Trem backrouting ?

[Neo Fender]

Other than changes to the neck pocket angle and string height over the body, are there any other disadvantages/dislikes to trem backrouts?  I don’t really pull up on the bar much at all (if any) but unless there are significant cons, it seems that back routing would be prudent.

For those that keep your trem flush mounted, doesn’t that eventually booger-up the finish beneath the trem’s baseplate?

FWIW, on my Strat Plus and Squier Strat ( both with two point trems and neither are backrouted), the trem’s baseplate floats about 1/8” above the body and is parallel with it.  My Floyd Rose guitar (Kramer Striker) is in pieces currently so I don’t know how much float space is available without back routing.

Thanks. 

 

[Cagey]

36 people have looked at this and not commented. I suspect they're all waiting for an idiot like me to come along and get you to explain what a "backroute" is, how it applies to a vibrato bridge, and why it would change your string height. Wanna give it a go?

 

[TroubledTreble]

You mean a little routed space beneath the trem base plate? I have never had issues with it hurting the finish and I always set the trem to be flat on the body. I don't pull up either and if I wanted to raise the notes I would just bend them or pull back on the neck. I can't really think of any disadvantages other than small animals might get squished underneath when doing trem acrobatics.

 

[AutoBat]

For those that keep your trem flush mounted, doesn’t that eventually booger-up the finish beneath the trem’s baseplate?

If it's flush mounted you'd have to do some work to actually see under the baseplate.

 

[line6man]

Yeah, I've never heard of a "backroute" either, but I would assume he's referring to a recess.

IMO, floating trems are pointless without them. The only time you don't need one is if your neck pocket is angled back so you can set the bridge way up high, but that's sort of ridiculous.

 

[swarfrat]

Mine isn't recessed, but I initially set it up flush mounted, depress only - but found I had to float it a tiny bit and live with the string / spring interaction because the piezos kinda thud whenver I would let go of the bar. Most trems are set up floating, even without recesing - it's definitely not pointless.  Mine is just oh ever so slightly floating - and I can still get about a half step up. If I raised it even slightly to get additional pullup range, I believe the trem block would impact before the baseplate would.

 

[Cagey]

Mine isn't recessed, but I initially set it up flush mounted, depress only - but found I had to float it a tiny bit and live with the string / spring interaction because the piezos kinda thud whenver I would let go of the bar. Most trems are set up floating, even without recesing - it's definitely not pointless.  Mine is just oh ever so slightly floating - and I can still get about a half step up. If I raised it even slightly to get additional pullup range, I believe the trem block would impact before the baseplate would.

You're right - the "sustain block" will hit the forward wall of the cavity pretty easily. I usually set mine up so the base plate has about an 1/8" clearance - it's about all you can get away with unless you move that wall, and for me it's never been worth it. I don't need to pull up too often, but if I get the urge to cycle the thing through some wild gyrations, I don't want the base plate hitting the body and making noise.

 

[DangerousR6]

Yeah, I've never heard of a "backroute" either, but I would assume he's referring to a recess.

IMO, floating trems are pointless without them. The only time you don't need one is if your neck pocket is angled back so you can set the bridge way up high, but that's sort of ridiculous.

You don't have to set the trem "way up high", I have many with the non-recessed rout, and you don't have to set them flat on the body. You just have to know how to do it right.... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Cagey]

Right. It doesn't take a great deal of top clearance to get some wild range out of the thing.

 

[line6man]

I suppose I'm probably the only one here that bends up until the strings are nearly hitting the frets/pickups. I'm a pitch bending whore. :blob7:

Here's how I've got my Charvel set up, currently. I can bend up a ways, but I end up with the bridge hitting the body often.

 

[DangerousR6]

That's actually wrong. The bridge should be level, you need to back the posts out a bit and then adjust the claw until the bridge is level.
But loosen the strings a bit first, then re tune after it's level.

 

[line6man]

That's actually wrong. The bridge should be level, you need to back the posts out a bit and then adjust the claw until the bridge is level.
But loosen the strings a bit first, then re tune after it's level.

I want it angled as much as possible so I can pull up.

 

[swarfrat]

That was my first thought too. It's not the designed setup, but ... as long as your break across the bridge isn't causing problems, what's the harm other than looking dorky?

 

[keeper006]

Isn't that how Jeff Beck's are setup? I think so, he pulls up and doesn't have recessed routing.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Maybe, but JB is using a different trem.

 

[DangerousR6]

That's actually wrong. The bridge should be level, you need to back the posts out a bit and then adjust the claw until the bridge is level.
But loosen the strings a bit first, then re tune after it's level.

I want it angled as much as possible so I can pull up.

then why not just get it with the recess, that would make more sence if you are going to be yanking it to the sky.... :dontknow:

 

[Dan025]

it was a picture of his charvel. imsure if he ordered a qwarmoth it would have a recess.

 

[DangerousR6]

it was a picture of his charvel. imsure if he ordered a qwarmoth it would have a recess.

Charvel makes them with the recess too... :dontknow:

But it's his guitar, so he can have it just they way he wants... :icon_biggrin: