@@Madmanmarque Bigsbys suck less than anything Gibson's come out with, but for playability (whammy range and tuning stability) of what I have experience with (not aesthetics or "tone"): Floyd > Kahler > Fender 2 point > Hipshot > Fender 6 point > PRS > Wilkinson > Jazzmaster > Bigsby >>>> Gibson's abominations.
Yeah...those Germans are truly industrious, tireless workers but they apparently are very loose with Italian, aren't they? Leo Fender lost an eye as a youngster and still managed to build guitars and amps by hand himself at first and kept on working while feverish with severe sinus infections later on. I will never forget that and how very difficult it is to convert a guitar signal into a musical note through an amp's electronics; "Preternatural talent" is how Leo's colleagues describe his amp circuits.
"You'll probably want a pro setup with a vibrola to make sure you stay in tune" is a very kind way to say "this thing has never even heard of tuning stability."
@Avrage Joe its ment to be played with fat flatwound string(12s). and the jazzmaster was build for jazzplayers of the time, not for rock or surf. in a way youre right: outside of the jazz context the brigde is awful.
@Avrage Joe True, but irrelevant. Did you mean to post this somewhere else? Besides, haven't you heard about Mustang saddles? Think you better slow your comments down!
@@dvdrtrgn Probably less. It's like asking a regular guitar player to try to play like him. I'm sure he can still play amazing things with a pick though
Actually they do. Jeff Hannemen ESP LTD, the G&L Rampage Tribute, early 2000's B.C. Rich KKV's, ESP LTD Glenn Tipton, and plenty of guitars from the 80's.
Jazzmaster trem is my favorite...I just like a little surfy/MBV warble and it’s otherwise very stable plus you can pick behind it for some cool effects.
i love mine. and it stays in tune so well. i actually just changed my strings last night, tuned it up and set it down. when i picked it up this morning it was still just about perfect.
Really? I don't attend church, much less a church with a live band, so I'm always interested to hear that Worship players have their own trends with gear. For instance, I bought a pedal from T1M (The Pearl dual overdrive) because of all the praise it got, and later heard that the builder is a worship guitarist, and his pedals are popular in that community. He even wrote a little Bible verse on the inside of the back plate, kind of like In-N-Out does on the bottom of their burgers and fries packaging. I might ask around the internet to learn more about worship bands' gear choices and trends just because I wonder what the difference is to those of secular bands.
@@kilgoretrout321 Yeah, worship gear is a whole culture. A few things that are popular among worship players are the strymon BigSky and TimeLine pedals, the Walrus Audio Julia, the JHS Kilt V1, the Electro-Harmonix POG2, Gretsch, Suhr, Veritas & Duesenberg guitars, etc. Worship players are somewhat notorious for having big boards and super expensive guitars. I would recommend looking up a dude on YT called David Hislop
@@mrmimeguy wow yeah that does sound pretty expensive. But I guess faith can keep you grounded when you have enough money to buy Suhrs and Strymons. And a lot of my favorite musicians who seem preternaturally talented came out of church groups when they were young, so it's a great forum for developing chops, gaining gigging experience, and making connections
@@kilgoretrout321 yeah, for awhile, they were imitating The Edge in the early 00s. Now they’re imitating atmospheric/post-rock players. So, boutique reverbs/delays/light overdrives, and of course, the vibrato affect from a Bigsby all come in handy.
I like the Les Trem, and after market trem system which only works for tunomatic bridges, but I really like it on my LP. Thanks, Andy, good information, as usual.
In the 80’s, Washburn offered the “Wonderbar” that surface-mounted with no routing, had a locking block that attached above the nut with six individual locking screws, and could be used on lefty guitars. Torsion spring was very smooth with no flat spot going from flat to sharp, and each string pitch change rate could be adjusted so you could keep chords in tune as they dropped in pitch. Fine tuners were similar to Steinberg, rather than violin style. Best design, ever.
An Evening with Ebola, I love his work! Never really looked at his rig, but after your comment, I looked at photos and saw his Explorer and Strat both have them. Thanks for the heads-up!
I had one of those, it was a white telecaster style, the tremolo worked great, and stayed in tune. but, it was HUGE and kind of uncomfortable for playing palm mutes.
@@anthonysclafani3963 It's a pop-in, but it also screws-down, and also has a set-screw with a tiny hex key. Everytime I play - I can't believe How Good it Is. I'm finally happy. Did not use the trem on my Vintage Fender Stratocaster in 14 years, I was so frustrated = (just sold it) - The Suhr is upgraded & improved in every way.
My son has a Gotoh 510 on his Charvel and it's phenominal. All the range of a Floyd, without the hassle of locking nuts etc... It's the best I've used so far.
If you have a tele, don't. Had to shim my neck and raise the pickups an insane amount to compensate for the new string height. It works fine and the tuning stability is great, but the ridiculous pickup height and bare wood shim make it look a bit unsightly. Any other guitar is good to go
I got one for my Gibson Explorer but could not get it to stay in tune. I found a BFG Les Paul with a factory Schaller that works well. Andy’s great video has me wanting a Jazzmaster now.
