To Trem or Not to Trem? A Floyd Rose FRX Story
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- We recently took in an Epiphone Les Paul Florentine with an aftermarket Floyd Rose FRX trem installed. We decided that the members of our A Strings Facebook page should have the deciding vote and put out a poll.
Here are the results.
Harmonic test was done on the wrong pick up selector. Neck for the floyd and both for the stop tail.
Very important observation. First thing I noticed!
I didn't notice that right offhand. Thanks for pointing it out. That would explain the huge difference in tone during that test.
He also used the 12 fret harmonic for the final ring-out on stoptail and let it ring over 20 seconds while using 7th fret harmonics for the Floyd where he physically stopped it from ringing after 14 seconds.
Absolutely, astringsuk needs to delete this video.
Yes. That was my comment. It's a biased test from a naturalist I believe.
I prefer it with the Floyd. it's not even a close thing for my ears. it's more warm and rounded which suits the guitar. In terms of sustain, that's always going to be better with a hard tail ..
To my ears, everything except the harmonics sounded better on the FRX. Hard to tell what effect the pickup switch setting had on that.
As for sustain - with the FRX, it lasted 14 seconds; without the FRX, 26 seconds. If anyone has actually used 14 seconds of sustain in a recording or live performance, let alone more than that, I'd be very surprised. Which tells me that the sustain difference is academic.
Take a look at the pickup selector.
there was a recording volume difference that could have contributed to a longer perceived harmonic sustain as well as different pick up selection.
The sustain test with FR started on the A-String (4:09) while the test with stop tail started on E-String (4:43). Considering the wider string carrying more sustain the sustain-test was not so fair. This adds to the different pickup selection.
Anyhow, the comparison using the same guitar is very valuable. I think the stop tail sounds a bit more direct and shiny which I prefer over the warmer FR sound. The difference is still very marginal so - as a passionate trem player - I would definitely pick the FR version.
Thanks, good job.
Definitely thinking about getting the frx for my epi, but I think I'll use bone nut and locking tuners instead the the locking nut. Other people had to shim under the locking nut for it to be right.
I think a “string” butler would help with the locking tuners also. Would help with strings binding up at the nut.
Went back and watched again to check pickup selection. I still think it sounded better with the FRX installed. Maybe the strings were closer to the pickups, dont know, but I could tell a difference.
I like the FRX better than original Floyd because it has all options: fully floating, fully floating with a sweet spot, dive only mode (can use DTUNA), and hard tail mode where it doesn't go up or down at all. Even if you like it fully floating, you can set it to dive only mode and change strings or tuning much faster. Sweet tremolo. If you want to use one, I don't know a better option.
Very good,thanks for this,difference is big,but is good to hear it in test before you gonna buy it.Thank guys for the work.
Finally a demo where they actually use the tremolo 😂
During the arpeggio chords, the FRX added a warmer tone which I prefer. I agree the sustain was a little longer with the stop tail. So you gotta decide: Nice tricks, dives, wild harmonics, great looks, best chance of learning some EVH?...or give up all that just for a little longer sustain?..
I installed a gold FRX on my SG cherry Standard, added gold pup covers, gold/silver top hat knobs and Gibson gold vintage style tuners. It's a monster....Next? A chrome FRX for my cherry sunburst Epi Les Paul!
i am planning to install in on my LTD EC401
I'm picking the frx. Just ordered mine
this was kind of a fail, the pickup selector wasn't the same.
For the clean, yeah. For dirty, they were both bridge. With that, I think the FRX sounded better in the first riff and worse in the second, heh.
Excellent A-B comparison. Aside from the pickup selector thing mentioned by others, I could hear a LOT of difference. The stock stoptail/tune-a-matic setup is prettier sounding with more resonance, overtones and sustain. Still...if I wanted a trem on my LP then I would go with this one since you lose less sound quality than I would have expected AND without hacking up the guitar. This is the way to go. IMHO
do you think it is going be good to fit also any epiphone flying V or epiphone explorer??? thanks in advance for any answer.....
I was thinking of having one of theses for my V. The dudes at Floyd Rose said it wouldn't fit :(
After watching the video, as you said, the difference is hardly noticeable once recorded and put on the 'Tube'. Personally, I think if you like a whammy bar, you're gonna like being loud. Louder and with more gain being used, will you really notice the difference when you like the versatility of the whammy bar?
Exactly, there wasn't enough in it to drop the Floyd simply on tone. If you use a trem (and can actually use one, unlike me!) it is worth having there. If you don't, then don't. ;) Adam
I personally have owned a few Gibsons (one of which was the LP CM Black w/FRX) and have both a Gibo and Epi explorer right now, both in E-standard. Both have higher quality Grover machine heads, but both like to drift out of tune if played for any length of time (typically the b or g strings). Personally, I am thinking 12 seconds of sustain I'll never use versus virtually permamanent tuning stability might be worth it for me.
I noticed there was some tonal changes not in the guitar, but in the amp, or maybe the pickup selector or volume knob
The clean audio examples without the FRX are mixed slightly louder (you can verify by clicking back and forth). It immediately conditions the ears to feel "louder is better".
The stop-bar tailpiece allows string vibration to transfer into the body of the guitar which means more resonance and sustain.
The FRX doesn't direct the vibrations directly into the mounting pegs and into the body the way a stop-bar and conventional LP bridge setup does. Due to the way you string a Floyd FRX and how it mounts onto the body it changes the dynamics of the strings' interaction with the wood of the body. The same goes for guitars that are strung through ferrules in the wood of the body they are going to produce different sustain, warmth, and resonance characteristics than a stop-bar and bridge setup.
