Guitar build started, need some advise.

[allstarrme]

ok I got the body yesterday, best $60 dollars i have ever spent.

I've got a Fender strat squier floyd rose neck, made in japan.

I thinking i'm gonna run this guy in it.

Now i'm looking for some advice about the bridge, should i run a floyd rose like this: http://store.guitarfetish.com/Floyd-Rose-Fastloader-locking-Tremolo-System_p_260.html maybe in black or a wilkinson? I don't really want it to float, I'll probably set the bridge flush resting on the body rather than recessed in.

Also I'm looking to get some locking tuners maybe doing away with the locking nut with this: http://www.allparts.com/ABM-Ebanol-Nut-for-Floyd-Rose-p/bn-0624-023.htm since i'm setting it up for non floating. should i get roller string trees? any input?

How will the floyd be vs say a nice wilkinson? I haven't used a floyd in forever an it was a floating one. how careful do i need to be to not hit the fine tuners. will they be in the way when i palm mute?

I will update as i get more parts for the build.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Guitar build started, need some advise.

If you are going to block the trem, why bother with a locking bridge. Standard strat trems are easier to string and set up. You can't even adjust individual string height on most locking trems.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Guitar build started, need some advise.

I would actually recommend a non-recessed Floyd, and the above are just misconceptions. A non recessed Floyd I think is VERY quick to restring. I can restring it faster than I can my standard tele. Also, you can easily adjust individual saddle height with shims. You really have to know everything about a Floyd Rose to get the absolute best out of them.

Now, if you are going to put a Floyd in it on a budget, put this GFS Floyd in it (100x better than the one you posted), or go with the Licensed Floyd Rose Special. Or if you have a little bit more, get the Schaller Licensed Floyd Rose from Stewmac. The Schaller Licensed is as good, if not, better than the Original Floyd Rose from Gotoh.

If you go the Floyd Rose route, a locking nut is a MUST. Without the locking nut, the entire Floyd is useless as the locking bridge and locking nut work together to completely eliminate friction from the string. Friction is what makes non-locking tremolos go out of tune, and even with a rolling string tree, graphite nut, and locking tuners, there is still a lot of friction at the bridge because of the three sharp angles the string makes at (and inside) the bridge. Every other non-locking tremolo that stays in perfect tune (like the one Brian May designed and made for his original Red Special) has absolutely NO friction.

Locking tuners also will do nothing, if not, degrade from the functionality of a Floyd. This is because locking tuners use the least amount of string as possible to work as intended, but with a Floyd Rose, you NEED as much of the string as possible. This making intonation A LOT easier, and allows you to reuse strings if the break near the saddle by simply de-tuning to string until it can get in the saddle, lock it in, tune up, and ready to go!

Also, if it is not recessed, make sure ALL saddles are for the correct string. Each saddle has a certain height that matches the radius of most fingerboards. If the action is too low with the saddles in the correct place, make about a 1-3 degree neck angle with shims. This is trial and error, and I suggest making your shims out of tin-foil for accuracy and flexibility.

Please, feel free to ask any detailed questions or advise. I just did a very similar project.

 

[allstarrme]

I'm not going to block the trem, I just want to use it in dive only rather than fully floating, like an axis or any of the EVH guitars.

That Floyd does look nice, and that's a lot of helpful info, I really appreciate it. I have most of the original floyd that came on the strat, minus the small pieces and fine tuners, I could use, but I think I'm gonna do all black hardware.

I have to sand the neck pocket some as the neck won't quite fit right in there, but its close. Is it best to shim the neck for the flat mounting? I have a router I could use to deepen the neck pocket a touch, but without knowing the measurements I need I won't.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Guitar build started, need some advise.

I'm not going to block the trem, I just want to use it in dive only rather than fully floating, like an axis or any of the EVH guitars.

That Floyd does look nice, and that's a lot of helpful info, I really appreciate it. I have most of the original floyd that came on the strat, minus the small pieces and fine tuners, I could use, but I think I'm gonna do all black hardware.

I have to sand the neck pocket some as the neck won't quite fit right in there, but its close. Is it best to shim the neck for the flat mounting? I have a router I could use to deepen the neck pocket a touch, but without knowing the measurements I need I won't.

No problem. Again, feel free to ask any questions. I LOVE to help builders that are starting out.

Shimming isn't always required. My telecaster I built has the Schaller Licensed Floyd Rose (all black hardware too ) and is non-recessed.

At first, the saddles were all in the wrong places, and that required shimming because the taller saddles were where the short saddles were supposed to be and vise versa. That needed shimming. It was getting really late at night so I needed to get rest and I would later rearrange the saddles so it would match the radius well. When the saddles were in the right place, boom! No shims required! I was so relieved because I didn't have to check the angle each time I took the neck off (heel truss-rod, I prefer them). I just screwed it in straight to the body and I got perfect action and even improved tone.

So it is all trial and error. I would recommend trying it screwed in like normal. If the action is too low on the higher frets, shim the front part of the neck. If the action is too high after shimming, try a smaller angle.

Now if the opposite happens and action is too high on the higher frets, but perfect on the lower frets (try shimming before doing a truss rod or nut adjustment), shim the heel of the neck.

I would also like to recommend the EVH D-tuna. It is very handy and I will eventually put one in on mine.

I would also be more than happy to help you with setup info, wiring, pickup mods, wax potting, luthier/guitar tech tips and tricks.