I've had one Stetsbar for about 5 years. It usually will tolerate a lot of very wide swings, but it often takes a little "wiggle" at center to be completely back in tune. The installation is stupid easy even on an arched LP-style. The setup instruction MUST be followed and understood. If I don't use it for a few days it gets a little "sticky". Finally, if used wildly it may eat high e strings a lot, unless you thread the string through its "donut" once or twice. I had no luck with reinforced or with soldered wraps. The Stetsbar does look pretty steam punk, so the one guitar I have on is decorated to look like something Alice Cooper might use if too carried away. Different note: make sure your nut is graphtech.
Andy! I haven't seen you since I was subscribed to the ProGuitarShop channel, and now I find you here in this recommendation by TH-cam. As I was expecting, you play even more awesome than back then. You provide great information as well. Rock on!
Way to get your Shields on, Andy!! The Ultra Trem, by Vega-Trem is by far my favorite for a Strat style bridge. Retro fits perfectly & add some locking tuners...totally solid, go nuts!
Great video. Each system has its niche. I realize that it's been out of production for an eternity, but it would have been cool to demonstrate the original Steinberger TransTrem. Not only did it give on-the-fly tuning options, entire chords stay in tune when using it. A popular example is Van Halen's Summer Nights on 5150.
That was a great Floyd Rose demonstration. It really leaves the others in the shade IMO. And I've never heard of the Kahler or Stetsbar systems. Good video.
That last one was interesting. I think I've tried most of the rest. The floyd stays in tune great, but it's such a huge p.i.t.a to tune and intonate. I had a bigsby on a les paul that worked great, but added more weight. These days the only bar I allow is the fender 2 pole thing. Nice and simple and mostly stays in tune if you know how to set it up.
I like how with each guitar you try to play the same kind of genre of music that it was mostly used for. A lot of guitar you tubers play either metal or classic rock when demoing guitars, but at least to me it seemed like you made sure that what you were playing really fit what made those guitars famous. Like how with the strat you were playing some classic rock, the Floyd rose you were playing some metal, and then with the jazzmaster you were playing a shoegaze riff. I just got a jazzmaster because it’s pretty much a staple guitar for shoegaze/ dream pop players and I love the trem so far. I must say it made me really happy that you mentioned kevin shields and did a little shoegaze demo. I watched a lot of demos/ reviews for the jazzmaster and a lot of them wouldn’t include anything about that, saying that it was mainly used for surf rock, which I think is a shame as I feel like jazzmaster are just as prevalent with shoegaze players as they are with surf rock players. It’s nice to see someone who’s music tase goes beyond classic rock and metal lol. Didn’t mean to go on the tangent there I just think it’s a breath of fresh air when I see some variety on these big guitar TH-cam channels. And ya, the jazzmaster rules lol
@@keski56 yes...he used slightly long nails, shorter than classical guitarists but he did use nails... this guy tells all about that watch?v=C_6Cdc2Zcdc
One quite unique tremolo system not mentioned here is the Steinberger Trans Trem. What made it so unique was that it could dive an entire chord and still keep the chord in tune all the way down or up....
My first tremolo was a Kahler on advice from my local music shop. If I need to rock out and need some good dive bombing or vibratio use, it's my go to!! I also have a Jazzmaster trem (never use it) and the 6 screw Fender on occasion. Great, edicational video!
Thanks much for the comparisons. I've been an acoustic fingerpicker for about 40 years and haven't played a 2 x 4 for about 30, but I'm thinking about it again. Now I've got a lot better idea of what I'm looking for and why.
On my vintage style Strat bridges, I put little springs around the screws that anchors the bridge to the body. Pickup springs cut down will do the job. It helps out alot especially with locking tuners.
Thanks, Andy! Great review. Really informative, and I loved the way you used the various trems for different musical styles. However, you didn't mention one of the best tremolos ever made ... the Falcon by Levinson. I have one on my Levinson Blade RH4 Classic and it is absolutely fantastic. The guitar feels and sounds like you're playing a hard tail, until you want to use the trem. Then you can raise or lower the pitch with the wiggle stick. Admittedly, the bridge doesn't quite fully float, but it solves all the problems that you typically get from tremolo systems. You can set up the Falcon really easily, so that you can change and tune up all 6 strings just like a hard tail. Break a string ... the others stay in tune. Change tuning .... intonation remains constant. Stability .... Always returns to perfect pitch, after raising or lowering the trem. Pitch bends .... bend a note, and you don't have to compensate for the trem system trying to slacken the strings (plus the other strings don't go out of tune). I just wish I haeld the patent lol.
Surprised to see that no mention was made of the PRS and MannMade USA trems... both designed by me ;-) Arguably the best floating style bridge on the market.
I acquired an old Ibanez Rocket Roll II with a Kahler tremolo equipped, it was in poor shape and didn't function and was missing the arm, thankfully I was still able to order parts for the trem and rebuilt it, after setting it up it works like a champ, way better than any of the Floyd's I have messed with. I even removed the locking nut to put a graphtech nut on there and it stays in tune no matter how hard I dive it. I never really liked trems like that before but now I'm having a lot of fun with it.
It’s the videos where they don’t play specific pedals, amps, or guitars, where the tone seems the best.. god damn that intro distortion sound is great.
I really wish Kahler's were more available these days. As a child of 80's hard rock/metal I grew up coveting the Kahler-equipped Carvin V220 but all I see now is the Cantrell model from G&L.
