Building a Charvel San Dimas - Floyd Rose issues

[Koryv86]

Hi all,

I'm starting a new project, building a Charvel San Dimas for myself (or get a pro to do it for me) from parts buying off Ebay.

I' would like to get a Schaller or a Gotoh Floyd Rose however I'm not sure which one to get.
Which one is better, what do you think?
Are there any compatibility issues with the San Dimas Body? (Holes are already drilled into the body.)

These San Dimas Charvels originally has MIK Floyd Rose licensed trems and I read somewhere that the studs for the Gotoh Floyd is not the same size than these MIK floyds have so might won't be compatible to my Charvel body. Any thoughts?

Important note...it will be a top-mounted (non-recessed) floyd.

Also the neck has a 12-16 inch radius. Which nut should I get? R2,R3,R4...?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Koryv86]

HI,

If I pick up the Schaller, it would be probably this one:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=292458930294

It can be a direct fit according to the discription:
"The dimensions of our Tremolo LockMeister are exactly the same as the dimensions of both the Floyd Rose Tremolo and our Schaller Tremolo. You can easily replace your Floyd Rose Tremolo or your Schaller Tremolo with our new LockMeister Tremolo."

The Gotoh version is this one:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=291709142713
It can be choosen with a 40mm Tremolo Block Length. The Schaller is 42mm. Does it make any difference?

For the Gotoh Floyd it looks like I'll need to buy the nut separately.
I've found this on Ebay:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=122920153642
This is a 41mm wide locking nut compared to 41,3mm Schaller nut that comes directly along with the Floyd.
Does it make any difference?

Will both of these fit to my Charvel San Dimas? What do you think?

Sorry for the long words...I just try to avoid buying something that I can't use later.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Specs of Gotoh:

Specs of OFR: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1711/6239/files/OFR_Dimensions.pdf?10199693857680416961

So how far apart are your posts? If they're 74mm center to center, you can go with either.

 

[Koryv86]

Specs of Gotoh:

Specs of OFR: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1711/6239/files/OFR_Dimensions.pdf?10199693857680416961

So how far apart are your posts? If they're 74mm center to center, you can go with either.

Thaks mate,
To be honest, I don't know how far apart my posts are as I've just ordered the body from Ebay on Friday. It'll be with me in 3 weeks max.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Take it slow man. Get the body, measure everything. Get a neck that fits the body and then start worrying about hardware.

When it comes to projects like this measuring tools like rulers and calipers are your friends. Measure twice, buy once.

 

[mpexus]

Gotoh studs are larger than FR ones, so if you plan to use the Gotoh studs you need to remove the old ones, fill the existing holes and re-drill for the Gotoh. Its better to have someone with knowledge do this.

You can however use the Gotoh Trem on those original FR Studs. Some people just swap trems and dont care about replacing the studs, others prefer to do the whole thing. Does the body you bought have any Hardware? If not you need the Studs and in case you dont plan to be drilling buy proper German Floyd Rose ones and not the cheapest. They cost like 25 euros or so vs 10euros of the generic crap ones.

 

[Koryv86]

There aren't any hardware for the body. I'm going to buy every parts myself.
The Gotoh floyd would be this:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=292458930294

So if I want to go with the Gotoh Floyd, I should buy different studs (Original Floyd Rose) or drill bigger holes on the body?

If I don't want to 'ruin' the body and drill now holes in itm should I get teh Schaller floyd instead of the Gotoh? How about the quoality of this compared to Gotoh?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Design a headstock with straight string pull to the tuner posts, and you won't have need for the locking nut. Go with a tusq nut and do a good setup, and it will stay in tune wonderfully.

 

[groverj3]

There aren't any hardware for the body. I'm going to buy every parts myself.
The Gotoh floyd would be this:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=292458930294

So if I want to go with the Gotoh Floyd, I should buy different studs (Original Floyd Rose) or drill bigger holes on the body?

