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I have a San Dimas Jackson soloist that came setup pretty well with some 9 gauge strings. I measured everything before changing to 10 gauge strings and noticed that the bridge plate didn't sit exactly parallel to the body but was back tilted just a bit. Now that I've put on 10's I've had the readjust the springs and have read that the bridge plate should be parallel to the body. This is my first floyd rose and first time changing strings/ doing a setup.
I do have a non-recessed Floyd, sitting quite high and it looks to me like the bridge posts may be leaning forward a little bit, and I've also read some conflicting accounts that for these type of guitars (neck angled, non-recessed) the bridge plate should be parallel to the neck angel/ string plane and not necessarily the body. So, it would be leaning slightly forward to set it up like that.
Well, I've done some experimenting, gone back and forth and I seem to prefer the feel and the sound I'm getting with the bridge plate leaning slightly backwards. I'm not talking huge amounts here, but I decided to use my hands and ears to tell me how I like it. With the plate level, my low e was buzzing a little bit but tightening it with the springs gives it enough tightness so it doesn't buzz. I also noticed tigher sound on the lower strings and more fluid treble strings, with easier harmonics. Also, the overall radius of the strings might have been affected as my hands seemed to be shifting from string to string a little better, as if they were more level. I also have tried to get info on setups from some of my favorite players and read that Brad Gillis liked his leaning forward a little bit for better pull up, players like Steve Vai apparantely like it leaning backwards a bit.
So it doesn't seem like it's so terrible not to have the bridge plate exactly parallel to the body, especially if you don't have the standard recessed Floyd Rose? Right now, my bridge plate seems to be pretty much where it was with the 9's and the 10's have given it some more stability so all in all it seems an improvement.
Does anybody else here not follow the norm and have their bridge plate in a different position? Have you noticed some difference in playability in having the bridge plate leaning slightly to either side?
I do have a non-recessed Floyd, sitting quite high and it looks to me like the bridge posts may be leaning forward a little bit, and I've also read some conflicting accounts that for these type of guitars (neck angled, non-recessed) the bridge plate should be parallel to the neck angel/ string plane and not necessarily the body. So, it would be leaning slightly forward to set it up like that.
Well, I've done some experimenting, gone back and forth and I seem to prefer the feel and the sound I'm getting with the bridge plate leaning slightly backwards. I'm not talking huge amounts here, but I decided to use my hands and ears to tell me how I like it. With the plate level, my low e was buzzing a little bit but tightening it with the springs gives it enough tightness so it doesn't buzz. I also noticed tigher sound on the lower strings and more fluid treble strings, with easier harmonics. Also, the overall radius of the strings might have been affected as my hands seemed to be shifting from string to string a little better, as if they were more level. I also have tried to get info on setups from some of my favorite players and read that Brad Gillis liked his leaning forward a little bit for better pull up, players like Steve Vai apparantely like it leaning backwards a bit.
So it doesn't seem like it's so terrible not to have the bridge plate exactly parallel to the body, especially if you don't have the standard recessed Floyd Rose? Right now, my bridge plate seems to be pretty much where it was with the 9's and the 10's have given it some more stability so all in all it seems an improvement.
Does anybody else here not follow the norm and have their bridge plate in a different position? Have you noticed some difference in playability in having the bridge plate leaning slightly to either side?
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