Floating Bridge?

[Sebster5696]

Hi I have a Wilkinson 5+1 Vibrato Bridge and I'm wondering how you make it float and what the difference is between non-floating and floating

Thanks,
Seb

[sumgai]

sebster,

Wilkinson bridges are the same as everyone else's, when it comes to the setup. The elongated holes in the 5+1 don't make any difference in how we go about adjusting the bridge height.

Essentially, you first determine how many springs you want, going from the claw to the inertia block. Then adjust the claw's position to give you the feel you want when depressing the vibrato's handle.

And finally, position the claw even further along the springs, such that the inertia block leaves the wall of the cavity, and starts "floating' somewhere within the cavity, touching either wall. Look at the bridge plate (from the top), and note that the back edge has raised substantially away from the body - this is the floating position. It's said to float because the slightest pressure in either direction will unbalance the forces holding the thing steady, and the pitch will go either up or down.

I personally set my bridge (stock Fender) to float, the back edge is something like a half-inch above the deck. I can push down on the back end, and get at least 3 semi-tones of raised pitch, or I can lift the back edge away from the body (with the heel of my hand), and go down almost a fifth, at least a fourth. I have yet to see a guitar (with this type of bridge) that can't do approximately the same thing, plus or minus a few cents.

HTH


sumgai