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- Slack the string and loosen the intonation screw on the saddle. …
- Reposition the saddle, then re-tighten the intonation screw. …
- Tune the string back up and check intonation.
Contents
Why does my Floyd Rose not stay in tune?
When tuning a Floyd Rose, it is best to have the fine tuners about half way through their range, then tune all the strings using the machine heads. Then give the term bar a good shake, both sharp and flat, and then tune using the machine heads. And then properly tighten your locking nut.
Is a Floyd Rose worth it?
They don’t need anything more than simple vibrato, but the extra insurance when it comes to tuning stability is worth it. Bottom line: If you intend to use the tremolo bridge a great deal in your style of play, you should seriously consider a guitar with a Floyd Rose.
How long does it take to tune a Floyd Rose?
To fine tune it only takes me about 2-3 minutes. you stay in drop d), and you will need to adjust the spring tension in the back cavity.
Are Floyd roses good for beginners?
It will take more effort to use it. Being a beginner or a pro has nothing to do with it. One doesn’t get more talented at using a Floyd Rose – it’s a skill you’ll have to learn independent of playing the instrument.
Do you need locking tuners with a Floyd Rose?
Do you need lock tuners on a floyd rose guitar? no. Just string install the strings with the ball end at the tuner. It saves more time than locking tuners.
Does Floyd Rose affect tone?
No, people don’t put Floyd Rose’s to improve their tone… FR’s are used by guitarists to change the pitch of notes to get different sounds (vibrato, divebombs etc.) and with the FR’s locking system the strings are kept in tune. A Floyd Rose can affect sustain but it’s probably not very noticeable.
How do you get rid of fret buzz on a Floyd Rose?
Start by tightening the springs in the back, retune your guitar, tighten them some more until it’s level and flush with the body. Once you’ve done that if you’re still having problems then you can perform a truss rod or tremolo level adjustment.
How tight should Floyd roses be?
You want it tight enough to hold the string, but don’t crank ’em down too tight. The insert blocks are not indestructible, and they can crack over time. This is one of those things that you’ll get a feel for the more you do it. screws can break on string retainers (things inside the saddle to hold each string).
What causes fret buzz?
Changes in humidity and temperature can commonly cause fret buzz. Fret buzz is a buzzing noise that occurs when the string vibrates against one or more of the frets. Sometimes you can experience fret buzz in the open position, and other times it could be specific strings and/or frets.
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How To Setup a Guitar With a Floyd Rose Tremolo – YouTube
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Tune a Floyd Rose in 60 seconds – YouTube
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Floyd Rose Tricks and Tips! – YouTube
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ESP Guitars: Adjusting String Height on a Floyd Rose – YouTube
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How to Set Up a Floyd Rose-Style Trem – Premier Guitar
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Floyd Rose Setup & Care Guide – Northwest Guitars
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- Summary of article content: Articles about Floyd Rose Setup & Care Guide – Northwest Guitars The Floyd Rose works by locking your guitar strings at two points, the nut and the brge. At the brge the saddles lock in the string end via … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Floyd Rose Setup & Care Guide – Northwest Guitars The Floyd Rose works by locking your guitar strings at two points, the nut and the brge. At the brge the saddles lock in the string end via … guitar parts, guitar parts uk, electric guitar parts, luthier supplies, whammy bar, pickguar, guitar bridge, guitar saddle, telecaster pickguard, guitar body, guitar knobs, tremolo bar, Bigsby tremolo, guitar tuning pegs, stratocaster pickguard, acoustic guitar parts, tuning pegs, parts caster, guitar pcikguard, guitar strap button,In this guide we go through the ins and outs of how to set up a Floyd Rose Tremolo, including plenty of tips on getting the best out of your Floyd Rose equipped guitar.
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The History
How it Works
Changing Strings
What You’ll Need
How To Restring a Floyd Rose
1 Loosen and remove the locking nut plates and put them somewhere safe if you lose one you’ll be in trouble! Now that the plates are removed you’ll be able to start changing the strings however make sure you only replace one string at a time
Doing it one string at a time ensures your bridge retains the tension which should mean there should be no need to rebalance everything at the end unless you are changing string gauge (more on that later) Our first step contains one of the most important pieces of advice in this article and trust us you’ll save yourself a massive headache doing it this way!
You could also block the bridge with a rag or soft cloth so that it doesn’t sink into the body during the string change but we’ve found that the one-at-a-time approach works the best
2 Use your string winder to unwind the string at the tuning peg then once you have a bit of slack loosen the bolt at the bridge end to pop the string out
3 Fit a new string in its place using your string cutters to remove the ball end including the small section of string above that is twisted Place the cut end into your bridge tightening the bolt so that it holds the string securely being careful of over tightening which can damage the bridge and bolt Attach the string to the machine head as you normally would wrapping the string several times around the tuning post to prevent slippage
Providing you’re using the same string gauge once you’ve completed changing the string you should find the bridge returns to its original position flush against the body If you’re changing to a different string gauge then make sure to read to the very end as you will need to make some further adjustments
4 Repeat the steps for each of the next strings and once you’ve changed them all tune up to pitch using your machine heads You will need to play the instrument a little bit and gently stretch the strings to allow it to settle You can stretch the strings by running your finger up and down the underside of the string pulling it up gently as you go
Do not use your tremolo arm during this phase and we’d advise avoiding any string bending too as this will just cause everything to go out of tune again
Once you’ve allowed the strings to bed in so that the tuning is fairly stable with the nut unlocked you can lock the nut down and make any further adjustments to the tuning using the fine tuners on the bridge Do not touch the machine heads on your headstock once you’ve locked the nut as you will potentially break some strings! The bridge should sit flush with the body but if you find it’s pitching back or forward a little have a read of the next section for how to correct this
We’d always recommend playing the guitar in a little before proceeding to the next step as it can often take a little time for the strings to stretch and the tension between nut and bridge to equalise
Changing String Gauge
If you are changing your string gauge then you will need to make an adjustment to the tremolo springs in the back of your guitar If it is a lighter set then the bridge will pitch back into the body as there is less tension if it is a heavier set of strings then the bridge will pitch forward sticking up from the body as there is now more tension on it
Remove the backplate of your guitar (keep those
screws somewhere safe!) and you will see several springs attached to both the tremolo block and a metal plate that is screwed into the body of the guitar These screws are what we’ll be adjusting to correct the disparity in the guitar bridge
Tightening increases the tension which is what you need to do if the bridge is lifting away from the body Loosening the screws will relieve tension which is necessary if your bridge is dropping into the body of the guitar Make sure to only do quarter turns checking the tuning after each turn and repeating until the bridge sits flush against the body Whilst this is time consuming it will prevent you from going too far one way and having to go back the other way later on when the strings stretch
Once this final adjustment is done your guitar is set up and ready to rock!
Maintenance Tips
Maintaining your guitar is key to ensure long life and consistent performance whether you have a Floyd Rose or not Your guitar bridge in particular does a difficult job under harsh working conditions so taking good care of it applies to any guitar
Ensure you wipe down your Floyd Rose bridge after every use human sweat can gradually wear away the finish cause rust and eventually affect the working of the unit You can clean the moving parts with any kind of thin lubricating oil like WD40 and if you’re finding dust getting the little spaces of the bridge or nut a can of compressed air can help you keep everything clean and clear
Ensure your locking nut plates are facing the correct way for optimal performance This is a lesser known fact but locking nut plates on a Floyd Rose are supposed to face a particular way to lock down the string properly If you’re noticing slippage of the strings you may have the locking plates on the wrong way so ensure that the ‘peak’ of the block is running parallel to the strings If you’re getting slippage on a particular string you can also try rotating the locking plate 180 degrees to see if that resolves the issue
In Conclusion
The Floyd Rose is a tricky customer that’s for sure and there’s no doubting they’re more work than a typical hard tail or vintage style tremolo However the possibilities they offer to expand the sound of your guitar and the tuning stability (once correctly setup) is what makes them so attractive to many a guitarist Once you know how to setup and maintain a locking tremolo system they become an incredibly useful tool to have in your armoury Guitar greats like Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani certainly wouldn’t sound the same without one!
