Floyd Rose is EXPENSIVE…Try These Alternatives and SAVE
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- Guitar gear is getting RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Thats why in this video, we show you some less expensive alternatives to the Floyd Rose Original tremolo. Come check out some well made trems that wont break you bank! If you have one let us know what you think!
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#floydrose #schaller #gotoh #originalfloydrose #tremolo #doublelockingtremolo #schallerlockmeister #schallertremolo
THANKS A LOT FOR THIS INFO MAN. REALLY HELPS. 🤘🤘
Dude absolutely! Let me know if you need anything!
@@nikaxeguitar I need 12 billion dollars
@@AUBCodeII Im on it. Give me 12 lifetimes.
@@nikaxeguitar thanks bro, you're a tru fren
@@AUBCodeII I got u 🤣
Get gotoh with rear mount locking nut for maximum tuning stability overtime. The bridge includes:
- best arm design,
- better sustain with brass block
- hard steel saddles that won't crack or wear out.
- Lower profile fine tuners that won't bug your picking hand.
-rounded edges on saddles for palm comfort
- great flutter effect
- Finally locking studs with tight tolerance, so the stud won't microscopicly moves under heavy usage.
Use the trem with confidence!
Gotoh GE1996T serving me for 12 years and counting. Thanks to the Japanese Gotoh team.
Oh shit man. This is gold! Thanks man.
This is the one! This is it! This is the trem that is just like my Fernandes one and has the “flat” bass side knife edge that I need.
From what I can tell, it’s a near exact copy of the one I have. And it’s cheap!
@@hotmetalslugs i use fernandes floyd before, its similar and comes with blass block too 😁. Gotoh has better arm by far. Maybe the best arm mechanism in the market, zero wiggle. stay at the right tightness for years! I forgot when i readjust the arm torque tention. It just stay there where i left it. No need to replace teflon rings like the ibanez.
You said that. Just installed on my partscaster and it's perfect.
12y ? wow best replay ever
I just bought an original floyd rose 1984! Nothing beats it!
That’s an original I’m interested in! Has the Push in trem arm yeah?
@@nikaxeguitar old school screw in! I have one too haha. But the bar sits a little low for my liking
@@nikaxeguitar it's a screw in but can't beat it for quality & functionality.
The 84 is like a fine piece of jewelry...100 % hardens steel. IMHO..worth every penny. Anything substandard is a crap shoot.
Gotoh all the way, baby. I have tried many over the years, they're all been amazing. I havn't tried ONE bad GE1996T. Even the 20-25 year old ones.
My favorite trem is an OFR but I just recently installed the Gotoh on a new axe and I have to say, it is a great trem. When you take into account that the cost is half the price of the OFR it's a no brainer. The Gotoh floyd was actually used on both the EBMM EVH Music Man and the Peavey Wolfgang. If it's good enough for The Man, its good enough for you.
I have a guitar with the FRX and one with the Gotoh. The FRX I absolutely enjoy, I love the range and the way it feels to use, also being able to block it to only go forward only is really nice as I don’t like the systems that go out of tune just because you bend without using the bar, though the option to float is still there. The Gotoh though is also really good, I’m not a fan of the fully floating for the reason I stated above but it’s still a good system, much better than the Jackson licensed Floyd I was using before it.
The replaceable knife edges on the Schaller make it the absolute best deal. That and the bridge studs are the failing points on all trems that end up making it lose tuning over time. The second most important part of a trem are the parts that come in contact with strings: the nut, the saddles, and the saddle blocks. I've had trems that skimped on materials that touch the strings, and I kept breaking strings. Whether it be from burrs on the saddles or nut, or the saddle blocks would break or had burrs. So I always look for the aforementioned components being quality materials when buying a trem
Excellent video!! Subscribed
Love this channel great advice
Hey Adie. Really appreciate it! Thanks so much
Gotoh trems are insane, I had it for years never let me down
Can’t go wrong with anything made by the Japanese. Also the push in arm is mandatory. Brilliant
About the direct swap between the ofr and the ge1996t: if you have a recessed floyd rose, the ge1996t may not fit since the gotoh is 1.5mm longer on the widest section of the baseplate. Also, the threaded inserts are 1.2mm larger in diameter on the gotoh, which means that if you want to use them (you should), you'll have to enlarge the holes and make them deeper. This may lead to dangerously thin walls around the studs, which may result in cracks on the guitar body, making the studs loose ( more common on guitars with routing under a pickguard, like strats and ibanez rgs/jems). The ge1996t is a superior tremolo but it works best if you have a guitar that was designed to be equipped with it, or if you make sure to address these issues.
