Difference between using 3 and 4 springs on a floyd

[Sunbane]

Fewer springs will make the trem feel spongier, and more sponges will make it stuffier. Whether it will make pitch easier to stringabend, is a matter of preferential persona. All we can say for sure, is that fewer strings will just make it a fancy banjo.

I hope I cleared it all up, I'm off to bed now.

[jackson1]

This thread is jinxed! I'm off to bed too

[Chad]

I'm guessing less springs will make the feel spongier, but to attain a certain pitch when bending will require more lateral movement on the fretboard.

Whereas with more springs, it will have a stiffer feel, and you can bend to a given pitch with less lateral movement, but it will require more pressure.

Kinda (but not totally the same) as the high E string on a 6-in-a-row normal headstock vs. reverse headstock. On the normal headstock, the string is longer and will have a looser feel and it will require less pressure to bend to a given pitch, but you will have to do more lateral movement to obtain that pitch. With a reverse headstock, the high E will be shorter and will have a tighter feel. Bending will require less lateral movement, but it will require more pressure to reach that pitch.

[Chad]

BTW, I use 9-42's most of the time and usually always go with 3 springs. However, my EBMM Axis came with 2 springs and I've left it that way...works good.

[DrDoug]

I use 11-50's on my guitars, and my trem equipped ones (FRP and Fender style trems) have four springs on them. I like the tighter feeling of control when using the trem and with four springs I can still do bends without affecting the other strings as much. With lighter strings and fewer springs, it just feels floppy to me.

Just my two dollars worth (inflation, ya kno...)

[Robert Burns]

Fewer springs will make the trem feel spongier, and more sponges will make it stuffier. Whether it will make pitch easier to stringabend, is a matter of preferential persona. All we can say for sure, is that fewer strings will just make it a fancy banjo.

I hope I cleared it all up, I'm off to bed now.

*************** I would think this will be the last time we will ever
see "preferential Persona" in a post! I wish i were edjumacated!

[hksb_alex]

any downside using more springs? More pressure on the neck? Will it affect the conditions long run?

[Mr.Lizardman]

Fewer springs will make the trem feel spongier, and more sponges will make it stuffier. Whether it will make pitch easier to stringabend, is a matter of preferential persona. All we can say for sure, is that fewer strings will just make it a fancy banjo.

I hope I cleared it all up, I'm off to bed now.

If you think nice guitars are expensive, chech out a banjo someday- I have a friend who plays in a bluegrass band with a Gibson Mastertone- Big bucks!
Makes me sleepy just thinking about it....

[Mr.Lizardman]

*************** I would think this will be the last time we will ever
see "preferential Persona" in a post! I wish i were edjumacated!

I guess that's what happens when you're half asleep typing in another language....Hell, it happens to me when I think I'm awake!

[jtr]

I use 5 springs on all my Floyd or vintage trems . Remember to have the springs in a straight pull ( adjust the claw)that way they return the best after using the trem. With three springs they should never go / | \ because it put uneven pull on the outside springs always go | | |.

[Chad]

I use 5 springs on all my Floyd or vintage trems . Remember to have the springs in a straight pull ( adjust the claw)that way they return the best after using the trem. With three springs they should never go / | \ because it put uneven pull on the outside springs always go | | |.

That's debatable. Several pros do the /|\ method. It does give a different feel, but that doesn't make it right or wrong...just a preference thing.

[Mr.Lizardman]

That's debatable. Several pros do the /|\ method. It does give a different feel, but that doesn't make it right or wrong...just a preference thing.

The angled end spring thing is what mine are- the way they came from Jackson. I'm personally not sure what difference it would make. Maybe it would affect some of the spring tension, but not by all that much, I'd imagine. Ultimately it probably only matters how much tension there is in each particular application. But with the angled deal, the springs are spaced evenly at the bridge block attachment....which would make the tension evenly spaced across the bridge block. Looks like that would be a good thing to me....

[Soap]

Yes, it very true...I've done and experienced it both ways to know.

More springs, tighter stiffer feel, bends and vibrato are stiffer (more resistance)to do. Less springs (2-3 less resistance) much easier all the way around. I prefer a loser lighter feel from my floyd.

As far as the floyd coming back to correct pitch or whatever (if I'm understanding correctly) with few springs, thats has no bearing at all. Also, you know the wobbly effect everybody talks about when they rest their hand on the floyd while playing. Don't apply pressure on the floyd with your picking hand when your rest it on the floyd when playing. Its technque gang. Or just add another spring. Either way concern resolved.

Also, less springs don't make the floyd weaker to where function is a problem, never heard of such nonsense. If the floyd's function is impared somewhat with less springs, than you have a floyd problem else where and the less springs allowed you to discover the problem. I love how people just invent and make crap up and many buy into it.

Its knowing how to apply the dynamics of playing and applying very light pressure of the picking hand resting on floyds if you choose to use less springs.

[Mr.Lizardman]

Or vary the hand pressure on your Floyd for some interesting noises....Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!
Seriously- if there's not a bit of relaxation going on in your hands and arms when you're playing it'll ultimately slow you down playing wise as well as wearing you out in the long run....the excess stress will cause all sorts of aches and pains, especially when you start turning into an old fart like me, too!
(Read that as me TURNING INTO an old fart- not quite all the way there yet, but some mornings I wonder....)

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i've experimented with the springs straight accross and in the W shape or /|\ pattern and there is a defference in feel that i found.

here are my results.

straight across and with 3 or 4 or 5 has generally the same feel except the more strings = more tension to dive bomb.

but with the straight across ||| there is a certain amount of minimal travel that is relatively loose around the return to zero zone.

like the first moment of pressure is easier then gets harder. this is due to the fact the the springs are almost not being stretched from their natural resting position when the floyd is at the return to zero point.

with the v or w formation /|\ the floyd reacts pretty much evenly on tension to dive. due the fact the the outside springs are slightly stretched at the return to zero piont. so you don't have that small portion of movement that takes less pressure then gets harder... its basically even from zero to full dive. that is why its the most popular spring configuration.

is this making sense to you guys?

||| or |||| has a tiny easy movement zone. then gets stiff as you dive.
/|\ retains similar tension all the way down.

anyone who wants to argue this, go try it yourself. and let us know how it goes for ya.