You can still buy kahlers made by Gary in the United States they're just really expensive and you have to buy the locking nut separately also ESP still makes Glenn Tipton's signature viper with a kahler
Don't forget Kerry King with BC Rich and now Dean. I think the Kahler gets a bad rap because people don't set it up correctly to start with. They all have their idiosyncrasies. I had one through the 80s and it worked great.
That only reason why I didn’t get that guitar was because there is not as much support for kahler as for other floating bridges, I don’t have experience with them but they seem fairly solid
If you really like Kahlers, keep an eye out for used Peaveys. I have 4 or 5 Peaveys with Kahlers. I believe all the PXD III series have the Kahler X-Trem. Even some older models from the 80s and 90s have Kahlers, like my Destiny.
The PRS bridge is one of my favorites! Adding “knife edges” to the six mounting screws really helped to improve the tuning stability compared to the vintage Fender design... When you say “molded”, I’m assuming that you’re talking about the first generation of PRS bridges built by Mann-Made, where the bridge plate and sustain block are cast in a die as one continuous piece. PRS stopped doing that decades ago when subsequent generations of bridges were developed and now employ a design similar to Fender (where the bridge plate and sustain block are attached to each other with machine screws). Some people claim that they can hear a difference between the one-piece and two-piece designs, but I don’t think there’s much weight to that. Sadly, the SE models use an import copy of the PRS bridge. It’s good enough for most people, but if you are heavy handed, the USA bridges retrofit into an SE model very easily. They aren’t cheap though!
Haven't used the SE version but the Core version is excellent. SEs sometimes have tuning issues, a lot of people replace the nut which makes a big difference
@@BigPhi84 I mentioned the word "molded" because that's how they describe the trem in PRS's website (the SE standard 24). Thanks for the info about the USA bridges!
Unless I missed it, one thing not mentioned is that for the Floyd you have to cut the ball end off the string in order to fit into the clamps on the bridge. With the Kahler, there's no clamps on the bridge so you don't have to. Kahler has bolt on versions for Gibsons somewhat similar to the Stets, no routing necessary.
I have Floyds now, mounted on Jacksons and I love them when I need them. But I miss my Charvel mounted Kahler. It wasn't perfect. At times it would lose pitch after a big bend. This was rectified by dipping the pitch with the bar (easier said than done when playing some covers) but worked well with original compositions. Still, I loved the feel and the look of it. That was my favorite guitar for the better part of 15 years, played so often that much of the black paint on the trem was worn and polished to a blackish smokey chrome which accented the pearlescent white of the body and ultra dark rosewood of the fretboard beautifully. Sadly, lost it to a fire. So Jackson/Floyd it is. And that's good enough. 😊
I've got a Jackson USA King V I bought in 2016 and have barely touched since. Even bought about $1500 worth of stuff from Floyd Upgrades, Titanium Saddles, a Tremolo stopper (so it springs back to level if you aren't actively using the bar), titanium sustain block, etc. At first I didn't use it because I was moving so frequently it wasn't worth setting everything up. Now, I'm not using it because I got it signed by Trivium and can't find a shop around here to coat it in something to protect the signatures. Not to mention I'm afraid to take the Floyd apart and do those upgrades myself, and couldn't find a shop to do that either (I live in a rural area).
Floyd Rose will always be the gold standard. My only beef with FR is that the individual saddles aren’t adjustable in 3D like they are on the Kahler. Just forwards and backwards.
There was a tremolo system similar to a Floyd rose, the only name I know for it is a kkt, fitted on marlin sidewinders and I think some samick guitars. It has a locking nut behind a normal nut, a 2 point, non locking bridge with roller saddles, the strings pass through moving cylinders in the block that are pushed by arms/screws for fine tuning which makes for a much wider tuning range and easier string changes (no cutting the string ends off), I have one guitar equipped with one and I can put it in open tunings from standard without having to unlock the nut! I'm pretty sure there was also a special fender system that worked in a very similar fashion, can't remember the name though
I used to play exclusively with my fingernail just like Andy here but I eventually went to using a pick. Every now and then I still play like I used to though, and I can almost play everything I know with both techniques. It's so rare to see someone else do it Edit: Holy shit I do not do that flamenco style strumming for fast scales though lol, I basically use an invisible pick 8:42
This was great. I would like to add the La Trem. I have one on my Reverend Charger P90, and it really adds a lot. It is a great option for any stop tail guitar, and it requires little to no modification.
One model missing: I have a duesemberg trem and shaller roller bridge on a Gibson gutar, no drilling, no holes, it works fine. But probably the best trem i remember was on a strat copy by Sunn o))), standard 6 screws, worked wonderfully. Sold the guitar, obviously regret it.
OK, Andy, I hear there are some newer ones that are even better than th Floyd Rose and Kahler.. I think one is called the Supervee, and there are some others too, not sure of the brand names, can you tell us about these, the quality, reliability, staying in tune etc? Thanks Andy.
This is a really great educational video. Thank you for putting this together. My only question now, is will a Stetsbar work on my Ibanez Semi-hollow body with a center sustain block? I do wonder if the block has enough support to both mount and allow the trem to function??? If there is anyone out there reading this who actually knows, please reply to this comment. Thanks everyone!
