Re: Floyd rose sucks
i'm currently "getting used to" a (non-licensed) Edge III bridge in my new (to me) Ibanez Xiphos. It's a neck-thru, but I think the floating bridge definitely contributes to the factors ranted about here. The look doesn't bother me, but the setup and intonation on these things is painful. Glad this particular type doesn't need the Key to intonate :eyecrazy:
I also note it makes you reach farther to bend, since the floating bridge "gives" when you tighten a string (another common issue with Floyds, or so I hear). I much prefer the Kahler cam trems, and nowadays those can be had for less than an OFR and installed by almost anybody who got better than a "D" in Wood Shop. Wish more guitars came with them.
The sustain on the Ibanez was still very good, but it got better after I put in the Backbox I got from the guy that sells them on Ebay (FYI - I don't work for this guy, or know him, I just bought the thing from him). After a day or two of setting it up, I think it does what it's supposed to more or less, and in the process it addresses the sustain and over-brightness issues (so now I'll be looking for a new bridge PU
).
The main thing I was looking to fix tho, was the tuning stability - I did not previously know that Floyds go out of tune when you rotate the guitar toward the floor or ceiling. Yea yea, have your giggles, I told you I like Kahlers right?
Doing it right required tightening up the trem springs quite a bit (to compensate for the over-bending issue), and for me it required a fair bit of tension on the Backbox so pull-ups are harder now too. I've read that you can set it up so tight that when you break a string you'll stay in tune, but I don't want to go that far. It's plenty tight where it is
Also worth noting, it makes the subtle vibrato effects a lot harder to do since there's a "notch" in the trem action, and it flat-out kills the "flutter" tricks that some people like. I don't like these effects personally, and I actually find that I like the feel of the bridge stuck in the "notch" better - it's almost like playing a fixed-bridge, pretty stable. Again tho, the downside is that you have to work a fair bit harder to get your whammy on.
+1 on POS guitars w/ cut-rate Floyd copies - played so many of those that I wouldn't wish on anyone. With a "real deal" OFR or good copy, you only have to deal with the OP's list
I'm glad this Ibanez bridge isn't nearly as bad as some ppl say it is :approve:
The Backbox may help if you can deal with the extra tension; it adds a fair bit of sustain like a block, but still allows for pull-ups. But, there's no getting around #s 2 or 3, and to fix #4 you'd have to cut blocks and fill in the trem cavity and swimming-pool to hopefully get some resonance back. May have to just sell all your FR guitars eh?
