Floating tremolo and intonation setting is a bad idea

[Les Paul Lover]

Been at it for last 1h30.

 

I don't overly like to set the intonation on a good day, but on a floating tremolo, it's driving me mad!!!!!!!

 

Each time you've done one string, you're good to retune the whole guitar - if you don't, you're just setting the intonation at a place the tremolo will not rest later when all finished...... (not mention string height too, which is changed by moving the saddle, which in itself changes the intonation too.....)

 

Fiddly. Just way too fucking fiddly.

 

Guess I'd better go back to it.....

 

 

[Orange Jackson]

Yeah, it's like polishing, you get one part right, then you need to bring the rest back up to that point.

[poolshark]

Perfectionism is a bitch.

[Orange Jackson]

^ amen.

[humbuckerstrat]

For my floating tremolos before I tune/intonate I lock the brdge down, with the trem plate level to the the guitar face, and I use one of these.

 

 

Check out the last (3rd) video on this page to figure out how to tune/intonate a floating trem. I've used this method for quite awhile now, even with my non-locking (but floating) Wilkinson on my Epiphone Strat.

 

http://floydupgrades.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=page&id=35

[humbuckerstrat]

If you don't have a trem stop block now, you can use some picks taped together or something to set the correct level of the trem.

[webwarmiller]

The trick is to temporarilly block the trem withthe bridge plate dead level with the body (or with a floating 6 point trem, whatever angle you want it at). Now you can screw around with intonation, changing string guages, changing tunings, etc..... Then all you have to do is remove the blocks and adjust the spring tension to get the plate back to dead level.

[WRGKMC]

For Fender fulcrum bridges, Set the angle first. The G string should go up to an A note when the arm is pulled against the body. Next check your string height. 4/64ths beteween the 12th fret and high e string bottom and 6/64ths between the 12th fret and low e bottom. The other strings follow the neck radius and a radius gauge works best for that.

 

Checking relief so it clears the 5th to 7th frets when a straight edge is placed on a neck is important too. Guitars are tempered instruments and all adjustments need to be checked many times in the upright playing position untill all are dead on.

 

Next stretch the strings and lube the nut so you dont have those issues to deal with.

 

Then adjust one string starting with the low E and work your way across. Dont attempt to adjust any one saddel more than 1/2 turn at a time. If its gets it in fine, if not, work your way across the strings and get the others. After one pass, check the G~A with the spring tension again. Then on the second go around, you'll begin to see the strings coming in closer. repeat the cycle till all strings are intonated and you still have the G~A thing happening when you pull up on the arm.

 

If you try to bring the strings dead on in the first pass, readjusting the A~G spring tension will throw them all off, so getting then half way there on each pass is the best way to go.

[_pete_]

 

The trick is to temporarilly block the trem withthe bridge plate dead level with the body (or with a floating 6 point trem, whatever angle you want it at). Now you can screw around with intonation, changing string guages, changing tunings, etc..... Then all you have to do is remove the blocks and adjust the spring tension to get the plate back to dead level.

 

 

This.

It makes it so damn easy. I can string up and intonate a floating trem in about 10 minutes.

[Les Paul Lover]

Mmmhhh....

 

I'm talking about this vibrato:

 

 

It' s not a floyd rose.

 

If I was to set the intonation with the vibrato bridge plate down against the body, wouldn't that render the intonating task pointless once resset in a floating position???

[Les Paul Lover]

 

The trick is to temporarilly block the trem withthe bridge plate dead level with the body (or with a floating 6 point trem, whatever angle you want it at). Now you can screw around with intonation, changing string guages, changing tunings, etc..... T hen all you have to do is remove the blocks and adjust the spring tension to get the plate back to dead level.

 

 

See, that vibrato hasn't got a level, it's a pinned ball bearing fixing - I think (I may be wrong here) it will happily rest anywhere you set it at, in a balance of strings & springs tension.

[_pete_]

Mmmhhh.... I'm talking about this vibrato: It' s not a floyd rose. If I was to set the intonation with the vibrato bridge plate down against, wouldn't that render the intonating task pointless once resset in a floating position???

 

If the Vigier trem is like any other 2 point floating trem:

Block the bridge in the position you want it to be in when it's fully tuned and intonated.

Tighten the claw screws to increase spring tension so the bridge cannot move.

Tune and intonate.

Remove the block and adjust the spring tension only until the guitar is in tune.

[webwarmiller]

 

See, that vibrato hasn't got a level, it's a pinned ball bearing fixing - I think (I may be wrong here) it will happily rest anywhere you set it at, in a balance of strings & springs tension.

 

 

Just like any floating trem...this stuff isn't Floyd specific. What you are doing by blocking the trem is removing the spring tension from the equation while making adjustments. Only AFTER you have everything set perfectly (tuning, intonation, etc) do you remove the blocks (or trem stopper) and then use the springs to bring the base plate back to level (or more precisely...back into tune...which will be EXACTLY the position it was in when blocked).

[Les Paul Lover]

I'll have to try that next time - it's done now!!!!!!!!!

 

Both set of neighbours were out too (terraced living here) and so I cranked my 50watter and let rip a little.......

 

That guitar is amazing!!!!!!!!

 

Absolutely fucking love it!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Thanx for the tips guys - I wasn't expecting any, I was just venting my frustration, so thanx a lot!!!!!

[ashasha]

 

If the Vigier trem is like any other 2 point floating trem: Block the bridge in the position you want it to be in when it's fully tuned and intonated. Tighten the claw screws to increase spring tension so the bridge cannot move. Tune and intonate. Remove the block and adjust the spring tension only until the guitar is in tune.

 

This is the best way that I've found to do it.

 

Only difference is that I loosen the screws so that string tension makes the trem dive. Tune it, intonate it, tune, check, etc... Then I leave the block in and tighten the trem claw screws down until the block falls out and then I tweak it. At that point the spring to string tension should be right on for neutral position of the tremolo.

 

And I do the same thing when changing strings on my FR guitars. Takes a few minutes and you can rip off all the strings and clean it up really good vs the one at a time deal.