Why knife-edges?

[TheSteveMan]

Why do we mount our bridges to pivot on knife edges?
Why not some sort of roller or bearing? Woudlnt't that be smoother?
Let's discuss!

[Ace]

Re: Why knife-edges?

Knife edges are the standard that was set when the first Floyd Roses were made. Kahlers, Ibanez'es, Bigsbys and other trems don't use knife edges. Also the groove for the knife edge goes all the way around the post, so that when you turn the post you will always have your knife edge in contact with the groove. Bearings would have ends to them. If you want you can redesign the floating trem, Ibanez is always coming up with new ideas for them. However OFR's are pretty much the standard for Jackson and similar guitars.

[Grandturk]

Re: Why knife-edges?

[ QUOTE ]
Knife edges are the standard that was set when the first Floyd Roses were made. Kahlers, Ibanez'es, Bigsbys and other trems don't use knife edges. Also the groove for the knife edge goes all the way around the post, so that when you turn the post you will always have your knife edge in contact with the groove. Bearings would have ends to them. If you want you can redesign the floating trem, Ibanez is always coming up with new ideas for them. However OFR's are pretty much the standard for Jackson and similar guitars.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, vintage Fender Strat trems had the first knife edges, but I know what you mean.

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Why knife-edges?

I think I may have seen a trem somewhere that had a roller and I think it's a good idea.. if you maybe mount the base of the trem to have like a roller/axle/bearing and then employ springs or something like a trem-setter to ensure that the whole thing returns to a "zero" position.

I know knife edges can wear down (especially those on cheaper licensed copies of the floyd).. from what I've heard, OFRs and Schallers tend to last a lot longer in this department right? I haven't owned any floyd guitar for long enough for the knife edges to wear down or anything, but it would kind of suck.
With a roller or bearing you'd have to lubricate every once in a while or maybe even replace the bearing but it seems doable to me.. just a thought.

[Grandturk]

Re: Why knife-edges?

The Ibanez ZR trem has bearings as pivot points. Its supposed to be nice. I only played it once, and didn't whammy that much, so I can't tell you.

[delt]

Re: Why knife-edges?

> With a roller or bearing you'd have to lubricate every once in a while or
> maybe even replace the bearing

the same way you can just replace the baseplate on a floyd (every 5-10 years or so, even more on a OFR [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] ) and not the whole trem. and i think bearings would be much more expensive to fabricate.

Plus, anyway you'd just have to install a tremsetter if the knife edges are dull and you can't replace the baseplate. same solution as above, but simpler.

[MetalMedal II]

Re: Why knife-edges?

[ QUOTE ]
Why do we mount our bridges to pivot on knife edges?
Why not some sort of roller or bearing? Woudlnt't that be smoother?
Let's discuss!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wasn't there a trem that used bearings that was developed by Rockinger in the early 80s? I've never seen one in person. I found this site that describes them a little. The one ad in the lower right corner mentions rollers, but I don't see em. What's shown in these pix looks kinda like Floyds.

http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts4.htm

http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts/rock6.jpg

[Mister Zero]

Re: Why knife-edges?

I know that Peavey uses a Hipshot trem on some of their models that has bearings. I played one and it is very smooth with excellent return to pitch. Of course not nearly the range of a Floyd.

[pedalGEEK]

Re: Why knife-edges?

It may not be possible to get a trem to do everything that you can do with a floyd, and have it not be a floyd. I mean: the guitar just seems so alive with a well setup floyd on it. Harmonics jump out; you can do a "growling" dive bomb, and then pull up a minor third, warble and flutter, and then return to pitch in about 2 seconds. I don't know if you could do that with another system that relies on another method such as cams, bearings, what have you.

[83SanDimas]

Re: Why knife-edges?

I recently bough an old brass trem off of eBay, most likely 70s. It has the same saddles as a San Dimas Charvel, but is not a 6 hole. It had a unique hinge type pivot tht works better than any traditional type non locking trem I have tried. Just think of a door hinge laying across where the 6 holes would be. It is very smooth