This is amazing. Thanks!!
I have the Gotoh 1996T on two of my guitars. Best double locking trem IMO. Cheers!
I've played and abused dozens of full-floating trem systems. The original Ibanez Edge and Lo-Pro Edge are hands down the best out there for full-floating madness. They can withstand decades of abuse and continue to always be reliable. I've never had one fail or become a "string-breaking device". Too bad they are difficult to acquire new without buying a high-end Ibanez guitar.
what is the difference between those two? and which one is actually better?
@@kenminerva Between the Edge and Lo-Pro Edge? They are equally good. One feels a little bit more fluttery than the other, but marginally. The Edge being more fluttery. Still, this is only when you intend it to do that. Both of those are solid and stable. Tuning stability is equally as good with either. I consider the Edge and Lo-Pro Edge trems as equals. At least the original ones.
@@chadwickhurlburt6529 Ya because I'm thinking about getting one. Either of these can fit straight into floyd rose guitar body, right?
@@chadwickhurlburt6529 Yes man. My 1st concern is the tuning stability because I haven't that luck in that regard with all my other bridges. And of course, the flutter is always a must as well 😅😅
@@kenminerva Not sure, it may not fit. There are several websites with fitting information that you can reference. A Google search should lead you in the right direction.
I’ve been using the Gotoh since 1990. I still have the original Bridge on one of my guitars. I have 3 of them and prefer them over all the rest. The main reason is the angled fine tuners and the rounded saddles. It is a very smooth and comfortable bridge for your picking hand.
I love the Gotoh bridges hands down.
One of my guitars is a Jackson PC1 (Phil Collen) manufactured back in 2000. The floyd rose was made in Germany and has two patent stamps - I've yet to change a part on it.
That looks like such a great guitar
I have guitars with the OFR, FR1000, FR Special and a licensed Jackson. I'm not usually too crazy with the bar but the Original is amazing. The 1000 and the Special seem identical with my use. The licensed is the only one that doesn't seem to be holding up well but it's probably 10-15 yrs old now. Will look into these suggestions as I think it's time to replace it.
Great video. I concur. The Lockmeister is the best "Bang for your Buck" Trem out there, hands down.
I installed one on my 2001 Ibanez S470. I pointed this out on another video, but it's not just a push in trem arm. It screws down, to whatever height you want it to. It is threaded inside, and there is a little screw down inside that hole. And then, of course, you have the little Allen set screw, to adjust the tension/floppiness of it. But generally, it's best just to screw it down until it stops where you want it, and then back off if you need to. And then use the set screw if you need to. Unless you like it to just flop around. But I do like it screwed all the way in, at its lowest, with just enough resistance to where it's not flopping around, and it stays where I last left it.
Good information dude, I've got an edge III equiped RG thats great 90% of the time. my only qualm is in temp/humidity changes when I would jam in resteraunts; the stability could not be trusted I had to do a weird move between songs where i would pull the bar up/back really hard to get the G sting to go back to 0, never figured it out completly. I would like a charvel or evh somday with an OG floyd maybe just set up for dives or without the lock nut so you can tune between songs.
Gotoh got to be the best, I was just about to say that Gotoh makes the edge . I think some of the Gotohs have the edge style saddles if you care about that, I think the edge style saddles might make pull ups a little better ?
i have made guitars or replaced bridges with some of my repairs. the option you gave are also the options that I have suggested and used before for people who ask me for a replacement.. end of the day the bridge only functions well if its properly installed,setup and the spring has been calibrated well for balance of what is intended.. my take on why there are more expensive than others is more on their material. on the options you suggested I like gotoh always reliable and the sizes are what are usually for the guitars that need a replacement.schaller is also good but sometimes you may need modifications on the guitar to make it work as well.
