Andre, you’re the best. Glad to know you. Weirdly, I also don’t care for the Les Trem, mainly because I find that the spring has way too little tension for the way I play. I like a firmer feel, and even in the case of Bigsbys I’m always swapping those springs for hi-tension replacements. Another minor complaint: I’m not crazy about the shape of the arm and how it hits my palm. All that said, it works! That’s good, just not for me
I may be too late to the table, but you'll have to cut the pickguard for Frx as well. The "batman" pickguard collides with the adjustment bolt. You'll see what I mean when you're gonna try to install it... Anyway, thanks for the video.
Funny, for me it's the Bigsby that I really don't like the feel of the bar on. Everything is really a matter of preference and I think that's awesome. It's a really cool time for guitarists right now where we have so many options to make our own dream guitars
I'm really sorry that my recommendation as to the Les Trem didn't work for you as well as it did for me, but I'm very curious and looking forward to your experiment with the FRX bridge. Thank you!
@@andrefludd I think your opening line was exactly right. IF you like the bigsby trem style, the les trem is a perfect upgrade for that. If you're more used to fender trem styles (or anything else really) potentially not your cup of tea. I for one found my trem awakening with my duesenberg. But that's me coming from gretsch. ALWAYS a good thing that people have different preferences. Thought the video was great. (also that SG looks so nice in the more natural brown tone. I've never been a huge fan of red guitars)
I’m very excited to see your FRX install and test. I have a SG and Les Paul that I would consider installing. The basic question I would want answered is, what are the limitations of the FRX compared to a traditionally installed Floyd Rose? Is is pitch down or pitch up or ability to flutter or all of the above?
I watched a video yesterday about a guy who fitted a copy of the Les Trem and it kept snapping strings. Some of his commenters said the string appertures needed filing smooth as both the Les Trem and the copy were not lapped smooth enough and this roughness snapped the string when dive bombing, he did this but it still kept happening and so he wrapped the first 1/2 inch of each string with tape and that solved the issue. I am thinking of getting the Les Trem for my LP Custom, luckily I have lapping papers and pastes and the tools to apply them so I shall lapp the string apertures completely smooth before fitting the vibrato bridge.
The stetsbar is really nice too, keeps in tune nice, not talked about enough imo. But of course an FRX will do the job wonderfully, i'm planning on getting one for my LP studio
The FRX is HEAVY, which is why I went with a Stetsbar on my hollow Cort M800. I'm sure a double locking setup is more stable than the Stets, but it's as good as any non-locker in keeping tune IMO. I do think locks might be needed with the headstock and string angles on a Gibson.
I have a similar Gibson SG I used a B-5 Bigsby either a Vibromate, a spooler, roller bridge, and locking tuners. Absolutely stable . I’ve got another SG with ax Guyker trem, roller bridge and locking tuners. Again a winner. I’m an offset guy Jaguar, and jazz Master.
A buddy of mine had the FRX on his flying V and decided to remove it cause he wasn't a fan tremolos when he removed the FRX it left four dents from the Pressure points of the bridge which they don't say damages your guitar
I feel very similarly, but in regards to amps. For years, I’ve used a super cheap Chinese 2x12 with no name speakers, and an honestly decent Orange head. Sounded super clear and not under water or anything like that. I recently bought my first “real” cabs from a super good company. However , with my current amp, they sound underwater and not clear in the slightest- almost like they’re in a different room. Besides buying my first tube amp, I’m kind of out of ideas with what to do. I’ve tried 3 “real” cabs with “real” brand speakers and nothing has come close to sounding as good as the No name stuff. I’m starting to go crazy just thinking about it
@@C0nnie I get that lol. Nah, my setup is simple as pie. I got a Peavy Delta Blues combo with a 15” speaker and the sound is good enough for me. If you were happy with your cheaper cab and it worked better with your amp, id stick with it is all I’m saying
For those thinking of getting les trem, go for it, but Get a string butler and a wilkinson roller bridge for near perfect tuning stabilty.... i have a ton of guitars with 2 point / floyd rose /edge trems....and added 2 of these to 2 of hard tail guitars to just have variety and its been worth it, but i have 24 guitars so i can keep 2 of them with the les trems on and i still have options.... Good thing is you can swap back to the original bridge in a few minutes if your limited options wise.
If someone curious about neck dive. It's not that about the weight of the guitar, it's more about leg cutout position. I have a Jazzmaster and it neckdives, but 2 of my superstrats don't. Reason is Jazzmasters, SGs etc has a leg cutout somewhere around bridge pickup, so all of the neck and half of the bodyweight is over your leg. Strats are far more balanced in this terms
I remember watching a video where the same guitars had neck dive with some people, while they were perfectly stable with other people. So I guess there's more to it than the leg cutout.
@@riangarianga There is. But the leg cutout is the reason wy certain shape will never be balanced. In terms of different results on the same guitar model - it's also about weight. Like Very thin Ibanez S model will also have a neck dive. It's a combo of two things: the weight balance and the point of the balance. That's why 7 string have more chances to dive than a 6 string model. Cause they do have more weight on the headstock, which in crucial. I just grabbed my 2 guitars by the neck joint and Jazzmaster is body heavy and superstrat is balanced. So cutout do affect balance a lot
@@eternum7056 What you mention can't really be argued. However, there's also the leg shape/size factor, that was the point of that video I remember watching (unfortunately I couldn't find it). A thin leg won't be the same than a thick leg for the purpose to stabilise any guitar. Personally I prefer always playing and practicing standing since a few years ago. I also suffered from neck dive on what is now my favourite guitar. In addition, the horrible belly cut (I really dread them, I prefer flat backs) was so annoying, it acted like a fulcrum when I happened to press on the guitar body with my arm. However, I lost weight, my tummy became flat, and I gradually stopped having both neck dive or belly cut issues. The reason being previously my protuding tummy changed the contact point of the guitar on my body, forming a triangle with the strap buttons, however with a flat tummy I suddenly had more surface to contact the guitar body, so that triangle disappeared together with that belly cut wobble, and friction increased, helping with stability. Same guitar, same person, different repeatable results.
@@riangarianga I wrote thin comment just to nmake people notice the cutout position. I don't think that leg size will matter that much, cause your bone will be in the deeprst place of cutout, but you'll increase the contact area that should improve overall stability . It's a very interesting thing you've noted about triangle with a belly, I'm more about sitting player, so I can't say much about it. What I'll say that personal experience with instrument matters a lot, but may wary a lot between even different persons. By the way, thank you for sharing opinion and experience
You need to check out the Stetsbar vibrato,,, or if you can find one an 80s Washburn Wonderbar ,it's a lot like a kahler flat mount except no routing the only mod is screw holes in the top , just really hard to find one since it's been many years since they made them. I am kinda the complete opposite myself, bigsby is probably all the vibrato I need but honestly I rarely use a trem so I usually deck a strat bridge or put some kind of trem stop on a Floyd rose , but back in the day when I did use the trem I probably overused it so now when I want it the bigsby is so subtle and I like that . Side note , I really can't wait to see what you do when you get a guitar with the Steinberger trans-trem on it ! I have an old hohner Steinberger copy that has the standard trem and it works fine I'm going to research if the trans-trem would work on a Steinberger copy and see if I can upgrade , the changing tuning thing is so cool and useful
@@steelisreal Personally I had no problems with the stetsbar (just have to make sure that the nut is cut properly, and maybe lubricate it (vaseline+graphite), but that's always true with or without a trem system). I had the stetsbar pro II, but that was probably almost 10 years ago
Finally! I never thought we'd get to hear your take on the FRX. I'm still debating whether to install one or not, but I hope you can help with the decision.
