Gotoh Floyd

[Cederick]

I've been researching on the net and it seems like the Gotoh Floyd is the top floyd at the moment.

The Original and Schaller is not as acclaimed anymore; even Suhr guitars choose Gotoh over those.

My Warmoth with Original works great of course but I have only had it for about a year.

Looking at Warmoths site, they don't do a Gotoh Floyd rout?
I mean they do have other Gotoh hardware, so why not their Floyd bridge too? That would be awesome.
They should. Right now I'm aiming at a Rasmus By Suhr instead of a new Warmoth build just to get the Gotoh...


Oh, and I think I have understood the Gotoh is a direct replacement for an original if it's top-mounted, but I have also heard about the block being to large for a regular floyd rout? Or is that just because it's made to be top-mounted, maybe? :dontknow:

 

[rorycosgrove]

Call me crazy but I don't know what all the fuss is about with all the different Floyds. I have a Korean original and a 1000 series in guitars which are both over 3 years old and are used/abused often. I haven't had a single problem with either of them, in fact, the Korean original has never even been set up! I'm sure you're right though, that the Gotohs are indeed 'best' (if Suhr is using em they've gotta be), but I can't imagine how much better they could be. I suppose 3-4 years might not be long enough to call it, but until one of my Floyds explodes I'm not buying into the higher echelon bridges, especially not those ridiculously overpriced titanium Floyds.

P.s. All this being said I don't see any problem with Warmoth stocking/routing for them though. More options are always better IMO

-Rory

 

[mullyman]

A Gotoh Floyd has one side open, like a knife edge, which allows it to fit on just about any post setting. There is no need to do a "Gotoh" route because it will fit pretty much regardless.

I currently have a guitar on it's way to me, after painting, that I picked up in the showcase and had routed for a Floyd. I am using a Music Man Floyd though, which is made by Gotoh, and there were zero problems setting it up.
MULLY

 

[mullyman]

Here are the Floyds.

Notice the Floyd Rose model has the 2 rounded areas to rest against the posts.

The Gotoh has that razor edge on one side so it doesn't matter about the width of the posts.

Hope that helps.
MULLY

 

[Cagey]

The Gotoh has that razor edge on one side so it doesn't matter about the width of the posts.

Well, it matters, but you can be off a few thousandths without issue, while the unit with the dedicated carve-outs needs to have its posts drilled perfectly. Given proper mounting, either will work equally well.

 

[mullyman]

The Gotoh has that razor edge on one side so it doesn't matter about the width of the posts.

Well, it matters, but you can be off a few thousandths without issue, while the unit with the dedicated carve-outs needs to have its posts drilled perfectly. Given proper mounting, either will work equally well.

Sorry, Cagey, what I meant was that the Gotoh doesn't need the post holes to be drilled specifically for that tremolo unit. A standard Floyd setting is just fine.
MULLY

 

[whitebison66]

I believe the block on the Gotoh is indeed taller.

I replaced mine with a big-block and when I spec'd it, I had it made shorter.

I strongly recommend the upgrade, and most places allow you to get the shorter version. Problem solved and tone improved.

 

[Cederick]

Still see a lot about the locking screws being too long for the OFR rout tho!

I believe the block on the Gotoh is indeed taller.

I replaced mine with a big-block and when I spec'd it, I had it made shorter.

I strongly recommend the upgrade, and most places allow you to get the shorter version. Problem solved and tone improved.

Is a "big-block" shorter?  :icon_scratch: and does a shorter block improve tone?  :icon_scratch:
I don't know but this really confused me. Hahaah!

 

[mullyman]

Still see a lot about the locking screws being too long for the OFR rout tho!

Yeah, I have no idea what that is. I've switched trems in the past from Floyd's to Gotoh's and have had ZERO problems. As I said above, the current Warmoth project of mine was routed for whatever Floyd rout they do there at Warmoth with the sole intention of using a Music Man bridge, made by Gotoh but stamped "Music Man". Not a problem at all on that one either. I would say unless there is something out of the ordinary that you are looking to do then you have no problems getting a Floyd rout and using a Gotoh.

And I also suspect that Gotoh made that knife edge so you could retrofit their tremolo unit on guitars that already have Floyds. That knife edge makes it pretty much universal. I'm sure there may be exceptions on there but I can't think of one off the top of my head.
MULLY

 

[Cederick]

However the straight knife edge doesn't mean it will align straight with the neck, if the studs are 2 cm wider than a regular floyd, that would mean it would be positioned about 1 cm too far to the right... But yeah if both have the same distance between poles it should be no problem I guess  :icon_biggrin:

 

[mullyman]

However the straight knife edge doesn't mean it will align straight with the neck, if the studs are 2 cm wider than a regular floyd, that would mean it would be positioned about 1 cm too far to the right... But yeah if both have the same distance between poles it should be no problem I guess  :icon_biggrin:

Uhhh, yeah, *IF* the the studs are 2cm wider, but that's the same as saying if my dad was my mom then my parents would be lesbians. You asked why Warmoth doesn't have a Gotoh rout. The reason they don't have a Gotoh rout is because with the Floyd rout that they do it's not necessary to have a Gotoh rout as it will retrofit just fine. In no way, shape, or form does this situation allow for posts that are going to be 2cm wider.....and 2cm is huge. That would be one wide ass bridge. haha!!
MULLY

 

[Cederick]

Ok, thanks

I have seen many different takes on this but since you have tried it in first person I guess I can trust that  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cederick]

Oh... If I was about to order a Warmoth body, should I order the OFR studs separetaly, for the "insert from bridge on order" option? I don't wanna do that on my own really.

