Why Do Guitar Players Like Fixed Bridges?!
Added 2024-03-07 15:04:31 +0000 UTCLets talk about that!!!
A lot of the most legendary players in history have used fixed bridge guitars, even noteworthy tremolo bar wizards like Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen... but why?! In this video, I'm gonna use my beloved new Schecter USA KM6 Pro to show you 6 reasons why hardtails RULE!!!
Which do you prefer, a guitar with a bar, or not? I honestly like both, but if I was stuck on a desert island and could only have one guitar.... it would be a fixed bridge for sure.
Comments
I've come to hate floating bridges for all those reasons. But i recently got an Ibanez with Edge Zero and to my surprise it lets you drop tuning without going out of tune too much.
Pedro
2024-03-29 20:26:45 +0000 UTCAlways have a mix of both. Unless you’re zakk wylde (even tho the warhammer has a Floyd)
NYCM&AHole
2024-03-11 06:51:09 +0000 UTCMade me laugh out loud more than once Ben. Fixed Bridge for me
Glenn Lysack
2024-03-11 03:26:29 +0000 UTCI like both, but if I had to say one or the other I would probably say fixed bridge.
Brian Hudson
2024-03-10 09:15:37 +0000 UTCMine 2 .... only guitar I have had that is
David Brent
2024-03-09 22:54:58 +0000 UTCThe only guitar I have had luck with that has a tremolo is my PRS. It stays in tune and I bend A LOT... I blocked off my Strat tail piece , ALA Eric Clapton, with a block of wood ... Oo-rah
David Brent
2024-03-09 22:54:31 +0000 UTCI was a hard tail guy for years playing LPs and SGs. I was always nervous about Floyd Rose guitars because of several of the reasons you discussed but I came across a good deal on a Floyd Rose guitar and I absolutely fell in love with it mainly because of the tremolo. I felt like I missed out on a lot through the years not having one, playing Dimebag licks, Randy Rhoads etc. I have bought a few more since and I kind of enjoy working on them and making the adjustments. It makes me feel closer to the instrument so to speak. I almost feel like a professional tech at times whereas before with hard tails, I never really had to do anything to them. Maybe in time I will get tired of them but I actually love them. I want to try out the Kahler system as well as the Vega trem in the near future.
Brock Sirmons
2024-03-09 16:39:02 +0000 UTCLoved your tone in this, is it the Ox bringing out the magic or the Precision? Would love to see more stuff on general tone sculpting from you!
HorsePower
2024-03-08 21:51:53 +0000 UTCI love hard tail guitars but I have a weakness for any and every kind of trem as well. The wang bar is just so satisfying.(that’s what she said)
Joel Alain
2024-03-08 02:00:32 +0000 UTCI love my Ibanez Satriani hardtail guitars. Best body shape ever for fitting in my arms. And I know I'll buy a real Les Paul someday. What kind of pickup output is on that Schecter? PS: Only rude dorks put loud pipes on their motorcycles. Damned annoying.
Michael Maier
2024-03-08 01:44:32 +0000 UTCMy first electric was a 335 type, my second had a decked floyd. Although I've had many guitars since them (late 80's). I just love my Ibanez Edges too much. I do keep 2 guitars with hard tail just so I have the option but they're never used as much. I feel losing a floating trem is like losing my playing style.
Chris Pearce
2024-03-07 21:28:14 +0000 UTCYes please to a Meet the Machines for that Schecter! I'm curious about the electronic layout, too (why no 5-way blade?).
Andrew Maul
2024-03-07 20:25:47 +0000 UTCAwesome. Thanks for going over the string tension thing! I've been wanting a hardtail for years, but every time I look for one I find a better guitar with a Floyd (my latest SL3 is testament to that). One thing I do to my floaters is put 5 springs on there to maximize tension, so that way the strings are actually easier to bend (it sounds counter productive, but physics!) When I used to play a lot of live gigs I would block my Strat/PRS trems in case I broke a string but in hindsight realized this never really helped me much. Also Re: Resonance: actually, we want less resonance if we want more sustain. Again, physics. Any vibrations that are pulled into the wood or metal is energy that is leaving the strings. I apologize for being such a nerd Uncle Ben.
Gregg B.
