Floyd Rose and Drop Ab

[Skipperdoo2]

Hi all, I've got an Agile interceptor 727 with the Floyd Rose bridge, ever since I bought the guitar I've blocked it off because the springs aren't strong enough to hold the bridge back when I play in drop Ab. Now I want to use my bridge but I have no idea what springs to buy that would be strong enough to fit my needs and I was wondering if anyone else has found a good fix for this situation? Right now I have 12s on the guitar and like I said I mainly play in drop Ab. Thanks!

 

[GiveUpGuitar]

Do you only have 3 springs on the bridge? A quick solution would be to add another spring.

 

[Forkface]

just buy an extra spring or two and your problems will be over

Also, if you plan on using the trem too much I would recommend getting a set of noiseless springs (that, or getting a piece of like, foamesque material and insert it behind the stock ones) because they do get a bit noisy with all them divebombs and such

 

[Letuchy]

Just get extra spring, mine has 3 spring with standart B on my 7, strung with 10-60,

 

[Skipperdoo2]

Yea, I already tried that, it came with 3 springs but I had a few from my 6 string Ibanez and put those on (they were a little beefier) but it was still way too high.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Block the trem, tune it, and then reset the spring tension.

 

[Pooluke41]

Sounds stupid, but have you tried screwing in the screws?

 

[Rev2010]

Skipper, if you've added springs and still can't set it up you just don't know how to setup a Floyd properly. Not meaning that to insult, just saying there's a balance and way to do it right. A LOT of people on here have issues tuning up Floyd's and it's easy to fall into the trap of tuning from string 1-7 one at a time and finding the earlier tuned strings flat. Google search how to properly tune up a Floyd. Most of the time it pays to tune some of the strings a bit sharp, even Floyd Rose themselves recommend it on their page. You can also tune all strings to pitch, then tighten the claw so the firstly tuned strings are in tune but the later are flat, to which you then use the tuners to bring them down.

It can be a pain when new to it but you'll get the hang of it. My 7's have Floyd's and are tuned to A Standard - no problems here. The positive aspect is once your strings are stretched and settled you will almost never even need to use the fine tuners! Once Floyd's are all set they hold a better tune than fixed bridges IMO. I have both and every time I pick up my fixed bridge guitars I have to slightly retune them to perfect pitch before recording when I don't have to do that with my Floyd guitars. I check anyway but after 20+ years I'm still amazed how I often don't need to adjust a single fine tuner on my Floyd guitars once they're all settled.


Rev.

 

[Skipperdoo2]

Yep I tried tightening the screws in, but it came with them almost all the way in so that didn't really get me anywhere.


One of my first guitars had a floating bridge so I'm pretty familiar with how they work. Which is why I'm a bit perturbed at this guitar right now. I just checked it again and with 3 springs the bridge is wayyy up out of the body, like you were doing reallly deep dive bombs. I think i just need beefier springs so they can pull it back where it needs to be, but I don't know where to go for those and/or what type/strength/size they need to be. I could just order some but from what few I've seen, they wouldn't be any different than the ones I already have.

 

[zero_end]

Now that we're at it, i have a question too:

..even Floyd Rose themselves recommend it on their page.

according to the floyd rose website:

" Tune the strings to your desired pitch (this can be drop tuning, open tuning, or standard pitch, the procedure is the same for any tuning) with an electronic tuner starting with the low ‘E’.
When you have finished tuning all of the strings, check the tuning on the low ‘E’ again. If the low ‘E’ is now flat, re-tune the strings starting again with the low ‘E’ but this time tune the E, A, D, G, and B strings a little bit sharp, then the high ‘E’ to pitch. If the low ‘E’ is sharp, re-tune as just described only tuning the first five strings a little flat. You must tune the strings a little sharp or flat to get to your tuning because every time you change the tension (or pitch) of one string, the other strings change pitch in the opposite direction. "

With that being said, if we were to transpose or apply this method to a 7 string guitar, what would be the variation for the 7th string? add the low B, then the low E and proceed as above or there's more to it?

And about leveling the bridge, this video might help:

 

[Rev2010]

I think i just need beefier springs so they can pull it back where it needs to be, but I don't know where to go for those and/or what type/strength/size they need to be.

Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs [FU-HD-NS-RD] - $14.95 : FU-TONE.COM, OFFICIAL BIG BLOCK PERFORMANCE UPGRADES FOR YOUR GUITAR!

Four of those will definitely be plenty of tension, but they only sell them in sets of 3. I have the black ones which have a little less tension than regular springs.


Rev.

 

[Forror]

Not sure if I'm just pulling this out of my rear but aren't 12s a bit snug for Ab? If you're using them for the first 6, that is. Being that the other strings are only dropped a half step I stick to 10s.

 

[The Scenic View]

@Rev2010: Do those noiseless springs live up to their name?

 

[Rev2010]

@Rev2010: Do those noiseless springs live up to their name?

They make a great improvement, so much so that you really never hear the springs ring out *through the amp* when suddenly muting the strings. They aren't 100% noiseless though as *acoustically* you can still hear a faint short ring out. But again, since it doesn't come through the amp they do what they're designed to. Between the noiseless springs and dampening the strings behind the nut (which I do with a thin piece of foam under the strings) there will be dead silence when you suddenly mute the strings.


Rev.

 

[Omura]

Not sure if I'm just pulling this out of my rear but aren't 12s a bit snug for Ab? If you're using them for the first 6, that is. Being that the other strings are only dropped a half step I stick to 10s.

I string up a 6 string in standard tuning with 11s on. I started on 9s when I picked up guitar, after a week I went to 10s, then 11s but in Eb, after a while I wanted to be in standard pitch, tuned m 11s to E, they fight a bit on big bends, but for picking and fretting they feel great, I would use a set of 12s and a .68 for the Ab, it is fairly high tension, but not by jazz or slide players standards.


for OP, high tension springs, and definitely use 4 or 5 springs, 3 probs won't cut it, even if you slam the claw to the back of the cavity and angle the springs,you'll end up in a mess.

 

[BetterOffShred]

They make a great improvement, so much so that you really never hear the springs ring out *through the amp* when suddenly muting the strings. They aren't 100% noiseless though as *acoustically* you can still hear a faint short ring out. But again, since it doesn't come through the amp they do what they're designed to. Between the noiseless springs and dampening the strings behind the nut (which I do with a thin piece of foam under the strings) there will be dead silence when you suddenly mute the strings.


Rev.

I've been rocking two large chunks of foam as you mentioned earlier since I had my first Floyd, and that seems to be the Bees Knees IMO. Cheap, effective, and it never wears out hehe.
The OP should get some heavy springs and some decent foam and you're in business.

-Brett

 

[Skipperdoo2]

Thanks for the link, Those look like they'll do the trick!

I like playing on 12s just because of the amount of control it gives, even if bends are harder, plus it helps strengthen my fingers and the tone/sustain I find is better.