The Strat-style tremolo bridge—from the original vintage “synchronized” tremolo to more modern double-locking systems—is a great creative tool, but each type comes with its own set of compromises.
CSL (Coherent Sound in Light) has solved all the tremolo’s former flaws with their innovative new Sophia tremolo bridges designed for Strat or Floyd Rose replacement—and even surface mounting on Gibson-style guitars with Tune-o-matic bridges. The Sophia tremolo’s design is such a vast improvement over previous systems that it’s an understatement to call it the most significant tremolo system upgrade introduced since the Floyd Rose.
We tried the CSL Sophia 2:22 Pro [+], which is a direct replacement for a classic Strat tremolo. Its smooth, tube-shaped bridge elements feel comfortable when palm muting, and innovative stabilization keeps the strings solidly in place even though the bridge is floating. The stabilization also allows you to bend a string without the other strings going out of tune, use the optional [+] drop tuner to instantly drop the low E string’s pitch with all strings perfectly intonated, play double stops and more.
Sophia also facilitates extreme pitch rises and drops without going out of tune and without requiring a locking nut. Best of all, the tone remains rich and full—even better than the most beloved vintage trems.
STREET PRICE: $425-$450 MANUFACTURER: Coherent Sound in Light, CSLSophia.com
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Chris is the co-author of Eruption - Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1,400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll and Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories.
