Vibrato Systems For Guitar - Vibrato System Additions

Vibrato System Additions

Various add-on gadgets have been developed to improve functionality of vibrato systems. What is perhaps one of the main issues with nearly all vibrato systems is that bending one string leads to the others dropping slightly in pitch, a problem which is not present on fixed-bridge instruments. One after-market tool that allows for temporarily locking is the Tremol-No. Through two thumbscrews a player can choose between having the bridge completely locked, allowing it to move downwards in pitch, or free movement. One of the guitarists who use this gadget is Guthrie Govan, and it is a standard feature on his signature guitar models from Suhr Guitars. A few vibrato system designs also have various ability to "lock" the system's action: Steinberger TransTrem, Ibanez Edge Zero, Fender Floating/Jaguar/Jazzmaster, and the ChordBender.

Many vibrato systems can be set up in such a way that they allow for changing string pitch both up and down. Famous guitarist Eddie Van Halen prefers instead to have his set up so it is flush with the guitar body, which has two advantages: first, a broken string will have no effect on the pitch of the other strings; second, it allows fitting a device called a D-Tuna to the bridge. This device can drop the low E-string down a whole step to D to extend the tonal variety of the guitar, even during live performance.