FU-Tone Springs Here: www.fu-tone.co... FU-Tone answers the age old question for guitar players - How Many Springs Do I Need? AND - How to properly re-float your tremolo! Take a breath, relax. You can do this! Very Simple!
Here’s an idea, make spring claw screws that have thick heads that are compatible with a socket driver. That way we don’t have to worry about stripping the screws. You can sell them in a pack with a small knurled driver for 35-40 dollars or less.. just an idea. You can also make claws with a “ground” port like the tremel no. Sooner or later I’m going to get another guitar with a Floyd and pick up some your parts.. keep up the good work!
I've been playing with floyds for 12 years, and never, ever I saw this A tick anywhere. Dude is a freaking genius. I was seeking some information about using just 2 springs instead 3. And now I MUST try this technique hahahahaah
Thanks for another useful video guys! What I'd love to see is a video comparing the effects on the feel of the trem using different spring configurations in the same guitar. Any chance of that in the future?
I like your calm delivery, its simple physics. An interesting video would be explaining how the different spring rates change the amount of force it takes to depress a tremelo arm. The 5 lbs = 5 lbs is good, with springs (and the strings also serve as an opposing spring) there's a certain amount of preload to get there. Once your trem is zeroed, you can decide if you like a stiffer trem when depressing the arm, or lighter. The quantity of springs, spring rate, and wire gauge will change the feel. 2 springs more preload will feel lighter, 3 springs less preload will feel heavier. I saw a guy in another video use a fishing scale to measure spring rates, it was good. This video is awesome because he showed you the man behind curtain is just a man, not a wizard with magic pixie dust. It's physics. Motocross suspension tech here. Its all about preload and rate.
Quite good explanation but would be good if you could elaborate on the different feel different springs may give you. Surely that's the reason you make all diff colors of springs. Otherwise you would just have one type
Dude you are a freaking legend for this video. I wrestled with Floyds for a long time and always ended up selling the guitars because I couldn't figure them out. Now I wish I had them back because this was all I needed to do.
Thank you for explaining this simple concept of how to set up a floating vibrato without tuning and retuning several times. If the bridge is in the same position as when it was tuned and/or intonated, and the tuners have not been touched, the tuning and intonation remain correct. I block my vibrato as you do, and then I put down a piece of masking tape across the spring cavity, with the edge of the tape aligned with the vibrato block's edge. When I unblock the vibrato, I adjust the claw until the vibrato block's edge and the masking tape's edge are aligned and the guitar is back in tune.
I absolutely can't say enough about the Gotoh 510 Trem-system on my 2014 Suhr. The Tuning-stability and Return-to-Pitch is Phenomenal. I am Amazed, everytime - that I use it. I will Never be without = Ended my Search for a floating-tremolo system . . . "That Actually Works" oNe LovE from NYC
I use 5 springs. And tune down to D standard. - C# standard.. And that Way. Sure. The bar is stiff. But I can bend my 9-46 strings up. Say. The G string. Up 3 full steps. Without any deflection. It still floats fine. Dive bomb. Or Dime squeels.. getcha Pull... Works fine. But I can bend up to the next strings pitch. And it's just like a Set bridge. Because it's Strong enough to hold against the bend.. This is what works for me...
It's good to see you have a soldano amp mike was my neighbor growing up I told him to make his amp got to 11 or 12 or 13 I still talk to him he's making the tiny slo box now he sold his building in Ballard Washington his main tech bill sundt is my amp guy but he's packing up and moving to New Mexico his mom died and left him the house down there ,thanks for your tip on this I like your noiseless springs great products like soldano would make nothin but the best is good enough peace
This is 100% the fuckn best video about all this. And yes through the looong years Tried all these ways... no rules is how I feel too... Great video man Thanks
this is a most excellent video on the topic of spring tension. however, i would like to discuss noiseless springs. i don't think i understand the need for noiseless. there is a difference between spring rattle and spring vibration. spring vibration is a byproduct of string vibration, fundamental in making an instrument gain in resonance, this is, the harmonic output of the instrument. now, spring rattle, that buzzy kind of sound produced by a bad fit between the claw and the springs, that is undesirable, but that is avoided by having a proper setup, not -only- with noiseless springs. noiseless springs have a tradeoff: no spring rattle, but no apparent spring vibration either, whereas "vintage" or traditional springs will have perceptible vibration. by adjusting spring tension, springs can be tuned, too, and this enhances harmonic output. for instance, my strat has three springs, two of which are -/+10 cents away from E when properly set up. this makes it so that every E note i play, be it chords or single notes, sound harmonically rich, as in the E notes instantly generate overtones: the subsequent harmonics of the fundamental E. but you can tune it to whatever your springs allow. this will depend on the spring mass. this, i believe, is no secret for floating trem users, at least on an intuitive level. so why renounce to the full harmonic potential of the guitar?? it truly is a beautiful experience, to fine tune your guitar for harmonic output, and to hear that resonance in play. it is bliss, it is truly graceful. i would never want to take that away from my guitar.