Amazing; first, I have a Fender Stratocaster that’ was given to me as a Christmas gift a few years ago by my eldest nephew who originally used it until he had enough of the strings being broken whenever he’d do the divebombs(He’s a Rock fan): As you pointed out in the beginning it has a synchronized Tremolo that I’m gonna have to use a lot more wisely because it’s made more for Rock/Blues music, not the more extreme Metal genre Recently on vacation in Florida I received a pleasant surprise when I was given an Epiphone SG that has a Stopbar at the end of its bridge humbucker; as I play it on occasion I realize that if I wanna Rock out some more with it , then the Stetsbar is the right tremolo for the job
The Fender Mustang going back to 1964 has IMO one of the simplest and smoothest tremolo systems ever. If combined with a locking nut would rival the Floyd. And included on a very inexpensive guitar. I've always thought it superior to the trem available on Strats of similar vintage.
Gibson and Bigsby in the 50s: "Sure, we don't have the range of vibrato as a Fender, but we don't stay in tune as well, either!"
If a Bigsby doesn't stay in tune, it's not set up correctly!
@@Madmanmarque Bigsbys suck less than anything Gibson's come out with, but for playability (whammy range and tuning stability) of what I have experience with (not aesthetics or "tone"): Floyd > Kahler > Fender 2 point > Hipshot > Fender 6 point > PRS > Wilkinson > Jazzmaster > Bigsby >>>> Gibson's abominations.
@@Kylora2112Or just don't have a Trem at all and lock it down with an Evertune
@@dcp10200 But how can I make up for my mediocre guitar playing without divebombs and harmonic screams?
A properly set up bigsby will definitely stay in tune, just can’t dive-bomb them
Leo Fender called the tremolo circuit on his amps “Vibrato” and the vibrato bridge “tremolo.”
Must not have had a dictionary back in the 50's.
Yeah...those Germans are truly industrious, tireless workers but they apparently are very loose with
Italian, aren't they? Leo Fender lost an eye as a youngster and still managed to build guitars and amps by hand himself at first and kept on working while feverish with severe sinus infections later on. I will never forget that and how very difficult it is to convert a guitar signal into a musical note through an amp's electronics; "Preternatural talent" is how Leo's colleagues describe his amp circuits.
I guess that's what happens when you make an iconic guitar, but don't know how to play.😉 At least that's what I heard.
that's a BIG BRAIN move if i've ever seen one..
Huge peepee
"You'll probably want a pro setup with a vibrola to make sure you stay in tune" is a very kind way to say "this thing has never even heard of tuning stability."
Yes, Andy has a certain twinkle in his eye as he says that.
Say that to my 64' Melody Maker D
Has Gibson ever built anything that stays in tune... at all?
th-cam.com/video/Z0KkinvXWF4/w-d-xo.html
You don’t need a floyd rose hahah
@@duduychony9747 dude you commented this everywhere
I keep forgetting Andy doesn't play with a pick and every time I rediscover he doesn't it's like :O
Legend has it Andy never gets the guitar pick meme to this day.
I believe there are a couple of the old proguitarshop videos where he did use a pic on certain application of playing..
He has a sick right hand technique
No Picc = *EPICC*
“It looks like he’s using a Invisible Pick!” I keep seeing that comment and it always makes me laugh because at times it really does look like that!
the jazzmaster vibrato has a locksystem for broken strings too...
Not all of them. The cheaper models don't
@@aldente42092 The one he demonstrated did.
@@sambolino44 that's true, I'm just saying the majority of new jazzmasters don't
@Avrage Joe its ment to be played with fat flatwound string(12s). and the jazzmaster was build for jazzplayers of the time, not for rock or surf. in a way youre right: outside of the jazz context the brigde is awful.
@Avrage Joe True, but irrelevant. Did you mean to post this somewhere else? Besides, haven't you heard about Mustang saddles? Think you better slow your comments down!
Wow this guy must never use a pick to be that good without one.
I see you are new to the world of Andy. He is notoriously a non-pick user, though you do rarely see one in his hands, it's like spotting Bigfoot.
Imagine what he could do with a pick. Golly
@@dvdrtrgn Probably less. It's like asking a regular guitar player to try to play like him. I'm sure he can still play amazing things with a pick though
He’s boss: tasty and smart
A lot of guitar players don’t use a pick. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Yes! Someone finally mentioned Kahler! Sadly they don’t come stock on any guitars besides custom shop.
They was stock on a lot of guitars back in 80's ... Iirr some charvel models, just Google it
Been using a Khaler trem for 20 plus years, love it. Rock solid.
Actually they do. Jeff Hannemen ESP LTD, the G&L Rampage Tribute, early 2000's B.C. Rich KKV's, ESP LTD Glenn Tipton, and plenty of guitars from the 80's.
David gilmour almost put one on his black strat but decided against it, or so I've heard
@@ravenglenn6473 he did use one for a while. Google "David Gilmour Kahler" and you can find pics.
Jazzmaster trem is my favorite...I just like a little surfy/MBV warble and it’s otherwise very stable plus you can pick behind it for some cool effects.
i love mine. and it stays in tune so well. i actually just changed my strings last night, tuned it up and set it down. when i picked it up this morning it was still just about perfect.
@pizza time if you want to try out the style look into the vintage modified or j mascis signature squires. They both play great
"How do we make this guitar more appealing to Worship Guitar players?"
"𝘣 𝘪 𝘨 𝘴 𝘣 𝘺"
Really? I don't attend church, much less a church with a live band, so I'm always interested to hear that Worship players have their own trends with gear. For instance, I bought a pedal from T1M (The Pearl dual overdrive) because of all the praise it got, and later heard that the builder is a worship guitarist, and his pedals are popular in that community. He even wrote a little Bible verse on the inside of the back plate, kind of like In-N-Out does on the bottom of their burgers and fries packaging.
