BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

[rottenatomy]

G'day.

I've got an issue with a guitar that i've just bought, which is a BC Rich NJ Bich, one of the first of the 80's Japanese productions. Absolutely killer guitar - the NJ series are vastly underrated to me and very undervalued. This one was a steal.

Having a tremolo which can perform fairly radical feats is fairly essential for my playing - i've always been a user of Kahler tremolos as a matter of personal preference, and had a spare Kahler flat mount unit that I was hoping to add to this guitar. The current bridge on the guitar is a strat-type tremolo, which won't cut it. 
It was a complete oversight from me that I didn't consider that the Kahler wouldn't just go on the guitar and that it'd have completely different routing - completely my mistake and just shows how long it's been since it's been an issue for me!

Now, I have a few options:

1. Save my spare Kahler for something else and buy a Floyd Rose for this guitar, as perhaps the routing would be more natural for that? I've never loved Floyds, but I guess having one guitar with one would be cool, and it's been a long time since I played with a decent one well set up. What about putting in a Schaller or a Gotoh?

2. Use something like this https://www.whammyparts.com/index.ph...ecessed-detail for the routing, and use the Kahler, and fill in the cavity cut for the current tremolo.

3. Should I bother? Will it be too much/too expensive to do? Should I cut my losses on the guitar, accept the mistake and be sure not to make it again?

Here are some pictures of the current routing - could someone enlighten me on whether either of the first two options would be easy, or even doable?

[Chistopher]

Re: BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

Hmm... Have you done any sort of woodwork before? Routing a Khaler or a Floyd is tricky work and it might not be worth trying if you've never done anything before and don't think you'll do anything again. If you're looking for range you could possibly increase your range with a Blade Runner Super Vee.

It really depends on how much money you wanna put into the guitar as well. Personally, I'd pay someone else to do it. But if the tremolo and routing costs more than the guitar itself, why bother? You have other guitars for that stuff.

[rottenatomy]

Re: BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

Hmm... Have you done any sort of woodwork before? Routing a Khaler or a Floyd is tricky work and it might not be worth trying if you've never done anything before and don't think you'll do anything again. If you're looking for range you could possibly increase your range with a Blade Runner Super Vee.

It really depends on how much money you wanna put into the guitar as well. Personally, I'd pay someone else to do it. But if the tremolo and routing costs more than the guitar itself, why bother? You have other guitars for that stuff.

I’d definitely pay someone to do it for sure, wouldn’t be trying myself. I guess what I’m asking is how much more routing I’d need to do for a Floyd (Gotoh preferably, or Schaller). I’m guessing just the drill holes and a little more routing for the block range? I think the Kahler option is out.

If that’s possible without ruining the guitar then it’d be worth it and leave me with a killer instrument that was still pretty cheap. But if there’s loads more routing required and the potential to feck it up, perhaps I’d be better cutting my losses? That’s the dilemma.

[Chistopher]

Re: BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

You also need to route out bellow the back of the unit so it'd have clearance on the pull ups. If you don't mind it being down-only, all you need to do is to drill for the posts.

[dystrust]

Re: BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

Installing a Kahler on that would be difficult as a vintage-style Strat bridge has a much shallower neck angle. You'd probably need to recess the bridge (like Jerry Cantrell did on his G&L Rampages) and possibly shim the neck. I have a Charvel Model 2 that was factory-converted from a Model 1, so it originally had a bridge like that before having a non-recessed Floyd installed. The action is unplayable above about the 7th fret unless the neck is shimmed.

As Christopher said, a lot of this comes down to how much money you want to throw at the guitar. This type of conversion would also destroy what resale value the guitar has, and those entry-level NJs aren't extremely sought after to begin with. If you REALLY want a BCR with a Kahler, track down one of the new NJ Retros or get one of the high end 80s NJs and swap the stock Kahler Flyer for your spare Kahler. The base plates of the Flyer and Pro/Classic aren't exactly the same, but the screw holes do line up.

If you're set on keeping this one, a Floyd would be a better option. A non-recessed install wouldn't allow pull backs and you'd probably have to shim the neck, but it'd be less work and therefore less expensive. A recessed Floyd rout would allow pullbacks and probably wouldn't need a shim, but there'd be a lot more routing involved.

[rottenatomy]

Re: BC Rich Strat type tremolo > Floyd Rose/Kahler issue

Installing a Kahler on that would be difficult as a vintage-style Strat bridge has a much shallower neck angle. You'd probably need to recess the bridge (like Jerry Cantrell did on his G&L Rampages) and possibly shim the neck. I have a Charvel Model 2 that was factory-converted from a Model 1, so it originally had a bridge like that before having a non-recessed Floyd installed. The action is unplayable above about the 7th fret unless the neck is shimmed.

As Christopher said, a lot of this comes down to how much money you want to throw at the guitar. This type of conversion would also destroy what resale value the guitar has, and those entry-level NJs aren't extremely sought after to begin with. If you REALLY want a BCR with a Kahler, track down one of the new NJ Retros or get one of the high end 80s NJs and swap the stock Kahler Flyer for your spare Kahler. The base plates of the Flyer and Pro/Classic aren't exactly the same, but the screw holes do line up.

If you're set on keeping this one, a Floyd would be a better option. A non-recessed install wouldn't allow pull backs and you'd probably have to shim the neck, but it'd be less work and therefore less expensive. A recessed Floyd rout would allow pullbacks and probably wouldn't need a shim, but there'd be a lot more routing involved.

Thanks for your replies.

Ok, understood. I've pretty much ruled out the Kahler option. It's either add a Floyd or get another guitar.

On an aside, it's news to me that this line of the NJ series is considered entry level? I do have one of the higher end 80's NJ Ironbird's with a Kahler - i'm having this current predicament because i'm greedy and want another like it, not because I can't get one! - and I actually think this Bich arguably feels nicer, which is why I haven't written it off straight away. I'm interested if there's some kind of perceived hierarchy that has these at the bottom.

Would there be any difference between adding a Gotoh Floyd, or Schaller or even Original Floyd? I would want it recessed for pullbacks, so I guess it'd be a fair amount of work and money. But this would definitely be doable if desired without killing the guitar, and no limitations on the type of Floyd?