Check out all of our Floyd Rose Tremolos
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If a Floyd Rose isn’t right for you check out the
Easy Way To Install a Bigsby Vibrato
Upgrade your knowledge on another crucial component
Guitar Tuners
How To Restring a Floyd Rose
Changing String Gauge
Maintenance Tips
In Conclusion
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How to set up a Floyd Rose tremolo | MusicRadar
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- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How to set up a Floyd Rose tremolo | MusicRadar A good medium setting for all occasions is 1.5mm on the first string and 2mm on the sixth string. That’s from the top of the fret to the bottom … Change strings and intonate this tricky trem with our easy guide
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How to Setup a Floyd rose style tremolo
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How to Setup a Floyd rose style tremolo Cut the ball end off, then feed it into the brge and lock down the string with an Allen key. Pull the string up to the machine heads, and then … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How to Setup a Floyd rose style tremolo Cut the ball end off, then feed it into the brge and lock down the string with an Allen key. Pull the string up to the machine heads, and then … How to Setup a Floyd rose style tremoloHow to Setup a Floyd rose style tremolo – How to Setup a Floyd rose style tremolo
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Ultimate Guide to Floyd Rose: Parts, Setup, FAQ, Alternatives – Guitar Gear Finder
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- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Ultimate Guide to Floyd Rose: Parts, Setup, FAQ, Alternatives – Guitar Gear Finder There are two ways to tune a Floyd Rose guitar. The first way is with the fine tuners at the end of the tremolo. Find out everything you need to know about a Floyd Rose. Find out what a Floyd Rose is, how it compares to other guitar bridges, Floyd Rose parts, and FAQ.
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What is a Floyd Rose Tremolo
Floyd Rose Parts
How a Floyd Rose Works
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Floyd Rose Compared to Other Bridges
Setting Up a Floyd Rose Guitar
Tuning a Floyd Rose Guitar
Floyd Rose FAQ
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Floyd Rose Setup Guide
Floyd Rose Setup Guide
Floyd Rose bridge – Installation Instructions
In this article, we will cover how to set up a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge system. While traditional vibrato systems are known to have issues with tuning stability, the Floyd Rose bridge solves this problem by incorporating a string locking system at both the nut and saddle ends. This prevents the guitar strings from slipping through their nut and saddle slots and allows the guitar to stay in tune, even during drastic pitch changes.
Because of this feature, many swear by the Floyd Rose bridge. However, it’s not uncommon for inexperienced users to become frustrated and give up when attempting to install a Floyd Rose bridge. Fortunately, this is not as tough as it seems. And with the help of this guide, you should have no problem getting your Floyd Rose bridge dive-bombing in a reasonable amount of time.
How does a Floyd Rose bridge work?
The first thing to cover when understanding a Floyd Rose bridge is its basic mechanics. This can be broken down into two simple concepts—the string locking mechanism and balanced string/spring tension.
String locking mechanism
At each end of the string, there is a clamp that prevents the string from slipping:
On the nut end, three metal pads are tightened down over the strings with an Allen screw.
On the bridge end, the strings’ ball ends are cut off, and the remaining end is inserted into each saddle. A small metal block then clamps down on the string, held tight by the string retainer screw.
If the string slips, it will not be able to return to the proper position when releasing the whammy bar, and your guitar will be out of tune. Once the strings are locked, the headstock tuners become inactive. However, you can still make small adjustments to the tuning via the fine tuner screws located on the Floyd Rose bridge. The fine tuners work by applying downward pressure on the string retainer screws, which pivots each saddle back to either raise or lower the string’s pitch.