On the subject of neck dive, I recently bought my first bass, a Fender Mustang short scale. I love it, but it’s also the first guitar I’ve ever owned with neck dive. I researched all of the methods and didn’t like the friction approach or permanent mod, so I settled on a 1 lb rubber-coated scuba weight on my strap. Highly recommended!
I had the Les Trem on my Ibanez Semi Hollow. While I like the way it works, I eventually removed it because it just couldn't get the tuning stability right... Even after installing a roller bridge and lubricating the nut... Well, I stick with my other guitars that come stock with a wiggle stick
Fair enough! I got my first Strat in 1981 & a Sadowsky NYC "S Style" in 1992 - love 'em both and the trem systems are similar and very friendly (for me, at least). In the last few years I bought a Duesenberg Star Player (with their trem) and a lovely Japanese made Gretsch solid body w. Bigsby. Despite the fact that they both work fine I do find these 2 trems clunky and 'heavy handed' - but I'll put up with that because it's the guitars I wanted because of their feel and sound and use trem in the studio where needed but 'with caution'.
I’ve tried an FRX on an Epiphone LP, and they seem to be a really mixed bag. Mine never held tune and the knife edges got divots pretty much immediately after using, and others say theirs is flawless. Floyd Rose support is nonexistent as well, so good luck if you have issues. I hope it works for you! Sure didn’t for me, lol
Of course you should have all the features you like on a guitar, but I like the fact that different style guitars might force you to play outside your comfort zone, which inspires new ideas and stretches your skill set. If you mod all your guitars to play and sound the same what’s the point of having different ones? I’d rather explore what that sg has to offer as is than worry so much about what you think it’s missing. Plenty of amazing music has been made without a trem system. Also, sg’s are notorious for neck dive. the way they are designed with the neck meeting the body at the last fret and the body being super light weight, upsets the balance point of the guitar. It’s physics. Both of those things were part of the design to counter the traditional heavy weight of a Les Paul and to allow superior fret access for shredding.
For me the Les Trem fulfilled one purpose. A non Invasive try of a trem on my Paula. It took some time to get it to stay in Tune, but it works now with a roller Bridge and a Decent bone nut. It made me realize, that I would probably go for a floyd rose, because that resembles more of what I want from a Trem System. The best thing about it tho, is you can always go back. It's great for People to try, without breaking your guitar or the bank.
String Butler would likely cure a ton of tuning instability issues with SG or any of the Gibson "open book" headstocks and it plays nice with aftermarket trems without requiring any install issues. Darrel Braun did a video on it. I have to wonder why all guitar tuners are not straight from the nut and buried into the headstock so they run straight from the bridge-nut-tuners? This would take the pegs somewhere else, likely not visible from the front of the headstock, but that seems like nonsense aesthetics reasons.
I maybe popping a les trem on my son's Greco Rick copy this weekend to replace the bigsby style tail it has now. Long backstory involving a lost bag on a bus means it has the longer arm which didn't suit the guitar it was originally bought for but might suit the Rick. Gotta find a harder spring though, he's running 12's on that sucker
Good on you for trying things twice to give a second assessment. That kind of open-minded, "I'm willing to be proven wrong" attitude is really healthy and good. Plus then you can say more definitively that you know what you like and know what you don't like. Interestingly, I don't like Bigsby tremolos at all, but I love my Les Trem. I can definitely understand why it's not for everyone though. They're really more for subtle vibrato and not for the extreme whammy bar stuff you can do with strat style trems. I installed it on my 339 because I was coming from a strat and really missed the whammy bar, and I was pleasantly surprised. I do abuse it quite badly by doing divebombs with it anyway, which means more tuning and maintenance (and a lot of strings breaking at the ball-end winding), but it's worth it for me. Plus it makes my guitar look like a really classy vintage motorcycle... or espresso machine 🤣
3:14 Hell yeah!!! Either nylon (or tusq) or roller saddles. My experience with Bigsby and Les Trem II with conventional TOMs are quiet bad. Metal strings rob against metal saddles, yak! I did know it would't work, but tried it nevertheless. The Duesenberg company that produces the Les Trem says you should use rocking TOMs, same as rocking bridges on Jazzmasters and Jaguars. Anyway, with a roller TOM bridge the Les Trem works really well and allows me even to divebomb! (That Revolta from your previous LesTrem vid kinda proves that.)
HAY DR. ANDRE, THANX FOR THE TREM TRYALS. DID YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO SEE KIRK DOUGLAS'S ( CAPTAN ) DEMO VIDEO?? THAT GUITAR LOOKS SWEET... STAY COOL... PEACE...
Andre , you are one of the few who mention the importance of changing the bridge or the saddles with this type of tremelo's/vibrato's , because if you don't , the strings will snap much earlier than normal . ( Gretsch guitars with Bigsby have pinned bridges which are not fixated so they can follow the movement of the Bigsby without the strings slide over the sharp saddles from the tunomatic bridges ). So , very well explained : there are not many video's where this is mentioned with this kind of tremelo's/vibrato's in combination with a tunomatic bridge . 👍👍👍
It fits great, it looks beautiful, works great for a couple of day but let's not forget that it bends due to string pull over time. I gone through 3 of those. If it was made of thicker metal in the base probably will work great in a long run
I really appreciate this segment of the experiment, as I have many guitars with a tune o matic bridge… my new number one is a Yamaha Revstar, and I do want a trem of some type. Keep it up and congrats on the channel growth!
Andre thank you for trying the Les Trem. I found the other video with the Rivolta after I dropped the comment you responded to. Again thank you. I think you are probably getting THE Trem you want or will work better than a Bigsby or Les Trem. I understand why that Trem should work better for you. I hope it does. I LOVE Bigsbys and Wide Swing Tremolos because they get that blue note waiver down so well you were doing. All the other terms blow right past the blue notes. I get it, it's an acquired taste. In fact I spent years figuring out how to get that subtle Blue note waiver. Long and short, the best way is to replace the stock spring with a Reverend Soft Spring. Really though you want a bit of length between the bridge and the vibrato. That's why Offset guitars and Gretsch style guitars do it so well. I had Epiphone Wildkat guitars and that short length robbed some of that Blue note magic. Also it was before Reverend made the Soft Spring. I have Strat-ish guitars with standard Strat terms and they blow right past the blue notes. I tend to put in soft springs on those too and I get a nervous stutter from that set up. I also float them enough so that I get a half note throwing it backwards. I dig Psychobilly so the nervous wiggles add to the tension in that style of my playing. I did buy a Xavier JT100 last year to see if I like offsets, turns out I do. I am going to upgrade the Trem and the bridge to Halons (will cost more than the guitar and the upgrades already made to it) in the near future. The reason for this was to get an inexpensive offset and it also fits my "what's a Tele but not a Tele," guitar run I have been doing for the last decade. But the offset trem was intentionally sought as something different than Strat terms and Bigsbys. I look forward to seeing the next video for your SG. I also really like your playing too amigo! 😎👍✨
Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience with the les trem. I bought a Epiphone SG and threw one on with a graphtech nut and hipshots. No matter how I set it up, it would go out of tune with any trem use, no matter how little it was. I even paid a luthier to set it up and I couldn't get it working well. I'm looking forward to the FRX review! Always wanted to try one!
I’m with you. I have a Kahler, a VegaTrem, a Wilkinson with locking saddles, OFR and a Schaller Floyd. Love them all, don’t dig the Bigsby or Les Trem all that much. I did previously own a SG Special with a vibrato, and with a Tusq XL nut I had no problems. I’ve never heard anything good about the FRX, however.