I might ask around the internet to learn more about worship bands' gear choices and trends just because I wonder what the difference is to those of secular bands.
@@kilgoretrout321 Yeah, worship gear is a whole culture. A few things that are popular among worship players are the strymon BigSky and TimeLine pedals, the Walrus Audio Julia, the JHS Kilt V1, the Electro-Harmonix POG2, Gretsch, Suhr, Veritas & Duesenberg guitars, etc. Worship players are somewhat notorious for having big boards and super expensive guitars. I would recommend looking up a dude on YT called David Hislop
@@mrmimeguy wow yeah that does sound pretty expensive. But I guess faith can keep you grounded when you have enough money to buy Suhrs and Strymons. And a lot of my favorite musicians who seem preternaturally talented came out of church groups when they were young, so it's a great forum for developing chops, gaining gigging experience, and making connections
@@kilgoretrout321 yeah, for awhile, they were imitating The Edge in the early 00s. Now they’re imitating atmospheric/post-rock players. So, boutique reverbs/delays/light overdrives, and of course, the vibrato affect from a Bigsby all come in handy.
I like the Les Trem, and after market trem system which only works for tunomatic bridges, but I really like it on my LP. Thanks, Andy, good information, as usual.
Car
@@trollfacegamiong8349
Balloon
0:35 Fender Synchronized
2:54 Bigsby Vibrato
4:14 Maestro Vibrola
5:08 Jazzmaster
6:40 Floyd Rose Double Locking Floating Tremolo
8:04 Kahler Locking Tremolo
9:09 Stetsbar
In the 80’s, Washburn offered the “Wonderbar” that surface-mounted with no routing, had a locking block that attached above the nut with six individual locking screws, and could be used on lefty guitars. Torsion spring was very smooth with no flat spot going from flat to sharp, and each string pitch change rate could be adjusted so you could keep chords in tune as they dropped in pitch. Fine tuners were similar to Steinberg, rather than violin style. Best design, ever.
I always wanted to try one!
Made in Japan unit called Answer SHIFT2001 Argus tremolo. I believe they OEM for Washburn.
Arjen Lucassen's been making use of them for years. Part of the reason I want a trem in the first place.
An Evening with Ebola, I love his work! Never really looked at his rig, but after your comment, I looked at photos and saw his Explorer and Strat both have them. Thanks for the heads-up!
I had one of those, it was a white telecaster style, the tremolo worked great, and stayed in tune. but, it was HUGE and kind of uncomfortable for playing palm mutes.
8:43 wtf
He's playing with his fingers homie YOU CANT JUDGE HIM
@@ardennes3016 well he shreds with his fingers that's not a thing you see everyday
he needs to make a tutorial on how to play that fast with fingers.
Alberto ; lol just play more with your fingers
@@jerry-rk7yw i want to learn his techniques and stuff man
Gotoh - 510 on my Suhr - it's honestly Phenomenal. Every time I play - I am so Impressed with the Tuning Stability.
is the arm a pop in one like a PRS or is it a screw in arm like a Fender?
@@anthonysclafani3963 It's a pop-in, but it also screws-down, and also has a set-screw with a tiny hex key. Everytime I play - I can't believe How Good it Is. I'm finally happy. Did not use the trem on my Vintage Fender Stratocaster in 14 years, I was so frustrated = (just sold it) - The Suhr is upgraded & improved in every way.
My son has a Gotoh 510 on his Charvel and it's phenominal. All the range of a Floyd, without the hassle of locking nuts etc... It's the best I've used so far.
Andy is one of the best guitarists on youtube and all he does is gear demos.
This was great. I've always been a Bigsby guy but now I might try a Stetsbar at some point!
If you have a tele, don't. Had to shim my neck and raise the pickups an insane amount to compensate for the new string height. It works fine and the tuning stability is great, but the ridiculous pickup height and bare wood shim make it look a bit unsightly. Any other guitar is good to go
I got one for my Gibson Explorer but could not get it to stay in tune. I found a BFG Les Paul with a factory Schaller that works well. Andy’s great video has me wanting a Jazzmaster now.
Just get a Duesenberg LesTrem.
I've had one Stetsbar for about 5 years. It usually will tolerate a lot of very wide swings, but it often takes a little "wiggle" at center to be completely back in tune. The installation is stupid easy even on an arched LP-style. The setup instruction MUST be followed and understood. If I don't use it for a few days it gets a little "sticky". Finally, if used wildly it may eat high e strings a lot, unless you thread the string through its "donut" once or twice. I had no luck with reinforced or with soldered wraps. The Stetsbar does look pretty steam punk, so the one guitar I have on is decorated to look like something Alice Cooper might use if too carried away.
Different note: make sure your nut is graphtech.
@@MrMatt9793 too bad because I like the idea of tele with a trem
Nice comparison. I’ve always liked the G&L dual fulcrum 2 point system.
Andy! I haven't seen you since I was subscribed to the ProGuitarShop channel, and now I find you here in this recommendation by TH-cam. As I was expecting, you play even more awesome than back then. You provide great information as well. Rock on!
Dude, your fingerstyle is TREMENDOUS! That was CRAZY how you tapped individual right hand fingers to rip through those 32nd notes!
