Floating trem or flat to body

Instroverb

Joined: Dec 06, 2008
Posts: 97
Denver
1 Contributor Pin

Posted on Sep 24 2019 01:18 AM

How many fender Strat players here use a floating trem or Do you set your bridge flat against the body so you can only dip down and not bend sharp?

Last edited: Sep 24, 2019 01:19:26

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zunrj5

Joined: Jul 16, 2015
Posts: 259
ID
United States

Posted on Sep 24 2019 02:17 PM

All of mine are floated with about a 1/2 step of "up". It allows me to be a little more expressive with the term.

—

-John

The Seatopians 2017-
The Seatopians on bandcamp

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DeathTide

Joined: Apr 13, 2018
Posts: 1378
New Orleans
United States

Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:16 PM

Flat

—

Daniel Deathtide

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Squid

Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 1018
Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers
18 News Pins

Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:16 PM

Floating because I get more precise control.

—

Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com

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stratdancer

Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
United States

Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:39 PM

Slight relief from the deck.

—

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

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ldk

Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 369
San Francisco Bay Area
United States

Posted on Sep 24 2019 07:55 PM

Floating slightly.

—

If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.

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IvanP

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
United States

Posted on Sep 24 2019 08:13 PM

Always floating for that Hank Marvin vibrato.

—

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

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shake_n_stomp

Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 618
Vancouver BC
Canada

Posted on Sep 24 2019 10:40 PM

When I have decked my Strats, I felt like I was only getting 85% of the tonal potential of them. And that's not event counting the bonus of the better vibrato arm responsiveness when it floats.

—

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

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SandBug

Joined: Feb 22, 2016
Posts: 443
California
United States

Posted on Sep 25 2019 12:21 AM

This's a surf guitar forum, not a blues forum... Floating, of course!

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psychonaut

Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
2 Download Pins

Posted on Sep 25 2019 07:51 AM

I set mine up so that when I pull the bar all the way back I get a minor third on the low E and G strings, a whole step on the A, D, and B, and a half step on the high E. It makes pulling up on the tremolo very predictable, and allows for more precise vibtato use.
I achieve this by angling the claw by trial and error until I arrive at this arrangement

—

https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com

Last edited: Sep 25, 2019 07:53:21

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WoodyJ

Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1547
Bethlehem, GA
United States

Posted on Sep 25 2019 09:05 AM

Floating slightly.

—

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)

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synchro

Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4509
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
United States

Posted on Sep 25 2019 06:10 PM

I used to deck the tremolo when I had Strats, but 15 years of Bigsby equipped Gretsch have changed my point of view. For me, the best use of a trem is a subtle decrease in pitch.

—

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Top

stratdancer

Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
United States

Posted on Sep 25 2019 06:51 PM

One consideration in all this is how many springs you are running. I run 5. I wouldn't be able to use the trem if it was decked. I set the tension of the springs to my liking which gives me about 1\16th" float. I may be wrong but I believe 5 springs improves tone and ring. Also, no backing plate.

—

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

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MichaelK7

Joined: Jul 01, 2018
Posts: 106
NYC
United States

Posted on Oct 28 2019 09:01 PM

Slightly floating.I like being able to "pull sharp" as well as "bend flat".

—

Deal with reality, or reality will deal with you.

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P2gee

Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 264
Waco Texas

Posted on Dec 10 2019 05:59 PM

Floating to specs

—

2012-2013: FILTHY POLAROIDS

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Samurai

Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2272
Kiev, Ukraine
Ukraine

Posted on Dec 11 2019 12:06 PM

Always floating

—

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

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BillAqua

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Chicago IL.
3 POTD Pins

Posted on Dec 11 2019 12:20 PM

Flat.
But I go great lengths adjusting it to make it push down easy.

—

"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"

https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDragstripVipers/

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kentano2000

Joined: Aug 26, 2012
Posts: 25

Posted on Dec 13 2019 01:00 PM

Gotta float it for that original surf sound!

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Joelman

Joined: Sep 07, 2006
Posts: 1503
Redlands, CA
United States

Posted on Dec 13 2019 11:10 PM

If you wanna surf, it's gotta float...

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DaveMudgett

Joined: Mar 17, 2019
Posts: 162
Central PA
United States

Posted on Dec 14 2019 09:11 AM

I want an expressive trem, but I never pull sharp and I want tuning stability. So I use the smallest amount of spring tension necessary to get it flat against the body. My Strats' string gauges vary from 11-48 to 13-56, so I need various amount of springs and tension to get that result.

