What Floyd to choose?

Re: What Floyd to choose?

The difference between the traditional Schaller (which I assume is what you mean by "Schaller Standard") is quite obvious when you compare the knives edges. The first photo shows a traditional Schaller Floyd Rose:

9874365_800.jpg


Below are an Original Floyd Rose and a Schaller Lockmeister:

12033428_800.jpg


12048631_800.jpg


(All photos taken from Thomann)

Note the logos on the last two images. They look the same because they are the same, except for the logo. :)

The original Schaller is a good bridge too, by the way. It is probably the only FR except for the original that I would waste my time on.

thx, that explains a lot.

why is the original schaller the only floyd you would waste your time on?? why not the lockmeister? is the original schaller better??
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

The OFR or the Lockmeister version will be fine (as would the Gotoh).

The older Schaller version has a cast base plate, and while it is a fine tremolo, I would never choose it over an all stell Floyd Rose.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

The OFR or the Lockmeister version will be fine (as would the Gotoh).

The older Schaller version has a cast base plate, and while it is a fine tremolo, I would never choose it over an all stell Floyd Rose.


The lockmeister it is then :)

thx for the reply.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

thx, that explains a lot.

why is the original schaller the only floyd you would waste your time on?? why not the lockmeister? is the original schaller better??

Sorry, the Lockmeister is fine, and that is the one I am going to use for the most part in the future. Cheaper FRs, including the ones made by Floyd Rose, like the Floyd Rose 1000, the Floyd Rose Special, and the Floyd Rose II (an older model) generally don't deliver on the tuning stability you get Floyd Roses for. I have only had problems with those.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

You can check out www.schaller.info. That's their web shop, you might find it cheaper there. No guarantee, but worth a try.

Wow, I wasn't aware of this site! Thank you so much, this makes ordering a lot of their more esoteric tuners a lot easier! (Thomann refuses to get most of them, for instance, and the Norwegian retailers are really peripheral.)
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

Wow, I wasn't aware of this site! Thank you so much, this makes ordering a lot of their more esoteric tuners a lot easier! (Thomann refuses to get most of them, for instance, and the Norwegian retailers are really peripheral.)

You're welcome. Yeah, I know, sourcing spare parts can be a real PITA. I had the same issues with Thomann. Didn't find out abut that site until about two weeks ago myself. Schaller don't seem to promote it much, but if you contact their customer support, they will direct you to it. It's weird that it exists parallell to their main web page.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

I suspect that it is a convenient workaround so as not to offend wholesale retailers.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

The OFR or the Lockmeister version will be fine (as would the Gotoh).

The older Schaller version has a cast base plate, and while it is a fine tremolo, I would never choose it over an all stell Floyd Rose.

That used to be a problem, I had an old Hamer plate strip on the intonation screws. I contacted Schaller to get a replacement and the new ones have hardened inserts so no more stripping. Other that that, there may be some tonal differences, usually the cast ones are a little warmer and the hardened steel plates are a little brighter.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

Two pages and nobody has mentioned the Original Edge, the most stable and sturdiest tremolo in the world. It's strong enough to withstand Vai's masturbatory tremolo antics, you know. Plus the arm is pop-in style, no screwing like the German one.

If you want to go cheap, go for the Edge Zero 2, which is no less stable. And it's low profile, no lines of fine-tuning screws getting in the way. Take it from me, an actual user.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

I didn't mention it because trying to find a new kit is like getting a date with a supermodel. Even if you could, you can't afford it.

Besides, Vai goes them like dragster engines and they are cast alloy versus the steel Floyd.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

I didn't mention it because trying to find a new kit is like getting a date with a supermodel. Even if you could, you can't afford it.

Besides, Vai goes them like dragster engines and they are cast alloy versus the steel Floyd.

It depends on where you buy it from. You definitely can't find it from official dealers but off-the-radar sources. I got mine for less than a hundred.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

Two pages and nobody has mentioned the Original Edge, the most stable and sturdiest tremolo in the world. It's strong enough to withstand Vai's masturbatory tremolo antics, you know. Plus the arm is pop-in style, no screwing like the German one.

If you want to go cheap, go for the Edge Zero 2, which is no less stable. And it's low profile, no lines of fine-tuning screws getting in the way. Take it from me, an actual user.

