Members Silly Lilly Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 Hi guys! I have a newbie question: is it possible to replace the standard tremolo unit on a Fender stratocaster with a Floyd Rose as in the R. Sambora model?Would it fit? Does the guitar body need any modifications?Anyone done it? Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 FWIR, that was a pretty common mod in the late 80's early 90's. It needs to be done by a good guitar tech and requires routing a chunk of the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 It is possible. The guitar would have to be modified. These days unless you are going divebomb / go whammy crazy then locking tunners and a lubed up nut can take you pretty far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 FWIR, that was a pretty common mod in the late 80's early 90's. It needs to be done by a good guitar tech and requires routing a chunk of the body. To make it full floating ya. But not for down only. You could have the trem rest right on top of the body. If I am not mistaken this is how EVH's famous guitar was. Routing the nut area is also optional. You can always attach the locking nut onto the headstock after the stock nut. Not the greatest but works. I actually was crazy enough some years ago to install a floyd all the way like you mention. Routed out the body and the nut area....the works. I had the tools, took my time and it looked great when finished. Made a huge change to the guitars tone though. Not better or worse just dif'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members goatman Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 it requires a great big hole put in your prized strat.some people like paul gilbert filled the hole in and stuck a standard start non tremelo puckup in the place place of their floyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 puckup??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarbilly74 Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 the main problem is how to install the locking nut, most std strat necks do not have the room for the floyd locking nut, so you will have to either replace the neck or use a behind the nut lock (like the old Kahler and locking fender trems) or use locking tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Silly Lilly Posted April 28, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 I ain't got the prized strat yet... but I might just start with a run-down one, strip it down, refit, re-paint, etc. You know what I mean... Does the neck need modifications too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 I ain't got the prized strat yet... but I might just start with a run-down one, strip it down, refit, re-paint, etc. You know what I mean... Does the neck need modifications too? If the neck wasnt made to have a locking nut on it then yes. Not saying you cant handle it but it takes if anything some time, patience, work, tools, WORK SPACE, etc,etc...to stripdown, route out for a floyd system, refinish, etc,etc. Plenty of strat style guitars out there with locking trem systems that would prol' cost alot less then getting together all that it is needed to do what you want to do. Again....I am not saying you cant do it or dont do it.....just giving you a little insight from someone who has done all that stuff already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Silly Lilly Posted April 28, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 Totally appreciate your point - but the simple is I don't want a strat 'style' anything, but a genuine Fender Stratocaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 Very little work needs to be done to the body of a Strat to fit a Floyd. You don't need a recess rout in order to have the bridge float. I've seen that posted so many times and it drives me nuts because it's inaccurate. You only need to drill for the pivot posts and remove a little bit of wood for clearance of the arm's mounting nut. This one is not recessed and you can pull the bar up a mile. A little wood needs to be removed behind the nut slot to fit the locking nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Silly Lilly Posted April 28, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 Excellent, Pete, thanks - great pictures, get the idea now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 28, 2007 Members Share Posted April 28, 2007 Very little work needs to be done to the body of a Strat to fit a Floyd. You don't need a recess rout in order to have the bridge float. I've seen that posted so many times and it drives me nuts because it's inaccurate. You only need to drill for the pivot posts and remove a little bit of wood for clearance of the arm's mounting nut. This one is not recessed and you can pull the bar up a mile. A little wood needs to be removed behind the nut slot to fit the locking nut. What model Floyd is that? Doesnt look like it has fine tuners or a place for them.... am I just missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted April 29, 2007 Members Share Posted April 29, 2007 What model Floyd is that? Doesnt look like it has fine tuners or a place for them.... am I just missing something? It's an early model. The first ones didn't have fine tuners.Alex Lifeson & Brad Gillis both used this type in the early 