People that use floyd rose guitars but never use the bar...let's discuss.

[vejichan]

Here is my story.. my first guitar had a floyd and every guitar since has a floyd. I don't recall ever getting a guitar without a floyd. But other than doing some whammy bar tricks during my first few months with my first guitar.. i never use the bar. Silly but i custom ordered my 4 suhr guitars with a floyd. Reason? i'm comfortable with the floyd bridge and can't imagine a guitar without a floyd?

does anybody here have the same experience?

 

[Drew]

I don't use it a ton, but I like having the option. I went with one when I ordered my Suhr for the same reason - I have a Tremol-no if I ever want to lock it down, but generally I leave it unlocked.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Same here. Don't really use it that much apart from some songs that utilize a dive or some squeals here and there. But for me, it's just like a condom. Better have it if you need it.

 

[vejichan]

Nice to know I'm not the only one. Whenever I pickup a guitar without a Floyd or a guitar without two humbuckers..something just seems off to me.

 

[marcwormjim]

I've had hardtail friends try to shame me for playing a set with a whammy-equipped guitar I didn't utilize in even one song. I explained that I didn't own any non-trem guitars, and that divebombs, dips, flutters, and the like were inappropriate for the songs being played.

I didn't bother explaining that the bridge was also locked down. That's just the "show us what you got" mentality you encounter when playing in front of petty musicians.

All that matters is that you're playing the guitar you're comfortable with. For it to be anyone else's business suggests that they're playing your guitar at the same time you are.

 

[vejichan]

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[vejichan]

My Floyd guitars are all recessed but blocked and have 4 springs and claw screwed in tight that the bridge doesn't move. I also have esp arming adjusters and the big brass blocks on all of them. I just love the tone and comfort of a floyd.. not to mentions that my guitars almost never go out of tune after the new strings have been fully stretched.

 

[Rachmaninoff]

Silly but i custom ordered my 4 suhr guitars with a floyd. Reason? i'm comfortable with the floyd bridge and can't imagine a guitar without a floyd?

There are two important points that are great advantages of a double locking system (what Floyd Rose really is), of course considering it's a good quality one:

1. Tuning stability; and

2. You need to push the strings a little bit less to reach the note when doing bends, since you don't have the extra string length at the nut (technical explanation).

 

[lemeker]

I don't use mine often. They stay on, unless I case my guitar. I figure it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[TedEH]

Whenever I switch to a non-trem guitar, then come to the one song in the set that uses it and remember that I have to switch the way it's played. I'd rather have the tools available than have to improvise ways around the things I'm missing in the odd case I need them.

 

[Genocyber]

I have mostly Floyd guitars and like others I have grown used to them just being there with not too much use. Having said that, lately, I've been trying to utilise it more...

 

[potatohead]

Mick Thompson

Having fine tuners is nice, and some people prefer the way they feel under their hand.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Three of my five guitars have floating trems, though I almost never use them and they're all blocked either with Tremol-No units or a brass stopper. Fine tuners on a blocked bridge are a nice bonus, but not totally necessary for me.

These three guitars were the first three I ever owned, and it took me some time to realize that I'm just a hard tail kind of guy they're also the guitars I play the least. Sure it's nice having the option, but if I could go back I'd probably get the hard tail versions of those guitars aside from my 7620 because the Lo-Pro is just so damn stable and comfortable anyway.

I can't see myself ever buying another guitar with a floating trem unless I either A) find a killer deal on another 7620 or B) build a Van Halen tribute guitar out of parts.

 

[russmuller]

I'm picky about floyds. The Lo Pro Edge (6 and 7) are my absolute favorites. They're comfortable and stable, and it doesn't look like a machine shop exploded out of my guitar.

I almost never use the bars though. Getting the tension right, eliminating any play in the socket, replacing bushings, and making sure there's no noise, etc... the annoyance of setup and maintenance is enough that I normally don't even have the bar in. But I Do like to just grab the back of it and pull up if I want to dive, or hit it with my fist if I want a flutter.

Mostly though, I'll use it to bend the lowest open note down. Play the lowest note on your guitar and bend the string above it instead; your lowest note will dip down. With practice, you can learn to hit the first few semitones down and that can be pretty fun.

 

[Grindspine]

Between my electrics, I have several Floyd variants; Ibanez Edge, Ibanez Edge Zero, Gotoh 1996 GT, etc.

I essentially never use the bar. However, I do grab the tail of the bridge, where the fine tuners are mounted, for dives or wobbles. I have not gotten my hands on an Ibanez K7, but would like to try one of those U-shaped bars.

 

[Rachmaninoff]

I'm picky about floyds. The Lo Pro Edge (6 and 7) are my absolute favorites. They're comfortable and stable, and it doesn't look like a machine shop exploded out of my guitar.

Best floyd trems ever made. My two floyd-equipped guitars, a JPM P2 and a Universe UV7BK (green dots) have a Lo Pro Edge 6 and 7, respectively. They never go out of tune. Never.

 

[laxu]

I used to own several guitars with a Floyd but I am definitely not much of a trem user so now I only have two guitars with a trem: One's a G&L Legacy strat and the other a Carvin C66 with an OFR. I like having the option and let's face it, a Strat wouldn't be quite right without that trem.

 

[Shask]

A lot of people like Floyds just for the the lo-profile feel on their hand, the tuning stability, the extra fine tuning ability, and in general, the types of guitars connected to them... (years ago just try to buy an Ibanez without a trem.....)

 

[mnemonic]

I'll let you know when I get it.

Got a guitar with a floyd incoming (never had one before, always just had hardtails, and also an American strat with that trem which I blocked).

I fully expect to mess around with it floating for a week or two before getting annoyed and blocking it. Long-term, I just want the locked nut and fine tuners. Also I think floyds look cool.

 

[The omnipotent one]

It's the next step if you've grown up playing stratocasters. I've never been able to jive with the bridge angle on a TOM bridge, and hardtail bridges weren't too prolific ten years ago compared to now.