If Floyd Rose sucks, then is there any alternatives?

[Vinchester]

Hi guys, I'm quite a newbie here.

 

I've been told numerous times that Floyd Rose trem are a bitch to deal with in terms of ease of adjustment. I've never play around with them, but still curious IF there is any alternative to the current system. In this age of technology, there should have already been hundreds of innovations to solve this!

 

I'd love to try them myself, but are discouraged by these tales of frustrations.

any thoughts?

[mosiddiqi]

If you want to use a whammy bar for extreme pitch changes, I really believe that the best in terms of tuning stability are an Original Floyd Rose, the Schaller Floyd Rose and the Ibanez Edge Pro. I am not aware of any new bridges that are radically different to these types. For less extreme usage, the PRS trems are really good as is a correctly set up Fender.

 

I have or have had guitars with all of these plus various floyd rose copies, and also various Kahler models which are a whole different feel. The FR copies I think vary in quality tremendously from average to really poor. The Kahler stays in tune fine, is easier to adjust but I didn't like the tone, you might like it though!

 

Overall, Floyd Rose type floating trems do take a bit of adjustment, but it's not that bad. One thing that really helps is to stabilise the bridge when you change strings..I do this by sticking a coaster (or business cards) to keep the bridge fixed, it makes string changes and intonation really easy.

 

Once the strings are stretched and you're in tune, lock it down and it will NOT go out of tune.

[catscurlyear]

you should try the hipshot tremsetter with a standard trem

 

[Bobby D]

 

If you want to use a whammy bar for extreme pitch changes, I really believe that the best in terms of tuning stability are an Original Floyd Rose, the Schaller Floyd Rose and the Ibanez Edge Pro. I am not aware of any new bridges that are radically different to these types. For less extreme usage, the PRS trems are really good as is a correctly set up Fender. I have or have had guitars with all of these plus various floyd rose copies, and also various Kahler models which are a whole different feel. The FR copies I think vary in quality tremendously from average to really poor. The Kahler stays in tune fine, is easier to adjust but I didn't like the tone, you might like it though! Overall, Floyd Rose type floating trems do take a bit of adjustment, but it's not that bad. One thing that really helps is to stabilise the bridge when you change strings..I do this by sticking a coaster (or business cards) to keep the bridge fixed, it makes string changes and intonation really easy. Once the strings are stretched and you're in tune, lock it down and it will NOT go out of tune.

 

 

read and found to be correct.

 

the management

[Vinchester]

hmm that makes it clearer to me. thx man

[savethegibbons]

Generally the people who have problems with them have simply not educated themselves about them. If you check out various websites such as Jemsite and youtube, they have some great pages/videos on correct setup.

 

The quality of the floyd is generally more of a long term factor, with the knife edges on the cheaper ones crapping within a few years of heavy use.

[Virgman]

They are easy to use.

[jeremy_green]

I have one and have no issue with Floyds - for extreme use I haven't found better. It depends if that is the style you are going for. Just to wiggle the odd chord here and there probably like using an elephant gun for mouse hunting. But if you really want to crank the strings then any hassle comes with the territory IMO.

[Cryptopsy]

Kahler's are nice, but they are just starting to become common again. In a few years I'd expect them to be on a competitive level with Floyd Rose. I really prefer the feel of a Kahler to a floyd, but have used Floyd's for years.. simply because they are available in pretty much any market.

[q-4000]

KAHLER!!!! they kick ass and dont need a big ass rout to fit!!! tension is adjustable with a little screw and they can be locked down! plus they locking nut goes above the regular nut so they are easy to retrofit!

[slash09]

If you think a floyd is complicated I definitely wouldn't recomend a kahler. there's way more settings and if you don't know how to set up a trem it will be a real pita. they still need routing and I've seen people put the locker too far behind the nut and u still get binding at the nut.

[Pepsi]

 

Generally the people who have problems with them have simply not educated themselves about them. If you check out various websites such as Jemsite and youtube, they have some great pages/videos on correct setup.

 

 

+1

[fmw]

 

Hi guys, I'm quite a newbie here. I've been told numerous times that Floyd Rose trem are a bitch to deal with in terms of ease of adjustment. I've never play around with them, but still curious IF there is any alternative to the current system. any thoughts?

 

 

Yes, I recommend bends, hammer ons, pulloffs and slides.

[Exdeath]

 

If you want to use a whammy bar for extreme pitch changes, I really believe that the best in terms of tuning stability are an Original Floyd Rose, the Schaller Floyd Rose and the Ibanez Edge Pro. I am not aware of any new bridges that are radically different to these types. For less extreme usage, the PRS trems are really good as is a correctly set up Fender. I have or have had guitars with all of these plus various floyd rose copies, and also various Kahler models which are a whole different feel. The FR copies I think vary in quality tremendously from average to really poor. The Kahler stays in tune fine, is easier to adjust but I didn't like the tone, you might like it though! Overall, Floyd Rose type floating trems do take a bit of adjustment, but it's not that bad. One thing that really helps is to stabilise the bridge when you change strings..I do this by sticking a coaster (or business cards) to keep the bridge fixed, it makes string changes and intonation really easy. Once the strings are stretched and you're in tune, lock it down and it will NOT go out of tune.

 

 

I hear the Gotoh FR is great, too - they manufacture the Edge and Edge Pros, so they know a thing or two about locking trems. I'm getting one to stick on my superstrat in the future if I can't find an old OFR for cheap.

[Kuroyume]

Yes, I recommend bends, hammer ons, pulloffs and slides.

