Floating Bridge
Floating bridges were first introduced on archtop guitars way back in the 1920s. The grand architecture of the Bigsby became the original commercially successful vibrato system, until Fender stepped in with the Stratocaster in the mid-fifties. The block tremolo bridge (which provides a vibrato effect, rather than tremolo FYI) remains the single biggest influence in trem design to this day, as its “synchronized tremolo” allows the bridge saddles and string ends to move in one unit, eliminating extreme detuning caused by the movement. Fender updated their tremolo in the ’80s to a two-point system to reduce further friction.
It gives players a way of achieving vibrato – minor lower waves in note pitch – without bending the strings with the tips of your fingers. It also allows for larger pitch changes as you press or raise the tremolo arm, adding another expressive tool to your arsenal.
Advanced double locking tremolos such as the Floyd Rose became popular in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, as rock and metal went through its glam phase. Guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen utilised these systems to their fullest extent, creating some of the most radical guitar music of the time.
Pros
The obvious bonus of a floating bridge is the ability to expand on your creative playing. With basic trem bridges, you can add unique accents and smooth vibrato.
Bulkier double locking systems allow you to use vibrato more aggressively, performing divebombs as you push the arm all the way down, or sharp pitch flutters if you quickly hit the tremolo arm. The strings are locked in place not only at the bridge but at the locking nut too, so tuning slippage is minute.
Most floating bridges are extremely comfortable for your picking hand, as they have flatter surfaces to rest the side of your picking hand palm.
Double locking tremolos keep your guitar stable and in tune for almost as long as you use the strings. If they do slip slightly out of tune, you’ve got fine wheel tuners at the bridge to get you back on point.
Cons
Fender style floating bridges are a little more temperamental when it comes to tuning stability. You can’t perform extreme bends without the strings dipping quite drastically out of tune, especially on guitars with poorly-made hardware.
Floating bridges may also be an issue if you use palm-muting – either to deaden the strings you’re not playing or as an effect to get a tight, percussive sound commonly used in rock and metal. If you push down too hard with your palm, it will pull every note sharp as you apply extra tension to the strings. However, you can counter this by setting up the bridge flush to the body, rather than floating. But this will limit the usage of the tremolo, only allowing you to go down in pitch but not up for those floaty vibrato effects.
They can also be a nightmare when changing strings, especially for beginners. Fender-style bridges and double locking terms use springs to keep the system suspended. The best method is to change strings one at a time but makes cleaning the fretboard difficult.
Bigsbys also take a little bit of getting used to as the strings are susceptible to falling out the holes when you pull them up to the tuner. Check out our article on how to change strings on a floating bridge guitar if you’d like to find out more about the inner workings.