To floyd or not

[mediumpimpin]

So as you guys may or may not know, my next guitar purchase with be a 7 string, probly a schecter. I'm torn between a blackjack atx with the blackouts or the Loomis sig with the OFR. How does the floyd take to different tunings? I know changing string gauge will wreak havoc on a floyd, but do different tunings screw it up with the same size strings? I've never owned a FR before, but it'd be cool to have one. What are the common gripes with FR's, seeing how a lot of people prefer hardtails? Help a brother out and school me on FR's so I know what I'm getting into.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: To floyd or not

So as you guys may or may not know, my next guitar purchase with be a 7 string, probly a schecter. I'm torn between a blackjack atx with the blackouts or the Loomis sig with the OFR. How does the floyd take to different tunings? I know changing string gauge will wreak havoc on a floyd, but do different tunings screw it up with the same size strings? I've never owned a FR before, but it'd be cool to have one. What are the common gripes with FR's, seeing how a lot of people prefer hardtails? Help a brother out and school me on FR's so I know what I'm getting into.

You can NOT change tunings on a full floating OFR. It messes with the balance of the bridge so all the other strings go out. It takes time to set up and intonate, but well worth it if you intend to keep it in the one tuning, always want it in tune and want to dive bomb and squeal the hell out of it without any tuning stability problems.

If you don't whammy much and you want to use alternate tunings at times, a floyd doesn't sound like it's what you want.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: To floyd or not

In short. Yes floyd it. In not so short, if you're going to change tunings a lot. Get a tremolono. That way you can lock it down or make it dive only to change your tunings up.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: To floyd or not

Get the loomis ,get one tremol-no to fix the tremolo when you want to use alternate tunings ...Easy as pie....

Edit:Niney beat me to it!

 

[mediumpimpin]

Re: To floyd or not

In short. Yes floyd it. In not so short, if you're going to change tunings a lot. Get a tremolono. That way you can lock it down or make it dive only to change your tunings up.

That's a great idea, how hard is that thing to put on and take off? I imagine from what I've seen of it, that it takes longer to unscrew the tremolo cover.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: To floyd or not

Keep in mind that, for the most part, every guitar I've ever owned has had a Floyd on it. So I'm pretty familiar w/ them in there set up aspects. IIRC, it took me ruffly 30 minutes to get one in and set up. Just a word of caution though. My buddy thought he'd be brilliant and try to leave the Floyd itself in when he tried to install his and it moved and left some pretty gnarly scratches and bent one of the arms on his tension plate.

So, IMO, once you have the spring claw screws loosened enough to pop the springs off the block, go ahead and do so and take the trem completely out before you continue on w/ taking the original claw out.

*NOTE* Time saver tip here. Before you loosen the spring claw screws, mark them w/ a black sharpie right where they enter the wood. This way when you do have the mechanism in and are on your way to setting it back up to float, you'll be a lot closer than trying to eyeball it. It won't be perfect right off the bat due to the nature of the mechanism, but it'll be close and need just some minor tweaking.

Last thing. I didn't even read the install instructions, but I waited to lock the block clamp down until I had the trem floating and in tune.

 

[mediumpimpin]

Re: To floyd or not

I appreciate the advice 9. I'll probly put one on my carvin with the wilky floater, seeing how that's my main gripe with that axe. Sure you can do a drop d, if you wanna spend at least 10 min tuning alone and another going to std. My guitar teacher plays nothing but FR super strats that he builds from scratch, so I'll get some help from him.