—

The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook
Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website
The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook

Top

Instroverb Joined: Dec 06, 2008 Posts: 97 Denver	Posted on Sep 24 2019 01:18 AM How many fender Strat players here use a floating trem or Do you set your bridge flat against the body so you can only dip down and not bend sharp? Last edited: Sep 24, 2019 01:19:26 Top
zunrj5 Joined: Jul 16, 2015 Posts: 259 ID	Posted on Sep 24 2019 02:17 PM All of mine are floated with about a 1/2 step of "up". It allows me to be a little more expressive with the term. — -John The Seatopians 2017- The Seatopians on bandcamp Top
DeathTide Joined: Apr 13, 2018 Posts: 1378 New Orleans	Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:16 PM Flat — Daniel Deathtide Top
Squid Joined: Aug 22, 2010 Posts: 1018 Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers	Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:16 PM Floating because I get more precise control. — Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com Top
stratdancer Joined: Dec 11, 2013 Posts: 2537 Akron, Ohio	Posted on Sep 24 2019 05:39 PM Slight relief from the deck. — The Kahuna Kings https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447 https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases Top
ldk Joined: Nov 08, 2017 Posts: 369 San Francisco Bay Area	Posted on Sep 24 2019 07:55 PM Floating slightly. — If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play. Bringing instruments back to life since 2013. Top
IvanP Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan	Posted on Sep 24 2019 08:13 PM Always floating for that Hank Marvin vibrato. — Ivan Lords of Atlantis on Facebook The Madeira Official Website The Madeira on Facebook The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook The Space Cossacks on Facebook The Madeira Channel on YouTube Top
shake_n_stomp Joined: Jan 09, 2014 Posts: 618 Vancouver BC	Posted on Sep 24 2019 10:40 PM When I have decked my Strats, I felt like I was only getting 85% of the tonal potential of them. And that's not event counting the bonus of the better vibrato arm responsiveness when it floats. — Lorne The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers Vancouver BC Canada Top
SandBug Joined: Feb 22, 2016 Posts: 443 California	Posted on Sep 25 2019 12:21 AM This's a surf guitar forum, not a blues forum... Floating, of course! Top
psychonaut Joined: Dec 08, 2007 Posts: 1303	Posted on Sep 25 2019 07:51 AM I set mine up so that when I pull the bar all the way back I get a minor third on the low E and G strings, a whole step on the A, D, and B, and a half step on the high E. It makes pulling up on the tremolo very predictable, and allows for more precise vibtato use. I achieve this by angling the claw by trial and error until I arrive at this arrangement — https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger http://coffindaggers.com/ http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com Last edited: Sep 25, 2019 07:53:21 Top
WoodyJ Joined: Apr 05, 2006 Posts: 1547 Bethlehem, GA	Posted on Sep 25 2019 09:05 AM Floating slightly. — Jack Booth (aka WoodyJ) The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005) The Hula Hounds (1996-current) The X-Rays (1997-2004) The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012) Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990) Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4509 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Sep 25 2019 06:10 PM I used to deck the tremolo when I had Strats, but 15 years of Bigsby equipped Gretsch have changed my point of view. For me, the best use of a trem is a subtle decrease in pitch. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
stratdancer Joined: Dec 11, 2013 Posts: 2537 Akron, Ohio	Posted on Sep 25 2019 06:51 PM One consideration in all this is how many springs you are running. I run 5. I wouldn't be able to use the trem if it was decked. I set the tension of the springs to my liking which gives me about 1\16th" float. I may be wrong but I believe 5 springs improves tone and ring. Also, no backing plate. — The Kahuna Kings https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447 https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases Top
MichaelK7 Joined: Jul 01, 2018 Posts: 106 NYC	Posted on Oct 28 2019 09:01 PM Slightly floating.I like being able to "pull sharp" as well as "bend flat". — Deal with reality, or reality will deal with you. Top
P2gee Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 264 Waco Texas	Posted on Dec 10 2019 05:59 PM Floating to specs — 2012-2013: FILTHY POLAROIDS Top
Samurai Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2272 Kiev, Ukraine	Posted on Dec 11 2019 12:06 PM Always floating — Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki Lost Diver https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin Top
BillAqua Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1054 Chicago IL.	Posted on Dec 11 2019 12:20 PM Flat. But I go great lengths adjusting it to make it push down easy. — "as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there" https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/ https://www.facebook.com/TheDragstripVipers/ Top
kentano2000 Joined: Aug 26, 2012 Posts: 25	Posted on Dec 13 2019 01:00 PM Gotta float it for that original surf sound! Top
Joelman Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1503 Redlands, CA	Posted on Dec 13 2019 11:10 PM If you wanna surf, it's gotta float... Top
DaveMudgett Joined: Mar 17, 2019 Posts: 162 Central PA	Posted on Dec 14 2019 09:11 AM I want an expressive trem, but I never pull sharp and I want tuning stability. So I use the smallest amount of spring tension necessary to get it flat against the body. My Strats' string gauges vary from 11-48 to 13-56, so I need various amount of springs and tension to get that result. — The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook Top

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Floating trem or flat to body