Hello! are you unscrewing both the bass and treble screws until the tuner shows that that the A string is in tune? the spring claw needs to be straight on both sided, right?
Yes, I watched the entire video carefully and he only ever adjusts the bass side trem claw screw - is the implication is that you don’t touch the other screw? This seems random.
you need as many springs as it takes to balance the tension with your strings, if you block or just go solid? dealers choice . . one big note on these painted or coated springs? do not forget to scrape the hook ends down to bare metal, that's your ground right? so it has to go thru your spring anchor, thru springs, thru block thru plate, thru saddles, thru strings, unless however you have a completely different ground schematic.. like a regular strat, yes the main ground is soldered to the spring claw, so if the spring hook end is coated that signal cannot reach the block .. however if you are setting up a standard strat say 09-46 strings, you want 3 springs, I need a little more string tension to balance a strat scale to balance 3 fenner CS springs, so I go with 9.5-46 and that's about perfect at E flat tuning, yes I have been dialing this in for a while, tried many custom string sets, if I use 10-52's at standard tuning, 4 springs almost perfect, remember not all springs have the same tension so check, easy to do if you know how to synchronize a bridge, plus you can feel it, bend pressure vs whammy bar pressure required to or tension.. its not lopsided, and if you are not dialed in to be able to tell if a big G string 1.5 step string tension bend is the same spring tension as a 1.5 step bar bend then you're not there yet.. try this, lock the block, use all 5 springs, then screw the spring claw all the way in, now whammy it, feel the tension it takes, now back em out a half step and by that I mean put a tuner on the headstock, screw put the tw screws till you're tuned down a half step, do some 1.5 step bar bends, feel it, keep backing the springs out .5 steps at a time feeling the tension how it lightens up, feel the increments.. it tune it back to standard then use the whammy on the G string, start at 12th fret to go up 1.5 steps at a time feeling that pressure or tension required to achieve this... do this until you have to pull out all but 2 springs, start with 5 springs, go down 1.5 at a time backing out the claw, when screws are out, remove one spring, tighten claw all the way again, 1.5 increments.... it will get totally light with just 2 springs left, now go back up adding 1 spring at a time... go up a 1.5 steps at a time, working that whammy each setting at least a dozen times or more, actually whammy up 1.5 steps at a time until you can do 1.5 step bar bends blind folded, not using the tuner at each setting of 1.5 steps .. do fnger bends next same way 12th fret, 1.5 steps up bends on each fret till the 18th or so.. at this point you develop not only way better whammy bar skills but your ability to go up a half, full 1.5 will be more accurate, but moreso you will have a real good feel for how much tension it requires to go up 1.5 steps with the bar and your finger bends. . . . you will be able to determine when your whammy or tremolo is synchronized to your strings when the tension is perfectly balanced, and the trick is not to get it half assed balanced, but PERFECTLY, cuz there are tonal and playing benefits by doing this along with the most critical benefit, tuning stability .. lets say your spring tension is stronger than your string tension by a half step or vice versa you should be able to feel this, but alas it will not stay in tune when its not balanced specially if you bend a lot and use the whammy a lot and want to hit exact notes with the bar and finger bends.. not just laying into it doing a dive bomb whatever, but precision playing ,
I have been doing this without anyone having taught me :') Seemed pretty reasonable that if ALL of my strings went out of tune the same amount and in the same direction, I should be tightening or loosening the claw screws rather than trying to fine tune again.
