Floyd Rose 1000 vs Original + Fat Brass Block

[LLL]

One step in my Charvel So Cal modding project is swapping the stock FR 1000 with an Original + Fat Brass Block.

Got that done today, and there is a difference, for anyone looking to upgrade.

With OFR + FBB, notes "sing" and sustain better, by a decent amount. Overall tone feels "livelier".

The FR 1000 is a good trem, but there's better.

FR 1000 - made in Korea
OFR - made in Germany by tone elves

 

[nexion218]

It's most probably the block you're hearing. The Original saddles are of a slightly rounder shape on the edges, but apart from, they are completely identical material wise. But the big block does make a great difference, even on noname licensed crap bridges.

Btw the proper test would've been to swap in the block first and than the Original, just sayin'

 

[formula73]

I’m just glad Floyd makes the FR1000 with actual standards for midrange guitars. It wasn’t all that long ago when everything less than $1000 came with some soft junk that mushroomed the knife edges and never stayed at zero before you even got to play it.

 

[Top-L]

One step in my Charvel So Cal modding project is swapping the stock FR 1000 with an Original + Fat Brass Block.

Got that done today, and there is a difference, for anyone looking to upgrade.

With OFR + FBB, notes "sing" and sustain better, by a decent amount. Overall tone feels "livelier".

The FR 1000 is a good trem, but there's better.

FR 1000 - made in Korea
OFR - made in Germany by tone elves

I tried the big brass block in mine and went back to the OFR block.

Did you notice a loss of harmonics/treble content? I felt that the big brass block did improve sustain, but at the cost of a more fundamental tone.

I am pretty sure Floyd tried different block sizes/composition and used what was generally most appealing.

The big block is like upgrading from a size eleven shoe to a size thirteen. Is it really better if it doesnt fit your foot?

 

[Bogner]

I tried the big brass block in mine and went back to the OFR block.

Did you notice a loss of harmonics/treble content? I felt that the big brass block did improve sustain, but at the cost of a more fundamental tone.

I am pretty sure Floyd tried different block sizes/composition and used what was generally most appealing.

The big block is like upgrading from a size eleven shoe to a size thirteen. Is it really better if it doesnt fit your foot?

Well...each guitar is unique and has its own thing going on naturally. Add the player and their nuances, hands, etc and mix that with what they may be going for sound wise and I cold see a lot of things working for some and not working for others. When I see these types of threads I am always reminded of the two identical guitars (aside from color and about 4 ounces in weight) I tried putting the same upgraded pickups in and one guitar was awesome and the other wasn't. Floyd's ears could be different and or he could have made a business decision (profit or material availability) and went with it. Who knows. All this stuff fascinates me.

 

[LLL]

I’m just glad Floyd makes the FR1000 with actual standards for midrange guitars. It wasn’t all that long ago when everything less than $1000 came with some soft junk that mushroomed the knife edges and never stayed at zero before you even got to play it.

It is a good Floyd.

The Floyd Rose Special is most likely the one you refer to in your second sentence.

 

[LLL]

It's most probably the block you're hearing. The Original saddles are of a slightly rounder shape on the edges, but apart from, they are completely identical material wise. But the big block does make a great difference, even on noname licensed crap bridges.

Btw the proper test would've been to swap in the block first and than the Original, just sayin'

I hear ya, but I wasn't doing comparisons really; making an observation based on my particular swap.

 

[LLL]

I tried the big brass block in mine and went back to the OFR block.

Did you notice a loss of harmonics/treble content? I felt that the big brass block did improve sustain, but at the cost of a more fundamental tone.

I am pretty sure Floyd tried different block sizes/composition and used what was generally most appealing.

The big block is like upgrading from a size eleven shoe to a size thirteen. Is it really better if it doesnt fit your foot?

Hard to describe, but with the Original+big brass block, the tone definitely had more zing and was livelier. Fundamentals, overtones, everything is there.

Overall it definitely sounded better, not by a huge amount, but a decent amount.

Ever play a really cheap guitar and notice how "dead" it sounds? Then you play a good guitar, and it seems more "alive". That's what it did.

 

[LLL]

I should mention also that performance-wise:

- staying in tune, dive-bombing, pulling up... both work equally well
- the fine tuners on the 1000 are not machined as good as the Original; gritty feeling when adjusting
- the fine tuners on the Original are smooth as butter

I also added a "drop in" arm replacement. Zero slop. none.

 

[JMP/HBE]

FR big brass will fit FR 1000 i have done it to several.
You want to keep the block length the same.
That's the number on the block.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I also added a "drop in" arm replacement. Zero slop. none.

I need to get one of those. My PRS and EBMM are super precise, and the screw in collar on the LTD feels sloppy as hell.

 

[Sirion]

It is a good Floyd.

The Floyd Rose Special is most likely the one you refer to in your second sentence.

These days I can live with the 1000. The Special not so much. I have bought two guitars with it (or, rather, I one and my brother one) and both either had problems out of the box or developed them within the first month of ownership.

When we are on the subject, I can attest to the Schaller Lockmeister being identical to a modern OFR with the exception of the stamp. I've compared and weighted every separate part on them, and they are the same. These are significantly cheaper than OFRs in Europe, so that might be of interest to some people.

 

[Demanic]

I'd still like to try a cast iron block. Try tapping on a good cast iron skillet and tell me I'm wrong.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[beaubrummels]

I'd still like to try a cast iron block. Try tapping on a good cast iron skillet and tell me I'm wrong.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

Cast iron. After the first 30 minutes the heartiest of shredders would pine for a Norlin Les Paul.

 

[dave74]

Whatever happened to stone tone? Anyone ever give them a try?

 

[LLL]

I'd still like to try a cast iron block. Try tapping on a good cast iron skillet and tell me I'm wrong.

You got right ahead and try it, and tell us how well it works.

 

[formula73]

It is a good Floyd.

The Floyd Rose Special is most likely the one you refer to in your second sentence.

Even that’s better than the knockoff no-name junk that came on cheap floyded geets from the 80s and 90s.

 

[Top-L]

It is a good Floyd.

The Floyd Rose Special is most likely the one you refer to in your second sentence.

I have a FRS that I've used in a guitar for almost a decade. Very stable tuning.

A couple years ago I noticed that the return to zero isn't perfect, have to pull back a bit. I filed the edges but didnt fix, I suspect it could use new posts. If I had time I would experiment with OFR posts to see if fixes. However, a whole new FRS system is about $80, so maybe time to just buy another. Or spend $200 for real floyd. According to FR, the special has the same base plate, so it should hold up as well. Not sure about posts though. I think the posts are the problem, so maybe some ofr posts.

When new I was very careful not to turn the screws while under tension. Got a bit lazy later on. I think that the death of the edges/posts comes from trying to adjust height while under tension.

 

[nexion218]

Yup, adjusting action under tension is a death sentence to any Floyd unit.

 

[Top-L]

Yup, adjusting action under tension is a death sentence to any Floyd unit.

That said, I got away with this for years with Ibanez Edge trems.

Which brings me to my #1 pet peeve about Floyds. The Floyd route, if it was just a bit larger, you could detach the springs and lift it out of the body like you can with Ibanez. No, with a Floyd you have to unclamp the nut and let out some slack.

But I still choose floyd over Ibanez because parts availability, cost, and I prefer the screw in bar.