Every tailpiece has a different personality. What material they are constructed from and how it mounts to the body is going to drastically change how they translate the vibratory energy of the strings through the body. Aluminum being a porous metal will not chime like steel and so on. I personally like a string-thru body and bridge setup it gives a warmer more woody tone with immense sustain and resonance but to each their own.
I mean, that's all well and good, but any good pickup is potted, therefore it has absolutely no microphonic qualities. None of the wood or anything affects a magnetic field.
Perhaps the FR is made of zinc and the stoptail in the TOM is aluminum? Or was the FR using old strings vs new strings on the TOM?
And as others stated, pickup selector is different on some tests.
Sounded a little better with the Floyd on it from where I sit.
Of course you had more resonance and sustain without the Floyd since you had both pickups selected when you played the Stop Tail and only the neck pickup turned on when you did the test with the Floyd. In an honest test (I know it could have been accidental but still.....) I doubt there would have been a very big difference.
I don't need another Epiphone Les Paul, I don't use the one I have but I would have bought this one if you had left the Floyd on it. I would have used it too.
Do you want to sell the FRX ?
Could’ve left the locking nut on to at least cover the holes🙄. Much more versatile with the Floyd anyways. So many fuddy duddy’s locked into the past. The only people that don’t like Floyd’s are the ones that are too inept to own one or set one up.
Better Tone: with the TRX, Longer Sustain: can't tell since the pickup selector wasn't the same.
Hi ! I have FRX on my Gibson LP CM black and I have problem with intonation of low E string (still sharp), because I should move saddle 2 mm more and there is no more space. Since you installed it yourself, do you think, is there a way to move complete tremolo 2 mm ?
There is full unit adjustment on the stop tailpiece studs.. Do these before you deal with the saddles, I know it's old, just in case you still have the problem.
The front height adjustment screws with the little pads they give you will still put divots in your guitar. use something harder and of larger diameter under the screws, SG is fine they sit on the pickguard , but on a les paul it really does a number on the finish and sink right in. especially if its mahogany. you have been warned.
Need a do-over with the harmonic sustain as others have pointed out. But even with the selector switch mistake, both sounded like it had plenty of sustain for anyone’s needs. Honestly, who needs a 30 second sustain?
I liked the Trem better. It has a better low mid tones. The hard tail sound kind of thin and single coil telecasterish. Im doing a build for the great guitar build off and am checking out all kinds of videos on this trem system before I commit.
Yo he instalado FRX's en mi Gibson LP Studio Faded 2016 HP WC, en mi SG-J 2013 y en mi Epiphone LP Custom AW 2020 y estoy muy contento con los resultados. El trémolo es un elemento de expresión que confiere a la guitarra más versatilidad cuando interpretas Rock. Buen invento y sin rutear el cuerpo, por lo que es reversible.
Que tal funciona men
@@devouttj7723 Funciona de lujo, compañero. Muy recomendable. Instalado también en mi Epiphone LP Custom AW
@@msmm.2871 pero no desafina men quiero ponérselo a una custom les Paul epiphone
@@msmm.2871 actualmente le puse pastillas 490 y 498 cambiaré por 57 classic
@@msmm.2871 no rompe cuerdas seguido
Immediately it sounded better without the FRX. Had a bell like bright tone without the tremolo if that's what you like. If you like your LP's dark, then the FRX it is.
I have to wonder, as one other pointed out, how much of that bright tone shift was due to the new strings rather than the tremolo removal.
bad demo because of the pickup switch
i prefer the frx with les paul , more thicker and soild
Does it float?
You can set it to floating yes. :)
It can float or be in dive mode only
I think with the Tatts......um I mean trem is better
Pretty serious screw ups on the harmonic test. I like the tests - but you have to actually set them the same way, and play them the same way, and have levels set the same. This video indicates nothing, pro or con, about either setup.
FRX is way better, I was really thinking about making the modification to the guitar. Im gonna do it eyes closed, even though is a piece of crap guitar, is my little project.
Have the FRX on my epiphone LP and I love it. Wouldn't suggest putting it on a Gibson though...
Why??
YaBoi Donkey I've had much more time with my Epiphone LP (FRX attached) since my original comment and the more I play it, the more I love it. It does take away a little bit of sustain, but enables all the playability of a tremolo. Gibson's are known for having tremendous sustain compared to other guitar brands, so it's kind of a trade off between sustain and tremolo if you want the FRX. Personally I would leave a Gibson alone because it's a beautiful hand made instrument. The FRX is fun on my Epiphone LP, but if I ever get another guitar with a Floyd on it, I would go with a Dean ML or something that comes with a Floyd from the factory.
Thanks but I’ll have the sustain as you said the sustain is godly on a Gibson Les Paul Custom(or any mid or high end gibsons
There's no fuckin difference man rofl, I'm tired of all the marketing bullshit in the guitar world, ooh this nut sounds better than that nut, ooooh ooooh this pickup ring plastic chemistry makes the strings resonate longer on the magnetic field, oooooh this fret wire is brighter sounding, yadda fuckin yadda bullshit, any old reason for companies to charge you out the ass for nonsense, look up the Lego Stratocaster or the Concrete guitar only thing that makes a significant difference in electric guitar tone that I can flat out hear is in the Pickups and the amp, and also to a lesser point, the internal Wiring harness.......Acoustics on the other hand are a whole different kettle of fish
As ugly as the frx is it sounded better... fuck:/