I have a standard requirement for my guitars: they do what I expect for their price without any modifications. If they fail to do so, I return them or sell them. If I have to do more than a setup, intonation and new strings, the guitar is not suitable for my needs. In the past I purchased inexpensive guitars (e.g., Jackson JS series) with the idea to upgrade them. Turned out that for the price and some adjustments in my amp / modeler / effect settings, they work just fine. Selling a few guitars now, top of my list after my backordered Behringer System-55 is a Kiesel Holdworth. I fully expect it to do what I expect from my specs. Cheers!
I'm a fan of the Duesenberg.Not the range of a strat but much more than a bigsby.The Duesenberg sags only slightly when you do whole string bends,It feels natural.My strat is set up w a floating trem for positive up bends,The price I pay is a saggy bridge when I bend and a warble/quiver in pitch with a heavier pick attack.(a la Jeff Beck but always there a little)Also the strat drifts in pitch quite a bit when floating.The Duesenberg will be much more stable.
Your videos on the strandbergs was a big part of me deciding to go ahead and buy one, and I'm a month into that guitar and can't imagine a world without it now. Don't think I'll be running out to buy a Gibson just yet though.
Hi, can you tell me if you experienced any difficulty palm muting with the les trem setup? Also, is it still able to be stored in its case with the les trem attached?
Really appreciate your video. Like you, I've never cared for the Bigsby style trem. In fact, it seems sketchy to introduce a moving tailpiece on a headstock design that does not pull the string in a straight line. But, there are so many Gretch guitars out there with a 3X3 headstock and Bigsby trems that they obviously work. I'm not going to argue with Chet Atkins. My main issues are: Compared to a 2 point trem, it requires a lot more movement of the arm to get little change in pitch. I would have the tendency to overuse the travel to get the desired effect. But, that is what knocks them out of tune. So why would I want that. Today, I saw where someone was selling one of these trems unused. Thought about getting it for my 335. But, all those concerns started running through my mind. That's when I found your video. I so much appreciate your honest assessment.
Real question about how it feels vs the hard tail. Do you feel like when you weren’t touching the tremolo that it felt the same? I guess I’m wondering if there were any pitch issues or if it felt different?
I have a guitar with a vibrola and just put a roller bridge on it and never had any tuning issues. Granted, I'm not doing dive bombs, but I use tremolo like you do in your videos- a subtle wiggle to accent chords and notes. A little late now, but of you give a vibrola a chance in the future consider adding a rolling bridge.
@@andrefludd Fait enough- I honestly just like the look of it aesthetically- it is maybe the worst tremolo functionally. Excited for when you do the floyd rose bridge- I have been wanting to get a guitar with a floyd but I hear they are difficult to deal with if you don't know how to take care of them, so it will be helpful to hear you talk about them.
Thanks for the review and we think you used a good analogy with the whole pizza thing. Coming from the same school of bridges that you did we may have agreed with you completely but now that we play surf music with lots of reverb the Les Trem is so smooth and really contributes to the overall sound and vibe. We’re pretty much playing Jazzmasters, Jags and hollow body guitars so for those with the Tunomatic bridges the Les Trem has been a fantastic option for us.
I discovered your channel right after I started my Strandberg experiment. And now simultaneously we both started a SG experiment😂. I have had an Gibson SG in the past. And now picked up an Epiphone to modify. I actually prefer the neck on the Epiphone. Keep up the good work!
I think you would really love the American professional 2 jazzmaster, it has a panorama tremolo on it and it's honestly my favorite of any tremolo unit. I work at a music store and set up guitars every day btw.
Those look like Hipshot tuners. They sell some (overpriced) plastic replacement buttons that would almost certainly work with those tuners. That wouldn't totally fix the neck dive but it would help. I replace all my metal tuner buttons with plastic buttons. Bonus: they're not cold to the touch like metal ones. Oh, and if you put a Maestro Vibrola with the lyre tailpiece on it that'd pretty much solve the neck dive problem.
I’d love to. I reached out to them but so far no response. I think as I grow a few of these bigger companies will consider sending me stuff. Let’s hope in 2024.
I am a disappointed user too! Tuning stablility: non existent plus, the arm get loose so easily. the set screw have already bite into the arm but it still get loose. I took it to a guitar tech, he help me to file two planes on the arm shaft, for it to stay at the angle i prefer, and provide more area for the set screw to clamp on. but it still got loose. I don't even want to sell it, to prevent the buyer from hating me.
Solid vid once again. The hours put in are really appreciated. Since you are essentially doing a deep dive on a bridge. Have you tried a Sofia trem? If so, any thoughts on those? I’m still on a search for my perfect headless guitar. I have a few Vaders that I like a lot, but the strap button isn’t ideally situated for my forearm. Of the other guitars I’ve been looking into, Skervesen doesn’t offer a trem on the Shoggie, and I’m not feeling the neck on a Strandberg,. The other choices were either a Kiesel HK, OD Medusa (no opportunity to try one before purchasing) or a Mayones Hydra elite pro with a Sophia trem. I know you’ve had issues with the tuning stability on the Duvall you had earlier, but otherwise the build quality was solid. Assuming that Duvell was a fluke, if you’ve tried one, I was curious about your opinions on a Sophia trem vs a Hipshot headless trem?
I like the thing about the two point bridges and what looks like a Steinberger ZT-3 in the background ^^ I regret a little not picking up one of those when they were available with a pretty good discount when Steinberger Brand was shut down (was that by Gibson?). They don't come up that often on Reverb and I don't really want to pay more for a used one than the sales price back then. Btw: I have a Prophecy Instruments build coming up (actually a pair with a 6 string and a short scale 4 string base). If you are interested maybe we could arrange it so Nick would ship them to you, so you can give the guitar (or both) a try for a couple of weeks.
What a small world! I’ve been talking to Nick for a couple of months now. I’m planning to go visit him in Baltimore this summer, record some videos and podcasts. I think he’s doing some really innovative stuff and he’s not too far from me.
@@andrefludd Ah that is great. I haven't really played any of his instruments yet but I agree - he seems very innovative and so far the process has been great. Some of these other Luthiers offering comparable product at similar price point seem to stuggle quite a bit managing ongoing builds, backlogs and communicating with customers about milestones and delays ... anyways: Same offer for an upcoming Equilibrium Guitas build :)
I’ve come to the experiential and logical conclusion that in order of tuning stability for guitar vibratos: 1. Double locking is as close to perfect as you can get. Issues with these and hassle etc etc 2. Second best is two fulcrum pivot bridges (Gotoh 510 etc) with locking bridge saddles 3. Third best is two fulcrum bridges with no locking saddle function (stock Gotoh 510 etc) 4. Everything else-all the Bigsbys, Duesenburgs, Jaguars, etc that utilize springs and rotate the bridge on an axis. The drop off from a two knife-edge fulcrum bridge to a bigsby etc is dramatic for tuning stability in my amateur opinion Perhaps there is another type of bridge out there I’m not aware of that utilizes ball bearings as the pivot point in non locking format (I know Kahler does but that’s a double locking system)
This has me thinking that maybe I should do a “tremolo experiment.” Though it would be more accurate to say “whammy” experiment. But that would require a sponsor for sure. No way I could get a dozen bridges, help from a tech, etc all on my own. But I’ll def bookmark this idea and comment for when we are a bit bigger. Thank you. Believe it or not, no bridge or even trem company has agreed to send me a unit. I tried. One actually agreed to send me saddles and tuners and then backed out. SMH
@@andrefludd it will happen. You share a few similar characteristics of that Jim Lil UA-cam guitarist who has published numerous videos empirically investigating what actually influences tone of electric guitars This type of approach is needed and almost a public service lol
I put one on my SG. Then took it off again. If you like to play with palm on the bridge then it's in the way. The bar is too long. The washers damaged the finish. All in all I should have got the Bigsby I was thinking about.