80's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 29, 2007 Members Share Posted April 29, 2007 It's an early model. The first ones didn't have fine tuners.Alex Lifeson & Brad Gillis both used this type in the early 80's. Ya, I figured it was something like that. I read someplace that the earlier ones didnt have the Ft's. Good stuff:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snake Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 There used to be a sticky at guitars101 written by a friend of mine that walks you through installing a Floyd step by step with pics. I don't know if it's still there, but it was very good. You might try searching for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 There used to be a sticky at guitars101 written by a friend of mine that walks you through installing a Floyd step by step with pics. I don't know if it's still there, but it was very good. You might try searching for it. Here it is.http://www.guitars101.com/vb/guitar-rack/14258-how-installing-floyd-rose.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members clarky Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 FWIR, that was a pretty common mod in the late 80's early 90's. It needs to be done by a good guitar tech and requires routing a chunk of the body. which is exactly what I had done in 92 [i think].. lol... you have to bear in mind that, me being a leftie at that time meant that if I wanted one, this was the only option open to me.. at the nut end of the neck, the "bullet" had to be cut off to make space for the lock nut.. as with some of the sentiment here in this thread, Strats already equipped with Floyds are pretty common these days.. I wouldn't bother to do this upgrade yourself unless you were a hobbyist / apprentice luthier.. back in '92, a leftie had no other option so it made sense at the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Wanted to ask this for some time, seems like this is the appropriate thread: Do I need to rout anything if I just want to put a down only floyd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Wanted to ask this for some time, seems like this is the appropriate thread:Do I need to rout anything if I just want to put a down only floyd? You need to rout for the locking nut unless you go without one.The stock Strat trem rout needs to have a little bit of wood removed right where the mounting nut for the arm is on a Floyd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 This is the best solution I've seen yet: http://www.madisonandfifth.co.uk/SuperVee.index.htm Offers the capabilities of a Floyd with no routing whatever, and the guitar can be very easily returned to standard. It is very expensive here in the UK, but probably only a fraction of that if you're in the US, as is normally the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 This is the best solution I've seen yet: http://www.madisonandfifth.co.uk/SuperVee.index.htm Offers the capabilities of a Floyd with no routing whatever, and the guitar can be very easily returned to standard. It is very expensive here in the UK, but probably only a fraction of that if you're in the US, as is normally the case. That looks pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metropolis74 Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I ain't got the prized strat yet... but I might just start with a run-down one, strip it down, refit, re-paint, etc. You know what I mean... Does the neck need modifications too? Please don't tell us you're going to retrofit a Floyd onto a nicely worn vintage Strat:eek: Have you checked ebay for a Floyd equipped Strat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikeSF Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I'm glad Pete said that about not needing to recess a body to be able to pull up a FR. All the original Floyd-equipped guitars had no recess - i have one and it works the same way. and, no, it doesn't REALLY need a pro guitar tech to do the conversion from a strat rout to a Floyd. I believe i was in 9th grade (mid 80's)when i bought a FR and with no power tools nor any knowledge of woodworking, installed one myself on a strat copy; i even cut the recess. i used primitive hand tools like a hammer and chisel but hey, it works great to this day with no issues. looks crappy if you really study it but hey, we do what we can. that said, i recommend only buying an Original Floyd Rose, not one of those licensed jobbies - they are never as good as the real thing. I have an OFR-equipped Kramer Baretta('86?) in the closet, and I dont even open the case anymore for years on end. when i do, that sucker is still perfectly in tune every time. the strings are at least 10 years old on it too. crazy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Silly Lilly Posted May 1, 2007 Author Members Share Posted May 1, 2007 which is exactly what I had done in 92 [i think].. lol... as with some of the sentiment here in this thread, Strats already equipped with Floyds are pretty common these days.. I wouldn't bother to do this upgrade yourself unless you were a hobbyist / apprentice luthier.. Hi there! Not sure where these US Strats equipped with Floyds are, I haven't seen any around (live in Britain) apart from the Mexican Sambora model. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.