Floating and dive only trems

[bfloyd6969]

Hello all. I've been reading here and there and hear about some trems being dive only. I thought all Floyd type bridges were floating only and never heard of trems being able to only move in a dive motion (in its stock form). Are there any mfg.'s making dive only bridges? How does the construction design differ from a floating trem? Thanks.

(I would think that a dive only bridge would have more tuning stability seing how it would return the same position everytime . . . no?)

[Guitardude86]

I just know my Dinky stays in tune forever and I love doing the "whammy gargle" thing and throwing divebombs all the time.. Can't do that with my GMW with the "dive-only" FR. Well you can dive with the non-floating bridge but it doesn't let you pull up and do those Dimebag-screams if you know what I mean, like on the end of Cemetery Gates.. Gives me the chills every single time I hear it.

Obviously I love floating trems. But I love my white GMW too. That's the guitar I pull out when it's time for some Savatage:-D

[dannyr]

There's only one type floyd bridge but it's all in how you set it up on your guitar. Some people prefer it floating and you can dive and pull up. Some prefer it to be set flush with the body so you can dive only. I think it's personal preference. Some say it affects tuning stability, but I haven't noticed any difference either way.

[toejam]

There's only one type floyd bridge but it's all in how you set it up on your guitar. Some people prefer it floating and you can dive and pull up. Some prefer it to be set flush with the body so you can dive only. I think it's personal preference. Some say it affects tuning stability, but I haven't noticed any difference either way.

Exactly. EVH had his tilted back to rest on the body for divebombing only. When I got my Charvel Star, the Floyd was set about 1/4" or so off the body, but I lowered it to the body, put shims under the saddles so the strings wouldn't bottom out on the neck, as I only did divebombs on that guitar.

[bfloyd6969]

Exactly. EVH had his tilted back to rest on the body for divebombing only. When I got my Charvel Star, the Floyd was set about 1/4" or so off the body, but I lowered it to the body, put shims under the saddles so the strings wouldn't bottom out on the neck, as I only did divebombs on that guitar.

I didn't know you could have the trem resting back that far, but I guess that makes pefect sense. Wouldn't that wear the knife edges more seeing how you have to bring the bridge back up from tilting back before it actually starts moving in a downward motion? Maybe a wider block would help this? The block on my JT580 is pretty thin and I think it would rest with a very far tilt back before hitting the body in the cavity . . .

[JACKSONFREAK]

A back routed trem will allow for more upward pitch travel. However a non- recessed or non backrouted trem with the trem sitting flush or tilted back on the body will only dive downward in pitch. As the body On a flush mounted trem
keeps the trem from going sharp cus its resting on it.
Gil

[bfloyd6969]

A back routed trem will allow for more upward pitch travel. However a non- recessed or non backrouted trem with the trem sitting flush or tilted back on the body will only dive downward in pitch. As the body On a flush mounted trem
keeps the trem from going sharp cus its resting on it.
Gil

Oh, I must have misunderstood. So, you's are referring to the bridge resting on the top of the guitar body? I thought you's were referring to the bridge block resting on the body inside the trem cavity. Wouldn't the former marr up the bodytop with the bridge resting on it?

My guitar has a recessed cutout in the top.

[bfloyd6969]

Obviously I love floating trems. But I love my white GMW too. That's the guitar I pull out when it's time for some Savatage:-D

Forgot to mention - big Savatage fan here.

[Chad]

Oh, I must have misunderstood. So, you's are referring to the bridge resting on the top of the guitar body? I thought you's were referring to the bridge block resting on the body inside the trem cavity. Wouldn't the former marr up the bodytop with the bridge resting on it?

My guitar has a recessed cutout in the top.

Take a look at an EBMM EVH or Axis to get an idea. Trem rests on the body, but it works fine.

[toejam]

Oh, I must have misunderstood. So, you's are referring to the bridge resting on the top of the guitar body? I thought you's were referring to the bridge block resting on the body inside the trem cavity. Wouldn't the former marr up the bodytop with the bridge resting on it?

My guitar has a recessed cutout in the top.

If your guitar is recessed, then there's no way you can have it resting on the body. The only way you can have a recessed Floyd not to float and just divebomb only is by blocking it. Here's some info on blocking the trem that someone here wrote years back, I copied and pasted this from the sticky in the tech section...


