Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

[Securb]

I just got a B. C. Rich with the Floyd Rose Special on it. I don't get to touch it until Christmas. This is my first Floyd I don't know much about them. First off I am guessing this is not the best Floyd but is it serviceable? If I want to upgrade to another Floyd will the Original or Hot Rod bea drop in replacement for the Special?

Any maintenance, setup or general Floyd tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Watch a vid on how to take one apart and put it back together and do it along with the vid. Once you do it you get a better understanding of how it works and how to work on one. Also if you want to make intonation a bit easier look into getting one of these. http://blackcherryusa.com/faq/

 

[jmh151]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

The Special is good. Supposedly the most important part- the base plate, is the same hardened steel used on their OEM Floyd Roses made in Korea- the ones on Charvels, Gibsons, etc...

The biggest weakness is the block is die cast, whereas the originals are brass. The saddles are die cast too.

It'll stay in tune, but the biggest tonal improvement would be to replace the block with a brass unit- either standard or big block size- also look into the other metals being offered. It's a $50 fix as compared to a new tremolo, and will make a huge difference.

The saddles are die cast too, but so are the saddle on Ibanez Edge Floyds. The die cast saddles have a minimal impact on tone, are sturdy enough.

Just replace the block

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

And even though it is hardened make sure to lubricate the pivot points on occasion.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

I have a Floyd Rose Special on an LTD Strat, it stays in tune better than my Jackson licensed Floyd as well as my Ibanez Edge. Adding a big brass block was a very nice improvement on sustain and tone as well as the feel when I "flick" the bar...so I second jmh151, just upgrade the block.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Like Rockstar216 said, taking one apart and putting it back together is a great way to learn how it works and how to work on it.

Those Hollow Point things look pretty cool for intonation, especially for on-the-fly adjustments. I picked up the Key from Stew Mac, which is a tool that you attach during intonation adjustments and then remove. It does a good job for what it is. There's a different version for low-profile Floyds.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Bridges/The_Key.html

 

[greekdude]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Just bear in mind that disassembling your trem, or any other action involving a screwdriver or any other tools could be used as an argument to void your warranty.
Now to the subject, as others have said floyds require a little bit of a learning curve. Even the cheapest chinese copy would hold perfect tune as long as the knife edges are sharp and hard, the springs good and the strings daddario NYXL. Plate, saddles, block maybe have some effect in tone and/or longtime durability, but not vital as far as perfect tuning is concerned.

 

[Securb]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Just bear in mind that disassembling your trem, or any other action involving a screwdriver or any other tools could be used as an argument to void your warranty.

The guitar came with active hums. I am going to gut it and put in WLHs within the month. Warranty officially voided.

 

[Oinkus]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

The first thing I do is take it completely apart and soak it in tri flow cleans and lubes. Things that go bad first are the string blocks on the cheaper models. I like to upgrade as much of the screws to stainless as I can afford just for wear and tear all kinds of things to do this here http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=kqubqgk7tac2ku2sfmmgj9m636 . Of course you want to lube the post and knife edges every time you change the strings and this is the best stuff that I use http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...Lubricants/Tri-Flow_Pin_Point_Lubricator.html we like teflon lubes and doesn't attract grit. You have to adjust the bridge to lay flat , hopefully it is routed and not flush mounted (isn't the endoftheworld) A larger block of "better" metal will improve your sound some (up there in the link to FU) It is some work and some knowledge to absorb but once you get it right you will be very happy. You should be fine with the one that came on it unless it has been installed improperly or has defects. My most stable guitar is my Jackson RR 5 it will stay in perfect tune forever and that is just not right according to the world of knowitall guitar peeps. You want anything just send me a PM be happy to walk you through it.

 

[CTN]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

replace the block and the saddles.

Saddles first, IMO, because the soft zinc saddles the FR specials come with are soft and can get chewed up really fast. If that happens, you'll start breaking strings.

Other than those two components, they're good units and will serve well.

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

You have three options. Option 1, use the trem as is, it will work fine but the bar will never tighten properly (issue with all the Specials I've seen). Option 2, fix the weak points and replace the bar with one from an OFR (there are 3 versions to pick from) and replace the zinc block with a large brass block and use it like that. No sense in replacing the saddles too, at that point you might as well go to option 3 and replace it with an OFR or hot rod OFR.

Before you blow $ on ordering parts, get the guitar in hand and see what you think, then decide.

 

[Securb]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Jeezbus this sounds like a lot of work. I might slap a block of pine in that baby and and put in a TOM.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Fcu al;l that just use the tremolo first. Don't bother with mods just yet.

Also never? How? Why? KAhler boy

 

[Oinkus]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

Block and TOM is way more work , if you didn't live so far away I could walk you through everything in 30 min or less. Plumbers tape for the trem arm thread will make it stay tight just needs to be replaced every once in awhile. Once you get it you will never have any issues and will be good to go. New strings are somewhat annoying , takes some time to stretch them out and make it settle properly. First thing you should do is take it out and beat the crap out of it for an hour or 2 and just get a feel for it. Before any upgrades or tinkering , some vids on the FU Tone site that are helpful and plenty on utub that will get you there.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

I've owned 2 of the specials, both held tune perfectly under a lot of abuse. Don't worry about changing anything until it breaks, which may very well be never.
My humble two cents worth.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

I abuse the hell out of my Floyd Rose Special, and I've never had any problems with it.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Floyd Rose fans a bit of advice needed here

One possible issue that no one seems to have addressed in this thread, is the not so unsual muffled/sitar sounding open notes due to wrongly cut locking nut slots, especially when strung with 9's. I had this on one Schaller and one Gotoh nut. Again not a show stopper but something that might be a concern.