Changes: Portal:Tremolo bridges

Latest revision as of 19:45, 28 April 2020

Portal:Parts
Portal: Tremolo bridges

Tremolo bridges installed in Ibanez Guitars

Timelines of Ibanez tremolo bridges

Double locking tremolos

Ibanez has earned a reputation for offering some of the highest quality double locking tremolos of any guitar manufacturer. Many people consider Ibanez's Edge tremolos among the best Floyd Rose style bridges produced.

The lineage of Ibanez double-locking tremolos can be a bit overwhelming with so many variations, most of which have "Edge" in their names. Here's a simplistic breakdown of the major Ibanez double locking tremolos:

High-end trems (used primarily on guitars produced in Japan):

Edge (a.k.a. Original Edge or OE)
Lo-Pro Edge (LPE)
Edge Pro (EP)
Edge Zero (EZ)
ZR/ ZR2 (stands for Zero Resistance, but are referred to most often by the initials)

Mid-grade trems (installed in guitars sourced from Korea and Indonesia):

Low-end trems (used in less expensive guitars produced outside Japan):

This list is not exhaustive, but that covers the most popular double locking tremolos found in Ibanez guitars.

History

The first double locking tremolo employed by Ibanez was the Pro Rock'r, which debuted in 1984.

The Edge, which was Ibanez's first Floyd Rose licensed tremolo design, was introduced in 1986. Initially it was surface mounted, but with the introduction of the JEM777 and RG550 in 1987 a cavity was routed below the tremolo to allow the player to manipulate the tremolo either by pushing down (to lower the pitch) or pulling up (to raise the pitch). The Lo-Pro Edge is a low-profile version of the Edge (as its name suggests) which came along around 1991.

The Edge Pro was introduced for 2003 as a replacement to the OE & LPE; it has a low-profile design similar to the LPE. The Edge Pro was created at least partially to avoid licensing Floyd Rose patents, but that goal was not really achieved. The OE/LPE returned around 2010 and the EP was retired. The only obvious weakness of the EP is that it didn't come with the locking posts of the OE/LPE, although those can be added as an aftermarket upgrade.

The Zero Resistance (or ZR) tremolo was also introduced for 2003. The ZR differs from the other double locking trems in that it pivots on ball bearings rather than a knife edge. Its other major innovation is a "Zero Point System" which is a secondary set of springs meant to maintain tuning stability by helping the tremolo return accurately to the rest position.

The Edge Zero came out in 2008. It borrowed the ZPS design from the ZR, while using the traditional knife-edge pivots.

Double locking tremolo timeline (1984–2020)

Single locking tremolos

Single locking tremolos are those in which the string is locked down only on one end.

In a double locking tremolo the string is locked down both at the nut and at the saddle whereas in a single locking design only one or the other is locked. In some cases, such as with the Hard Rocker Pro and Edge II the string is held securely at the saddle, but the nut is not locked. In others, such as the Pro Rock'r, Powerocker DX and SLT101 a locking nut is used, but the string is not locked down at the bridge.

In cases where a locking nut is used, fine tuners at the bridge end allow the player to make tuning adjustments without unlocking the nut.

Single locking tremolo timeline (1983–2020)

