Tremolo and Fixed Bridge Systems

There are always so many things to learn when it comes to guitars and today I hope to touch a little on Tremolos and Fixed Bridge Systems. Some electric guitars come with tremolo systems already installed in them while others do not. Before I proceed any further into speaking about tremolo systems I am going to discuss the fixed bridge system which is standard hardware on many electric guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul, Explorer, SG, Flying V, and many other similar types of guitars by various manufacturers.

While there is a lot that can be done with a fixed bridge system guitar they are not without limitation, which is why as a guitarist I like having the flexibility that comes from having a guitar with a fixed bridge system as well as having a guitar with a tremolo system. With the fixed bridge system you can raise the pitch by moving your fingers a semitone or whole tone at a time up the fretboard towards the guitar body, bend the strings, play scales in an ascending motion, tighten the desired string using the tuning machines, press down on or pull up on the desired string behind the nut at the headstock.

When descending in pitch on a fixed bridge system guitar you can move your fingers a semitone or whole tone at a time down the fretboard towards the headstock, play scales in a descending motion or loosen the desired string using the tuning machines.

While some guitars do come with a tremolo systems already installed, there is a way to install a tremolo on a solid body guitar that originally came with a fixed bridge system. Although I like the Kahler tremolo system, I tend to favor the Floyd Rose tremolo system, but either way one chooses to go they will be far better off opting for a Floyd Rose or Kahler system than they would be if they were to stick with a standard Fender tremolo system. The problem with standard tremolo systems is that when a vibrato (Vibrato [Italian, from past participle of "vibrare", to vibrate] is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music) or dive bomb technique is utilized the strings tend to hang up in the notches of the nut at the headstock.

With the exception of tightening the desired string using the tuning machines and pressing down on or pulling up on the desired string behind the nut at the headstock, everything else that is done on a guitar with a fixed bridge system can be done on a guitar that has a tremolo system.

Tremolo systems have been used very effectively by many well-known guitar players, and are widely utilized in classic rock, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, etc. Whether you choose to use vibrato or a dive bomb technique it is important to make sure that your guitar is properly intonated, and if it is then the guitar should still be in tune when the tremolo bridge is returned back to its normal position.

TO LEARN MORE WATCH A VIDEO I DID ON THE ELECTRIC GUITAR TREMELO SYSTEMS: