FAO guitar builders/modders: Recommend me a Floyd Rose trem
Discussion
OK, so I have de-mothballed an old guitar of mine, it's a Washburn RS10-V 'lawsuit' guitar (PRS copy, rumoured to be made from bodies stolen/borrowed from PRS) from the late 80s. When 'retired' in the mid-90s the original licensed 'Speedloader' Floyd had been removed, and a Wilkinson locking trem fitted (very badly indeed).
The Wilkinson is totally unsuitable, the original trem is no longer with the guitar, but in any case was horrible, the 'speedloader' design was OK in principle but actually not that great. I'd like to fit a better Floyd on there, but I would like the best bang for the least buck.
I've seen Schaller units for about £100 but that's more than I'd like to spend. At the opposite end of the scale I've seen some more generic units on ebay which claim to be fully licensed but only cost around £20!
Now I'm fairly sure that most midrange guitars are fitted with units that cost the manufacturer around £20 or so. From what I have learned about these guitars they're maybe worth £400-£500 nowadays in VGC but this one has a few battlescars and I would put the overall condition between average and good rather than very good+ - I'm less worried about maximising the resale value and more keen to restore as much playability as possible - the guitar was most probably made circa 87-88 and so definitely getting into the arena of 'vintage'. It also sounds great, really thick tone from the neck pickup and the mahogany/set neck construction.
So I was hoping if any of you have built guitars with a Floyd, or replaced one on an existing guiitar, perhaps you could share some knowledge... Thanks!
The Wilkinson is totally unsuitable, the original trem is no longer with the guitar, but in any case was horrible, the 'speedloader' design was OK in principle but actually not that great. I'd like to fit a better Floyd on there, but I would like the best bang for the least buck.
I've seen Schaller units for about £100 but that's more than I'd like to spend. At the opposite end of the scale I've seen some more generic units on ebay which claim to be fully licensed but only cost around £20!
Now I'm fairly sure that most midrange guitars are fitted with units that cost the manufacturer around £20 or so. From what I have learned about these guitars they're maybe worth £400-£500 nowadays in VGC but this one has a few battlescars and I would put the overall condition between average and good rather than very good+ - I'm less worried about maximising the resale value and more keen to restore as much playability as possible - the guitar was most probably made circa 87-88 and so definitely getting into the arena of 'vintage'. It also sounds great, really thick tone from the neck pickup and the mahogany/set neck construction.
So I was hoping if any of you have built guitars with a Floyd, or replaced one on an existing guiitar, perhaps you could share some knowledge... Thanks!
I've built and fitted many guitars with FR type tremolos. I find the Schaller unit to be excellent, but if the budget is tight you could of course take a chance with a cheaper unit. I wouldn't myself, because for me the trouble of fitting it isn't worth it for an iffy unit.
The main problem is the nut, of course. It's not clear from your post if one has been fitted (correctly) already or not.
Most installations require a routed recess in the body for best results. Do you have access to a router?
The main problem is the nut, of course. It's not clear from your post if one has been fitted (correctly) already or not.
Most installations require a routed recess in the body for best results. Do you have access to a router?
I put an eBay 'Floyd' on one of my guitars, an '80's Yamaha that originally had an Yamaha locking trem on it that was now obsolete. I persevered with it, but the string clamps would slip and the general build quality was poor. Ended up binning it, filling the hole in, and putting a tune-o-matic on it instead. My advice is buy a quality one, don't waste your money.
singlecoil said:
I've built and fitted many guitars with FR type tremolos. I find the Schaller unit to be excellent, but if the budget is tight you could of course take a chance with a cheaper unit. I wouldn't myself, because for me the trouble of fitting it isn't worth it for an iffy unit.
The main problem is the nut, of course. It's not clear from your post if one has been fitted (correctly) already or not.
Most installations require a routed recess in the body for best results. Do you have access to a router?
Sorry if I wasn't clear before, the guitar used to have a Floyd fitted. It still has the original locking nut. I'll add some pics in the next post. I'm on the laptop now not the phone. The main problem is the nut, of course. It's not clear from your post if one has been fitted (correctly) already or not.
Most installations require a routed recess in the body for best results. Do you have access to a router?
See the thing is, the Schaller units weigh in at around £100, I know it's not a *huge* sum in the global scheme of things, but considering the amazing complete instruments I've been picking up lately for around the same price, it's pushing it a little. At the same time there's the bottom of the range unbranded stuff for literally 20% of that price which is risking cheap n' nasty - I guess what I mean to ask is can anyone recommend something that's somewhere between the two points in terms of price but closer to the Schaller in usability.