Floyd Rose fine tuner diagram
Balanced string/spring system
What gives the Floyd Rose bridge its ability to perform major pitch bends is its “fully floating” design, which means that the bridge does not rest on the guitar’s body like most bridges. This enables you to pull the whammy bar up and down over a greater distance than other vibrato systems. When the guitar is strung up, the string tension pulls up on the bridge, resting against a pivot point (the bridge studs in the case of a Floyd Rose.
To counteract this tension, the springs on the back of the body will pull the Floyd Rose bridge back in the other direction. If the string tension and spring tension are not equal, the bridge will be unbalanced, and it will either sit too high or too low in the body of the guitar.
Spring tension diagram
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Installing a Floyd Rose bridge
3mm Allen wrench (to unlock the nut, string retainer screws and adjust action)
2.5mm Allen wrench (allows you to adjust the Floyd Rose intonation)
Small screwdriver (to gain access to the spring cavity on the back of the guitar, if necessary)
Large screwdriver (used on the claw screws in the back of the body to change spring tension)
Tuner
Appropriately sized block (Wood is common. But any rigid material that won’t damage the finish works. More on this below)
Whammy bar
Tools needed to install a Floyd Rose bridge.
Before we begin
There are a few quick things we need to cover before diving in. First off, we’re going to assume that you’ve already got a good set of strings installed and that your neck relief is set correctly. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with these topics, we have articles on each of these that will walk you through these steps:
You’ll also want to make sure the nut of the guitar is unlocked. Use the 3mm Allen wrench to loosen the pads on the nut. You can even remove them and set them aside if you want. Just be sure not to lose them.
Finally, check the fine tuner positions on the Floyd Rose bridge. Set these in the middle of their travel. You won’t need to turn these again until the very end, but getting these in the right starting position now will save you sometime later on.
Once you’ve got your neck relief is set correctly and your fine tuners in line, you can move on to the next stage.
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Floyd Rose intonation and balancing the bridge
For many, this is the most frustrating and time-consuming part of setting up a Floyd Rose bridge. In this article, however, we’ve got a method that should eliminate most of this struggle.
1. Block off the bridge
Once your guitar is strung up, the first thing you’re going to do is place your block under your bridge. If needed, use your whammy bar to assist pull your bridge up to gain enough space to insert your block. Why are you doing this? Essentially, the block prevents the bridge from floating. By itself, a floating bridge will compensate for any changes in tension that may occur. For example, raising the pitch of one string will cause others to go flat (and vice versa). Tuning and balancing a floating bridge is where many get frustrated and give up as it often leads to a lot of guesswork in finding the right balance, which could take quite a bit of time. By blocking off the bridge plate, you stabilize the bridge and prevent it from shifting as you tune your guitar. Ideally, your block should be sized appropriately to hold your bridge level with the body.
Inserting a block under the bridge.
2. Over-tighten the claw
With your block in place, go to the back of the guitar and tighten your claw screws. This will increase your spring tension. Don’t go crazy, but be sure to turn the screws farther than you think you need. The goal here is to intentionally over-tighten the springs so that once the block is removed, your bridge should tilt back. With the block in place, however, you shouldn’t see it move.
3. Tune the guitar
This should be as quick and easy as tuning any standard hardtail or non-floating bridge. Because the block is holding the bridge firmly in place, the spring tension will not affect anything. If the bridge lifts off of the block as you tune, it’s because the spring tension on the back of the guitar is not high enough. Screw the claw in a bit further and/or install an additional spring to prevent this.
4. Remove the block
Now that your guitar is in tune, use your whammy bar to dive the bridge so you can pull the block out of the cavity. Once you let the bridge return, you should see that the bridge is tilted back and that your string tuning has gone sharp. Don’t mess with your tuners yet, as the next step will correct this.
If your bridge is not tilted back, you’ll want to repeat steps 1–3 before removing the block again.