The Les Trem II is not recommended for batwing pickguard SG guitars. I import the best German versions and when matched with a Tonepros roller bridge they perform awesomely. I sell them at GRA8C music.
Not sure how I'm just finding this channel, but I dig your vibe. No shilling, no "look at my expensive gear I can't play" stuff...more content like yours would make UA-cam guitar videos much more interesting. I could totally get high and geek out about guitars with this guy...and pizza😂 Good stuff dude! 🤘🤘🤘
was thinking to my self "why not just use a floyd if thats what you like". been really interested in that product youre trying next since ive seen it. even being a stricktly tune o matic or nothing guy myself lol I have an sg standard that ive been thinking about trying the drop on bigsby or the product you revealed
Im really curious about the FRX, especially if you could you use without a lock nut as well. Duh, of course you can, but how well will it stay in tune with all the factors aligned, nut and tuners 🤓
I think the Les Trem is pretty great simply because of how cheap it is and how easy it is to install, if you have a stop tail guitar but need a tremolo bridge, this is a pretty stress free route.
Had the same Rivolta with the Les Trem but just couldn't get on with it. Like you I suppose, too many years of playing with "traditional' whammy systems. It will be interesting to see how the next one pans out. Looking forward to the next installment (pardon the pun!)
You must not have watched my video comparing different whammy bars. The video demonstrated exactly what the Les Trem does and how much it drops pitch. Sorry you missed it. Rock on!
A vibrato isn’t really necessary on an SG, in my opinion (unless you plan on going ham on the Vibrola like Frank Marino). You can get vibrato just by slightly flexing on the body.
Honestly you probably need a Stetsbar trem or a Floyd Rose FRX. Both have a much wider range and you don’t have to do any permanent modifications. They are pricey, but they are real trem systems. I have a Bowen Handle trem on my SG, and you need roller saddles and a graphite nut that’s well lubricated to have any real hope of keeping it in tune. But again, it’s a bigsby style trem, much like the Les trem. Recommend the stetsbar or FRX - just finished video, you got the FRX, and yes, that thing kicks ass. Ugly as sin lol but it works great
Interested to hear what you think of the FRX since it was a meme back in the day of the guitar forums I frequented. Also you need to try an Ibanez JS1000 since you appreciate ergonomics, aesthetics and floating bridges for whammy stuff with a comfortable, not too thin neck.
Best Pizza IMO: Lombardi's on Spring St., NYC., whenever I'm in the city, I go if I can. I like thin crust pizza tho. My other fav in the city is Katz's deli on Houston.
The anticipation waiting to see how the FRX fairs is killing me. I have a line on one for a reasonable price and want to slap it on my SG like a madman.
For the money theres no better alternative for lp. You should check out the stetsbar trem. THATS smooth. Almost parker/floyd rosish. Due to funds i put a les trem on my mij hondo935 335 copy. It stays better in tune than any oof my strat vintage tremolos. Much better then bigsby. Might be to a nice slippery brass nut. Had to chang my low hanging rock anticks: almost broke my wrist doing a windmill. Its very high above the bridge. Also when the bar is rotated back the end sticks out poking the hand.
If y’all want to try a really good 8 dollar frozen pizza, the Motor City Pizza company makes the best Detroit style pizza I’ve ever gotten frozen from the grocery store. It’s on par w/ the average carry out place around here. In metro detroit. Cook it for 2 extra minutes and it’s a little past golden on top, and the crust cooks a little more.
Great video Andre, I admire your honesty, you didn't knock it, you said it was good, but it just wasn't for you, but it convinced me, it's just what I'm looking for, so keep up the good work.
You've been posting 99% everything I could ask for from a channel. Still excited to see how you would play metal though haha I have a feeling, and I've said this before I think, but I have a feeling that your particular style will give metal the breath of fresh air it's been needing for a long time now. Side note: your playing style has recently been influencing my own, and it's making me learn songs I wouldn't have bothered with just 3 months ago. Keep at it, I love this!
Is the next one the Floyd FRX? Maybe try modern design - modern designs seem to be of your liking, if they're of use of course, and not modern for the sake of modernism (although that is a thing itself, art is as art does lol). You might want to have a locking nut, if that's more your preference, as well. You don't have to drill the neck for some locking nuts but in all fairness the guitars I have locking tuners on stay in tune so well I usually forget to cinch the locking nut back down (considering taking them off, simplify, simplify). If you are in general hating nuts - there are always zero fret guitars; but I am willing to make some compromises to keep a guitar that has a voice I like and installing a zero fret on a guitar not OEM is something I hadn't even considered until typing it out just now, and I'm still not considering it It would have to already sound REALLY good for that level of engagement... EDIT: NICE well I guess one should really wait until the end of the video before hitting "save" lol there are a few other that will more or less bolt up, you're not the first person to want that sort of upgrade and manufacturers responded...
Andre, you’re the best. Glad to know you.
Weirdly, I also don’t care for the Les Trem, mainly because I find that the spring has way too little tension for the way I play. I like a firmer feel, and even in the case of Bigsbys I’m always swapping those springs for hi-tension replacements.
Another minor complaint: I’m not crazy about the shape of the arm and how it hits my palm.
All that said, it works! That’s good, just not for me
Oh nooo the FRX haha
@@PuisheenI had a feeling you’d be upset about this 😂
I may be too late to the table, but you'll have to cut the pickguard for Frx as well. The "batman" pickguard collides with the adjustment bolt. You'll see what I mean when you're gonna try to install it...
Anyway, thanks for the video.
Funny, for me it's the Bigsby that I really don't like the feel of the bar on. Everything is really a matter of preference and I think that's awesome. It's a really cool time for guitarists right now where we have so many options to make our own dream guitars
@@SBanas argh…not looking forward to this
I'm really sorry that my recommendation as to the Les Trem didn't work for you as well as it did for me, but I'm very curious and looking forward to your experiment with the FRX bridge. Thank you!
Don’t apologize! I do this for you all :). It’s all fun for me regardless
@@andrefludd I think your opening line was exactly right. IF you like the bigsby trem style, the les trem is a perfect upgrade for that. If you're more used to fender trem styles (or anything else really) potentially not your cup of tea. I for one found my trem awakening with my duesenberg. But that's me coming from gretsch. ALWAYS a good thing that people have different preferences. Thought the video was great. (also that SG looks so nice in the more natural brown tone. I've never been a huge fan of red guitars)
I’m very excited to see your FRX install and test. I have a SG and Les Paul that I would consider installing. The basic question I would want answered is, what are the limitations of the FRX compared to a traditionally installed Floyd Rose? Is is pitch down or pitch up or ability to flutter or all of the above?
I’ll test all this thanks for the suggestions
I watched a video yesterday about a guy who fitted a copy of the Les Trem and it kept snapping strings.
Some of his commenters said the string appertures needed filing smooth as both the Les Trem and the copy were not lapped smooth enough and this roughness snapped the string when dive bombing, he did this but it still kept happening and so he wrapped the first 1/2 inch of each string with tape and that solved the issue.
I am thinking of getting the Les Trem for my LP Custom, luckily I have lapping papers and pastes and the tools to apply them so I shall lapp the string apertures completely smooth before fitting the vibrato bridge.
The stetsbar is really nice too, keeps in tune nice, not talked about enough imo. But of course an FRX will do the job wonderfully, i'm planning on getting one for my LP studio
The FRX is HEAVY, which is why I went with a Stetsbar on my hollow Cort M800. I'm sure a double locking setup is more stable than the Stets, but it's as good as any non-locker in keeping tune IMO. I do think locks might be needed with the headstock and string angles on a Gibson.
Subscribing on a whim based on this articulate, fair, and comprehensive review of a product that I am very interested in.
I have a similar Gibson SG I used a B-5 Bigsby either a Vibromate, a spooler, roller bridge, and locking tuners. Absolutely stable .