The Gotoh Floyd has a pop-in arm as well as being steel construction like an OFR.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

Been searching around on other forums and found this:

(suhr is a high end guitar company founded by John Suhr. Their 80's shred mkII model with floyd sells for almost $4000)

Question: This question is mainly for Mr Tyler and Mr Suhr but all opinions wanted ! In fitting and repairing locking tremolos since they came out, I've found the original Floyd to have deteriorated in quality to such a point that I want a better option …. And I think the Gotoh is it at the moment. The saddles and the locking nuts are a lot harder than the original Floyd’s are now, and I wondered why it is not on more guitars as OEM particularly as the price is also good.

Suhr: Gotoh is good and I will probably switch soon since the Floyds are really being made like ASS. We spend at least an extra hour on every Floyd bridge fixing things. Since both Schallers died it has been downhill from there I built some other companies guitar with the Gotoh and they seemed very consistent and well made.

Follow up Question: What are some of the issues you're seeing with the new Original Floyds ?

Suhr: You have a few days ?
Sometimes the back of the saddle is too tall preventing the fine tuner from having a full range of motion.
The way the string leaves the saddle it does not have a firm break off point, the string slides around in the saddle. This changes the intonation, buzzes and can just sound bad. We have to get a detail Dremel bit and re-contour the saddle with magnifiers on to see what we are doing. We have to do this on them all !
Fine tuners pinched too course and are rough many times.
Saddle heights can be uneven, requiring regrinding or shimming.
Roll away at nut not correct making the string not leave the nut edge where it is supposed to leave. This also screws with intonation and the strings can buzz when played open.
Casting bumps in the nut slots which have to be ground off, maybe one out of five.
Saddle to rear section of the saddle is sloppy, this cause string buzz, saddle pin has to be removed and saddle pinched to tighten it up.
Hold plates that hold the blocks up are not pushed up far enough so sometimes the screw pin doesn’t align up with the hole in the block and you wind up cracking the block.
Sometimes the arms start to wiggle and there isn’t much you can do since the cap on top is snug.
I'm sure there are a few other things I'm leaving out ....

They are a pain, I wish Kahler would make Floyds again I have no idea what is stopping them since the patent has run out.
I think I will start with the Gotohs very soon since I do love the Floyd idea.





And indeed, I checked. All suhr guitars have a gotoh Floyd Rose.

I also 'discovered' that gotoh also makes the ibanez edge pro bridges, and I have heard only but good stuff about them.

Does somebody have any experience with gotoh???
 
Last edited:
Re: What Floyd to choose?

Edge Tremolos are more expensive to get than the Lockmeister, at least if you live in Europe.
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

That interview with Suhr is over 15 years ago. Schaller has been using a new die for many years now. You should have no concerns with the floyd.

Gotoh has always supplied the various Edge tremolos, I assumed that was common knowledge.

Again, you are over thinking this. Buy whatever is the cheapest in your market
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

I use the gotoh Floyd and haven’t looked back. Harder materials, quality machining, arm tension that holds adjustment, and comes with a brass block!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

That interview with Suhr is over 15 years ago. Schaller has been using a new die for many years now. You should have no concerns with the floyd.

Gotoh has always supplied the various Edge tremolos, I assumed that was common knowledge.

Again, you are over thinking this. Buy whatever is the cheapest in your market

I know it's probably common knowledge for you but I'm 14 years old and I'm playing guitar for 2 year now so I don't know everything so please correct me if I say something wrong.

And yes I'm probably overthinking this:lmao: I should probably just buy the gotoh. I can buy it local for €150
 
Last edited:
Re: What Floyd to choose?

I use the gotoh Floyd and haven’t looked back. Harder materials, quality machining, arm tension that holds adjustment, and comes with a brass block!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thx for the reply. The gotoh also has a special trem arm so you don't have to screw it on right?
 
Re: What Floyd to choose?

The gotohs are great, had one on a MM Axis and have used them on some guitars I built. I love the Edge, they are super smooth but yes they are cast which gives them a warmer tone but they do use hardened steel plates for the intonation screws. The Edge Zero is all cast, so the intonation screws will strip if they are overtightened. Not the end of the world, they can be fixed with Helicoil inserts, but since you are starting fresh I would probably just not go down that road. Also note that the route for the Edge may be slightly different than for a Floyd or Gotoh. And yeah, as Aryton said, the new Floyds/Schallers are fine as well.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top