Bridge tilted back.
5. Loosen the claw until your bridge is level again
Once the block is removed, go to the back of the guitar in even increments on each side, loosen the claw screws until the bridge is leveled with the body. As you do this, you should start to see the bridge level out, and your strings flatten back to pitch. Once the bridge is level again, your guitar should be in tune (or very close to it). Go ahead and tune as usual with your headstock tuners if needed. If you need to make more than just a few minor tuning adjustments, you may need to go back and adjust your claw screws again before going any further. Tighten or loosen the claw in small increments to avoid going too far in either direction. If the bridge is level, but the strings are flat: tighten the claw and re-tune.
If the bridge is level, but the strings are sharp: loosen the claw and re-tune.
If the strings are in tune, but the bridge is high: tighten the claw and re-tune.
If the strings are in tune, but the bridge is low: loosen the claw and re-tune.
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Setting your action
At this point, your guitar should be in tune and your bridge level. Use your 3mm Allen wrench to adjust the action and raise or lower the bridge studs to your desired height.
Some fine-tuning may be needed after adjusting, but overall, your guitar should be in tune for the most part. After making the adjustments, be sure to playtest your guitar to make sure it plays the way you want it to, and there is no excessive buzz. See our article on adjusting action HERE for more info.
Adjusting the action.
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Setting Floyd Rose intonation
With intonation, it’s best to do this one string at a time. With your guitar in tune, compare the tuning of the open string versus the same string fretted at the 12th fret. If you need to correct the intonation on a particular string, follow these steps:
1. Slack the string and loosen the intonation screw on the saddle
Make sure to give yourself enough slack when de-tuning to prevent the saddle from pulling forward once you loosen the intonation screw. A 2.5mm allen wrench is typically the correct size for this screw. Your other strings will go sharp as you de-tune the string you’re working on. This is okay as they will return to pitch once you tune the string back up.
2. Reposition the saddle, then re-tighten the intonation screw
Move the saddle forward (towards the pickups) if the Floyd Rose intonation is flat. Pull the saddle back (away from the pickups) if your Floyd Rose intonation is sharp. Be sure to properly re-tighten the screw so that the saddle doesn’t move when you re-tune the string.
3. Tune the string back up and check intonation
You’ll need to repeat the process until the string is in tune. Learning how far to move a saddle takes some practice, so you may need to move the saddle a few times before getting it right. With some experience, it will become much easier to guesstimate where to move the saddle and you will be able to set the proper Floyd Rose intonation much faster.
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Locking and fine tuning
Now that the bridge is balanced and the action and the Floyd Rose intonation are set, it’s time for the final step, locking the nut and fine-tuning. Before doing this, you’ll want to check your tuning with your headstock tuners one last time.
Once you’re ready, go ahead and place your nut blocks and screws back on your nut and tighten them down. You’ll want to make sure that enough pressure is applied to clamp the strings firmly in place. Be careful not to over tighten, however, as you may be unable to unlock the nut later or strip out your screws or wrench. In which case you’ll need replacement parts or tools.
Check your tuning once you’ve locked your nut down and use the fine tuner screws on the bridge to get each string exactly in tune. If you find your strings have gone drastically sharp, you may need to compensate by tuning your strings a bit flat before locking the nut down. Or, see the section below on the string retainer bar.
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How to use the string retainer bar
Floyd Rose equipped guitars with a straight headstock should have a metal bar behind the nut (angled headstocks typically do not need this piece). The purpose of this bar is to hold the strings down flat against the nut’s full surface. If you are having an issue with the strings going sharp when you lock the nut down, your strings are probably not laying flat. In these cases, locking the nut down will push the strings down, causing them to go sharp.
Lowering the string retainer bar to pull the strings below the nut’s back edge will prevent this problem from happening.
