Advantages
The Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo has several advantages over other more common tremolo systems such as Fender's Synchronised Tremolo and Bigsby Vibrato Tailpiece.
* It is possible to bend notes both up and down, whereas common tremolo systems could only bend them down.
* It offers a wide range in the vibrato effect. The standard models may bend notes 3-4 semitones down and 2-3 semitones up. Customised variants of the Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo are able to bend notes as far as 8 semitones down and 5 semitones up.
* Strings return to their original tuning even after repeated raisings and lowerings of the pitch. This would cause older, non-locking types of tremolo systems to run out of tune due to the rapidly-changing string tensions. A well made and properly fine-tuned Floyd Rose system with a tight locking nut is known to hold strings in tune for weeks without fine tuning.[citation needed]
* It can be used to create a whole new range of sounds.
* It can re-use a broken string if the broken string is still long enough, as it does not require a ball end on the string.
[edit] Disadvantages
Generally, the most widely criticized disadvantages unique to the Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo and apart from other tremolo systems originate from its difficulty to set up and balance in the first place.
* Changing strings takes longer and is more difficult than on a normal guitar.
* If the strings are not properly stretched before locking them in place at the nut, heavy string bending can cause a string (usually the high E string) to stretch beyond the ability of the fine tuner to compensate. This then requires the nut to be unlocked and the string re-adjusted.
* Heavy palm muting moves the bridge, unless it is set up with the bridge lying flat on the surface of the guitar, while the inner springs are tightened all the way, allowing only forward motion of the arm and bridgeplate. (This is a disadvantage to any floating tremolo, not just to Floyd Roses)
* Bending one string causes all others to lower their pitch, so some compound bends are harder to play or even impossible. This can be mitigated by applying pressure on the floating bridge with the right hand during compound bends to compensate. (This problem also occurs with every floating tremolo bridge)
* Floyd Rose bridge absorbs some of the string vibrations and may shorten the sustain of a note.
* Adjusting the intonation of a bridge requires more work, as the saddles are held fast to the bridgeplate by small bolts. While vintage tremolo bridges require only a phillips screwdriver to move the saddle, on the Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo a small bolt must be unscrewed to move the saddle and then re-tightened again. Furthermore, as strings usually have to be loosened before the saddle is moved, a Floyd Rose user has to loosen the nut as well. However, since intonation is usually only adjusted during the initial guitar setup, the nut is usually not locked at the time of intonation adjustment.
* It becomes more of a necessity for a performing guitarist to maintain at least one back-up guitar to quickly switch instruments in the situation of string breakage due to the difficulty in performing impromptu maintenance work on a Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo during a concert or gig, even when stalling for time.
* Application of this bridge turns tuning into an iterative process. As one string is tightened to bring its pitch up, the pitch of the remaining five strings drop. This requires one to painstakingly re-tune several times. An experienced player will intentionally “up-tune” the lower strings to compensate for the drop in pitch that comes with tuning the subsequent strings. On the other hand, retuning is not necessary for a long time after properly tuning, locking and fine tuning the strings.
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