2024-03-07 19:47:06 +0000 UTCI loved Zakk Wylde and Stone Gossard. -> I bought a Charvel Deluxe 375 with a floating Floyd Rose as my first guitar. Well, you're right if you think that didn't make any sense. So I soon bought a Gibson Les Paul. Guitars without a trem make me way happier. Because of placement of picking hand. Because of unison bends. Because of tuning stability and setup coherency regarding action. The exeption being my Peavey Wolfgang that can do Divebombs but no upwards trem motion. That thing is awesome. Its D-tuna is awesome too. Nice piece of engineering.
Anand Kumar
2024-03-07 18:07:31 +0000 UTCI do love my Jackson Soloist for my Maiden tunes, but leave me stranded on a beach with my greeny and I’ll be a happy camper.
Diogo Camacho
2024-03-07 18:00:12 +0000 UTCHard tail or bust! Although my PRS guitars with tremelo are pretty stable. Never locked them down.
Christopher Kracht
2024-03-07 17:53:12 +0000 UTCI'm a fixed bridge guy. Always have been. Could never keep a wammy in tune.
Mike Tremante
2024-03-07 17:50:37 +0000 UTCI like fixed bridges but the stepmoms love the floating bridges...gets 'em all riled up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dollar Store Rock Star
2024-03-07 17:15:43 +0000 UTCI remember tho playing a Washburn dime 3 at NAMM in 2001 and it had so much more sustain than any of the bolt ons I played but my charvel model 6 and other neck thrus don’t seem to have any more sustain than any other bolt ons I own.
NYCM&AHole
2024-03-07 17:09:15 +0000 UTCI wanted to make a dad joke like “because they’re never broken” but I do like fixed. 6 of my 9 guitars are Floyd rose. I need to figure out which one gets whole step down tuning. I also don’t play Van Halen half step on my Ibanez 7 string tuned half step down. That baby is for nevermore because I missed the boat buying a Schechter Cygnus
NYCM&AHole
2024-03-07 17:01:43 +0000 UTCFixed 100%. My hand doesn't rest correctly on a floating tremelo, cuts my speed in half.
Devon Ward
2024-03-07 16:44:17 +0000 UTCI have not used a floating bridge in 20 years. I went through a Satriani phase and owned many an Ibanez guitar and I believe the edge pro/lo pro is the best floyd bridge out there (I wish I never sold my RG3120). But to me it is like an octave pedal. I only use it every once in a while. But unlike an octave pedal, it makes tuning and string changes more difficult. And although EVH solved the drop D issue, I often drop my A to a G for a faux open G tuning on songs like dancing days, can't get enough of your love and a bunch of stones tunes. A fixed bridge is the only way to go for that. I even have four springs on my strat to lock it down. Add to that, I finally found a LP I play nice with (after 8 tries) and there's no way I am putting a trem on that. Thanks for this and all the videos Ben!
John Horak
2024-03-07 16:03:02 +0000 UTCManaged to find a used US hardtail Strat for a steal and it’s incredibly resonant even against my hardtail RG7 and my LP. Will say - I always liked Floyd Rose and Edge Trems under the palm even if I always had them blocked off
James Curtis
2024-03-07 16:00:56 +0000 UTCAwesome video. I'm thinking about a new guitar and will probably really consider a fixed bridge now. I owned a KM7 MK-II years ago and didn't love how it felt and ended up selling. Would love if I could test drive a MK-III somewhere
Mark Herrera
2024-03-07 15:40:31 +0000 UTCAbsolutely a fixed bridge. I like both but if I’m on a deserted island and can only choose one, I’m going with the one with fewer moving parts…hard tails rock!
Peter Santa Ana
2024-03-07 15:21:49 +0000 UTCLove it, thanks Uncle Ben. Now do bolt-on vs. neck thru vs. set neck 😎
Peter B.
2024-03-07 15:21:06 +0000 UTCNice video! Congrats on the new axe - looks awesome! I prefer fixed overall. I realized a few years ago that I wasn't really using the tremolo bar too much. And if I ever wanted the effect, certain pedals did what I needed. It didn't really make sense to go through the hassle of set ups every time if I wasn't getting the "return". I still have a couple of guitars with a Floyd Rose. Funny enough, I just love the way it "feels" when I'm playing; but I'll take Hipshot over Floyd any day.
Alper Memioglu
2024-03-07 15:19:19 +0000 UTCI have only owned a Floyd once, on a Rhodes V that I resold almost immediately. Not my thing.
John LaTour
2024-03-07 15:16:15 +0000 UTC
