Dumb questions about trem bars

Blueingreen

Excuse me for what will likely seem appalling ignorance in a guy who's been playing electric guitar for many years...........

I have guitars with trems fitted, but they've all arrived with the plate hard against the guitar, ie there is some scope for depressing the bar and flattening a note but none for raising the bar/sharpening a note. I've never been a trem user (in fact I don't normally even attach the levers to the guitars) so I've left them as is.  But recently I had a notion of doing a bit of experimentation with the trem. So my questions are:

- how do I free up/adjust the trem so that I can use it properly

- would it need the guitar to be set up again?

- are there implications for tuning stability/sound from freeing up the trem even if you are not using it?

The guitars are Suhr  (Gotoh 510s I believe) and a PRS DGT

 

ThePrettyDamned

It's about balancin the spring tension with the string tension.

So in other words, either remove a spring or unscrew the claw in the back a bit until the bridge starts to float - it'll need setting up again, though, and you'll need to keep retuning as you adjust the claw.

I like mine for down pitch only, no need for pitch raise, but a floating bridge should still be nice and stable. 

Corvus

As above, plus springs with different weights/pulls are available.

With reduced tension the bridge is more likely to move with bent strings, which can be a pain if you hold down one or two strings and bend another. Also more tendency to wobble the bridge with the palm. But the degree of these all depends on string gauge & trem setup.

mike_l

I'd reduce the spring tension first, starting with 1/8th of a turn on the bass-side trem screw, and re-tune. I'd only do 1/8th of a turn at a time, so it's easier to return to where you were.

Also I always adjust bass side first, then treble, mostly habit.

Once the trem is where you want it, and the guitar is in tune, enjoy. IMine all have floating bridges (admittedly 4 are Floyds), but once the strings are properly stretched in, and unless you have a massively heavy picking hand, then they should be stable.

guitargeek62

DETUNE THE STRINGS FIRST!!!!!!!!

You'll destroy the knife-edge on the PRS trem for sure otherwise, probably on the Suhr too.

frankus

noone has said shim yet.

you shove a shim under the bridge (a wedge of wood on a piece of paper to avoid scratching the surface) then tune the guitar again till the shim drops out and the guitar is in tune.

might need to drop the saddles a little after wards and the intonation might be a little off.

Blueingreen

Thanks for this guys, appreciated.  A bit less straightforward than I'd hoped tbh.

ThePrettyDamned

guitargeek62 said:

DETUNE THE STRINGS FIRST!!!!!!!!

You'll destroy the knife-edge on the PRS trem for sure otherwise, probably on the Suhr too.

Jesus Christ, wisdom awarded - pretty glaring omission on my post!

@Frankus has a point - check this video. 

Okay, that's a floyd but the wedge principle is the same.

frankus

Scott Henderson uses the shim approach... and gets a minor 3rd up for about 2mm of play between the baseplate and body.

drwiddly

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I've been setting up guitars fitted with trems for years and have never detuned the strings UNLESS I've needed to adjust the height of the bridge posts. Adjusting the tension of the springs/strings should only alter the angle of the bridge in the same way that use of the bar would. Obviously, adjusting the height of the bridge posts with the strings under tension, will have a detrimental effect on the knife edges but I didn't know that adjusting the spring tension would.

Andyjr1515

drwiddly said:

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I've been setting up guitars fitted with trems for years and have never detuned the strings UNLESS I've needed to adjust the height of the bridge posts. Adjusting the tension of the springs/strings should only alter the angle of the bridge in the same way that use of the bar would. Obviously, adjusting the height of the bridge posts with the strings under tension, will have a detrimental effect on the knife edges but I didn't know that adjusting the spring tension would.

+1 What he ^ said. I would just loosen the springs with the strings under tension until the bridge rose 2-3 mm off the guitar top, then retune and fine tune if necessary.

AlanP

++1
Yes, I don't see why changing the balance of tension by loosening the springs would destroy the knife-edge, but doing the same by waggling the bar wouldn't..

ICBM

guitargeek62 said:

DETUNE THE STRINGS FIRST!!!!!!!!

You'll destroy the knife-edge on the PRS trem for sure otherwise, probably on the Suhr too.

True if you need to raise the pivot screws - but not necessary if the bridge simply needs to be allowed to float having just been overtightened so the back edge is touching the body.

It is correct that you *must* remove the string tension before adjusting the pivot screws on a PRS bridge though.