Incorrect String Retainer Bar Position Correct String Retainer Bar Position
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Related content
Floyd Rose Setup & Care Guide
The Floyd Rose is one of those bits of guitar gear that some can’t live with and some can’t live without. If you’ve an ear to the ground in the world of guitar you’ll have heard someone complaining about restringing their Floyd Rose equipped guitar and all the headaches associated with it. You may also have heard the wild sounds emanating from Floyd Rose equipped guitars and guitarists, as well as the tuning stability they offer. Everyone at some point in their guitar playing career gets interested in locking tremolos and as we’ll explain in this article, for very good reason.
If you’d like to skip to the step-by-step guide then click here.
Floyd Rose grew up in love with players like Ritchie Blackmore and Jimi Hendrix. It was their sonic manipulation of the the guitar that had a huge effect on him as a teenager, leading him to extreme measures to try and match their sound whilst simultaneously striking to develop his own. Floyd was breaking whammy bars on a pretty much weekly basis in his sonic endeavours and it was this desire to create extreme sounds that took him on the development path to creating the world’s first locking tremolo.
His first attempt involved super glue at the nut, which had enough initial success to encourage him to continue further. Utilising his day job making jewellery and all the machinery available, Floyd created a brass nut with three U-shaped clamps and installed it on his 1963 Fender Strat, which worked well if the vibrato arm wasn’t depressed too deeply. His second attempt worked much better, but the brass construction was too easily dented to be of any use of over time. Undeterred, Floyd changed the construction material to hardened steel, which proved far more durable. He also added a string locking mechanism to the bridge and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Floyd Rose works by locking your guitar strings at two points, the nut and the bridge. At the bridge the saddles lock in the string end via bolts, with fine tuners on each string that allow you to sharpen or flatten should the tuning shift via temperature changes or string stretching from extensive use.
The locking nut has three metal plates that lock down two strings each, preventing your strings from moving over the nut and going out of tune whilst using the whammy bar. The guitar is setup and balanced between these two points, meaning that no matter what you do with the strings, it always returns to its original state of tension, and thus stays in tune.
Changing strings on a Floyd Rose can be an absolute nightmare if you don’t know what you doing. Luckily Northwest Guitars have been there, done that, and got the T-shirt, so allow us to advise you on how best to go about changing the strings on your Floyd Rose equipped guitar!
1. Loosen and remove the locking nut plates and put them somewhere safe, if you lose one you’ll be in trouble! Now that the plates are removed you’ll be able to start changing the strings, however make sure you only replace one string at a time.
Doing it one string at a time ensures your bridge retains the tension, which should mean there should be no need to rebalance everything at the end, unless you are changing string gauge (more on that later). Our first step contains one of the most important pieces of advice in this article and trust us, you’ll save yourself a massive headache doing it this way!
You could also block the bridge with a rag or soft cloth so that it doesn’t sink into the body during the string change, but we’ve found that the one-at-a-time approach works the best.
2. Use your string winder to unwind the string at the tuning peg then once you have a bit of slack, loosen the bolt at the bridge end to pop the string out.
3. Fit a new string in its place, using your string cutters to remove the ball end, including the small section of string above that is twisted. Place the cut end into your bridge, tightening the bolt so that it holds the string securely, being careful of over tightening which can damage the bridge and bolt. Attach the string to the machine head as you normally would, wrapping the string several times around the tuning post to prevent slippage.
Providing you’re using the same string gauge, once you’ve completed changing the string you should find the bridge returns to its original position, flush against the body. If you’re changing to a different string gauge then make sure to read to the very end as you will need to make some further adjustments.
4. Repeat the steps for each of the next strings, and once you’ve changed them all, tune up to pitch using your machine heads. You will need to play the instrument a little bit and gently stretch the strings to allow it to settle. You can stretch the strings by running your finger up and down the underside of the string, pulling it up gently as you go.
Do not use your tremolo arm during this phase and we’d advise avoiding any string bending too, as this will just cause everything to go out of tune again.
