Trem spring orientation

[diablo175]

Okay, Floyd aficionados and repair guys- here's a interesting query: does the angle of the spring relative to the strings have any bearing on the function/performance of the trem? i.e. If the angle of the springs to the claw is steeper than that of the strings, making them un-parallel, does that effect the performance of the trem? I heard it postulated that the direction of force can affect how freely the trem balances on the pivots and thus, alter the responsiveness of a trem.

Hog wash or yet one more closely guarded luthier's insight?

[Jeff R]

No. To describe it very simply, a Floyd is like a playground seesaw and you use the springs, the claw and the tension of the strings to balance each other out and create peace on Earth. If you are worried about trem performance, look at the "knife" edges on the posts and the bridge's baseplate first and the springs themselves. That being said, I run three springs dead ass straight on my ESP superstrats and my Floyded Mockingbird (outside poles and middle) and two springs straight on my G&L Legacy (outside poles).

Murkat Jay's favorite for a Floyd is two springs under the treble strings and one spring in P4 (under the A string?). All straight.

[Jeff R]

Oh, another culprit of weak Floyd performance: Loose/moving nut, particularly the ones that screw in from behind/through the neck. You can tune all you want and make it perfect but you can kiss intonation around and above the 7-8th fret goodbye.

[atquinn]

I think this idea has gained traction due to Carl Verheyen's angled claw setup. Alas, oftentimes, great musicians make lousy scientists.

-

Austin

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

I've noticed that about 10% of my tremolo springs are gay.

But they all seem to get along okay.

what? That wasn't what he was asking?

[django49]

^^^^

The guitar always sounds better with happy strings.

[diablo175]

No. To describe it very simply, a Floyd is like a playground seesaw and you use the springs, the claw and the tension of the strings to balance each other out and create peace on Earth. If you are worried about trem performance, look at the "knife" edges on the posts and the bridge's baseplate first and the springs themselves. That being said, I run three springs dead ass straight on my ESP superstrats and my Floyded Mockingbird (outside poles and middle) and two springs straight on my G&L Legacy (outside poles).

Murkat Jay's favorite for a Floyd is two springs under the treble strings and one spring in P4 (under the A string?). All straight.

No, I meant parallel to the angle of the strings in relation to the body. i.e. if the strings are parallel to the body then the springs should also be parallel.

[Ting Ho Dung]

Here's how I get my fabulous tone.

[cynic]

If the angle of the springs to the claw is steeper than that of the strings, making them un-parallel, does that effect the performance of the trem?

At the extremes, yes. Imagine the springs perpendicular to the body, more or less continuing a straight line from the block. There would be virtually no resistance to trem movement. If minimum resistance is achieved at 0º, then maximum resistance is achieved when the springs are 90º from the block.

Given we're not talking extremes and at most our springs are adjusted only a couple degrees either side of 90º, I'd say it's negligible.

[Armitage]

... does the angle of the spring relative to the strings have any bearing on the function/performance of the trem?

Remember Force Vectors from Ninth Grade math? Yeah, me neither... but that's why it works. Some of the force gets exerted across the block so you don't feel it.

[Tres Aardvarks]

... does the angle of the spring relative to the strings have any bearing on the function/performance of the trem?

Remember Force Vectors from Ninth Grade math? Yeah, me neither... but that's why it works. Some of the force gets exerted across the block so you don't feel it.

Yep. It's pretty trivial to calculate how changing either then angle of the springs vs the strings, or angled springs from bridge to claw vs straight springs from bridge to claw change the feel of the trem. For either case, it's nothing harder than ye old Pythagorean theorem.

[murkat]

Murkat Jay's favorite for a Floyd is two springs under the treble strings and one spring in P4 (under the A string?). All straight.

yup. fender Black trem springs, superior springs in balance, tension, tinsel strength.

3 springs, Low E / B string / High E, straight across. Balanced for string / spring tension at pitch.