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How a Locking Tremolo Bridge Can Boost Your Shredding Skills
If you’re into guitar playing, you may have heard of a tremolo bridge, a type of bridge that allows you to vary the pitch of your notes by moving the whammy bar or vibrato arm up or down. This can create expressive effects such as vibrato, dive bombs, or squeals, and is a hallmark of styles like blues, rock, and metal. However, if you want to shred or perform technical feats like sweeping, tapping, or arpeggios, a regular tremolo bridge may not be enough, as it can also cause tuning instability, string breakage, and difficulty in returning to the original pitch. That’s where a locking tremolo bridge comes in. In this post, we’ll explore how a locking tremolo bridge enhances your shredding skills, and how you can choose, set up, and maintain one for optimal performance.
I. What is a Locking Tremolo Bridge?
A locking tremolo bridge is a type of bridge that locks the strings in place before they pass through the saddle and the nut, using a clamping mechanism that secures them tightly. This prevents the strings from slipping or stretching during heavy use or aggressive bending, and maintains the tuning stability of the guitar, even with extreme whammy bar movements. A locking tremolo bridge usually consists of six individual saddles, one for each string, that can be adjusted for intonation and height, and a vibrato block, also called a sustain block or a spring block, that absorbs the tension of the strings and transfers it to the springs inside the guitar body. A locking tremolo bridge may also have a locking nut on the headstock, which clamps the strings at the nut and provides additional resistance to bending and stretching.
Locking tremolo bridges come in various brands, models, and designs, and have their own pros and cons. Some popular locking tremolo bridge brands are Floyd Rose, Gotoh, Schaller, Wilkinson, Kahler, and Ibanez. Some well-known locking tremolo bridge models are the original Floyd Rose, the Floyd Rose Special, the Floyd Rose 1000 Series, the Floyd Rose Original Hot Rod, the Gotoh GE1996T, the Schaller Hannes, the Wilkinson WV6, the Kahler Hybrid, and the Ibanez Edge. Some advanced locking tremolo bridges may have features such as fine tuners, piezo pickups, whammy bars with different shapes or lengths, or interchangeable saddle blocks with varying materials or shapes.
II. How Does a Locking Tremolo Bridge Enhance Shredding Skills?
So, how exactly does a locking tremolo bridge help you shred faster, cleaner, and more efficiently? Here are some reasons:
1. Increased Tuning Stability
One of the main advantages of a locking tremolo bridge is that it prevents the strings from slipping or stretching out of tune, even with extreme whammy bar movements. This means that you can perform fast and intricate passages with confidence, without worrying about your guitar going out of tune in the middle of a solo or a song. This is especially important for shredding, which requires precise and consistent pitch control over multiple notes or patterns. With a locking tremolo bridge, you can also use alternative tunings more easily, as the strings will stay in tune even with higher or lower tension.
2. Greater String Resonance
Another benefit of a locking tremolo bridge is that it allows the strings to vibrate more freely, thanks to the clamped and anchored positions of the saddles and the nut. This enhances the string resonance and sustain, making your notes sound fuller and richer, and giving you more room for expression and dynamics. This can be particularly rewarding for harmonics, legatos, or bends, which require a longer and clearer sustain than normal notes.
3. Lighter String Pressure
A locking tremolo bridge also reduces the string pressure on the fretboard and the picking hand, since it balances the tension of the strings with the tension of the springs inside the guitar. This means that you can play with lighter and more relaxed fingers and wrists, which can reduce the risk of fatigue, injury, or stiffness, and allow you to focus more on the music and the technique. This can be especially helpful for shredding, which often involves rapid and complex finger movements, and requires a lot of stamina and precision.
4. More Efficient String Bending
Another advantage of a locking tremolo bridge is that it facilitates string bending, by providing a smoother and more stable surface for the strings to glide over. This means that you can bend strings more accurately, with less effort and strain, and with a wider range of intervals and degrees. This can be useful for various shredding techniques, such as vibrato, pre-bends, micro-bends, or bend-and-release patterns, which require precise and controlled bending of one or more strings.
5. Diverse Whammy Bar Techniques
Finally, a locking tremolo bridge opens up a variety of whammy bar techniques that are not possible or practical with a regular tremolo bridge. These techniques include dive bombs, which involve pulling the bar down to the body and releasing it to create a dramatic downward pitch shift; flutters, which involve rapidly tapping the bar up and down to create a stuttering effect; harmonic squeals, which involve using the bar and the picking hand to generate artificial harmonics that scream or squeak; and many more. These techniques can add flavor, excitement, and creativity to your shredding, and allow you to stand out from other guitarists who only use standard whammy bar techniques.
III. How to Choose, Set Up, and Maintain a Locking Tremolo Bridge
Now that you know how a locking tremolo bridge can enhance your shredding skills, you might want to consider getting one for your guitar. However, there are some factors you should take into account before choosing and installing a locking tremolo bridge, as well as some tips for setting up and maintaining it. Here are some guidelines:
1. Guitar suitability: Not all guitars are suitable for a locking tremolo bridge, as it involves some structural changes and modifications that may affect the tone, the feel, and the playability of the guitar. Some factors to consider are the type of wood, the scale length, the neck shape, the pickups, and the overall balance of the guitar. It’s best to consult a guitar technician or a professional before buying and installing a locking tremolo bridge on your guitar.
2. Bridge size: Locking tremolo bridges come in different sizes, so make sure to choose one that fits your guitar properly. You should measure the distance between the two outer screws of your original bridge, and compare it with the dimensions of the locking tremolo bridge you want to buy. You should also check if the route for the vibrato block inside the guitar body is wide and deep enough to accommodate the block of the locking tremolo bridge.
3. Installation: Installing a locking tremolo bridge requires some basic tools and skills, such as screwdrivers, hex keys, pliers, and a soldering iron. You should follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer carefully, and make sure to align the bridge and the nut properly, adjust the intonation and the height of the saddles, and set the tension of the springs and the whammy bar according to your preferences. You may also need to cut the ball ends of the strings, install the locking nut on the headstock, and lubricate the contact points of the bridge components.
4. Maintenance: A locking tremolo bridge requires some regular maintenance to keep it in good condition and avoid potential problems. You should clean the bridge and the strings with a soft cloth after each use, and apply some lubricant or grease to the pivot points of the whammy bar and the saddles, to prevent friction and wear. You should also check the intonation and the height of the saddles periodically, and adjust them if needed. If you need to change the strings, you should remove the locking clamps one by one, and re-lock them after inserting the new strings. If you need to change the tuning, you should adjust the tension of the springs and the whammy bar accordingly, and re-tune the guitar with the fine tuners or the pegs, instead of the whammy bar.
By following these guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of a locking tremolo bridge, and take your shredding skills to the next level. With a locking tremolo bridge, you can unleash your creativity, your speed, and your precision, and explore new sonic territories that you never thought possible. Whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate, or an advanced player, a locking tremolo bridge can be an investment that pays off in terms of performance, experience, and enjoyment.
In conclusion, a locking tremolo bridge can enhance your shredding skills in several ways, by increasing tuning stability, enhancing string resonance, reducing string pressure, improving string bending, and enabling diverse whammy bar techniques. To choose, set up, and maintain a locking tremolo bridge, you should consider guitar suitability, bridge size, installation, and maintenance, and seek the advice of a professional if needed. By mastering a locking tremolo bridge, you can unlock your potential as a shredder, and rock on with confidence and flair.
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