[Brett89]

Can you tell me how long does a tremolo last? (Sorry If I write it wrong)
So does a tremolo build for a life time or it most be changed after a few year? Or there is only a few smaller part that must be changed?

Hope you understand, but currect it if I'm wrong... I can learn from my mistakes

[NickCormier]

Im not most knowledgable with them, but I used my Original edge 6 on my RG560 for like 3 years before I sold that guitar, and it always worked fine.. it was a 1987 too so that seems pretty dang good

Depends on the quality of the trem in the first place, the cheap ones will go fast im assuming..

[metalfiend666]

It depends a bit on the trem and how much you use it. Obviously a cheap Floyd copy will wear out more quickly than a real Floyd. Real Floyd's are hardened so they should last a lifetime. Edge series trems have replacable knife edges which greatly extends their life. One part that you might need to replace is the pivot studs in the guitar, but these are easily replaced.

I've got a 17 year old Universe on it's original trem. I had to have a repair done because the wood around the treble side stud had ovalled so the stud moved in the body. It was a cheap, easy fix for the tech and my guitar is perfect again. In short, as long as you have a good quality trem it should last a very long time with regular maintainence and the odd easy fix. It's a bit like a car, look after it and replace small parts when they need doing and it'll last a very long time.

[eaeolian]

I have a Jackson with a 19 year old OFR on that works just fine. As James said, it's all in the quality of the metal - with a little maintenance, a good quality locking trem will last a long time, although the knife edges will eventually wear...

[jakeskylyr]

My first trem equipped guitar was an Ibanez RG450DX with a Lo-TRS II trem. I purchased it new in the end of 1995. This was before I knew to lubricate the pivot points, and being as the trem was a new toy to me, I was a little vigorous with it. In just over a year (14-16 months-ish), I had worn out the tremolo. The edges were no longer sharp, they were kinda rounded, and there was really no zero point anymore. Not to mention it would creak when raised or lowered.

So in early 1997, I replaced it with a Lo-Pro. The trem saw continued abuse after that, although there was a break in how often I played it between 1999 and 2004 (Switched to seven string ). I learned about the lubrication process around 1998 I believe. I now use the guitar mostly for my lessons. But the trem edges show very little wear.

Same for my Universe. I got it in 1999, and I'm really not very gentle with the trem still . But even so, nearly 8 years later, it shows very little wear on the edges as well. Both tremolos have some finish wear from my hand, but no pitting.

For sake of comparison, I have a good friend in Newark who is an 80's shred style player who has a couple of Jems, prestiges, etc. His main axe for a few years was a 2000 Jem 7VWH. He never knew to lubricate edges either, and was apparently EXTREMELY abusive in his whammy technique. In 2005, his edges were SHOT. I was given the task of replacing them (as I was the only one he found up to the challenge), and afterwards, the guitar was as good as new. Now that he knows to lubricate them, he does all his guitars, and they will probably last a good long time now.

Here is a crappy pic of the edges old and new:



So I'd say the Lo-Pro is a very durable tremolo. I'd also say the the Lo-TRS II is not. I'm sure most other trems are going to vary as somewhere in between, with a true official Floyd Rose probably right about the same as a Lo-Pro. I'd say a lot of the longevity would come down to maintenance. An un-maintained and abused Lo-Pro gave about 5 years, an un-maintained and abused Lo-TRS II gave about a year.

[Brett89]

Thank you!

And what maintenance does a tremolo reguire?

And what do you think about smaller brands like Schaller tremolos?

[garcia3441]

Vigier guitars have tremolos that use ball-bearings. Hopefully they'll license other companies to make them.

[metalfiend666]

The Ibanez ZR bridge uses ball bearings too.

[eaeolian]

Originally Posted by Brett89

And what do you think about smaller brands like Schaller tremolos?

Schaller makes the OFR, so they're pretty familiar with how to do it. Their trems would be my second choice after an OFR.

[Durero]

Kahlers and Steinberger Trans-Trem & S-Trems all use ball-bearings as well.