-no.com/

I'll check it out.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Stevepage on April 02, 2009, 08:34:26 PM
Floyd Rose Original. All the other floating tremolo's I've used have been cack.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: bareknucklehead on April 02, 2009, 08:42:14 PM
If you're getting a custom guitar I presume you've already owned/played quite a few guitars before.
What did and didn't you like about the trems on those?

To be quite honest with you, I'm still a "noob", I want an axe with a tremolo, but I don't want to deal with all of the hassles of the locking variety, I want to do the occasional dive bomb and the likes. That's why I'm looking for a well-built, stable (as far as floating goes) quality one.

So, If I have to decide upon those factors, for which one I should settle?

The Gotoh version?
http://www.sounds-planet.com/gotoh_catalog/gotoh-e/htmlfile/tremolounits.html

The Wilkinson?
http://www.sounds-planet.com/gotoh_catalog/gotoh-e/htmlfile/batterrybox&wilkinson.html

or the Hipshot or PRS?
(I don't know about the ibanez ZR, if they sell it as a spare part so you can put it on your guitar)

Cheers.

The steinberger one seems pretty cool, but again, they don't sell it as spare (and it looks like a pain to modify you axe to fit it).
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Prawnik on April 03, 2009, 08:36:10 PM
I like the trem I have in one of the illegal Strats I made. The guitar is very resonant and the trem actually stays in tune.

That trem is a Callaham block with Fender "Pat. Pending" saddles and I have no idea where the rest of the parts came from but it works. Too bad the guitar doesn't have some other issues.

I also liked the trem in my old Jazzmaster. Too bad I sold it. :(
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Ted 'N' Leo on April 03, 2009, 10:02:03 PM
I like the trem I have in one of the illegal Strats I made. The guitar is very resonant and the trem actually stays in tune.

That trem is a Callaham block with Fender "Pat. Pending" saddles and I have no idea where the rest of the parts came from but it works. Too bad the guitar doesn't have some other issues.

I also liked the trem in my old Jazzmaster. Too bad I sold it. :(

Good choice on the Callaham, i've heard they are very nice! Been thinking about getting one for my Squier Affinity strat (first guitar) but i'm unsure on the width for that particular guitar...
Title: Re: Your Favorite Floating Tremolo
Post by: Prawnik on April 04, 2009, 07:58:42 AM
I like the trem I have in one of the illegal Strats I made. The guitar is very resonant and the trem actually stays in tune.

That trem is a Callaham block with Fender "Pat. Pending" saddles and I have no idea where the rest of the parts came from but it works. Too bad the guitar doesn't have some other issues.

I also liked the trem in my old Jazzmaster. Too bad I sold it. :(

Good choice on the Callaham, i've heard they are very nice! Been thinking about getting one for my Squier Affinity strat (first guitar) but i'm unsure on the width for that particular guitar...

I'd drop them an email; they are usually pretty good about answering questions.