The original unit on the guitar was obviously a Washburn licensed unit so I suppose really I should try and find one taken from a Washburn by someone looking to upgrade...
If you can find a second hand unit that would fit then that would be the thing to go for.
As far a specific recommendations for cheaper units, I think that would be difficult for anyone to provide especially because suppliers who don't have a reputation to protect are always looking to save money and there are always manufacturers willing to provide them with units that are more cheaply made, so just because someone successfully bought unit X from supplier Y 18 months ago doesn't mean that that supplier is still stocking the exact same unit.
As far a specific recommendations for cheaper units, I think that would be difficult for anyone to provide especially because suppliers who don't have a reputation to protect are always looking to save money and there are always manufacturers willing to provide them with units that are more cheaply made, so just because someone successfully bought unit X from supplier Y 18 months ago doesn't mean that that supplier is still stocking the exact same unit.
Here's the poor thing as pulled out of the corner. Yes the stickers are awful, I was only 17. Not only that but I was into punk and the least destructive way to make a guitar punk was stick a load of stickers on. Anyway they're removed now (apart from the anti car theft one which I still really like for some reason
For comparison here it is with my real PRS - 1996 Custom 22 - sticker free all its life!
Here's a close up of the absolute hatchet job done by the 'professional' who fitted the Wilko.
So the original Floyd mounting points are still present and untouched. Behind the trem maybe isn't routed out as much as you would see on say an Ibanez JEM but I imagine once the bridge is in place there's room for at least a few wholetones of bend-up.
Also the foam is perished and needs replaced/removed, that coyuld be a template area to rout another cm or so out behind if needed, I guess, but by and large just want to bolt something on and be done with.
For comparison here it is with my real PRS - 1996 Custom 22 - sticker free all its life!
Here's a close up of the absolute hatchet job done by the 'professional' who fitted the Wilko.
So the original Floyd mounting points are still present and untouched. Behind the trem maybe isn't routed out as much as you would see on say an Ibanez JEM but I imagine once the bridge is in place there's room for at least a few wholetones of bend-up.
Also the foam is perished and needs replaced/removed, that coyuld be a template area to rout another cm or so out behind if needed, I guess, but by and large just want to bolt something on and be done with.
Edited by vsonix on Monday 12th November 13:20
singlecoil said:
Well, it's encouraging to know that there's no possible way of making it worse, whatever you do 
Well, quite, now you can see why I don't want to spend big money on it! In its favour the neck appears to be in pretty good shape, and it'd be a shame to just chuck something like this out, it's got some interesting heritage what with the whole PRS 'lawsuit' thing, it's solid mahogany which isn't exactly cheap/common on anything but higher end instruments nowadays etc. A sane person would probably just have binned it, but honestly I'll just be pleased if it's vaguely playable. Although the damage done by the fitting of a totally wrong bridge is ugly and horrid, I'm sure that once it's been filled, smoothed and concealed it'll be playable again, I almost don't care if it's an old banger, it's got a story behind it, it's nearly as old as I am.
Finding myself on eBay with an idle moment I had a look at the FR tremolos on offer, including the Schaller units. I couldn't recommend any of them for one particular reason, the spacing of the knife edges that the tremolo block pivots on. The Schaller units used to have one concave one and one straight one. This meant that it didn't matter if the spacing of the pivot screws was slightly out. Since they and all the other ones I looked at now have two concave knife edges it absolutely does matter.
I'm sure you can see for yourself how small the error would need to be to introduce friction into the system.
I'm sure you can see for yourself how small the error would need to be to introduce friction into the system.
singlecoil said:
Finding myself on eBay with an idle moment I had a look at the FR tremolos on offer, including the Schaller units. I couldn't recommend any of them for one particular reason, the spacing of the knife edges that the tremolo block pivots on. The Schaller units used to have one concave one and one straight one. This meant that it didn't matter if the spacing of the pivot screws was slightly out. Since they and all the other ones I looked at now have two concave knife edges it absolutely does matter.
I'm sure you can see for yourself how small the error would need to be to introduce friction into the system.
Hmm. Well, I suppose I could give Washburn parts dept a call lol I'm sure you can see for yourself how small the error would need to be to introduce friction into the system.
...you never know they might have summat knocking around
Probably a bad idea as I can't go in without bankrupting myself but I might drag in into Mansons and see if they've got anything knocking around.
Edited by vsonix on Thursday 15th November 11:42
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