I’ve got another SG with ax Guyker trem, roller bridge and locking tuners. Again a winner. I’m an offset guy Jaguar, and jazz Master.
A buddy of mine had the FRX on his flying V and decided to remove it cause he wasn't a fan tremolos when he removed the FRX it left four dents from the Pressure points of the bridge which they don't say damages your guitar
They do supply a couple of pads to add to ur guitar to absorb that damage.
I feel very similarly, but in regards to amps.
For years, I’ve used a super cheap Chinese 2x12 with no name speakers, and an honestly decent Orange head. Sounded super clear and not under water or anything like that.
I recently bought my first “real” cabs from a super good company. However , with my current amp, they sound underwater and not clear in the slightest- almost like they’re in a different room.
Besides buying my first tube amp, I’m kind of out of ideas with what to do. I’ve tried 3 “real” cabs with “real” brand speakers and nothing has come close to sounding as good as the No name stuff. I’m starting to go crazy just thinking about it
Why mess with success?
@@Augrills because I’m a musician lol. Have you had a similar issue?
@@C0nnie I get that lol. Nah, my setup is simple as pie. I got a Peavy Delta Blues combo with a 15” speaker and the sound is good enough for me. If you were happy with your cheaper cab and it worked better with your amp, id stick with it is all I’m saying
For those thinking of getting les trem, go for it, but Get a string butler and a wilkinson roller bridge for near perfect tuning stabilty.... i have a ton of guitars with 2 point / floyd rose /edge trems....and added 2 of these to 2 of hard tail guitars to just have variety and its been worth it, but i have 24 guitars so i can keep 2 of them with the les trems on and i still have options....
Good thing is you can swap back to the original bridge in a few minutes if your limited options wise.
Looking forward to the next episode. I'm on the verge of ordering an FRX for my already heavily modified Epiphone SG. Thank you for your insights!
If someone curious about neck dive. It's not that about the weight of the guitar, it's more about leg cutout position. I have a Jazzmaster and it neckdives, but 2 of my superstrats don't. Reason is Jazzmasters, SGs etc has a leg cutout somewhere around bridge pickup, so all of the neck and half of the bodyweight is over your leg. Strats are far more balanced in this terms
I remember watching a video where the same guitars had neck dive with some people, while they were perfectly stable with other people. So I guess there's more to it than the leg cutout.
@@riangarianga There is. But the leg cutout is the reason wy certain shape will never be balanced. In terms of different results on the same guitar model - it's also about weight. Like Very thin Ibanez S model will also have a neck dive. It's a combo of two things: the weight balance and the point of the balance. That's why 7 string have more chances to dive than a 6 string model. Cause they do have more weight on the headstock, which in crucial. I just grabbed my 2 guitars by the neck joint and Jazzmaster is body heavy and superstrat is balanced. So cutout do affect balance a lot
@@eternum7056 What you mention can't really be argued. However, there's also the leg shape/size factor, that was the point of that video I remember watching (unfortunately I couldn't find it). A thin leg won't be the same than a thick leg for the purpose to stabilise any guitar.
Personally I prefer always playing and practicing standing since a few years ago. I also suffered from neck dive on what is now my favourite guitar. In addition, the horrible belly cut (I really dread them, I prefer flat backs) was so annoying, it acted like a fulcrum when I happened to press on the guitar body with my arm. However, I lost weight, my tummy became flat, and I gradually stopped having both neck dive or belly cut issues. The reason being previously my protuding tummy changed the contact point of the guitar on my body, forming a triangle with the strap buttons, however with a flat tummy I suddenly had more surface to contact the guitar body, so that triangle disappeared together with that belly cut wobble, and friction increased, helping with stability. Same guitar, same person, different repeatable results.
@@riangarianga I wrote thin comment just to nmake people notice the cutout position. I don't think that leg size will matter that much, cause your bone will be in the deeprst place of cutout, but you'll increase the contact area that should improve overall stability . It's a very interesting thing you've noted about triangle with a belly, I'm more about sitting player, so I can't say much about it. What I'll say that personal experience with instrument matters a lot, but may wary a lot between even different persons. By the way, thank you for sharing opinion and experience
@@eternum7056 Sharing is growing, thank you too!
You need to check out the Stetsbar vibrato,,, or if you can find one an 80s Washburn Wonderbar ,it's a lot like a kahler flat mount except no routing the only mod is screw holes in the top , just really hard to find one since it's been many years since they made them.
I am kinda the complete opposite myself, bigsby is probably all the vibrato I need but honestly I rarely use a trem so I usually deck a strat bridge or put some kind of trem stop on a Floyd rose , but back in the day when I did use the trem I probably overused it so now when I want it the bigsby is so subtle and I like that .
Side note , I really can't wait to see what you do when you get a guitar with the Steinberger trans-trem on it !
I have an old hohner Steinberger copy that has the standard trem and it works fine I'm going to research if the trans-trem would work on a Steinberger copy and see if I can upgrade , the changing tuning thing is so cool and useful
They've been updated since I got mine, but I don't think a stetsbar would cut it for Andre unless they've made really big changes.
@@steelisreal Personally I had no problems with the stetsbar (just have to make sure that the nut is cut properly, and maybe lubricate it (vaseline+graphite), but that's always true with or without a trem system). I had the stetsbar pro II, but that was probably almost 10 years ago
@@riffsnreviews Pro 2 was the model after mine I think, I've got one of the originals. It works well, it's just more like a bigsby than a 2 point.
Finally! I never thought we'd get to hear your take on the FRX. I'm still debating whether to install one or not, but I hope you can help with the decision.
On the subject of neck dive, I recently bought my first bass, a Fender Mustang short scale. I love it, but it’s also the first guitar I’ve ever owned with neck dive. I researched all of the methods and didn’t like the friction approach or permanent mod, so I settled on a 1 lb rubber-coated scuba weight on my strap. Highly recommended!
I had the Les Trem on my Ibanez Semi Hollow. While I like the way it works, I eventually removed it because it just couldn't get the tuning stability right... Even after installing a roller bridge and lubricating the nut... Well, I stick with my other guitars that come stock with a wiggle stick
I put the last trim on a new les paul. It was Great. Now i'm going to buy a new sg And use it again.
Thanks for the tip on the pickguard
Fair enough! I got my first Strat in 1981 & a Sadowsky NYC "S Style" in 1992 - love 'em both and the trem systems are similar and very friendly (for me, at least). In the last few years I bought a Duesenberg Star Player (with their trem) and a lovely Japanese made Gretsch solid body w. Bigsby. Despite the fact that they both work fine I do find these 2 trems clunky and 'heavy handed' - but I'll put up with that because it's the guitars I wanted because of their feel and sound and use trem in the studio where needed but 'with caution'.
I expected a Bigsby Vibrato. Not for dive bombing but different. Would one help neck dive?
I’ve tried an FRX on an Epiphone LP, and they seem to be a really mixed bag. Mine never held tune and the knife edges got divots pretty much immediately after using, and others say theirs is flawless. Floyd Rose support is nonexistent as well, so good luck if you have issues. I hope it works for you! Sure didn’t for me, lol
Fingers crossed mine is good
Of course you should have all the features you like on a guitar, but I like the fact that different style guitars might force you to play outside your comfort zone, which inspires new ideas and stretches your skill set.
If you mod all your guitars to play and sound the same what’s the point of having different ones?
I’d rather explore what that sg has to offer as is than worry so much about what you think it’s missing.
Plenty of amazing music has been made without a trem system.
Also, sg’s are notorious for neck dive. the way they are designed with the neck meeting the body at the last fret and the body being super light weight, upsets the balance point of the guitar. It’s physics.
