[Drache713]

So as my skills keep developing and I keep improving my playing I find my playing is starting to drift towards playing more leads and solos...along with that shift in style is coming the curiosity of getting a floating bridge floyd rose guitar. I just wanted to ask you guys, how does the tuning stability of your floating bridges compare to fixed bridges? I've always had some trouble with tuning stability on floyd's I've had in the past and that was one of my biggest problems with them...also, what would you say is the best/your favorite trem out there? lo-pro/edge/edge pro, OFR, ZR...? For those of you with floating bridges, how integral of a part of your "sound" or "style" has the floating bridge become? Is it essential or just an added bonus? I'm just kinda hesitant to get one and not like it again or if I would even like it, but the curiosity has struck me and now I must take care of it promptly.

[7 Dying Trees]

Edge, lo pro edge or OFR. Have all of them and they're all fine.

As far as how integral, I find it myself reaching for the bar on fixed bridges, and just love it to accent bits, little scoops here and there, harmonic screams, dive bombs, the lot.

As far as tuning stability, if you treat it well (ie don't fuck up the posts or knife edges) then it's all gravy. Good stability, especially with the locking studs on older ibbies. Just the same applies, put your guitar on stage for a while before tuning to let it acclimatise. After that, all fine.

The only problems I've had have been with licensed floyds crapping out and some issues with the edge pro's not holding stability as well as the older lo pro's and edge trems.

[jymellis]

i like both. as long as you set up your floating trem properly it wont go out of tune. i know alot of other people will say that theirs was set up and they couldnt keep it in tune. i have never had that problem. now im not talkin about a elcheapo trem. then you have the sustain arguement. my floaters have all the sustain i need (how long do you really need that one note to ring lol). i have heard alot of great things about the zr trems. i also heard the bolt that holds it to the body has a tendancy to break, so be careful. just like 7dt said. take care of it and it will serve you well. only downfall is how fast you can drop tune. you can do it and with practice be fast at it. but it will take longer than a fixed bridge.

[NickCormier]

Do you guys think, if you had a Edge/OFR with a Tremol-no and locking tuners, can you leave the locking nut off and still maintain good stability?? IE like as good as a hardtail.

[jymellis]

yes.

[kmanick]

I like the OFR best as I'm used to that from years of playing them almost exclusively, but I like the trem on my 7620 too, it's not bad, I just don't like that the bar hangs loose and doesn't stay pur like it does on the OFR.
All my guitars have floating trems on them, I don't like fixed bridges ..........at all.

[ElDuderino]

I can't say much about Ibanez trems, but the OFR works perfectly for me. I can go the entire time between string changes without unlocking the nuts to tune. No matter how much I abuse the OFR, the thing won't go out of tune. I would steer clear of most LFRs though as most I have used are not nearly as stable as the real deal.

[killiansguitar]

I used to play floyds (actually Edges and Lo Pro Edges) exclusively for years, and years, and years, and it pretty much got to a point where i wouldnt even pick up a guitar without a floyd style bridge. Then about 2 years ago, i played a certain Les Paul that blew my socks off. Since then, i've dumped any and all tremolos for good. And after making the switch, i'm NEVER going back!

I've realized, as far as tone and resonance, any kind of trem is the devil and are major tone suckers. To some people it may be a small loss in tone, but if you really sit down and listen to how your guitar resonates unplugged, theres a big difference. I've also learned that, a well made guitar without a locking floyd type bridge, a proper setup, and some quality locking tuners, will stay in tune just as long as any floyd equipped guitar. I've seen proof of this countless times.

These days, i prefer the simplicity, tone and resonance properties, and ease of detuning that hardtails provide. To me, there are WAY more pros than there are cons for using hardtails.