this is a fantastic video and helps alot for setting up guitars, thank you very much! i have a question though, what is the difference in feel and tuning stability. Using 2 red springs, 3 black springs or 3 mixed springs?, i noticed during the years, that some springs, once you pull the tremolo, will not immediatly return to the zero position, hence the guitar will go out of tune slightly, once you play a few notes and chords, the guitar then will be in tune again. i´m not good at physics, lol, but it has something to do with the lagness of the material of the spring after the elastic movement (tremolo usage) to return back in its counterweight-position. do you think 2 heavy springs works better than 3 medium springs or even 5 soft springs in terms of return back to the exact counterweight position? hope that made sense what i wrote, english is not my first language
Great video, as you've stated your personal preference is the fewest springs for less spring noise. With advertised noiseless springs? BUT.... I was using 4 springs with the logic that more springs added more mass under tension coupling my strings and bridge to the body thus improving my tone and i believe that logic to be valid, yet I wasn't getting the flutter or chirp trem effects i desired and wanted to try many different spring tensions until i could attain the most sustained trem flutter possible. Switching to 3 springs did that as well as improved the feel of the tremolo bars resistance. Thank you guys for offering unique diverse products for us tone chasers. My question being does adding or subtracting the mass of the tremolo via a heavier block effect the sustain of the chirp and flutter effect? Logic seems to indicate it would. I have installed several fat brass and stainless steel blocks on stock strats and many different double locking tremolo systems and they most definately inproved tone or rather enhanced the existing tone and without a proven scientific measuring device I couldn't say it had more sustain although to my touch and ear it seemed to. Through testing and research my quest is the perfect tremolo to enhance my personal playing style. Sometimes a solid design on paper doesn't translate to real world without beta testing a prototype proper logic be damned. Please stay blessed, healthy and continue your work for us artist that use an electric guitar as our musical voice and tool for artistic expression.
What are the best springs if I like my tremolo to be very easy floating for nice fluttering? Just a couple really strong springs on the outside, or 3 medium strength springs? I have a Floyd Rose special at the moment and on my Kramer its pretty stiff. I want it more relaxed feeling.
And for those who fear Floyd Rose double locking systems, its mostly fear of drilling holes and cutting the body or the mystery of setting up a floyd. NOTHING MADE can better keep a guitar in tune than a Floyd, period. I challenge anyone to disprove that.
What difference does it make to have the different configurations of springs, or better yet, which configuration would be better for a comfortable and extensive use of the bar?
Hi, @adam reiver. Question about the retune procedure after "over tightneing" the springs and getting back to ground zero. looks like you only unscrews the top screew on the back so that mean the spring rattle will not have equal distance on each side. understood the 5 pounds equal 5 pounds, but that makes me unsure about the procedure.
Adam, This video comes right when I'm planning to purchase the noiseless springs. So, the simpliest rule would be "std tunning, 9s strings, then 2 red springs?"
Serious question: when doing the A-string trick, you show adjusting the right side claw screw to bring the A from sharp to in tune. What about the left claw screw? Shouldn’t both be adjusted in equal increments so that the claw doesn’t sit at an angle? Or does that not matter?
So why change the spring tension at all if its all the same? Is there a reason to buy a heavy duty spring over a normal one? Sure different tunings make for different tensions but if all you need to do is move the claw you would have to run out of travel in the claw before a different spring tension is even necessary. Are there stability aspects to consider for more or less springs?
That‘s exactly why people need to change springs. You run out of space to screw in. Or the springs are really weak and won't let you tune up with heavier gauge strings.
Also once you extend a spring too far it decreases in tension. Take a small spring from a pen and pull it until it's shape doesn't return. All springs have a usable range before they stretch and become garbage.
When you're tightening and loosening the claw - this video only shows you "returning to A" by loosening a single screw... That can't possibly be correct, is it?? Wouldn't you need to loosen both screws, roughly an equal amount so the claw isn't crooked??
I ordered some red heavy springs for my 7 string. Three should reduce string tension I'm hoping. A standard set regular slinky's green is very stiff. Did I make the right choice?
Maybe this is the most common question, but cant find the direct answer. I am using 9-42s, and I'd like my Floyd Rose to be smooth at touch. Easy "rattle" and smooth push/pull. Which spring color would you recommend?
