Tremelo Question

Fish Out of Water

Senior Member
Messages
216
Ok Guys,

I know many of you do not like the Floyd Rose trems, but I have a question...

I'm planning my next build.  It's going to be an 80's metal tribute axe.  So we're talkin' a  carved soloist body with a pair of humbuckers, rosewood, ebony (my favorite), or maple finger board and a Floyd... Here's my question,
Which trem is better, the original Floyd or the Schaller and why??  And, is there really any difference between the two?? :icon_scratch:
 
I am a Floyd lover, not a hater, and I have guitars with the OFR and one with a Schaller Floyd.  The Schaller is a bit warmer than the OFR, but other than that, it is just as good. 
 
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??
 
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.
 
DocNrock said:
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.
Not any more, I just bought a Speedloader Floyd, no cutting of strings anymore.....And i too am a floyd lover, one of the major dif's with the O.G. Floyds is that the base plates were made of hardened steel billet plate. And most of the knock-off's, even some of the schaller's, the base plates are die cast. That's the reason for the difference in the warmer sounding Schaller's. The die cast plates absorb more of the vibrations than the solid steel plates..
 
DocNrock said:
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.

Not necessarily. I just string my axe "backwards" so that the ball-end is strung through the peghead first. I've noticed no discernable difference other than the look and a minute or 2 of labor.
 
SrDeMaFp said:
DocNrock said:
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.

Not necessarily. I just string my axe "backwards" so that the ball-end is strung through the peghead first. I've noticed no discernable difference other than the look and a minute or 2 of labor.

Ditto...

I've owned a bunch of floyd guitars over the years and always string 'em backwards.

erik
 
DangerousR6 said:
DocNrock said:
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.
Not any more, I just bought a Speedloader Floyd, no cutting of strings anymore.....And i too am a floyd lover, one of the major dif's with the O.G. Floyds is that the base plates were made of hardened steel billet plate. And most of the knock-off's, even some of the schaller's, the base plates are die cast. That's the reason for the difference in the warmer sounding Schaller's. The die cast plates absorb more of the vibrations than the solid steel plates..
Whats the speed loader like?

Good dive bomber?
 
Wana_make_a_guitar said:
DangerousR6 said:
DocNrock said:
Fish said:
OK, here comes a pretty dumb question....
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd before and I've heard that you have to cut the ball ends of the strings off before you string up the guitar.  Is that true or do I have a bad bunch of information??

For the OFR and Schaller, that is correct.
Not any more, I just bought a Speedloader Floyd, no cutting of strings anymore.....And i too am a floyd lover, one of the major dif's with the O.G. Floyds is that the base plates were made of hardened steel billet plate. And most of the knock-off's, even some of the schaller's, the base plates are die cast. That's the reason for the difference in the warmer sounding Schaller's. The die cast plates absorb more of the vibrations than the solid steel plates..
Whats the speed loader like?

Good dive bomber?
Don't know have used it yet..
 
Fish said:
Doesn't the wound up string around the ball end chew up your tuning pegs??

Well, you never wind the whole string on.  Just a short length enough to keep it in proper tune.  Then you cut off the remaining couple inches or so.

erik
 
I've been told repeatedly by Bill Foley (Author of Build Your Own Electric Guitar available from Warmoth) that all Floyd Rose bridges are made by Schaller.  Something like Floyd worked with them early on to manufacture them, then there was the deal with Kramer, then Fender but they're all made by Schaller.  Anyone else hear this?

I insist on Original Floyd Rose tremolos, by the way.  I guess that makes me a snob! :dontknow:
 
DangerousR6 said:
dmraco said:
what about kahler???
Sorry, kahler ssssssssssssssux.

Agreed about the Kahlers.  Let me say a few things.  Yes, the Floyd Speedloader will use string with the balls intact.  I prefer the OFR.  The OFR does not use the original string balls on the end.  That said, yes, you can load the strings backwards, and put the balls on the tuners.  I personally thought that was not only ugly and bulky, but you still have to cut the strings at the end to get them into the locking mechanism of the OFR, so nothing, in my mind, is gained.

Dangerous is absolutely correct about the Schaller and the reason that its tone is a bit warmer.  That said, it does have stainless knife edges for the pivot points and I believe they are replacable.  I have chosen the Schaller for certain guitars (Jacksons for which an OFR is not a direct replacement), but for anything I am building de novo, an OFR is the only way to go. 

That said, I've heard excellent things about the Gotoh Floyd.  Apparently, it is a drop in replacement for the OFR.  I know essentially nothing about it, but I've heard enough positve feedback that I'd be willing to try it.
 
DocNrock said:
DangerousR6 said:
dmraco said:
what about kahler???
Sorry, kahler ssssssssssssssux.

Agreed about the Kahlers.  Let me say a few things.  Yes, the Floyd Speedloader will use string with the balls intact.  I prefer the OFR.  The OFR does not use the original string balls on the end.  That said, yes, you can load the strings backwards, and put the balls on the tuners.  I personally thought that was not only ugly and bulky, but you still have to cut the strings at the end to get them into the locking mechanism of the OFR, so nothing, in my mind, is gained.

Dangerous is absolutely correct about the Schaller and the reason that its tone is a bit warmer.  That said, it does have stainless knife edges for the pivot points and I believe they are replacable.  I have chosen the Schaller for certain guitars (Jacksons for which an OFR is not a direct replacement), but for anything I am building de novo, an OFR is the only way to go. 

That said, I've heard excellent things about the Gotoh Floyd.  Apparently, it is a drop in replacement for the OFR.  I know essentially nothing about it, but I've heard enough positve feedback that I'd be willing to try it.
May have to get the Gotoh and try it on my spalt tele... :toothy12:
 
Let me know how it works out!  :icon_thumright:

I have two more concepts, both of which call for Floyd style trems.
 
DocNrock said:
Let me know how it works out!  :icon_thumright:

I have two more concepts, both of which call for Floyd style trems.
You know of anyone of the top of your head who sells the Gotoh's? :icon_scratch:
 
DangerousR6 said:
DocNrock said:
Let me know how it works out!  :icon_thumright:

I have two more concepts, both of which call for Floyd style trems.
You know of anyone of the top of your head who sells the Gotoh's? :icon_scratch:

e-bay store search
 
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