 

Hit a harmonic and try that. Oops. Oh well, that doesn't work.

 

Some people love double-locking floating bridges, some hate them. If you don't like them, don't use them. If you do, learn how to.

[strtdv]

IIRC Kahlers work on a completely different principle to a Floyd. They're not a knife edge tremolo.

[Efekkt]

Don't fear the floyds .

 

I have a ZR trem from Ibanez and it works pretty nicely. Though I still want a guitar with an OFR.

 

Takes a little bit to get used to but stringing and tuning really isn't a big deal. And an OFR should stay in tune pretty much no matter what.

 

My ZR will go out of tune sometimes but the problem is probably not just the fact that it's a ZR and probably could be fixed. I'm no guitar tech.

[mike-o]

Floating floyds are a pain to set up. Dive-only, on the other hand, is a piece of cake. I have a guitar with a flush mounted dive only floyd... very reliable, easy to set up.

 

I've never owned a guitar with a wilkinson but I've played a few and they take quite a beating. I may look into it for my next guitar. With a trem nut and sperzel lockers I bet it'd be close to as good as a Floyd. Obviously it won't be double locking so it can't be perfect.

[-MBro-]

I still havent encountered a floyd that will return perfectly to pitch from down and up trem movement. Mine will return from one or the other so I set it for for whammy down because this is usually what I use it for.

 

Check out Ibanez rules

 

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/index.htm

 

You can see all the floyd rose problems ( fixes) listed.

 

Heres my Floyd equiped axe

 

[Music Calgary]

I have a Kahler. Much preferable IMO.

 

That said, all systems have some problems with heavy usage from my experience.

[Knottyhed]

 

Hi guys, I'm quite a newbie here. I've been told numerous times that Floyd Rose trem are a bitch to deal with in terms of ease of adjustment. I've never play around with them, but still curious IF there is any alternative to the current system. In this age of technology, there should have already been hundreds of innovations to solve this! I'd love to try them myself, but are discouraged by these tales of frustrations. any thoughts?

 

 

This is a load of rubbish peddled by complete morons, there's nothing intrinsically difficult about a floyd rose. If you want to change string gauge, or tune down you will need to adjust the spring tension of the tremolo to compensate for the changed string tension. Anyone with half a brain, some patience and a screw driver can do this. Unfortunately alot of people don't have half a brain, or any patience. Of course cheaper 'knock of varients' that are not properly machined or units with worn knife edges may give you some trouble, but that's not a design fault of the actual unit.

 

The floyd is the best floating tremolo out there, in fact IMO the *only* floating tremolo that actually works properly and stays 100% in tune no matter how much abuse you give it.

 

None locking tremolo's are only really any good for 'wobbles', you can get pretty good stability with locking tuners, and a standard strat style trem, but it won't really compare to a floyd rose. Likewise with the Kahler... which despite being extremely adjustable and arguably having a nicer feel than the floyd is just not in the same league when it comes to tuning stability.

 

Bottom line, if you want to do extreme dive-bombs and pull ups there's no good alternative to a floyd rose.

[Knottyhed]

 

KAHLER!!!! they kick ass and dont need a big ass rout to fit!!! tension is adjustable with a little screw and they can be locked down! plus they locking nut goes above the regular nut so they are easy to retrofit!

 

 

I hate Kahler's, they do not have the tuning stability of a floyd, not even close. They tend to go out of tune on both extreme bends and simply cannot take the same level of dive bombing abuse that a floyd can.

 

The behind the nut lock is one of their major design faults - the quick release variant is next to usless - if you get it tight enough to lock the strings properly you'll need a screw driver to undo it and whilst the allen key version is better there's still a point of friction on the nut. Likewise, as FR has the patent on locking at the bridge the strings there's no locking mechanism at the bridge end - again resulting in tuning problem as the strings can shift slightly.

 

They do have a nice feel and are amazingly adjustable, which'd be great if you could use them with 100% confidence. I'm happy to sit at home and mess about with the trem, but if I'm playing my kahler guitar at a gig I won't use it for anything but vibrato, because there's a real risk I'll spend the rest of the song playing out of tune.

[buddastrat]

regular old school vintage trem can do amazing stuff if you learn how to do it. I get mine to stay in tune as well as any Floyd and no stupid wrenches needed. What a pain. I used to use Floyds for years and know how to set them up well, to overtune to compensate for tuning up so that the bridge equalizes etc..

 

They're still a pain and I got to the point where it was not only a hassle but I felt a little embarassed, that I couldn't just grab a strat and do it, because I seen people do it. I sat there for a couple hours with an old strat '66) and figured it out. Now, no more training wheels.

[Music Calgary]

 

I hate Kahler's, they do not have the tuning stability of a floyd, not even close.

 

 

Not so.

 

I've been using one for years -- my guitar stays in tune better than my old Floyd-based Charvel. Kahler's have good tuning stability.

[Knottyhed]

 

Not so. I've been using one for years -- my guitar stays in tune better than my old Floyd-based Charvel. Kahler's have good tuning stability.

 

 

Then there's something wrong with the floyd on your Charvel. Kahler's are simply just not as good as FR's when it comes to tuning stability. Kahler's are 'good', but the FR is absolutely bomb proof.

 

These video's demonstrate that quite nicely.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy1eiMZ5nUk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K350onEl1o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U41FjfnWLSQ&feature=related

 

My experience with both trem's correlates closely to what this guy demonstrates. Although I'd bet the farm that if he checked his tuning properly after all his dive bomb stunts the kahler wouldn't be exactly where it was before he started and the floyd would.