What is a guitar tremolo system?
Bridge hardware allowing the guitar player to change the pitch with an attached metal bar.
A tremolo system or "whammy bar" is a metal handle or bar that is attached to an electric guitar's bridge. When moved up or down, this bar moves the bridge, which creates a change in pitch. This process can produce a note bending or vibrato effect.
A tremolo system is used exclusively on an electric guitar, as part of the bridge hardware. Most tremolo systems are set up with something called a "floating tremolo bridge", which essentially means the bridge is suspended, but can actually move back and forth given enough force from the attached tremolo bar.
These are also sometimes called "Synchronized" tremolo systems.
In the same category, you have another type called a locking tremolo system. These are your Floyd Rose and Edge Zero tremolo systems that lock the strings at both the bridge and the headstock.
These can move a lot more than the standard/synchronized tremolo systems, but are actually better at staying in tune because of the locking mechanism.
Read more: Best Floyd Rose Tremolo Systems
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A tremolo bridge system with locking tuners, on a colorful Ibanez electric guitar. Flickr Commons image via Wei Hsin Li
Brands that typically have tremolo systems
Tremolo systems are common in a lot of guitar brands, but particularly the following:
- Fender Stratocasters
- Squier Stratocasters
- Paul Reed Smith (PRS)
- Ibanez
These brands and models of guitar are far less likely to have a tremolo system:
- Gibson/Epiphone Les Pauls
- Gibson/Epiphone SGs
- Fender Telecasters
- Squier Telecasters
What they look like
Here are some pictures of common guitar tremolo systems:
A Floyd Rose locking tremolo system.
And here's a standard synchronized tremolo bridge designed for a Fender American Stratocaster:
A synchronized tremolo system (non-locking) designed for a Stratocaster.
On Stratocasters and Telecasters, you typically have modern and vintage versions of their branded synchronized tremolo systems. The differences are subtle, but some guitar players (especially who use Fender guitars), gravitate to one or the other.
How to use them
Using a tremolo bar is pretty simple.
You either:
- Push down
- Pull up
Most tremolo systems will give a lot more when pushing down (assuming the tremolo bar is pointing towards the fretboard), though you can go either way. How you use it will also depend on your playing style and how aggressive you are.
Slight bends and vibrato are the most common techniques.
To get these sounds, start by pressing or pulling the tremolo bar slowly, or moving it back and forth quickly.
A note about staying in tune
Note that some electric guitars will have trouble staying in tune if the tremolo/whammy bar use is too heavy. This is especially true with cheaper electric guitars that don't use a locking tremolo system.
Wrap Up
Remember the terms for a guitar tremolo system. Whammy bar, trem bar, tremolo, synchronized bridge, floating tremolo system, and locking tremolo system are all terms used to indicate this.
If you're interested, we've listed our favorite guitars with whammy bars here.
For questions or to share your own knowledge, drop a line in the comments section below and we'll chat.
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Written by Chris Phelan on Apps & FAQ
Written by GC Editorial on Guitars & FAQ
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