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Top Mounted vs Recessed Floyd Rose The Truth Guitarists Need to Know!

Thrifty Tones

4,343 views

Think all Floyd Roses are the same? Think again.
In this video, I dig into the *real differences between top-mounted and recessed Floyd Rose bridges* — tone, feel, tuning stability, and the kind of playing each setup really suits.

Whether you’re into screaming dive-bombs, ultra-tight rhythm chops, or surgical shred solos, this breakdown will help you decide which bridge style belongs on your next guitar.
You’ll see why *top-mounted Floyds might surprise even hardcore metal players* 👀

💥 *What’s inside:*

Hands-on sound + feel comparison
Pros & cons for each design
How each affects sustain, tone, and setup
Guitars on the market featuring both bridge types
My honest verdict (no hype — just facts)

⚡ *Join the conversation:*
Which Floyd do you prefer — Top-Mount or Recessed? Drop it in the comments and let’s hear your experiences.

🎧 *If you love:*
Floyd Roses, shred guitars, metal tone tests, or gear that punches above its price — *subscribe to Thrifty Tones* and hit that bell for more weekly deep-dives and honest reviews.

#FloydRose #GuitarGear #MetalGuitar #ShredGuitar #GuitarComparison #ThriftyTones #GuitarReview #GuitarTone #floydrosebridge

Timestamps
00:00-01:34 Introduction
01:35-03:59 Brief History of the Floyd Rose
04:00-07:57 Recessed Floyd Roses rule!
07:58-09:26 Downsides of the Recessed Floyd Rose
09:27-13:04 Top Mounted Floyd Roses Rule too
13:05-16:52 Top Mount guitar options

20 Comments

@ThriftyTones Creator 11 months ago

Forgot to mention, EVH (the guitar brand) have some brilliant top mounted guitars too! Have I missed any others?

@1982_Charvel 2 days ago (edited)

The so called "Flutter" was invented by BRAD GILLIS. He was the very first player to ever use the effect on his red Fender strat with the first generation Floyd rose. He got it two ways one by tapping the bar and also by banging the guitars body. He also proved you can get the effect with a top mount floyd like his.
Oh and also The green meanie was a Charvel strat not a partscaster. Grover lent Steve a Charvel san dimas and Vai loved the guitar so much he basically
took ownership without the OK from Grover and painted it green. it was originally a sunburst.

@sunburst_wolfgang 3 weeks ago (edited)

Yeah, I prefer the EVH's with dive only -- that way I the strings stay in tune when you are bending one. To me that's the best of both worlds. The main reason I like them is for tuning stability with boomer bends. And staying in tune when a string breaks certainly is a huge plus if it's an important gig. Though I have a few Ibanez RG's w/ floating trems, and I do love them. For me the floating bridges always stay in tune better than the top mounted. For some reason when I dive bomb my top mounted floyds, the low E often comes back a few cents sharp. The floaters always return true. I'm still investigating it.

@tks-z9e 7 months ago

Definitely a top mount player. My EBMM EVH guitar has a top mount. Never let me down when I was gigging. Cheers

@JodyZalapski 10 months ago

The Green Meanie was not a parts caster. It was sunburst Charvel lent to him by Wayne Charvel. He painted and modded it.

@ShredSixx80s 8 months ago

What are the coincidence to see the same crackle color and same pickup colors at another built just like mine :-D

@ShredSixx80s 8 months ago

My only difference is that the pickup is a blue pink DiMarzio

@bigsauce1116 4 months ago

I prefer the feel of top mounted especially for shred purposes. I dont like it when the strings are too close to the body. Feels awkward for my picking hand.

@silverfox935 11 months ago

Temu get a tremolo lock. Turns a floater into a top mount. I have one on an Alexi so you can beat the Sh!t out of it and it is still tuned to a T.

@AA-btw 8 months ago

superb video man. thank you so much for this. What is the best trem on a lower cost guitar you've come across where you think the quality is reasonable enough? I want to try one as i've always had fixed bridge guitars but don't want to spend a bucket if i dont end up liking it

@patricksclarke 11 months ago

Beautiful guitars! I swapped out the vintage tremolo on my strat to a Floyd Rose Rail Tail. Added Graphtech ratio locking tuners. Rock solid! Can down tune without headaches. Palm mutes are no problem. I recommend trying it for anyone interested in Floyd's but don't want to permanently alter their strat. 🤘

@Tango626-c 8 months ago

What is the name/model of that hot rail pickup in your Jackson?

@dylangajdosik964 11 months ago (edited)

It doesn't need to be recessed to be floating. Top mounted systems can float too, and float just as much as a recessed system. I have 2 Dean USA MLs that float just a much or possibly even a hair more than a guitar with a recessed tremelo. It's all about the neck angle of the guitar.

@ShredSixx80s 8 months ago

Dude our crack graphics are just the totally same in every way and color hahaha I want to show it to you

@DrMurdercock 11 months ago

I just watched a video of a guy saying recessed floyds make it too easy to hit the pick ups with the pick.
How the hell does this dude think changing the floyd mounting option, changes the action and pick up height? lol Youw ould just adjust your action and pick up height to 2mm or what ever you'd always do on any guitar.
Some of the shit I hear "experts" say on YT blows my mind. Good video

@JerMz-c7b 3 months ago

Always avoided FR's. Never gave them a second thought, ever. String-thru and/or hard tails only. Period.
I'm older now and thinking about maybe trying a dive-only/top mount, particularly the LTD Custom 87.
Not much info on them, especially videos to show complete maintenance and step by step videos of top mounted FR's.
Combing the internet and finding very little on the matter. Would be amazing if someone would do a complete tutorial on dive-only/top mounted FR's. Looking at those things is like trying to read a book in a different language. Your video was very informative but missing the hands on part of it. Just my two cents. 👍🏻

@LamentablePistachio 11 months ago

What trem do you have on that top mounted red strat? The sustain on that thing is absurd

@TheWayTruthAndLife25 4 months ago

I use to be a loyal floyd rose original user. Until I decided to try a gotoh 1996T. Out performs my floyd originals, better design, better all around and just as durable. The hype behind floyd originals is just that, now from what I hear theyre not even made in Germany anymore... that "made in germany" was a whole selling point for me at least. Ill take my made in japan gotoh anyday of the week over any floyd.

@ShredSixx80s 8 months ago

Wow dude I have a custom built esp kamikaze style guitar with the same crackle color and same pickup colors hahahahahah

@frankwren8215 3 months ago (edited)

Top mounted floyds are not tame. I literally lift my bridge off the body with every dive bomb lol
It's very sad that EVH popularized the Floyd system but Steve Vai totally ruined it for everyone. I like Steve, but he's not representative of guitar players in general.
Floating trems are for a song or two, not a whole artist. So much great music has been sacrificed to this false god.