Floyd Rose

[Dust N' Bones]

I'm having some mixed fealings about this floyd rose bridge. It sounds incredable doesn't it. You can dive down 800 steps and right back in tune. But then again it shortens sustain doesn't it? So I'll ask my questions to the experts here.

How bad is the sustain loss?

Does it Absolutly HAVE to be used with the locking nut?

What's the deal with that locking nut anyways?

And is there any way to increase the sustain?

[TenderSurrender]

It doesnt HAVE to be used with a locking nut...Same sort of thing as your car...you dont HAVE to have breaks

(But its sure nice avin em )

Now this could be wrong but i thought if anything, floyds help with sustain? i thought it improved sustain but meh could be wrong

Now if your serious about sustain, create a sustainer (check out PSW's thread in electronics section)

But thats all my ideas for now since its to early for me lol

Ill let some of the more experienced people come in!

~~ Slain Angel ~~

[Dust N' Bones]

Thanks pal. Also, how do the bigsby tremolos compare? I hear they have the same sustain as a normal bridge. But can they dive as far?

[TenderSurrender]

I really dont recommend trying to divebomb a bigsyby...

I dont know about sustain or anything else about bigsbys but they sure aint divebombing material... There more suited for the "shimmer" on notes

~~ Slain Angel ~~

[Dust N' Bones]

Now this could be wrong but i thought if anything, floyds help with sustain? i thought it improved sustain but meh could be wrong

←

Wow, I just read that the original design improves sustain too. Why have I been reading so much about these being sustain killers? Oh well, my problem's solved.

[borge]

i thought floyd= decreased sustain, decreased low end.

IMO sustainers creates a completely different type of sustain

than what guitarist generally refer to as "sustain".

a gat with a sustainer wont sound like a gat with good sustain it will sound like a gat with a sustainer (obviously).

and if you want to see what a locknut does do a dive bomb on a gat without one (or loosen them on a floyd equipped gat) and see how out of tune it is afterwards.

and blocking a trem increases sustain but sort of defeats the purpose of a floyd.

something like that thing a PG invented (sorry i forgot his name) the "tremol-no"

i think gives the best of both worlds

[thegarehanman]

Mount the floyd to a block of lead recessed into your guitar. That should give you some sustain.

...wait, no!...Don't really do it, silly. It's a joke.

[Mr.Churchyard]

Thanks pal. Also, how do the bigsby tremolos compare? I hear they have the same sustain as a normal bridge. But can they dive as far?

←

LOL!!!

No ABSOLUTELY not!

[rhoads56]

How bad is the sustain loss?

Does it Absolutly HAVE to be used with the locking nut?

What's the deal with that locking nut anyways?

And is there any way to increase the sustain?

←

Sustain loss is negligable as far as im concerned. Steve Vai doesnt have a problem, and neither will you.

No, it doesnt have to be used with a locking nut, but you will NEVER keep it in tune unless you use it.

It locks the strings, simple really.

Not without effecting the usability of the trem.

[Jester700]

Some people use it without a locking nut, but for that to work, you need 3 things:

1) A slippery nut - graphite/teflon, etc. No bone or standard plastic.

2) locking tuners

3) A straight string path through the nut; no Jacksons need apply.

With all that, it still won't be as stable as a locking nut, but some people prefer it, especially those who block their trem and detune a lot.