Both of those things were part of the design to counter the traditional heavy weight of a Les Paul and to allow superior fret access for shredding.
All very good points. I might actually discuss this topic in a video soon
@@andrefludd i don't know if you are interested in slide guitar music at all, but sg's make an excellent blues slide platform. just a thought!🤔
Look into getting a String Butler if you want this thing to stay in tune with heavy vibrato use.
For me the Les Trem fulfilled one purpose.
A non Invasive try of a trem on my Paula. It took some time to get it to stay in Tune, but it works now with a roller Bridge and a Decent bone nut.
It made me realize, that I would probably go for a floyd rose, because that resembles more of what I want from a Trem System.
The best thing about it tho, is you can always go back.
It's great for People to try, without breaking your guitar or the bank.
String Butler would likely cure a ton of tuning instability issues with SG or any of the Gibson "open book" headstocks and it plays nice with aftermarket trems without requiring any install issues. Darrel Braun did a video on it. I have to wonder why all guitar tuners are not straight from the nut and buried into the headstock so they run straight from the bridge-nut-tuners? This would take the pegs somewhere else, likely not visible from the front of the headstock, but that seems like nonsense aesthetics reasons.
I'm thinking about putting one on my Epi 61 Les Paul SG. Would the guitar still fit into it's OHSC? I don’t see how...
I maybe popping a les trem on my son's Greco Rick copy this weekend to replace the bigsby style tail it has now. Long backstory involving a lost bag on a bus means it has the longer arm which didn't suit the guitar it was originally bought for but might suit the Rick. Gotta find a harder spring though, he's running 12's on that sucker
What if you got the traditional Gibson vibrola, a bridge with roller saddles and a string butler?
I never tried that setup so idk.
@@andrefludd I think it’d work. The roller bridge would remove friction at the saddles and the string butler would remove binding at the nut.
So it comes back in tune ? ! Thanks
Exelente documental, gracias amigo.....
Good on you for trying things twice to give a second assessment. That kind of open-minded, "I'm willing to be proven wrong" attitude is really healthy and good. Plus then you can say more definitively that you know what you like and know what you don't like.
Interestingly, I don't like Bigsby tremolos at all, but I love my Les Trem. I can definitely understand why it's not for everyone though. They're really more for subtle vibrato and not for the extreme whammy bar stuff you can do with strat style trems. I installed it on my 339 because I was coming from a strat and really missed the whammy bar, and I was pleasantly surprised. I do abuse it quite badly by doing divebombs with it anyway, which means more tuning and maintenance (and a lot of strings breaking at the ball-end winding), but it's worth it for me. Plus it makes my guitar look like a really classy vintage motorcycle... or espresso machine 🤣
As well as locking tuners is it absolutely necessary to install a tune o matric roller bridge with the Les Trem II?
There are other options, but some type of low friction saddles will be best. Roller, nylon, graph tech, lots to choose from.
3:14 Hell yeah!!!
Either nylon (or tusq) or roller saddles. My experience with Bigsby and Les Trem II with conventional TOMs are quiet bad. Metal strings rob against metal saddles, yak! I did know it would't work, but tried it nevertheless. The Duesenberg company that produces the Les Trem says you should use rocking TOMs, same as rocking bridges on Jazzmasters and Jaguars.
Anyway, with a roller TOM bridge the Les Trem works really well and allows me even to divebomb!
(That Revolta from your previous LesTrem vid kinda proves that.)
Can anyone tell me if the FRX, is "quicker" to change strings on compared to OFR?
I’ll tell you very soon :)
Does it not get in the way when strumming funky? I know its non-issue with my bixby
HAY DR. ANDRE, THANX FOR THE TREM TRYALS. DID YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO SEE KIRK DOUGLAS'S ( CAPTAN ) DEMO VIDEO?? THAT GUITAR LOOKS SWEET... STAY COOL... PEACE...
Andre , you are one of the few who mention the importance of changing the bridge or the saddles with this type of tremelo's/vibrato's , because if you don't , the strings will snap much earlier than normal . ( Gretsch guitars with Bigsby have pinned bridges which are not fixated so they can follow the movement of the Bigsby without the strings slide over the sharp saddles from the tunomatic bridges ).
So , very well explained : there are not many video's where this is mentioned with this kind of tremelo's/vibrato's in combination with a tunomatic bridge . 👍👍👍
I've been struggling to find a bridge with roller saddles for my SG, which has ABR-1 style bridge posts. Do you have one you recommend?
It fits great, it looks beautiful, works great for a couple of day but let's not forget that it bends due to string pull over time. I gone through 3 of those. If it was made of thicker metal in the base probably will work great in a long run
I really appreciate this segment of the experiment, as I have many guitars with a tune o matic bridge… my new number one is a Yamaha Revstar, and I do want a trem of some type. Keep it up and congrats on the channel growth!
Thank you! I can’t why to try the revstar later this year
Andre thank you for trying the Les Trem. I found the other video with the Rivolta after I dropped the comment you responded to. Again thank you.
I think you are probably getting THE Trem you want or will work better than a Bigsby or Les Trem. I understand why that Trem should work better for you. I hope it does.
I LOVE Bigsbys and Wide Swing Tremolos because they get that blue note waiver down so well you were doing. All the other terms blow right past the blue notes. I get it, it's an acquired taste. In fact I spent years figuring out how to get that subtle Blue note waiver. Long and short, the best way is to replace the stock spring with a Reverend Soft Spring. Really though you want a bit of length between the bridge and the vibrato. That's why Offset guitars and Gretsch style guitars do it so well. I had Epiphone Wildkat guitars and that short length robbed some of that Blue note magic. Also it was before Reverend made the Soft Spring.
I have Strat-ish guitars with standard Strat terms and they blow right past the blue notes. I tend to put in soft springs on those too and I get a nervous stutter from that set up. I also float them enough so that I get a half note throwing it backwards. I dig Psychobilly so the nervous wiggles add to the tension in that style of my playing.
I did buy a Xavier JT100 last year to see if I like offsets, turns out I do. I am going to upgrade the Trem and the bridge to Halons (will cost more than the guitar and the upgrades already made to it) in the near future. The reason for this was to get an inexpensive offset and it also fits my "what's a Tele but not a Tele," guitar run I have been doing for the last decade. But the offset trem was intentionally sought as something different than Strat terms and Bigsbys.
I look forward to seeing the next video for your SG. I also really like your playing too amigo! 😎👍✨
Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience with the les trem. I bought a Epiphone SG and threw one on with a graphtech nut and hipshots. No matter how I set it up, it would go out of tune with any trem use, no matter how little it was. I even paid a luthier to set it up and I couldn't get it working well. I'm looking forward to the FRX review! Always wanted to try one!
I’m with you. I have a Kahler, a VegaTrem, a Wilkinson with locking saddles, OFR and a Schaller Floyd. Love them all, don’t dig the Bigsby or Les Trem all that much. I did previously own a SG Special with a vibrato, and with a Tusq XL nut I had no problems. I’ve never heard anything good about the FRX, however.
I have a standard requirement for my guitars: they do what I expect for their price without any modifications. If they fail to do so, I return them or sell them.
If I have to do more than a setup, intonation and new strings, the guitar is not suitable for my needs.
In the past I purchased inexpensive guitars (e.g., Jackson JS series) with the idea to upgrade them. Turned out that for the price and some adjustments in my amp / modeler / effect settings, they work just fine.
Selling a few guitars now, top of my list after my backordered Behringer System-55 is a Kiesel Holdworth. I fully expect it to do what I expect from my specs.
Cheers!