Too bad you didnt show the duesenburg les trem
That’s basically a bigsby
@@ehvmerxerk you have no idea how much better the duesenberg trem is compared to a bigsby
@@ehvmerxerk dusenberg trem is way more smooth and so much easier to string
I’m getting one next week. I hope it is
@@watchthebeveragedude it's great
wow, that Guild with the Bigsby looks and sounds incredible!
My 83' strat has a Free Flyte tremolo system, it's the best system I've ever used. One of the many reasons I love my 83' strat!
Way to get your Shields on, Andy!! The Ultra Trem, by Vega-Trem is by far my favorite for a Strat style bridge. Retro fits perfectly & add some locking tuners...totally solid, go nuts!
This video cleared every bit of doubts about tremolo design and functioning . 🙏
That Neil Young tone for the bigsby really makes me smile
I think the bigsby in it itself makes anything sound like Neil Young. And that's cool.😎
Great video. Each system has its niche.
I realize that it's been out of production for an eternity, but it would have been cool to demonstrate the original Steinberger TransTrem. Not only did it give on-the-fly tuning options, entire chords stay in tune when using it. A popular example is Van Halen's Summer Nights on 5150.
Jazzmaster trem all the way! Great playing as always, Andy!
After watching this, I feel like putting tremolos to everything! it's so cool!
Duesenberg Les Trem II
That was a great Floyd Rose demonstration. It really leaves the others in the shade IMO. And I've never heard of the Kahler or Stetsbar systems. Good video.
How about Trans Trem by Steinberger?
Is that a vibrato that identifies as a trem?
@@nath9233 Yes.
Trans trem vs cis vibrato
Didn't EVH use the Trans Trem in the late 80's?
@@brianmiller1077 Yes, on GL2T.
The one guitar the dude had to show off Bigsby was an absolute beast
Andy - you’ve always made great videos and you just keep getting better and better at it. Always enjoyable to watch you, no matter what the subject.
This guy has a awesome picking technique
That's my dream SG right there. Dark red, with the wide pickguard and Vibrola with the backplate. Everything I've ever wanted in an SG.
That last one was interesting. I think I've tried most of the rest. The floyd stays in tune great, but it's such a huge p.i.t.a to tune and intonate. I had a bigsby on a les paul that worked great, but added more weight.
These days the only bar I allow is the fender 2 pole thing. Nice and simple and mostly stays in tune if you know how to set it up.
I like how with each guitar you try to play the same kind of genre of music that it was mostly used for. A lot of guitar you tubers play either metal or classic rock when demoing guitars, but at least to me it seemed like you made sure that what you were playing really fit what made those guitars famous. Like how with the strat you were playing some classic rock, the Floyd rose you were playing some metal, and then with the jazzmaster you were playing a shoegaze riff.
I just got a jazzmaster because it’s pretty much a staple guitar for shoegaze/ dream pop players and I love the trem so far. I must say it made me really happy that you mentioned kevin shields and did a little shoegaze demo. I watched a lot of demos/ reviews for the jazzmaster and a lot of them wouldn’t include anything about that, saying that it was mainly used for surf rock, which I think is a shame as I feel like jazzmaster are just as prevalent with shoegaze players as they are with surf rock players. It’s nice to see someone who’s music tase goes beyond classic rock and metal lol. Didn’t mean to go on the tangent there I just think it’s a breath of fresh air when I see some variety on these big guitar TH-cam channels. And ya, the jazzmaster rules lol
One of the few that played an alternative rock riff for the jazzmaster instead of some bluesy lick
Thats very cool of you
Andy is a national treasure.
8:44 wao very fast scale runs ...with finger tips?!?
ever heard of Paco de Lucia?
@@keski56 yes...he used slightly long nails, shorter than classical guitarists but he did use nails... this guy tells all about that watch?v=C_6Cdc2Zcdc
the way he shreds is so unique
Never even head of Stetsbar, I like that a lot! Thanks!
You missed the G&L Dual-Fulcrum® vibrato. I think that is one of a kind too.
One quite unique tremolo system not mentioned here is the Steinberger Trans Trem. What made it so unique was that it could dive an entire chord and still keep the chord in tune all the way down or up....
And after watching Andy Martin for ten years, I finally realize that he can shred, too.
Andy, the father of gear reviews
Thanks for not saying Grandfather ;)
Nice to see the Guild STP90 getting some action. Really like that guitar.
Great demonstration on that Kahler by the way. That sounded so awesome.
My favorite has always been a well setup Jazzmaster. It’s PERFECT for what I want to do.
My first tremolo was a Kahler on advice from my local music shop. If I need to rock out and need some good dive bombing or vibratio use, it's my go to!! I also have a Jazzmaster trem (never use it) and the 6 screw Fender on occasion. Great, edicational video!
The tone on the bigsby was beautiful
Thanks much for the comparisons. I've been an acoustic fingerpicker for about 40 years and haven't played a 2 x 4 for about 30, but I'm thinking about it again. Now I've got a lot better idea of what I'm looking for and why.
On my vintage style Strat bridges, I put little springs around the screws that anchors the bridge to the body. Pickup springs cut down will do the job. It helps out alot especially with locking tuners.
Really great overview of "tremolo" systems and by a great guitar player to boot!
