[Discussion] How to know if we need a Floyd Rose Guitar?

[Rykilla]

Hi everyone,

Busy life has put me on pause with guitar for a while, but recently I have been picking it up again (saw my guitar cleaning post? That is me trying to figure out how to clean my old guitars). What is better is that I am looking to purchase a new guitar as a reward for reunion (we never have enough of them, do we).

I was planning to get a guitar with floyd rose, because my current collection does not contain a single floyd rose guitar. However, upon searching for a while, I have stopped to ask myself why I need one. One main reason I can think of is that my major inspiration comes from Joe Satriani, and his guitars carry floyd rose (or Ibanez equivalent Edge Zero, etc). However, upon further scrutiny, I notice that songs I really like from Joe are like "Cryin'", "Starry Night", "Until we say goodbye", "If I could fly", etc. Most of these songs, to my best knowledge, do not involve a heavy use of whammy bar. I am aware some of Joe's songs require great use of whammy bar, like "surfing with the alien", etc, but I seldom play those...

I am now in a dilemma, which I believe that some of you may have been into before. I do occasionally use tremolo (with small motion) for some musical expression (like in some blues), but my current guitars are able to do that. Bridges from Fender, PRS are more than capable of doing these small vibrato (or tremolo). And, I am probably not fond of dive bomb (probably do it in Guitar Center; actually, no, don't do it). Then, for now, I can hardly think of something that only Floyd Rose can do.

But, perhaps, probably, possibly, in the future I may need one (?)... This is really where I need the knowledge and experience from you guys. What else, in all seriousness, can a Floyd Rose do that other kind of bridges are not able to, besides dive bomb?

I am not buying a budget guitar for the next one, so if I eventually realize that perhaps I do not really need a Floyd Rose, I can better save my time on the other alternative and try them out.

p.s.: Sorry for the slightly lengthy post. All your feedback is appreciated. I may post it in some other forum to get more input, so if you see this duplicate post elsewhere, come say hi

 

[mlp187]

Seems like you may be over thinking it. An FR will just require a negligible bit more effort during routine string changes (unlocking/re-locking the string blocks and nut). Balancing the tremolo will be the same as a non-locking floating trem. I would go with the FR.

 

[Mboogie7]

A Floyd or other 2pt locking system will help tremendously with tuning if you wanna go whammy bar crazy, but it doesn’t sound like that’s your thing.

2 of my guitars have Floyd specials on them, so my input is definitely less credible than others here, but I’ve found that I prefer something like a gotoh 510. 1pt locking system, feels less bulky to me, and works well for the range that I use the whammy (accent to notes, subtle dive bomb into new notes, rhythmic color, etc).

I figure if the gotoh 510 works for the type of trem work Angel Vivaldi does, it’s more than enough for me. I will say though that I’m super intrigued by the new 1996T 7string that Gotoh has coming out this year.

 

[Rykilla]

Seems like you may be over thinking it. An FR will just require a negligible bit more effort during routine string changes (unlocking/re-locking the string blocks and nut). Balancing the tremolo will be the same as a non-locking floating trem. I would go with the FR.

Actually, you have a point here. While the maintenance with FR seems intimidating at first, I believe with some experience, it just adds a small amount of hassle. Perhaps, different tuning may be troublesome on FR, but I have other guitars for that kind of purposes. String breaking can lead to tremendous out-of-tune issue on FR, but I am not a professional musician and I do not travel around and play on-stage, so if my string breaks, I can simply stop to restring it before resuming my play.

While there is some rumor about less sustain on FR, I do not particularly buy it. So, this could be a "why-not" -- even if I may not use FR a lot, I may still just add one to my collection, as common issues like maintenance can be easily mitigated. Thank you for the input!

 

[Rykilla]

A Floyd or other 2pt locking system will help tremendously with tuning if you wanna go whammy bar crazy, but it doesn’t sound like that’s your thing.

2 of my guitars have Floyd specials on them, so my input is definitely less credible than others here, but I’ve found that I prefer something like a gotoh 510. 1pt locking system, feels less bulky to me, and works well for the range that I use the whammy (accent to notes, subtle dive bomb into new notes, rhythmic color, etc).

I figure if the gotoh 510 works for the type of trem work Angel Vivaldi does, it’s more than enough for me. I will say though that I’m super intrigued by the new 1996T 7string that Gotoh has coming out this year.

Any input is credible, as long as it is what you think and what you have been through. They are perhaps more appreciated than you believe, because I do not have this kind of experience, which may have become a norm to you. Anyway, thank you for the input!

 

[BenjaminW]

I was never a big whammy guy before I got my first guitar with a Floyd Rose. However, when I did get it which was a Gibson Les Paul Axcess, I absolutely fell in love with Floyds. They're fun to use and can withstand a lot of string/whammy abuse.