Once you’ve allowed the strings to bed in so that the tuning is fairly stable with the nut unlocked, you can lock the nut down and make any further adjustments to the tuning using the fine tuners on the bridge. Do not touch the machine heads on your headstock once you’ve locked the nut as you will potentially break some strings! The bridge should sit flush with the body but if you find it’s pitching back or forward a little, have a read of the next section for how to correct this.
We’d always recommend playing the guitar in a little before proceeding to the next step as it can often take a little time for the strings to stretch and the tension between nut and bridge to equalise.
If you are changing your string gauge then you will need to make an adjustment to the tremolo springs in the back of your guitar. If it is a lighter set then the bridge will pitch back into the body as there is less tension, if it is a heavier set of strings then the bridge will pitch forward, sticking up from the body as there is now more tension on it.
Remove the backplate of your guitar (keep those screws somewhere safe!) and you will see several springs, attached to both the tremolo block and a metal plate that is screwed into the body of the guitar. These screws are what we’ll be adjusting to correct the disparity in the guitar bridge.
Tightening increases the tension, which is what you need to do if the bridge is lifting away from the body. Loosening the screws will relieve tension, which is necessary if your bridge is dropping into the body of the guitar. Make sure to only do quarter turns, checking the tuning after each turn and repeating until the bridge sits flush against the body. Whilst this is time consuming it will prevent you from going too far one way and having to go back the other way later on when the strings stretch.
Once this final adjustment is done, your guitar is set up and ready to rock!
Maintaining your guitar is key to ensure long life and consistent performance, whether you have a Floyd Rose or not. Your guitar bridge in particular does a difficult job under harsh working conditions so taking good care of it applies to any guitar.
Ensure you wipe down your Floyd Rose bridge after every use, human sweat can gradually wear away the finish, cause rust, and eventually affect the working of the unit. You can clean the moving parts with any kind of thin, lubricating oil like WD40 and if you’re finding dust getting the little spaces of the bridge or nut, a can of compressed air can help you keep everything clean and clear.
Ensure your locking nut plates are facing the correct way for optimal performance. This is a lesser known fact but locking nut plates on a Floyd Rose are supposed to face a particular way to lock down the string properly. If you’re noticing slippage of the strings, you may have the locking plates on the wrong way, so ensure that the ‘peak’ of the block is running parallel to the strings. If you’re getting slippage on a particular string you can also try rotating the locking plate 180 degrees to see if that resolves the issue.
The Floyd Rose is a tricky customer that’s for sure, and there’s no doubting they’re more work than a typical hard tail or vintage style tremolo. However, the possibilities they offer to expand the sound of your guitar and the tuning stability (once correctly setup) is what makes them so attractive to many a guitarist. Once you know how to setup and maintain a locking tremolo system, they become an incredibly useful tool to have in your armoury. Guitar greats like Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani certainly wouldn’t sound the same without one!
Check out all of our Floyd Rose Tremolos here.
Learn More
Find out about all the different types of guitar bridges with our Ultimate Guitar Bridge Guide.
If a Floyd Rose isn’t right for you, check out the Easy Way To Install a Bigsby Vibrato.
Upgrade your knowledge on another crucial component, Guitar Tuners.
How to set up a Floyd Rose tremolo
The dreaded Floyd Rose! When set up correctly, they’re brilliant and do all the high-performance stuff with no problems, but a bad one is nothing but a letdown. Have no fear; we’ll show you around this Meccano kit that’s attached to your guitar, and how to tame it.
Several things could upset a Floyd Rose-style tremolo, such as different tunings, a snapped string, cheap tremolo springs, dull knife-edge points or a new gauge of string.
There are also lots of variants and copies of the Floyd Rose-style tremolo, but most of them have similar designs and parts. We’re whipping an Ibanez Edge III locking tremolo into shape here, but you’ll spot the similarities on your own. This even applies in part to setting a floating Strat tremolo.
Make sure that when you’ve finished you stretch your strings in; this will also test the tightness of all those parts. It is, of course, important to tighten up the parts, but don’t go crazy and end up stripping the threads.