Thanks, Andy! Great review. Really informative, and I loved the way you used the various trems for different musical styles. However, you didn't mention one of the best tremolos ever made ... the Falcon by Levinson. I have one on my Levinson Blade RH4 Classic and it is absolutely fantastic. The guitar feels and sounds like you're playing a hard tail, until you want to use the trem. Then you can raise or lower the pitch with the wiggle stick. Admittedly, the bridge doesn't quite fully float, but it solves all the problems that you typically get from tremolo systems. You can set up the Falcon really easily, so that you can change and tune up all 6 strings just like a hard tail. Break a string ... the others stay in tune. Change tuning .... intonation remains constant. Stability .... Always returns to perfect pitch, after raising or lowering the trem. Pitch bends .... bend a note, and you don't have to compensate for the trem system trying to slacken the strings (plus the other strings don't go out of tune). I just wish I haeld the patent lol.
Surprised to see that no mention was made of the PRS and MannMade USA trems... both designed by me ;-)
Arguably the best floating style bridge on the market.
I completely, totally and utterly agree Mr.Mann. This review was for 'old school' systems, not the technically advanced ones on the PRS Guitars.
Always a pleasure Andy.
Andy really is the best. He doesn't play like a grandad from 20 years ago. That said, two point trem for me.
I'm a simple man, I see Andy and click instantly.
I acquired an old Ibanez Rocket Roll II with a Kahler tremolo equipped, it was in poor shape and didn't function and was missing the arm, thankfully I was still able to order parts for the trem and rebuilt it, after setting it up it works like a champ, way better than any of the Floyd's I have messed with. I even removed the locking nut to put a graphtech nut on there and it stays in tune no matter how hard I dive it. I never really liked trems like that before but now I'm having a lot of fun with it.
For a bigsby style without mods check out the Duesenberg trem - it's a lot cheaper too. A friend of mine has one and it's very nice for the price!
Stetsbar looks great and solid and it doesn't requires modification, this should be more popular
It’s the videos where they don’t play specific pedals, amps, or guitars, where the tone seems the best.. god damn that intro distortion sound is great.
I really wish Kahler's were more available these days. As a child of 80's hard rock/metal I grew up coveting the Kahler-equipped Carvin V220 but all I see now is the Cantrell model from G&L.
I never liked my kahler pro. I think the lack of a block effected the resonance. It di have the fixed string pieces though.
You can still buy kahlers made by Gary in the United States they're just really expensive and you have to buy the locking nut separately also ESP still makes Glenn Tipton's signature viper with a kahler
Don't forget Kerry King with BC Rich and now Dean. I think the Kahler gets a bad rap because people don't set it up correctly to start with. They all have their idiosyncrasies. I had one through the 80s and it worked great.
That only reason why I didn’t get that guitar was because there is not as much support for kahler as for other floating bridges, I don’t have experience with them but they seem fairly solid
If you really like Kahlers, keep an eye out for used Peaveys. I have 4 or 5 Peaveys with Kahlers. I believe all the PXD III series have the Kahler X-Trem. Even some older models from the 80s and 90s have Kahlers, like my Destiny.
Beautiful playing on that sg near the end of this video andy. What influenced you to come up with that, it sounds great
I am a kahler fan . Thanks for the video!
What do you guys think about PRS's "molded" tremelo? I am thinking of getting my first guitar and I have my eye on an SE standard.
The PRS bridge is one of my favorites! Adding “knife edges” to the six mounting screws really helped to improve the tuning stability compared to the vintage Fender design...
When you say “molded”, I’m assuming that you’re talking about the first generation of PRS bridges built by Mann-Made, where the bridge plate and sustain block are cast in a die as one continuous piece. PRS stopped doing that decades ago when subsequent generations of bridges were developed and now employ a design similar to Fender (where the bridge plate and sustain block are attached to each other with machine screws). Some people claim that they can hear a difference between the one-piece and two-piece designs, but I don’t think there’s much weight to that.
Sadly, the SE models use an import copy of the PRS bridge. It’s good enough for most people, but if you are heavy handed, the USA bridges retrofit into an SE model very easily. They aren’t cheap though!
Haven't used the SE version but the Core version is excellent. SEs sometimes have tuning issues, a lot of people replace the nut which makes a big difference
@@src248 Thanks for the info. GraphTech are considered "the best", right?
@@Some1Something Very good and dependable at the very least
@@BigPhi84
I mentioned the word "molded" because that's how they describe the trem in PRS's website (the SE standard 24).
Thanks for the info about the USA bridges!
Unless I missed it, one thing not mentioned is that for the Floyd you have to cut the ball end off the string in order to fit into the clamps on the bridge. With the Kahler, there's no clamps on the bridge so you don't have to. Kahler has bolt on versions for Gibsons somewhat similar to the Stets, no routing necessary.
The MBV stuff made me miss them being on Spotify
I have Floyds now, mounted on Jacksons and I love them when I need them. But I miss my Charvel mounted Kahler. It wasn't perfect. At times it would lose pitch after a big bend. This was rectified by dipping the pitch with the bar (easier said than done when playing some covers) but worked well with original compositions.
Still, I loved the feel and the look of it. That was my favorite guitar for the better part of 15 years, played so often that much of the black paint on the trem was worn and polished to a blackish smokey chrome which accented the pearlescent white of the body and ultra dark rosewood of the fretboard beautifully.