Using 3 springs or 2, what color springs are needed for 10-46 strings? Sorry, but I’m on my third set of springs now, and I’m still having to roll with 5 springs. This is getting to be an expensive experiment. I’m striking out on Google and forum searches for the answer.
To my partocaster its almost impossible to set at least a minimal floting action with 3 springs, just on 2. Screws are almost on 90% outside. Do i need more "softer" springs? Strings are 10s.
So can anyone confirm they’ve replaced springs and had it work ?😂😂 I’ve got 3 Floyd’s, 2 I can set no issue, one is even in drop a, has 3 springs. I have one Floyd I can’t get to drop b no matter what, yet the guitar tech next to me can 😂😂 trying to figure out if the springs are my issue here. Spent weeks adjusting springs back and forth, claws tight and lose, and can’t get anything 😂
Imagine that screwdriver slipping and going through the back of that snake skin ripping it right down the middle. OK, I have been watching too much HBO lately. :-)
I just put 8 gauge strings on my Fernandes Sustainer with a Licensed Floyd Rose style of bridge. The guitar finally plays like a dream but the springs are too strong. I could remove the middle spring of the three . Would the yellow ones fit the bill. Thanks 🙏. PS why is it that some install the outside springs to the two inside claw hooks?
When I bend I pull the other strings flat. Will higher tension springs help prevent the bridge from moving or is this more a function of the bridge being level?
Higher strength springs will help. The springs control how fast the bridge moves, if you bend a string the tension on the string side increases. The stronger springs will hold the other stings in tune, ie resist the increased string tension.
What do you do if your bridge isn’t level, though? How do you get it there? Also I have to block both sides. Just on the inside like in the video doesn’t stop it from going the other direction.
You add spring tension at the start by screwing the claw screws further in so that when you block the trem block with (the taped wrench he used)something that it maintains the bridge level with the body on the top side. You have to just play with it to get the thickness right with whatever you choose to shim with. You can stack coins and then use electrical tape wrapped around them for adjusting it just right. In the example guitar in video the gap was small and barely larger than that Allen wrench with just a little tape
If anyone can explain what the foam core is please, is it a thin piece of foam jammed up the middle of the spring or something more technical than that I would be grateful, google tells me zip, youtube tells me zip. I can jam foam up any crevice and not use it as a selling point, but I cant sleep at night not knowing what this actually means. I use air line tube in my spring cores but it knocks off the flutter. Which I do not like. Do these springs still flutter?
what benefit would it serve to change the springs and offset them in that wierd way, how did that become a thing. guitar I just bought has three but they're offset like the third option you depicted. if the goal is merely balance why do this?
its also way out of level angled up. this bridge is def not set up right. and where is the post supposed to be? level with the top side/face or the bottom face? edge pro 2 here korea ibanez
I have 12 gauge strings 56 44. 32 26p 16 12 and 3 springs and my claw almost too the end of the wood any tips cuz it’s not working well it’s more like flying instead of floating
Same problem. With higher string gauge it gets harder to tune up to for example D Standard, because the springs aren't strong enough to pull back. You either have to switch to springs which pull with more force or add additional ones. Sucks because with 10-52 I can't even tune higher than drop b. My springs are so weak.
Yep. It’s called a router. Or you could use a Dremel. I had to do the same thing because I wanted to use a big block. If you are very very careful and work slowly only taking a little material at a time, it’ll work just fine.
In most cases the base plate will hit the body before the block hits the inside of the route. I make my guitars tight tt the route because thats how I like them. Most standard routes leave more room. If you find that you need even more room you can shave the inside of the route with a dremel or a file like TheAxe4Ever suggested. The key is to make YOUR guitar play and sound the way that YOU want it. I am just explaining how the springs work and how to float your bridge as I feel the information is useful to those who don't know.
Go ahead keep screwing into that guitar body so much, you're going to ream the screw hole and no need to say ground zero. Say zero or zeroed like sighting in a rifle and optic. I know there's a lot of Single Mother raised players out there that don't know anything about tools, firearms or producing Testosterone, but if you're going to use the jargon, at least sound like you know it. Great products by the way. \m/