I'm a fan of the Duesenberg.Not the range of a strat but much more than a bigsby.The Duesenberg sags only slightly when you do whole string bends,It feels natural.My strat is set up w a floating trem for positive up bends,The price I pay is a saggy bridge when I bend and a warble/quiver in pitch with a heavier pick attack.(a la Jeff Beck but always there a little)Also the strat drifts in pitch quite a bit when floating.The Duesenberg will be much more stable.
Your videos on the strandbergs was a big part of me deciding to go ahead and buy one, and I'm a month into that guitar and can't imagine a world without it now. Don't think I'll be running out to buy a Gibson just yet though.
Glad I could help!
Hi, can you tell me if you experienced any difficulty palm muting with the les trem setup? Also, is it still able to be stored in its case with the les trem attached?
I'm keen to see how the Floyd works for you. If it's a good result I might swap out the Les Trem on my Firebird.
Really appreciate your video. Like you, I've never cared for the Bigsby style trem. In fact, it seems sketchy to introduce a moving tailpiece on a headstock design that does not pull the string in a straight line. But, there are so many Gretch guitars out there with a 3X3 headstock and Bigsby trems that they obviously work. I'm not going to argue with Chet Atkins. My main issues are: Compared to a 2 point trem, it requires a lot more movement of the arm to get little change in pitch. I would have the tendency to overuse the travel to get the desired effect. But, that is what knocks them out of tune. So why would I want that.
Today, I saw where someone was selling one of these trems unused. Thought about getting it for my 335. But, all those concerns started running through my mind. That's when I found your video. I so much appreciate your honest assessment.
Real question about how it feels vs the hard tail. Do you feel like when you weren’t touching the tremolo that it felt the same? I guess I’m wondering if there were any pitch issues or if it felt different?
The guitar felt the same to me overall.
The guitar felt the same to me overall.
I have a guitar with a vibrola and just put a roller bridge on it and never had any tuning issues. Granted, I'm not doing dive bombs, but I use tremolo like you do in your videos- a subtle wiggle to accent chords and notes. A little late now, but of you give a vibrola a chance in the future consider adding a rolling bridge.
I think the vibrola is great! It just isn’t for me. Tuning isn’t the issue
@@andrefludd Fait enough- I honestly just like the look of it aesthetically- it is maybe the worst tremolo functionally. Excited for when you do the floyd rose bridge- I have been wanting to get a guitar with a floyd but I hear they are difficult to deal with if you don't know how to take care of them, so it will be helpful to hear you talk about them.
Sorry the trem did not work but I am wondering what you think of the guitas so far?
The guitar is fine so far. I have an initial impression of it on the channel. The final review will be in 2 more weeks.
Good deal. I got one last week and I am really enjoying it.
Thanks for the review and we think you used a good analogy with the whole pizza thing. Coming from the same school of bridges that you did we may have agreed with you completely but now that we play surf music with lots of reverb the Les Trem is so smooth and really contributes to the overall sound and vibe. We’re pretty much playing Jazzmasters, Jags and hollow body guitars so for those with the Tunomatic bridges the Les Trem has been a fantastic option for us.
The FRX will probably be pretty awesome. Its too bad they don't make a chrome version of the Virtual Jeff whammy bar though.
Really interested in that FRX (and the Stetsbar other people have mentioned)
I had a bigsby on my sg and it made reaching the control knobs so hard
I discovered your channel right after I started my Strandberg experiment. And now simultaneously we both started a SG experiment😂. I have had an Gibson SG in the past. And now picked up an Epiphone to modify. I actually prefer the neck on the Epiphone. Keep up the good work!
Man.. Your playing is really subtle. Love how your chords ring.
Thank you. I appreciate that :)
I think you would really love the American professional 2 jazzmaster, it has a panorama tremolo on it and it's honestly my favorite of any tremolo unit.
I work at a music store and set up guitars every day btw.
Those look like Hipshot tuners. They sell some (overpriced) plastic replacement buttons that would almost certainly work with those tuners. That wouldn't totally fix the neck dive but it would help. I replace all my metal tuner buttons with plastic buttons. Bonus: they're not cold to the touch like metal ones.
Oh, and if you put a Maestro Vibrola with the lyre tailpiece on it that'd pretty much solve the neck dive problem.
Hey doc, Any chance of getting some Duesenberg reviews?
I’d love to. I reached out to them but so far no response. I think as I grow a few of these bigger companies will consider sending me stuff. Let’s hope in 2024.
...only Americans can expect to find the best pizza in the world in New York. Greetings from Italy friend! 🍕😁
TRUTH!
The pizza in Rome was great. NYC/NJ still better :)
I am in Africa, where to comment?
I am a disappointed user too!
Tuning stablility: non existent
plus, the arm get loose so easily. the set screw have already bite into the arm but it still get loose. I took it to a guitar tech, he help me to file two planes on the arm shaft, for it to stay at the angle i prefer, and provide more area for the set screw to clamp on. but it still got loose.
I don't even want to sell it, to prevent the buyer from hating me.
You can always try the GFS Extrem vibrato.
I have never tried a Bigsby. They look very touchy though, like it would go out of tune easy unless you just gently used it.
Excited to see what you think of the bridge you picked. Wonder if it would work on GV WOOD
That is a thought. I’m not sure if the FRX works with carved tops out of box.
Solid vid once again. The hours put in are really appreciated. Since you are essentially doing a deep dive on a bridge. Have you tried a Sofia trem? If so, any thoughts on those?
I’m still on a search for my perfect headless guitar. I have a few Vaders that I like a lot, but the strap button isn’t ideally situated for my forearm.
Of the other guitars I’ve been looking into, Skervesen doesn’t offer a trem on the Shoggie, and I’m not feeling the neck on a Strandberg,. The other choices were either a Kiesel HK, OD Medusa (no opportunity to try one before purchasing) or a Mayones Hydra elite pro with a Sophia trem. I know you’ve had issues with the tuning stability on the Duvall you had earlier, but otherwise the build quality was solid.
Assuming that Duvell was a fluke, if you’ve tried one, I was curious about your opinions on a Sophia trem vs a Hipshot headless trem?
I want to try a Sophia but haven’t yet. The hip shot headless trem is fine for the stuff I usually do. I had it on one of my vaders
I like the thing about the two point bridges and what looks like a Steinberger ZT-3 in the background ^^ I regret a little not picking up one of those when they were available with a pretty good discount when Steinberger Brand was shut down (was that by Gibson?). They don't come up that often on Reverb and I don't really want to pay more for a used one than the sales price back then. Btw: I have a Prophecy Instruments build coming up (actually a pair with a 6 string and a short scale 4 string base). If you are interested maybe we could arrange it so Nick would ship them to you, so you can give the guitar (or both) a try for a couple of weeks.
What a small world! I’ve been talking to Nick for a couple of months now. I’m planning to go visit him in Baltimore this summer, record some videos and podcasts. I think he’s doing some really innovative stuff and he’s not too far from me.