Sadly, lost it to a fire. So Jackson/Floyd it is. And that's good enough. 😊
I've got a Jackson USA King V I bought in 2016 and have barely touched since. Even bought about $1500 worth of stuff from Floyd Upgrades, Titanium Saddles, a Tremolo stopper (so it springs back to level if you aren't actively using the bar), titanium sustain block, etc.
At first I didn't use it because I was moving so frequently it wasn't worth setting everything up. Now, I'm not using it because I got it signed by Trivium and can't find a shop around here to coat it in something to protect the signatures. Not to mention I'm afraid to take the Floyd apart and do those upgrades myself, and couldn't find a shop to do that either (I live in a rural area).
@@praetorxyn
Floyds are scary. Pretty sure I never put the first one I took apart back together.
Congrats on the sigs.
Oh my god that second strat is the most beautiful guitar that i have ever seen. I want one in lefty plz
Bigsby brings the rock n roll! 🤘
Ian Anderson Yes it does! I think its limited range is actually one of the best things about it, you can really strangle it!
Hell yeah, it’s also one reason I love Gretsches
Times 3. I have one on each of my guitars. Love Bigsby
It also brings the tuning instability! 🤘
@@dikkeskieven484 That's the Rock n Roll 🤘🤘🤘
Next time show Babicz. Pretty underrated IMO
Very timely for me, thanks!
Andy, I hadn't seen you play in a long time and I gotta say, I missed you man.
i got a stetsbar trem on one of my guitars i love it btw they even make them for wraparound bridges too
Nice to see my boy stetsbar on the list 😀
No modern floating trems? Music Man and PRS trems are fantastic.
Also the wasburn wonderbar or 2001 .....it has an internal spring like the kahlers....great one too
NOPE. The Wonderbar is totally different, It has a torsion bar.
Floyd Rose will always be the gold standard. My only beef with FR is that the individual saddles aren’t adjustable in 3D like they are on the Kahler. Just forwards and backwards.
There was a tremolo system similar to a Floyd rose, the only name I know for it is a kkt, fitted on marlin sidewinders and I think some samick guitars. It has a locking nut behind a normal nut, a 2 point, non locking bridge with roller saddles, the strings pass through moving cylinders in the block that are pushed by arms/screws for fine tuning which makes for a much wider tuning range and easier string changes (no cutting the string ends off), I have one guitar equipped with one and I can put it in open tunings from standard without having to unlock the nut! I'm pretty sure there was also a special fender system that worked in a very similar fashion, can't remember the name though
Props for featuring a kahler!
I used to play exclusively with my fingernail just like Andy here but I eventually went to using a pick. Every now and then I still play like I used to though, and I can almost play everything I know with both techniques. It's so rare to see someone else do it
Edit: Holy shit I do not do that flamenco style strumming for fast scales though lol, I basically use an invisible pick 8:42
This was great. I would like to add the La Trem. I have one on my Reverend Charger P90, and it really adds a lot. It is a great option for any stop tail guitar, and it requires little to no modification.
I'd never heard of the Stetsbar! That was super neat
The tele tremolo is my favorite... ;)
One model missing: I have a duesemberg trem and shaller roller bridge on a Gibson gutar, no drilling, no holes, it works fine. But probably the best trem i remember was on a strat copy by Sunn o))), standard 6 screws, worked wonderfully. Sold the guitar, obviously regret it.
Kevin Shields' main Jazzmaster also had a loose bridge that would wiggle with the trem play.
Awsome video Andy, but you missed a major one: the Steinberger's Transtrem.
jorge fernandes not a big one bud
What about the Wilkinson tremolo, the PRS one and the Music Man from the John Petrucci signature model?
They are variations of the Fender system albeit better.
What about the Wilkinson Tremolo isn't it the only one which all the strings descend or climb in tune together. I was hoping to see that.
That SG sounds amazing!
OK, Andy, I hear there are some newer ones that are even better than th Floyd Rose and Kahler.. I think one is called the Supervee, and there are some others too, not sure of the brand names, can you tell us about these, the quality, reliability, staying in tune etc? Thanks Andy.
Super useful presentation
Andy doin' the fingerpick shred on an Aria Pro II with a Kahler. HOT!!!
This is a really great educational video. Thank you for putting this together. My only question now, is will a Stetsbar work on my Ibanez Semi-hollow body with a center sustain block? I do wonder if the block has enough support to both mount and allow the trem to function??? If there is anyone out there reading this who actually knows, please reply to this comment. Thanks everyone!
Amazing; first, I have a Fender Stratocaster that’ was given to me as a Christmas gift a few years ago by my eldest nephew who originally used it until he had enough of the strings being broken whenever he’d do the divebombs(He’s a Rock fan): As you pointed out in the beginning it has a synchronized Tremolo that I’m gonna have to use a lot more wisely because it’s made more for Rock/Blues music, not the more extreme Metal genre
Recently on vacation in Florida I received a pleasant surprise when I was given an Epiphone SG that has a Stopbar at the end of its bridge humbucker; as I play it on occasion I realize that if I wanna Rock out some more with it , then the Stetsbar is the right tremolo for the job
The Kahler 2300 is really my favorite
The Fender Mustang going back to 1964 has IMO one of the simplest and smoothest tremolo systems ever. If combined with a locking nut would rival the Floyd. And included on a very inexpensive guitar. I've always thought it superior to the trem available on Strats of similar vintage.