There are a variety of things you can use to block a Floyd Rose style trem.

I use some custom made steel blocks made by a friend who is a machinist, but have used all sorts of things, even guitar picks glued together! As long as you are using a hard material, you are good to go.

The trickiest bit when blocking the trem is getting the right thickness of the block.

Every guitar is different and will need a different thickness. The exact measurement isn't really THAT critical. I like to have the bridge setting with just a little drop towards the rear as you look at it from the side (top of guitar). To get it going, start like this:

1. Remove the rear plate and adjust the trem springs via the spring claw, so the bridge is setting where you want it to be when its blocked. Don't worry about tuning or action at this point. Leave the nut locked so you don't lose the windings on the machines.

2. Lay the guitar face down on your work surface with the neck to your left.Roll up a small towel to put under the body face behind the bridge. Basically you want the guitar to lay face down without the bridge touching anything.

3. With a good metric ruler, carefully measure the distance between the left edge of the trem block facing towards the neck (where the springs are hooked) and the left edge of the cavity that extends all the way to the face of the guitar. It will probably be in the 4 to 5 mm range.

4. Now get creative with whatever material you can find. You want the "block" that you are installing into the cavity (to keep the trem stable) to sit flush with the spring cavity in the body so as to avoid contact (and binding) on the springs. As for width, it’s best if the block is equal to the width of the spring block so it makes solid contact all the way across (where the springs hook on), also known as the "spring block.) As I said, I've used picks glued together – whatever works. I have also had good luck with the nut blanks you can get at most any music store.

5. Pull all the trem springs and slowly release the trem. Simply super glue the new block in place and don't glue your fingers together! You want it to sit so it is flush at the point where the springs go in. In other words, don't push it up in the route towards the face of the guitar. Have it so it does not protrude into the spring runs.

6. Remove your towel, or whatever you are using to keep the bridge off the table and let the bridge sit on the table. You can use this pressure on the face of the bridge to help with putting the springs back on. Start with three springs.
Now set the guitar up. You will have to adjust action and spring tension so go ahead and unlock it now and start adjusting. I set the spring tension so the bridge sits still under a full step bend, and just starts to lift if I really crank up on the string. Leave the backplate off for a couple of days cause you will want to experiment with spring tensions.

When you bring the bar back after a dive, you can't really let it up fast or you'll get a wicked "clunk" as it hits the block. I'm so used to this and have learned to minimize it with technique. If its not working you can glue a real thin piece of cloth onto the block to minimize this, but the less hard contact between the trem and the body the more the tone will suffer. Your call there.

I'm sure there are parts of this that make no sense what so ever, so feel free to ask for clarification!

[Axewielder]

I don't think many guitarists have thought of this, but you can do wider vibratos with a floating trem versus a dive-only trem. The reason is that you can go both sharp and flat versus only flat, so you can go a little wider without pulling the note out of tune.

[Learn Guitars]

You can not properly use a D-tuna on a full floating trem. You need to block it up for dive only. I have not found a mechanism that allows diferently. I love full floating, but my band does so much drop tuning that I have to have diferent guitars for different stuff. I have tried hipshot, but have not been able to set it up so when I drop the E, it stays in tune on the rest of the strings..Anyone had any luck in that area?

[Model1VH2]

You can not properly use a D-tuna on a full floating trem. You need to block it up for dive only. I have not found a mechanism that allows diferently. I love full floating, but my band does so much drop tuning that I have to have diferent guitars for different stuff. I have tried hipshot, but have not been able to set it up so when I drop the E, it stays in tune on the rest of the strings..Anyone had any luck in that area?

The only way you would be able to use a D-Tuna on a floating trem would be if you blocked it.
Then obviously, it would no longer be "floating".

Personally, I prefer them mounted flush to the body for "dive only".
Seems to offer a bit more resonance as well IMO.

[bfloyd6969]

Thanks everyone. I found this for blocking too. Pretty low price.

http://floydupgrades.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=191

[Chad]

I'm a big fan of the Tremol-No. Works great. You can switch between blocked, dive only, or fully floating all in a matter of seconds. Totally reversible too.