Depending on if the guitar you get with a Floyd Rose that's mounted above the body like a Strat bridge, or recessed, setup will take either little or a lot of time (from my experience at least). Most of the time, any Floyd-equipped guitar will be recessed, but the only two times that you'll commonly see a top mounted Floyd is on anything EVH, or a Warmoth build AFAIK.

Top mount Floyds are less of a hassle to set up because it doesn't sink back into the body, but you will obviously lose out on being able to go up and down with the bar. Recessed Floyds because they are obviously fully floating, will take more time to set up and can be very frustrating. The flip side of fully floating Floyds are that you can do all the cool whammy bar techniques/tricks without only being restricted to one direction to go.

Ultimately, Floyd Rose setup from my experience has been trial and error, but once you get the hang of it, it's not as daunting as it first is. If you do buy a fully floating Floyd guitar, I highly recommend also buying a Tremol-No to replace the springs/mounting claw so that you can switch from fully floating, to dive only, to hardtail.

 

[Matt08642]

Crazy whammy stuff aside, I love Floyds for the tuning reliability overall. I pick up one of my guitars, hit the bar with a flutter, and I can bet it will be in tune every single time.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

I've always avoided Floyds like the plague. I preferred string thru pretty much ever since I first started which was 10+ years ago.

I fell in love with the Dean Modifier shape and play that shape exclusively. The problem is that the shape is discontinued and only comes in two styles, string thru and Floyd. My first was the string-thru of course but I needed a second guitar. The string-thru version is almost impossible to find. I'd looked for like 2 years and couldn't find one and I happened to get lucky. I have had it for about 2 years now. 4 years and I haven't seen one since. That's how hard it is to find.

I got lucky and a Modifier for 300 bucks showed up on Guitar Center's used section. Problem? It was red...I didn't want a red guitar. Bigger problem? It has a Floyd.

Since it wasn't likely that I'll ever find another string-thru I just had to do it. Especially for that price it'd be stupid not to.

As someone who hated the idea of Floyds and never wanted one, and having no experience with one I can say I'm glad I made the purchase. Yeah restringing takes a little more work but you get used to it. I was REALLY surprised at how well it stayed in tune. I primarily use my guitars to record so I need tuning stability and my Floyd guitar really impressed me with how well it stays in tune. Whether or not I'm even using the trem I don't have to constantly retune the thing.

The downside? It was a Floyd special that someone dropped in as 1000s are stock with that model. It was old and the saddle block kept loosening and the string would pop out of the bridge. Recently the old springs on it began making noise that I could hear when recording. It also adds weight to the guitar but honestly I like it. The Modifier is designed to be slim and lightweight, so the Floyd doesn't make it super heavy. It probably balances out to the weight of a full ML shape. But if ya put one on an already heavy guitar, that might be something to look out for.

I just dropped it off to my tech yesterday to have a Gotoh replacement thrown in which should fix all of my problems.

I say all this to say I don't regret buying that guitar. Honestly it's slowly becoming my favorite which is saying a lot considering I'm not a lead player, Floyds are extra work (not a lot, but still). I like it so much that I no longer fear Floyds and I'm actually considering another. I wanted a 3rd guitar and I'm considering an ML, but I'm actually picking the Floyd version over the string thru. I'm not a lead player and I don't do a lot of trem stuff but I like the feel of the bridge, the weight of it, and the option of doing trem fuckery if I feel like it.

If I don't wanna bother I can just lock it down. So it makes more sense to me as someone who wants lots of options to have the trem and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[Rykilla]

Thank you so much for all the input!

Incidentally, while doing search, I notice that some guitars nowadays come with a bridge called "Wilkinson". It is believed that Wilkinson bridge, while performing like Gotoh 510, is able to stay in tune like FR. According to Pete, we do not have to cut the balls off the strings when stringing.

link:

Have you guys heard about it before?

p.s.: Do not mean to digress the main topic about FR (please share more), but I have just found something right after the post, and it is somehow related to FR, so I just throw in my findings like a child...

 

[spudmunkey]

A floyd rose (with the locking nut) pinches the strings on both ends: In the locking nut, and at the bridge, so there's no string moving over a nut or saddle. Because of that, no trem will perform as well as a double-locking bridge like a floyd rose. if you dive, there's possibility that the string loosens up behind the saddle and then settles in a slightly different position. Same at the nut, especially with wound strings.

Outside of a double locking trem, well-lubricated nuts help, locking tuners can help, locking saddles help...but nothing will perform as well (in terms of tuning stability), with as wide of a range, as a double-locking trem like the Floyd Rose. No matter what anecdotal experiences or marketing departments say, it's just not possible for any other trem style to have zero friction at the string break like a double-locking trem.

