Floyd Guitar Recommendations?

[PoorMan]

Decided I want to learn some songs that require some Floyd (or Kahler) Thrash Metal wankery. I've owned and sold a few Floyd equipped guitars in the past. Frankly I think they are a PIA, but I digress.

I am currently looking at the Jackson Virtuoso. Seems like very good quality for a semi-reasonable price, but I like good value and am definitely open to other suggestions. I want to stay under 2k. Don't want anything hair-metal looking.

And if anyone can point me to some good YouTube Floyd setup videos, much appreciated.

Thanks!
Dave

 

[Archer250]

I'd probs get a E-II Arrow for a thrash shape under 2K with a good Floyd

Maybe a used Jackson KE-3, but then the Floyd needs to be swapped.

 

[Securb]

B.C. Rich has some nice guitars in the $300-400 range with pretty good Floyd Specials.

 

[Seashore]

This might be funny coming from someone who's been fiddling around upgrading his Floyd Rose, but you don't need to. I have a licensed "piece of crap" on a cheap Fernandes and it's been fine for years. I really liked the 1000 series Floyd that came on my Schecter C7; functionally it was great, tonally it was fine. Stable and reliable. My big problem with Floyds is, I'm a Tune-O-Matic player, and the gol dang fine tuners are right where I put my palm for mutes and tremolo picking unless I'm being super careful, and when I'm worried about that I don't play at my best. If that isn't you, you do not need anything fancy. For $2K the world is your oyster. I've been really happy with the construction and feel and fretwork of my Schecters, and once the necks settled in, they set up really easily.

 

[Masta' C]

I am currently looking at the Jackson Virtuoso...Don't want anything hair-metal looking.

I don't know about those Virtuosos, man...pointy "Strat" shapes with pointy Jackson headstocks in bright colors kinda screams "hair metal" to me, LOL!

Personally, if I'm dropping ~$2K on a Floyd-equipped guitar, it would be either a PRS Dustie Waring sig (LINK and LINK) or a lightly used EBMM JP16 (LINK).

If you want the best bang for your buck, take a look at the PRS "SE" version of the Custom 24 Floyd (LINK) or one of the many Schecters with a Floyd (LINK), which tend to have awesome necks, nice woods, and great overall features for their price.

 

[PoorMan]

I don't know about those Virtuosos, man...pointy "Strat" shapes with pointy Jackson headstocks in bright colors kinda screams "hair metal" to me, LOL!

Personally, if I'm dropping ~$2K on a Floyd-equipped guitar, it would be either a PRS Dustie Waring sig (LINK and LINK) or a lightly used EBMM JP16 (LINK).

If you want the best bang for your buck, take a look at the PRS "SE" version of the Custom 24 Floyd (LINK) or one of the many Schecters with a Floyd (LINK), which tend to have awesome necks, nice woods, and great overall features for their price.

Good recommendations, the PRS DW especially.

If I get the Jackson, it will be black. No bright colors for me.