And the locking nut, the Gotoh will it fit the OFR rout?

 

[whitebison66]

Sorry, I wasn't too clear.

The stock Gotoh block is taller and may protrude out the back/bottom.

When I got the big blocks for my Gotohs, I had them made shorter to avoid the issue. But mine were done custom at a little machine shop here in Hong Kong.

I think, from what I've seen, that big block sellers in the US can and do offer Gotoh big blocks that are shorter.

The larger block improves the tone, not the height of it. And they really do make a difference!

 

[mullyman]

Sorry, I wasn't too clear.

The stock Gotoh block is taller and may protrude out the back/bottom.

When I got the big blocks for my Gotohs, I had them made shorter to avoid the issue. But mine were done custom at a little machine shop here in Hong Kong.

I think, from what I've seen, that big block sellers in the US can and do offer Gotoh big blocks that are shorter.

The larger block improves the tone, not the height of it. And they really do make a difference!

FWIW, I've put Gotoh's on 4 other guitars and have never noticed any protrusion. Just relaying my personal experience, not saying it's not a possibility.
MULLY

 

[mullyman]

Oh... If I was about to order a Warmoth body, should I order the OFR studs separetaly, for the "insert from bridge on order" option? I don't wanna do that on my own really.

And the locking nut, the Gotoh will it fit the OFR rout?

Ok, there are a few ways to approach this one.

1. You have them drill for the OFR studs, install the bushings and use whatever posts that the OFR would use.

2. If you absolutely need to use the Gotoh bushings and posts then I'm pretty sure you can send them to Warmoth and, for a little fee, they will drill accordingly.

This is actually something I haven't encountered because the Gotoh's that I used were replacing Floyds that were already there so I just used the posts that were already on the guitar.

As for the locking nut, the only thing you really need to worry about is whether the width of the nut and the width of the neck at the nut are the same.

If you can hold off for a week or so I'll be getting my Van Halen Frankenstein from the painter. He shipped it out this morning. Here's the lowdown on that one. I ordered a body and neck from the Warmoth Showcase. The body I had routed for a non-floating Floyd Rose and the neck prepped for the OFR nut. I sent my Music  Man Gotoh bridge and nut to the painter. I was a little concerned that the locking nut may not have been the right width for the neck so I told him if it wasn't to go ahead and buy one that was. He said it fit like a glove. He never mentioned anything about the tremolo needing any special adjustments, because he would have charged me for it, haha. Once everything was set up he told me he had her all set up and the action was lower than the width of a coin and that it played like butter. I can't wait to get it in my hands next week.
MULLY

 

[Cederick]

Cool! But you had it non-recessed, which means the block could be taller without be in the way of the trem cavity cover.
Do you have it in a recessed too? (maybe Warmoth and the Gotoh bridge without switched block)

 

[mullyman]

Cool! But you had it non-recessed, which means the block could be taller without be in the way of the trem cavity cover.
Do you have it in a recessed too? (maybe Warmoth and the Gotoh bridge without switched block)

I never really thought about that, but, would recessed or non recessed even matter? The bushings and posts are still going to be in the same place height wise, aren't they? Interesting. As for the trem cavity cover, that's the first thing I remove on a guitar. My white Warmoth doesn't even have the screw holes drilled for one. That could be, I may have never noticed because I don't use the covers.
MULLY

 

[whitebison66]

Warmoth uses a slight angle in the neck pocket of non-recessed Floyd-routed bodies because the bridge is higher than a standard/vintage strat.

On recess-routed bodies, the neck pocket is parallel to the top.

So if you want to use a Gotoh with the recess, you may find the factory block sticking out the back.

I've used a Gotoh bridge on several Warmoths routed for both Floyd options (recess and non-recess); they drop right in and other than the block height (which I fixed with the big block) they work just fine.

I had a chance to grab some photos of the Original Floyd and Gotoh blocks I've swapped out; you can see the height difference.

 

[Cederick]

Is this "the good one"?

BEcause I have thought it has 1996 in the product number...
This one doesn't
http://www.allparts.com/SB-5300-003-Gotoh-Locking-Tremolo-Black_p_3293.html

But I can't find a 1996 in all-black, only cosmo black. And I really want a black bridge