Now...others might have a feel you prefer, string changes are easier, the pivot edges might hold up better with agressive/long-term use (like, say, something like Hipshot's Contour should, in theory) and there are shitty versions of floyds with crappy knife edges...but all else being equal, a double locking trem will stay in tune better with use then a non-locking or the uncommon single-locking.

That said: if you think you might want one...get a used one. If you don't like it, sell it, and get most of your money back.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

The answer is yes.

 

[TheBolivianSniper]

As someone who has only ever owned 2 hardtails and ditched them both pretty quick, get a floyd. It's such a big difference and having the option to go crazy on the trem is a lot better than never having it. I also find that the massive saddles and fine tuners fit my hand perfectly and it's a lot more comfortable for rhythm playing even without the bar installed. If you're not a dumbass like me and keep everything comfortably tight during string changes I don't think it's hard to set it up in the slightest. Also the tuning stability is ridiculous, I don't tune my guitars except minor adjustments with the bridge tuners every once in a while, and I beat the fuck out of both my guitars.

One has a floyd original and the other a 1500 and I can tell the difference, it's not huge but the original feels heavier and more solid to the touch. Both keep tuning perfectly and are extremely durable. I wouldn't recommend a special in the slightest, they're shitty metal and will fall apart the first string change or dive bomb.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Oh...the downside is the nut takes getting used to. When I'm on the first fret the nut can get in the way depending on where my hand is. I'm used to the feeling of a regular nut so the locking one being there is a bit of a nuisance but I'm sure it's something I can learn to get over.

 

[Matt08642]

Oh another awesome thing with Floyds is you can just take the bridge out and swap pickups or electronics or clean the guitar, whatever you want to do, and then put the bridge (with strings still in it) back in and it should still be in tune.

 

[angl2k]

I have one floyd guitar and it's getting the least amount of play..

While some might say it's not THAT much of an extra hassle, for me it is. Also, the fine tuners will get out of tuning range once in a while, requiring me to unlock the nut and tune it again and relock the nut.

Also, you can't change tunings as easily as on a hardtail. Going from E to Eb or drop D etc.

Also, when you (heavily) bend a string the other strings will get out of tune very slightly so depending on your playing you might have to adjust for that.

That being said, my floyd guitar does stay in tune very well.

 

[sleewell]

Everyone needs one guitar w a floyd. It's another cool way to express yourself, even if you dont use it much it's nice to have around when the feeling hits. Tuning stability is top notch with them too. Kinda a pita to change strings but not that bad.

 

[McBrain]

Sure, it takes a bit longer to change the tuning on a Floyd Rose, but the locking nut makes it possible to go from heavy to light strings and vice versa without having to modify/replace the nut, and it's really easy to adjust the height of the nut by adding/removing shims.

If you don't have a lot of guitars, then this is reason enough for getting a guitar with a double-locking trem system. If for some reason you never use the trem, then block it - blocked Floyds have incredible tuning stability.

 

[budda]

Everyone needs one guitar w a floyd. It's another cool way to express yourself, even if you dont use it much it's nice to have around when the feeling hits. Tuning stability is top notch with them too. Kinda a pita to change strings but not that bad.

I tried this with a Carvin DC727 and RG550DY. Both guitars barely got played, I couldn't figure out how to do anything cool with them (any trem can dive and my strat goes full slinky) and I didn't feel any guilt moving them on.

The only way to know if an FR guitar will work for you is to buy one. I've done the experiment, I'm never buying another one again.

 

[Pollaxe Music Instruments]

I think it’s all depends on your guitar heroes! Personally, always tries to experiment. Get a used one or borrow from a friend if u have one for a week or two. Afterwards you will
figure it out by yourself!

 

[SpaceDock]

When I am considering a Floyd or full floating trem, I think about the use of the guitar. If I am going to need to change tuning, even dropping the low string to drop D for example, or think that I will need to be changing gauges regularly, then a fixed bridge is much more desirable.

The Floyd is a great option if you are going to stick to a tuning and you know what gauges you will be using more consistently. Yes you can rebalance a Floyd and set up for different tunings/gauges but it is not something I like to spend my time doing.

The Floyd is far superior, IMO, for keeping in one tuning because the double lock really does lock in the tuning. I can rip the trem all over the place and not have to retune to pitch for hours of use compared to a single or no lock trem system.

Because of these considerations, I tend to keep a few guitars: Floyd in standard, fixed for changing between drop D and half step down. Floating trem 7 for standard B and a fixed 7 for dropping to A or going to a half step or whole step down. Having a stable or harem of guitars is handy!