Trem Tone Comparisons

State of Epicicity

State of Epicicity

Fractal Fanatic
What are your thoughts on the differences in tone between trem systems? E.g., do you find synchronized trems to have a livlier response tonally than Floyds? Had anyone sensed a difference in tone between two point and six point trems? How about Vega-Trems? Down only tone vs floating? Do you think it matters very little compared to the pickups? I have no skin the game; just curious to read people's experiences.
 
To me the difference between a hard tail/bridge compared to trem is where I find more difference, personally. But for me it is more resonance and sustain which translates to some small tonal differences.

Purely between trems I find little difference. However, I have found some differences when switching out blocks on different style trems. Like putting a brass block in a Floyd or a stone block in a strat, etc. Again down to resonance transferring into some small tonal differences.
 
This is a huge issue .
Saddles and break angles are the big factors.
What the metal is?
Part count?
how is it fixed?
You could write a book on this.
Also many trems can be set up to sound fine until the moment you use them.
I will outline some basics and try to answer specific questions if anyone has them.
BY FAR the WORST sounding trem ever made is a Kahler cam. It doesn't even work on paper but ironically intonating it and getting it to stay in tune is easy.
The best non locking trem for tone is the vintage Fender strat (original one)
Best sounding modern two post non locking is the Gotoh 510 TS.
Best locking is the Gotoh 1996 but the OFR and Schaller Lockmiester are very good as well.
The Bigsby is garbage but it has a classic tone of it's own so some people want that.
Set up of all of these matters enormously for tone and performance but trem set up is another book.
The fashion for Floyd rose so called upgrades based on pure snake oil and BS is a complication we could all do well without , particularly as the vast majority of them are a clear downgrade or step sideways at best.
 
On the six screw verses two post issue I would say the fundamental difference is on the six screw the pivot is the wood of the body but adds a horrible amount of friction as the plate scrapes up and down the screw. However it can be set up to stay in tune pretty well in spite. The Mann/PRS/Thorne trem is not the same as the fender six screw. It is just a two post with the load distributed across six points. These should be left well alone when you get them set right because they need to wear in together to work properly. Turn one screw a quarter turn and it's going to need time to settle in again.
 
Andy Eagle said:
This is a huge issue .
Saddles and break angles are the big factors.
What the metal is?
Part count?
how is it fixed?
You could write a book on this.
Also many trems can be set up to sound fine until the moment you use them.
I will outline some basics and try to answer specific questions if anyone has them.
BY FAR the WORST sounding trem ever made is a Kahler cam. It doesn't even work on paper but ironically intonating it and getting it to stay in tune is easy.
The best non locking trem for tone is the vintage Fender strat (original one)
Best sounding modern two post non locking is the Gotoh 510 TS.
Best locking is the Gotoh 1996 but the OFR and Schaller Lockmiester are very good as well.
The Bigsby is garbage but it has a classic tone of it's own so some people want that.
Set up of all of these matters enormously for tone and performance but trem set up is another book.
The fashion for Floyd rose so called upgrades based on pure snake oil and BS is a complication we could all do well without , particularly as the vast majority of them are a clear downgrade or step sideways at best.
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Could you elaborate more about some of the more common floyd upgrades because this is something I've thought a lot about. Mostly a different sustain block and noiseless springs. I've read a lot of your comments and find your insight most helpful. Thanks
 
jlm5150 said:
Could you elaborate more about some of the more common floyd upgrades because this is something I've thought a lot about. Mostly a different sustain block and noiseless springs. I've read a lot of your comments and find your insight most helpful. Thanks
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Only swap a sustain block if you have a dead spot issue because all it does is change the amount of string energy that is reflected back. The standard block is that size for good reason. Adding mass reduces the interaction with the body.
Titanium parts are just too soft for durability and work far less well than quality steel ones . Brass spring claws are just pointless and unbalance the tone.
You can make any spring noiseless by pulling a rubber band through it and leaving it inside.
 
jamesie said:
The biggest surprise for me is the Vega-Trem. For my taste it‘s one of the best floating non locking Trems.
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I had mine on a "trad" strat with SSS for a while but ended up putting the vintage style back on it, but I put it on a more hot-rod strat with HSS and it rocks, for function it has no equals, just fantastic.
 
I've been thinking of going for something like a strat in the future, using a Vega trem and the Guitar Nutbuster instead of a Floyd. That seems like the best balance between range, stability, and tone. The big compromise, from what I've read, is little room to adjust the saddles for intonation. But that may only be a real problem if one uses an a non traditional gauge of strings.
 
Don't the PRS trem mounting screws have grooves and mating knife edges on all 6 plate holes?

My 90's American Standard Strat has the thicker plate, bigger block, 2 point mount, and solid steel saddles. There's definitely a tonal difference between it and the vintage 6 screw design. I think the lighter weight of the vintage trem and added contact of the 6 screws gives it more body interaction than the heavier modern version. Vintage trems sound a touch warmer and more airy to me if that makes any sense. There's something about the waver you get from a vintage style trem that modern trems don't often have. It's definitely a trade off in stability though. The modern trems definitely have it beat there.
 
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mr_fender said:
Don't the PRS trem mounting screws have grooves and mating knife edges on all 6 plate holes?

My 90's American Standard Strat has the thicker plate, bigger block, 2 point mount, and solid steel saddles. There's definitely a tonal difference between it and the vintage 6 screw design. I think the lighter weight of the vintage trem and added contact of the 6 screws gives it more body interaction than the heavier modern version. Vintage trems sound a touch warmer and more airy to me if that makes any sense. There's something about the waver you get from a vintage style trem that modern trems don't often have. It's definitely a trade off in stability though. The modern trems definitely have it beat there.
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The main thing you are hearing is the saddles non the 90s Am Std.
A good test is the 510 is available in six screw and two post with the rest of the parts identical, this allows you to hear only the different mount.
When everything else is identical the difference is hard to hear.
My favourite tone trem is a vintage Fender though.
 
State of Epicicity said:
I've been thinking of going for something like a strat in the future, using a Vega trem and the Guitar Nutbuster instead of a Floyd. That seems like the best balance between range, stability, and tone. The big compromise, from what I've read, is little room to adjust the saddles for intonation. But that may only be a real problem if one uses an a non traditional gauge of strings.
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The Vega is good but it has zero personality and doesn't stay in tune better than any other non locking unit. It looses the "air" in the tone of a vintage fender. It sounds no better than a 1996 without the tuning stability. I don't see the point of it.
 
Andy Eagle said:
The Vega is good but it has zero personality and doesn't stay in tune better than any other non locking unit. It looses the "air" in the tone of a vintage fender. It sounds no better than a 1996 without the tuning stability. I don't see the point of it.
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I was thinking the range of dive and pull of a Floyd with the tone of a Strat. But I've never played one. So I guess I'm wrong about the tone part!
 
State of Epicicity said:
I was thinking the range of dive and pull of a Floyd with the tone of a Strat. But I've never played one. So I guess I'm wrong about the tone part!
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It has a good tone but in the same ballpark as a floyd on the same guitar. One thing to note is that floyds drop pitch with a different character . The string differentials are radically different because of the lock nut and pitch drop is far less linear. Try playing Jeff Beck tunes with a floyd, it's way easier on a non locking trem.
 
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