@@andrefludd Ah that is great. I haven't really played any of his instruments yet but I agree - he seems very innovative and so far the process has been great. Some of these other Luthiers offering comparable product at similar price point seem to stuggle quite a bit managing ongoing builds, backlogs and communicating with customers about milestones and delays ... anyways: Same offer for an upcoming Equilibrium Guitas build :)
I’ve come to the experiential and logical conclusion that in order of tuning stability for guitar vibratos:
1. Double locking is as close to perfect as you can get. Issues with these and hassle etc etc
2. Second best is two fulcrum pivot bridges (Gotoh 510 etc) with locking bridge saddles
3. Third best is two fulcrum bridges with no locking saddle function (stock Gotoh 510 etc)
4. Everything else-all the Bigsbys, Duesenburgs, Jaguars, etc that utilize springs and rotate the bridge on an axis.
The drop off from a two knife-edge fulcrum bridge to a bigsby etc is dramatic for tuning stability in my amateur opinion
Perhaps there is another type of bridge out there I’m not aware of that utilizes ball bearings as the pivot point in non locking format (I know Kahler does but that’s a double locking system)
This has me thinking that maybe I should do a “tremolo experiment.” Though it would be more accurate to say “whammy” experiment. But that would require a sponsor for sure. No way I could get a dozen bridges, help from a tech, etc all on my own. But I’ll def bookmark this idea and comment for when we are a bit bigger. Thank you. Believe it or not, no bridge or even trem company has agreed to send me a unit. I tried. One actually agreed to send me saddles and tuners and then backed out. SMH
@@andrefludd it will happen. You share a few similar characteristics of that Jim Lil UA-cam guitarist who has published numerous videos empirically investigating what actually influences tone of electric guitars
This type of approach is needed and almost a public service lol
I put one on my SG. Then took it off again. If you like to play with palm on the bridge then it's in the way. The bar is too long. The washers damaged the finish.
All in all I should have got the Bigsby I was thinking about.
I make Pizza!!! Come to Chicago I'll make you some in person!
The Les Trem II is not recommended for batwing pickguard SG guitars. I import the best German versions and when matched with a Tonepros roller bridge they perform awesomely. I sell them at GRA8C music.
Now this is the content I desire modding your guitar for perfection
I've never been a fan of traditional guitars, with one exception, the Schecter Nick Johnston USA model, it's far better than the import model
I wanna route a Les Paul with a Jazzmaster trem
That would be super interesting you’d need a flat lp instead of the carved top I think, right?
@@andrefludd a flattop I think would definitely be better for the vibrato assembly to fit smoothly
Not sure how I'm just finding this channel, but I dig your vibe. No shilling, no "look at my expensive gear I can't play" stuff...more content like yours would make UA-cam guitar videos much more interesting. I could totally get high and geek out about guitars with this guy...and pizza😂
Good stuff dude! 🤘🤘🤘
Thank you :)
The Doc is the real deal. IMO
was thinking to my self "why not just use a floyd if thats what you like". been really interested in that product youre trying next since ive seen it. even being a stricktly tune o matic or nothing guy myself lol I have an sg standard that ive been thinking about trying the drop on bigsby or the product you revealed
Im really curious about the FRX, especially if you could you use without a lock nut as well. Duh, of course you can, but how well will it stay in tune with all the factors aligned, nut and tuners 🤓
I’m going to check that for sure
I think the Les Trem is pretty great simply because of how cheap it is and how easy it is to install, if you have a stop tail guitar but need a tremolo bridge, this is a pretty stress free route.
Had the same Rivolta with the Les Trem but just couldn't get on with it. Like you I suppose, too many years of playing with "traditional' whammy systems.
It will be interesting to see how the next one pans out.
Looking forward to the next installment (pardon the pun!)
You must not have watched my video comparing different whammy bars. The video demonstrated exactly what the Les Trem does and how much it drops pitch. Sorry you missed it. Rock on!
A vibrato isn’t really necessary on an SG, in my opinion (unless you plan on going ham on the Vibrola like Frank Marino). You can get vibrato just by slightly flexing on the body.
I'm testing guitars on youtube. None of this is necessary lol
Honestly you probably need a Stetsbar trem or a Floyd Rose FRX. Both have a much wider range and you don’t have to do any permanent modifications. They are pricey, but they are real trem systems. I have a Bowen Handle trem on my SG, and you need roller saddles and a graphite nut that’s well lubricated to have any real hope of keeping it in tune. But again, it’s a bigsby style trem, much like the Les trem. Recommend the stetsbar or FRX - just finished video, you got the FRX, and yes, that thing kicks ass. Ugly as sin lol but it works great
....... What is FRX ? 🤔
Hey Andre - does the Les Trem allow quick drop D tuning, or does it throw the other 5 out?
Interested to hear what you think of the FRX since it was a meme back in the day of the guitar forums I frequented.
Also you need to try an Ibanez JS1000 since you appreciate ergonomics, aesthetics and floating bridges for whammy stuff with a comfortable, not too thin neck.
So I assume your next bridge attempt will be the Floyd Rose drop in ToM replacement?
You need to install a roller bridge if you're using one of these vibrato systems.
I have a Stetsbar Pro II on my Les Paul and it is fantastic. Highly recommend it.
Also New Haven CT has the best pizza. Hands down.
Pepe’s pizza is def GOAT status
I love how the frx looks on sg's, glad you're gonna try it
As a New Yorker I have to take issue with that Jersey has the best pizza comment 😂
I second that!
As long as we can all agree that Chicago does not make the best pizza
Me too! It's Boston. Yankees Suck 😁
After visiting and eating ny pizza, i have to say we make better pizza at home in the midwest.
Def not true lmao I did enjoy Wisconsin pizza, but NJ is way better
Alright man, nice cliffhanger. I'm waiting to see how the next vid goes!
Best Pizza IMO: Lombardi's on Spring St., NYC., whenever I'm in the city, I go if I can.
I like thin crust pizza tho.
My other fav in the city is Katz's deli on Houston.
I've been! enjoyed it, but not my fav.
The anticipation waiting to see how the FRX fairs is killing me. I have a line on one for a reasonable price and want to slap it on my SG like a madman.
:)
@@andrefludd Couldn't wait. Just went for it! Hahaha. Still looking forward to seeing what you think!
For the money theres no better alternative for lp. You should check out the stetsbar trem. THATS smooth. Almost parker/floyd rosish. Due to funds i put a les trem on my mij hondo935 335 copy. It stays better in tune than any oof my strat vintage tremolos. Much better then bigsby. Might be to a nice slippery brass nut. Had to chang my low hanging rock anticks: almost broke my wrist doing a windmill. Its very high above the bridge. Also when the bar is rotated back the end sticks out poking the hand.
If y’all want to try a really good 8 dollar frozen pizza, the Motor City Pizza company makes the best Detroit style pizza I’ve ever gotten frozen from the grocery store. It’s on par w/ the average carry out place around here. In metro detroit. Cook it for 2 extra minutes and it’s a little past golden on top, and the crust cooks a little more.
I’ve heard this before actually. It’s on my list
@@andrefludd I hope you enjoy it when you try it!
play some Rush if you install a floyd rose on a gibbie
Great video Andre, I admire your honesty, you didn't knock it, you said it was good, but it just wasn't for you, but it convinced me, it's just what I'm looking for, so keep up the good work.
Glad it was helpful!
You've been posting 99% everything I could ask for from a channel. Still excited to see how you would play metal though haha
I have a feeling, and I've said this before I think, but I have a feeling that your particular style will give metal the breath of fresh air it's been needing for a long time now.
Side note: your playing style has recently been influencing my own, and it's making me learn songs I wouldn't have bothered with just 3 months ago. Keep at it, I love this!
There will be metal…very soon. ;)
Is the next one the Floyd FRX? Maybe try modern design - modern designs seem to be of your liking, if they're of use of course, and not modern for the sake of modernism (although that is a thing itself, art is as art does lol). You might want to have a locking nut, if that's more your preference, as well. You don't have to drill the neck for some locking nuts but in all fairness the guitars I have locking tuners on stay in tune so well I usually forget to cinch the locking nut back down (considering taking them off, simplify, simplify). If you are in general hating nuts - there are always zero fret guitars; but I am willing to make some compromises to keep a guitar that has a voice I like and installing a zero fret on a guitar not OEM is something I hadn't even considered until typing it out just now, and I'm still not considering it
It would have to already sound REALLY good for that level of engagement...
EDIT: NICE well I guess one should really wait until the end of the video before hitting "save" lol there are a few other that will more or less bolt up, you're not the first person to want that sort of upgrade and manufacturers responded...