What you need:
Fresh strings
String cutters
String winder
Tuner
Patch cable
Capo
Feeler gauge
3mm Allen wrench
4mm Allen wrench
Engineer’s rule
Step 1
To begin you’ve got check that the truss rod and the nut are set up correctly. Your setup is dependent on these as well as the bridge height. Truss rod: stick a capo on the 1st fret, press down on the 15th fret. The feeler gauge is put over the 8th or 9th fret underneath the string: .007″ is the magic clearance.
Step 2
Here are the parts you’re working with: 1: The height posts are responsible for setting the entire tremolo’s height. 2: The string clamp blocks are for the string ends and hold them tight. 3: Fine tuner thumb adjusters. 4: Saddle lock bolts: Undo these to set the intonation. 5: String clamp bolts: loosen these to change a string.
Step 3
Okay, let’s get going… choose a set of strings and fit them. You need to trim off the ball ends with wire cutters and then clamp them in the string clamp. Make sure the string is centralised on the block for best performance. Don’t over-tighten these as you can crush the string to the point where it’s weakened.
Step 4
Tune, tune, tune. This is the curse of floating bridges; you set one string and it is, of course, altered when you tune the next string. The best method we’ve found for tuning up is to over-tune as you’re going. Tuning the sixth string to F#, for example, has to be tuned whilst keeping an eye on…
Step 5
The rear springs. These fellows are hiding under the backplate and are responsible for adjusting the tilt of the tremolo. As you begin to get your guitar in tune, your tremolo may be tilting forward or backward. Between the string’s tension and the spring’s tension you can balance it. The 2 PH2 wood screws let you tweak it.
Step 6
Here are two incorrect tremolo settings: the top one is tilting forward, the bottom is tilting downward. Now your tuning is a fixed pitch; we have to reach pitch so we’ll adjust the springs to balance the tremolo. Be aware that some Floyd Rose-style tremolo sys, like the Low Pro Edge, have a non-parallel top profile.
Step 7
When the strings are in tune this is the lovely flat profile we want. This allows the tremolo to raise the pitch and also dive-bomb properly for all those widdly tricks.
Step 8
Let’s fine-tune this balance malarkey. It’s tricky because each time you have to tune up a thousand times, but stick with it and keep the over-tuning trick in mind. If you’re tuning up to pitch and the tremolo is already tilting upward too much, tighten the springs up! Different tunings or string gauges will upset the balance.
Step 9
Now it’s well-balanced we can set the action. This is the only easy part on floating tremolos! With your Allen key, raise or lower your whole bridge up and down. Be aware that on some Ibanez Prestige models and similar there may be a locking grub screw hiding in the hexagonal hole stopping you dropping the post height.
Step 10
Where to set the bridge’s height though? A good medium setting for all occasions is 1.5mm on the first string and 2mm on the sixth string. That’s from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string at the 12th fret. You can get away with lower if you are of the shreddy persuasion, if you play lightly and have a true fretboard.
Step 11
Last stop intonation: not the easiest job on a Floyd-style tremolo. Locate the saddle lock bolts. We’ll tune only one at a time! Take a tuner reading at the 12th fret and compare it to the harmonic at the 12th fret; these should be precisely the same pitch. If the fretted note is sharp, loosen and move the saddle back.
Step 12
If you find (through a string gauge change or wrong settings) you can’t move the saddle far enough then you have the option to use a secondary threaded bolt hole. Unscrew the lock bolt (watch out for the little washer) and try out the other hole. Clamp these tight. Give the tremolo balance a final check and you’re done!
So you have finished reading the how to set up a guitar with a floyd rose topic article, if you find this article useful, please share it. Thank you very much. See more: evh floyd rose setup, floyd rose setup block, floyd rose intonation, how to install a whammy bar on a floyd rose, floyd rose special, Floyd Rose Guitar, how to fix floyd rose bridge, floyd rose goes sharp
