Floyd Rose and tone

A

alnikman

New member
I just bought a Mockingbird ST, and I am thinking about taking out the Ping Floyd Rose and replacing it with and original Floyd Rose made by Schaller. Also, I am considering taking out the Rockfield Mafia pickups that came stock with the guitar and replacing them with SD pickups (Alnico II on the neck, and JB or Duncan Custom on the bridge). However, I have heard that you can not make a big improvement on the sound of guitars with a Floyd Rose system installed on it.

Is there any truth to this?
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

No.

I don't like locking trems, but that's baloney.

New pickups will make an immediate and extremely-noticeable difference in the sound, and a better bridge is very likely to change the feel and response of the guitar as well.

What SD models were you thinking of using?
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

My tech has informed me that the type of metal used in the bridge, especially in the trem block can affect the tone of the guitar. If it is junky metal or has come loose it won't transfer the string vibrations to the body wood.

But not sure if you have this problem with your current setup.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

My tech told me if the neck comes off your guitar the strings won't line up along the frets properly.

Let us know if this is your problem.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

alnikman said:
I just bought a Mockingbird ST, and I am thinking about taking out the Ping Floyd Rose and replacing it with and original Floyd Rose made by Schaller. Also, I am considering taking out the Rockfield Mafia pickups that came stock with the guitar and replacing them with SD pickups (Alnico II on the neck, and JB or Duncan Custom on the bridge). However, I have heard that you can not make a big improvement on the sound of guitars with a Floyd Rose system installed on it.

Is there any truth to this?
Click to expand...

Look at the block on your current bridge. Is it skinny? Cheap looking? If so get a new bridge. Going from a crap block to a good block can make a big difference for the better. But if it is already a good bridge/block then focus on your pickups.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

Don't forget after market parts for your Floyd, I bought the Brass Big Block from FloydUpgrades and the difference was pretty intense. Plus, the price ain't all that bad and you don't need a tech per se for the installation (although you might want one if you can't perform some basic setup and intonation afterward).
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

There is nothing wrong with a Ping Floyd. Get a brass block and upgrade the pups.

Scott
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

Brass blocks are not for everyone. They can take away some of the sharpness they are not a cure all but something of a matter of taste. If you've never tried a brass block you need to try before you buy, as it might not be for you.
I personally think a Schaller bridge would make a whole lot of difference and save you a whole lot of cash than messing about with aftermarket up grades for a Ping unit.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

You can also check out floyd upgrades .com and get huge brass tone block for your floyd rose trem. Guitar world recently put out a how to (before/after) video with them.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

The Ping is a decent enough Floyd, I like the Schaller better.....you could change it, but I don't think you will hear much, if any, difference.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

Sosomething:

I am thinking about putting an Alnico II humbucker on the neck and either a JB or Duncan Custom on the bridge.

On the website where I am going to purchase the trem, it asks for the nut width size. On BC's website, it states that it is 43 mm, but on the website where I am purchasing the trem, the closest size they have is in the customary size of 1 11/16" (which is 42.90). Am I correct to assume to buy this size, since it is just a tiny bit smaller? Or, should I get the next size up of 1 3/4", which is 44.45 mm.

Another option on the website is narrow and wide string spacing. Am I correct to think that this is in regards to what gauge strings that I will intend to use? What ballpark gauges would be for the narrow and what gauges for the wide spacing? I am thinking to buy the regular spaced nut, since I will most likely be using 10's or 9's on this guitar.

I know these are elementary questions, but this is the first Floyd Rose guitar I have ever owned, and I want to make sure I get this right.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

Look on the bottom of the nut and it will have the size. 1 11/16 is an R3 or R4 if you have a bound neck. I have built many floyded guitars and never have used the wide spacing. That may be for an R5 1 3/4 nut. The string spacing is just that. It doesn't matter what size strings you use.

Scott
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

jmh151 said:
I'd try the Tungsten Floyd block. It's twice as hard and heavy as brass, allowing you to get the tone of a Big Block in the size of a standard Floyd block

http://www.prorockgear.com/sustainblock-1.aspx
Click to expand...

Tungsten is the other way from Brass, Brass blocks give you a melded sound where all the notes of a chord run into each other which is good for doom or blues, while steel and more so Tungsten give you more clarity each note is picked out in the chord which is good for shreading and jazz. You will get more sustain with the Tungsten but more decay with the Brass.
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

KeeperOS said:
Don't forget after market parts for your Floyd, I bought the Brass Big Block from FloydUpgrades and the difference was pretty intense. Plus, the price ain't all that bad and you don't need a tech per se for the installation (although you might want one if you can't perform some basic setup and intonation afterward).
Click to expand...

I posted a vid on the brass block it does sound awesome!
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

John_L said:
Brass blocks are not for everyone. They can take away some of the sharpness they are not a cure all but something of a matter of taste. If you've never tried a brass block you need to try before you buy, as it might not be for you.
I personally think a Schaller bridge would make a whole lot of difference and save you a whole lot of cash than messing about with aftermarket up grades for a Ping unit.
Click to expand...

Right, I should note that the Brass Block will thicken the sound considerably, both more lows and highs but at the expense of high mids.

It's just that I installed it in a neck-thru guitar so the issue never really came to mind...

ken361 said:
I posted a vid on the brass block it does sound awesome!
Click to expand...

Any chance of a linky? :naughty:
 
Re: Floyd Rose and tone

First of all OFR's have brass blocks, they are just plated in chrome. The big brass block upgrade such as from floydupgrades.com is a good idea, I have one and love it however you might not its all personal taste. Also, Ping Floyd's are actually very good and have a slightly larger brass block I believe then standard OFR's. When I mention OFR's I mean German OFR's, the real deal made by Schaller (not to be confused of course again with Schaller Floyds which are slightly different but quality nonetheless).
If you're hell bent on changing out that bridge and wanna try something different my suggestion is get a Gotoh Floyd. Awesome units, made in Japan, quality stuff, cost less and comes standard on Suhr guitars. If its good enough for John Suhr.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JamesPaul
Anyone Using A Tremoline?
Replies
7
Views
768
JamesPaul
JamesPaul
Butch Snyder
Question - Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder Exotic Black Limba FR Floyd Rose
Replies
7
Views
483
Mincer
Mincer
Sirion
NGD and a Rant
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
GuitarStv
GuitarStv
S
Locking a Floyd Rose and other Qs
Replies
13
Views
739
Sam SG
S
Masta' C
NEW Floyd Rose "RAIL TAIL" Tremolo Bridge in Black!
Replies
4
Views
390
Masta' C
Masta' C
Back
Top