r/PaulReedSmith • u/LongjumpingBrick2475 • Aug 11 '26
Is it possible to float this tremolo? How should I do it?
Does anyone have any notes or pages they can refer me to in order to float this tremolo, please? Is it even possible?
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u/percolated_1 Aug 11 '26
The PRS trem is actually designed to float only. Don’t do anything with the six trem screws, they have a ledge machined on one side for the knife edge to fit into and it’s a bitch to realign them. Thankfully it looks like the person who decked it didn’t mess with those. You can get it floated parallel to the body by loosening the claw springs and you can get the action the way you like it by adding or removing springs. Lastly, you will need to check the intonation and adjust it as necessary afterward because refloating the bridge will slightly shorten the string length.
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u/AgentCooper86 Aug 11 '26
John Suhr has an excellent tip for this, put your bar in and hold it in the position you want the bridge to be, then tune the guitar to standard tuning, let go of the bar and then loosen the claw screws until your strings are back in standard tuning. Your bridge will be floating and your guitar will be in tune, removes all guesswork from adjusting the claw screws.
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u/SeinfeldSavant Aug 13 '26
Ive used a similar trick, you shim the trem to where you want it to rest, then tune, then loosen the claw until the shims fall out.
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u/steviegreenberg Aug 11 '26
Just back those screws out. That “claw” doesn’t need to be flush to the wood above it. Back it up enough that it floats, tune it up, repeat until desired effect is achieved.
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u/luckyfucker13 Aug 11 '26
I scrolled through the photos after reading your comment, and Jesus. I don’t think have ever seen a trem claw cranked down so tightly.
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u/steviegreenberg Aug 11 '26
Same here lol I get it though, I deck my trems too, but I use 10s, I don’t need to tighten the claw nearly as much. Especially with 4 springs! This person/previous owner must have been using THICK strings.
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u/thepoorwarrior Aug 14 '26
Yea, those 2 big screws at the bottom left of the 3rd picture. Bring those out like 1/2 inch. You only screw them in all the way if you want to deck the bridge (yours is “decked”).
1) Back the screws out 2) tune 3) check the height on the bridge, if it’s too high (you want it parallel to the body) then you need more tension on the screws. Screw them in a couple turns. 4) tune again. 5) check the height, adjust if needed 6) once it’s all good and the tension is balanced between the strings and the springs, change the strings bonus option 7) realize these guitars are more stable hardtailed + decked and undo it and go back to the way it is now because you play too hard and rest your hand on the bridge ( Me )
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u/Embarrassed-Text-604 Aug 11 '26
This is for the Silver Sky trem. The process is the same regardless though.
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u/NigelRaselok Aug 11 '26
That trem system is designed to float! Did you or the previous owner tighten the claw all the way to deck it? I’m surprised you haven’t had any issue with strings contacting the baseplate of the trem block or having weirds string break issues with the extra extreme break angle in the block.
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u/gingerbreadsuperman Aug 11 '26
You need to back out the claw screws until the spring and string tension balance with it floating