If I don't want to 'ruin' the body and drill now holes in itm should I get teh Schaller floyd instead of the Gotoh? How about the quoality of this compared to Gotoh?

The consensus is that the Gotoh is as good or better than the Original (Schaller) Floyd. The post spacing is the same. Due to the holes already being drilled for the Schaller posts, I'd just buy some posts and use the Gotoh Floyd with them, if that trem is your preference. I have successfully used OFR posts with the Gotoh, myself. No issues there at all.

If you're wanting essentially a Charvel you'll probably want the R3 nut, since it is a 12" radius. Alternatively you can use the R4, I believe the radius is the same, but the string spacing is a bit wider. Regardless, when you install the trem you're going to want to shim the saddles to about an 18in. radius. Since the fretboard ends at 16" radius, if you continue that conical radius to where the bridge is, it's about 18in. However, small discrepancies are not an issue.

 

[Koryv86]

The consensus is that the Gotoh is as good or better than the Original (Schaller) Floyd. The post spacing is the same. Due to the holes already being drilled for the Schaller posts, I'd just buy some posts and use the Gotoh Floyd with them, if that trem is your preference. I have successfully used OFR posts with the Gotoh, myself. No issues there at all.

If you're wanting essentially a Charvel you'll probably want the R3 nut, since it is a 12" radius. Alternatively you can use the R4, I believe the radius is the same, but the string spacing is a bit wider. Regardless, when you install the trem you're going to want to shim the saddles to about an 18in. radius. Since the fretboard ends at 16" radius, if you continue that conical radius to where the bridge is, it's about 18in. However, small discrepancies are not an issue.

Hi,
Thank you for kind help and advise. Does really a significant difference between the Gotoh and Schaller floyd rose?...Would eb much easier to simple get the Schaller as it does not require any modification.
If the Gotoh is really much better bridge than the Schaller, I'd get this and get Schaller saddles to install and this nut:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=122920153642

This seems to be equal with the Schaller R3 nut (41mm).

Also If I get the Gotoh bridge, there is option to choose the tremolo block length (33mm, 36mm, 40mm).
Which one would be the better option? Schaller has the 42mm trem block.

Thank you again for your kind help.

 

[eaeolian]

The Gotoh is a fine trem, although I personally prefer the OFR. Having said that, I have a Lockmiester, and it may be my favorite of all of them - it's like they fixed all the little things that have bothered me about the OFR for 30 years.

 

[groverj3]

Hi,
Thank you for kind help and advise. Does really a significant difference between the Gotoh and Schaller floyd rose?...Would eb much easier to simple get the Schaller as it does not require any modification.
If the Gotoh is really much better bridge than the Schaller, I'd get this and get Schaller saddles to install and this nut:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=122920153642

This seems to be equal with the Schaller R3 nut (41mm).

Also If I get the Gotoh bridge, there is option to choose the tremolo block length (33mm, 36mm, 40mm).
Which one would be the better option? Schaller has the 42mm trem block.

Thank you again for your kind help.

The R3 nut is 1 11/16" (42.86 mm) which should be your neck width at the nut for something like a Charvel. That one you linked that's actually made for the Gotoh will be narrower and is equivalent to an R2. I also used the original floyd rose locking nut (R3) with the Gotoh trems.

I like both trems just fine. I only bought a couple of Gotohs because there was an ebay seller selling them for about $100 less than the OFR.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I've got a Gotoh that I've been playing on for 22 years, absolutely great trem. I'm just now showing flaws in the knife edges and that's my fault for adjusting the stud height while still under full string & claw spring tension. I'd say that's a good track record. I'll likely get a new one just so I can have a new base plate, but to keep with the aged look, I'll likely go with the saddles that I've been using, keep the new ones for spares.

 

[Koryv86]

Thank you all.

I think the easiest thing would be just to go with the Schaller with R3 nut so no extra modification, drilling, getting different studs, etc... will be needed.
I'll do some more research/comparison though to see if I prefer Gotoh or Schaller after all.