Synchronized tremolos

List of all tremolo bridges

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 The [[Edge]], which was Ibanez's first Floyd Rose licensed tremolo design, was introduced in 1986. Initially it was surface mounted, but with the introduction of the [[JEM777]] and [[RG550 (1987–1994)|RG550]] in 1987 a cavity was routed below the tremolo to allow the player to manipulate the tremolo either by pushing down (to lower the pitch) or pulling up (to raise the pitch). The Lo-Pro Edge is a low-profile version of the Edge (as its name suggests) which came along around 1991.
-The Edge Pro was introduced for 2003 as a replacement to the OE & LPE; it has a low-profile design similar to the LPE. The Edge Pro was created at least partially to avoid licensing Floyd Rose patents, but that goal was not really achieved. The OE/LPE returned around 2010 and the EP was retired. The only real weakness of the EP is that it didn't come with the locking posts of the OE/LPE, although those can be added as an aftermarket upgrade.
+The Edge Pro was introduced for 2003 as a replacement to the OE & LPE; it has a low-profile design similar to the LPE. The Edge Pro was created at least partially to avoid licensing Floyd Rose patents, but that goal was not really achieved. The OE/LPE returned around 2010 and the EP was retired. The only obvious weakness of the EP is that it didn't come with the locking posts of the OE/LPE, although those can be added as an aftermarket upgrade.
 The Zero Resistance (or ZR) tremolo was also introduced for 2003. The ZR differs from the other double locking trems in that it pivots on ball bearings rather than a knife edge. Its other major innovation is a "[[ZPS3|Zero Point System]]" which is a secondary set of springs meant to maintain tuning stability by helping the tremolo return accurately to the rest position.
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 The Edge Zero came out in 2008. It borrowed the ZPS design from the ZR, while using the traditional knife-edge pivots.
-; Double locking tremolo timeline (1984–2019)
+; Double locking tremolo timeline (1984–2020)
 <timeline>
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 Alignbars = justify
 DateFormat  = mm/dd/yyyy
-Period = from:01/01/1984 till:12/31/2019
+Period = from:01/01/1984 till:01/01/2021
 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
  at:01/01/2010                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
  at:01/01/2015                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
+ at:01/01/2020                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
 BarData =
@@ Line 112: / Line 113: @@
  bar:ProRockr    from:01/01/1984 till:12/31/1985        color:dl          width:15
  bar:Edge        from:01/01/1986 till:12/31/2002        color:dl          width:15
- bar:Edge        from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:Edge        from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2007        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:Edge        from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
  bar:TRT1        from:01/01/1988 till:12/31/1988        color:dl          width:15
  bar:TRS101      from:01/01/1988 till:12/31/2002        color:dl          width:15
  bar:Edge7       from:01/01/1990 till:12/31/1990        color:dl          width:15
  bar:LPE         from:01/01/1991 till:12/31/2002        color:dl          width:15
- bar:LPE         from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:LPE         from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
  bar:LPE7        from:01/01/1991 till:12/31/2002        color:dl          width:15
- bar:LPE7        from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:LPE7        from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
  bar:LPE7_Ubar   from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2006        color:dl          width:15
- bar:LPE7_Ubar   from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:LPE7_Ubar   from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
  bar:LoTRS       from:01/01/1992 till:12/31/2002        color:dl          width:15
  bar:LoTRS2      from:01/01/1994 till:12/31/2004        color:dl          width:15
@@ Line 141: / Line 143: @@
  bar:EdgeIII     from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2017        color:dl          width:15
  bar:ZR2         from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2015        color:bb          width:15
- bar:EdgeZero    from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:EdgeZero    from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
- bar:EdgeZero7   from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:EdgeZero7   from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
- bar:EdgeZeroII  from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:EdgeZeroII  from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
- bar:EdgeZeroII7 from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:EdgeZeroII7 from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2020        color:dl          width:15
- bar:StdDL       from:01/01/2013 till:12/30/2019        color:dl          width:15
+ bar:StdDL       from:01/01/2013 till:12/30/2020        color:dl          width:15
 </timeline>
@@ Line 155: / Line 157: @@
 In cases where a locking nut is used, fine tuners at the bridge end allow the player to make tuning adjustments without unlocking the nut.
-; Single locking tremolo timeline (1983–2019)
+; Single locking tremolo timeline (1983–2020)
 <timeline>
 ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:35
@@ Line 161: / Line 163: @@
 Alignbars = justify
 DateFormat  = mm/dd/yyyy
-Period = from:01/01/1983 till:12/31/2019
+Period = from:01/01/1983 till:01/01/2021
 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
@@ Line 188: / Line 190: @@
  at:01/01/2010                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
  at:01/01/2015                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
+ at:01/01/2020                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
 BarData =
@@ Line 218: / Line 221: @@
 Alignbars = justify
 DateFormat  = mm/dd/yyyy
-Period = from:01/01/1983 till:12/31/2018
+Period = from:01/01/1983 till:01/01/2021
 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
@@ Line 247: / Line 250: @@
  at:01/01/2010                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
  at:01/01/2015                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
+ at:01/01/2020                  color:vertical     width:0.1          # perpendicular to time axis full length
 BarData =
@@ Line 302: / Line 306: @@
  bar:WG_VSVG     from:01/01/1997 till:12/31/1999        color:sync_6screw width:15
  bar:WG_VSVG     from:01/01/2004 till:12/31/2007        color:sync_6screw width:15
- bar:WG_VSVG     from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_6screw width:15
+ bar:WG_VSVG     from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_6screw width:15
  bar:W-VS100G    from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/1999        color:sync_2point width:15
  bar:VFT2        from:01/01/2000 till:12/31/2000        color:sync_2point width:15
@@ Line 318: / Line 322: @@
  bar:SynchroniZR from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_bb     width:15
  bar:SATProII    from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2017        color:sync_2point width:15
- bar:WV6-SB      from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_6screw width:15
+ bar:WV6-SB      from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_6screw width:15
  bar:ITL-PRO     from:09/01/2015 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_6screw width:15
  bar:ITL-10      from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_6screw width:15
- bar:T102        from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_2point width:15
+ bar:T102        from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_2point width:15
- bar:T106        from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_6screw width:15
+ bar:T106        from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_6screw width:15
- bar:T1502       from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_2point width:15
+ bar:T1502       from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_2point width:15
- bar:T1802       from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018        color:sync_2point width:15
+ bar:T1802       from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2020        color:sync_2point width:15
 </timeline>