Hey man! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your insight! Keep the good comments coming!
1st I want to start with, I absolutely stand with Japanese made Westone guitars & the bendmaster tremelow which was originally, officially branded floyd rose. My original childhood guitar was a Westone Spectrum LX with a bendmaster trem & it 100% held up to 13 Guage strings! I did have one string bucket or hook fail. Secondly, The Bendmaster trem also came on specific years of the Epiphone S-600 but with roller string guides. I appreciate your alternative take on the floyd rose! I dislike how the floyd makes other strings go out of tune when bending other strings. I never had that issue with a bendmaster trem & lock nut! Also, the locking nut on a Westone mounts above the nut up on the headstock, away from your hand & does not get in the way like current lock nuts, proven to be a better design!!!
The Gotoh 1996T is a great alternative, very accurate and solid. Those locking stud posts have a HUUUGE diameter. Could be a tricky install if you don’t have the room or necessary material to removed for install.
Well done. Schaller!!!!!!
What is your suggestion to upgrade JT580 on my Jackson DK2? And also wondering that is it possible to replace with Edge Pro tremolo on my Jackson DK2 if the Edge Pro system is totally compatible with and fit on it?
In advance, thanks!
I have a shift 2001 equivalent to a Washburn Wonderbar on my 1970s El Degas Strat. Absolutely love it❗Wish I had another one for a kit Strat that I built.
I personally love the schaller floyd tremolo arm because the collar tightens the arm where I want it to stay at.
Really appreciate this video because I'm trying to resurrect a guitar I found in the woods that's split in half and rotted and I don't wanna spend a crazy amount of money but it's just gotta have a good trem on it. Also for certain applications I feel the non fine tuner Floyd rose can be useful when paired with a good nut and locking tuners
Oh wow. Sounds like quite the project! Good luck. Let me know if you need anything
@@nikaxeguitarthank you and it definitely is, if you happen to know any good budget brands for tuners and pickups I'd greatly appreciate it!
Recently got my kiesel Theos with the hipshot tremolo. Wow hands down best trem I’ve ever used or I’m just lucky and got a good one not all guitars are created equal, however the feel isn’t stiff like the FR and is full of action without the locking nut so tuning is a breeze and the tuning stability is better than my other guitar with Floyd Rose double locking trems
Oh shoot! I’ve never heard of those! I’ll check em out
I remember hearing about the Sophia 2:92. Incredibly far from being a budget option but it seems to have completely redesigned the traditional floating trem design. You don't even have to cut off the ball ends if you don't want too.
I've been dying to get a guitar with a Floyd solely so i could try it out.
Wow Ive never heard of this. Thanks for the insight Phillip!
@@nikaxeguitar absolutely dude! Fun fact about the company that makes them (the trems that is, they went under a name change to Sophia Tremolos and were previously called Coherent Sound in Light but i'm not sure if they went under another one recently) is that Ibanez used to license from the CEO; Geoffrey McCabe. Idk if they still do or if they stopped, but after hearing about that i knew that these have to be quality products.
VERRRRRYYY Interesting Phil. Good info man.
what about fu tone bridge same as floyd rose with sustain brass / titianium block
Sophia charges more than Floyd Rose original does.
Hey Nik! I'm in need of baseplate replacement. I've got a Floyd Rose 7 on my Jackson SLAT3-7 and was eyeballing Schaller Lockmeister 7 base plates. Do you think it would be a drop-in replacement? Knife edge slots in these base plate are a bit different.
Are you replacing a Floyd rose original/special/1000?
Great Video! I own a older GOTOH that came stock on a hearfield EX1. It’s definitely a solid trem and definitely worth the money. Whether it’s made with the same spec materials, well that would be a topic for discussion.
I, not long ago purchased a GOLD SCHALLER (with the thicker base, not the lockmeister) for $150.00 on sale. It’s been a solid trem as far as functionality goes. The gold has slightly started rubbing off. So I put some painters tape over the said areas. I think the original SCHALLERs from back in the day, had brass fine tuners. I think I can honestly say these fine tuners aren’t brass. Which leads to the same question as to whether material specs are better or worse.
All that being said, these trems do function very well. I’d give the GOTOH a 2 star edge over the thick based SCHALLER, as the Gotoh has what seems to be a brass block. Not massive like a BIG BLOCK. It also has locking studs for the knife edges.
Hope this helps anyone looking to purchase a good Floyd style trem.
For reference, the thick based SCHALLER is not a direct swap for the ORIGNAL FLOYD OR THE GOTOH.
Take time to research what trem fits your studs. SCHALLER and GOTOH have pdf diagrams on their sites.
The FU-Tone FU2. Probably will have to route some. But I love the straight knife edge on it like the Gotoh. Centers on the notched knife edge and the other post can fall anywhere on the straight knife edge. So it will always be in the least friction contact with the posts, unlike the double notched knife edges of an OFR. Which requires posts spaced EXACTLY like the knife edges to get the least friction and wear.
Great suggestions for trems on a budget, i personally will go for an original if im not on a budget but if i am then these trems will do it!
Its good thing to save money now days especially at this time
Try now at looking at other higher end bridges other than Floyd Rose for your Floyd rose equipped guitars.
There's a company called FU-Tone,that does upgrades for the Floyds and they have their own trem
And believe it or not
the company 'Graphtech' has there own trem as well.
Great video!
Whoa! This is good info! Thanks for this man
Why show which trem system directly replaces the Floyd Rose original that almost no one wants to change especially not for a cheaper trem, instead of showing trem systems that directly replaces the Floyd Rose special which more people wants to swap out for something good ? Or are guitars with the Floyd Rose special set up to use the Floyd Rose original ?
Second the schaller trems, I have both the ‘lockmeister” and the schaller locking trem and I gotta say both are well worth the money, each of them are buttery smooth and quality thru and thru. Their locking straps are the best as well IMHO
Dumb question, but is the Gotoh GE1996T a direct swap for a Floyd Special as well? I’m looking to replace my Floyd Specials on both of my main guitars with something a bit more reliable and durable but also won’t break the bank too much.
So are the Gotoh and Schaller locking ones that lock the tuners or not? (Sorry new guitarist not sure about this and want to be sure!)
What trem would fit a rg 550?
I found a decent FR style bridge but needed the arm replaced and the block. It's. Wilkinson M series FR. Made by Gotoh brands,but the plate is Steel and the saddles also. Got them for $55 bucks shipped.Even with the bad bar and Zinc block,the locking nut is a 42 mm steel top mount. Have 2 of them and all together with a Floyd Rose replacement push I bar and a (Gotoh) brass block found both on line...$$ total for one bridge is just over $100 bucks. Gotta do some looking online but we'll worth it.
I got the same wilkinson on ebay "open box", for $45 and is amazing
How about an alternative for FRX? Thank you for answering❤
U don't need a nut. I just use my roller nut with lock-in stagered machine heads. Works great
what is the best option for a ibanez guitar?
I am not a heavy trem user but so far the best I have had is a Babicz 2 point trem. Stays in tune better than most hardtails. Not a locking trem and not suitable for divebombs but you can do a lot with it.
A couple of years ago, I found an SLXQ at the local pawn shop. The original owner swapped out the Floyd Rose Special for an OFR. It was a nightmare to keep in tune. I even took it to a friend of mine that's a luthier and he said that I set it up right aside from the action being a little high (which is how I like it)and he tried to do a fresh set up on it. He couldn't get it done and gave it back to me. It was so bad at holding tune that I ended up selling it and buying an SLXT. Since then, I don't have (many) tuning issues. I also had the same issues with all three of my Ibanez guitars. I never had that issue with my Jackson Performer PS4 or issues with my PRS SE. To this day, I can't figure out why Floyd Rose bridges hate me.
Is there a Kahler alternative, I have a 1980's guitar that has a broken one, now hardtailed, would be nice to replace without spending silly money
Used to have all of these trems and I still prefer Graphtech one by feel and sound. And it has push in arm too.
I just purchased 3 different original Floyd rose bridges over the past year, one of them 2 weeks ago and they were all around 260
Thank god because you live in the USA. Here in Brazil, 350$ it's the price of a Gotoh bridge. Yeah, you can buy a new guitar for this price. Absolutely crazy!!! But it's a totally cool tip for everyone looking for a new bridge, the Gotoh bridge is awesome. Some guys say that even after several years, it remains fully functional and in good condition.
Gotoh is #1 .... I swapped out my FR 1000 series for one and will never use anything else
Is the schaller Lockmeiser a dirrect swap?
My charvel San dimas has a screw on floyd rose and I love it
I actually really love the schaller on my grover jackson rr120! it may not be the best but it is unique in some ways
well are these alternatives available in a 8 string variant
And here I am with my cort 3 double locking trem thinking it's the best thing ever lol
I Have 3 guitars that i have re-built and replaced the trem's with the Gotoh 1996t for the money you can't ask for more , They are as stable and my Floyd originals 1000's and My Ibanez edge tremolo's . Also as mentioned in this video the price point is great , I recently built a guitar and went with a Floyd special, trying to stay on the cheap side of things , it's a piece of crap , I should have just bought the Gotoh for the extra 45 dollars up front . Anyhow i ended up with a Floyd special that's back in the box and am 100 dollars in the hole .
Got a 2003 dean with original floyd rose then later 2017 Jackson dinky with double lock floyd both great guitars seem to work and sound well are newer but tremolo seems good
Another Gotoh GE1996T user here as well, prefer it to the original, the bevel on the saddles makes palm muting more comfortable.
I replaced a regular Floyd with a Schaller on my EVH Relic Stripe guitar. It's a game changer...much better string separation, less flutter, it's just the better material. The sound and sustain improved dramatically.
I seriously doubt that.. I think you have a good case of the placebo.
@@sirspongadoodleNope. 😉. When the sound improves on a recording significantly it's just a fact. The original Floyd was just eating up parts of a song in which I need sustain and clarity. After the replacement with the Schaller the guitar is back in the game. But ultimately it's everyone's individual choice.
Okay, I might just have the right problem here, but I'd like to know that. Late last year, I got a guitar that has a Floyd that's marked with an official Floyd logo. (Doesn't mean it is, but I don't know how to tell.) Looking for clues as to its composition, I checked each part using a powerful magnet; each part responded with what looked to me like genuine magnetic effect. I had thought, though, that this vibe couldn't be better than a Floyd Special, which I thought to be made of a non-magnetic alloy. Am I right, or are Floyd Specials magnetic? Anyone know?
Do you think it's worth replacing the Floyd Rose Special on my Fender HM Strat with the Gotoh GE1996T? Will there be a sensible quality jump?
A huge difference I've replaced all of my Floyd's with them the studs are bigger though.
@@curthutchison2218 thanks for the tip! it's not a direct replacement then?
It’s still a direct replacement. You can’t really get away from chasing the studs if you switch out your trem. For a few reasons. 1.) if you switch a special for a Gotoh, you will NEED to switch the studs. It’s not good to have zinc allow studs and a hardened steel trem. The studs will grind down. Now direct replacement means the stud poles are the same distance and the cavity will allow the new trem. Bottom line: make sure to never mix your metals, always have the same metal in your studs as you do the trem.
@@nikaxeguitar thanks for your very precise answer!
@@nikaxeguitar could I just buy steel OFR studs so I don't have to drill the holes bigger? If it's steel against steel it should be good, no?
Thoughts on the Wilkinson Floyd Rose copy? I have a Jackson that can't stay in tune because of the stock "Floyd"
I have a non locking Wilkinson that I like. I have heat to try the locking
What about the Wilkinson floyd rose type tremolo?
1)The lockmeister is the original Floyd with a different name. Schaller still makes the original Floyd. Here in Europe the lockmeister is MUCH cheaper.
2)The gotoh has hardened saddles ONLY. The baseplate IS NOT hardened. It's just pot metal
Interesting. Thanks for that!
The baseplates are hardened steel on the Gotoh Ge-1996t. The saddles are "specially processed steel" and comes w/ brass block
@@ryant3600 I contacted Gotoh and they told me that the baseplate is not hardened steel. That was 2 years ago. Maybe they have hardened steel baseplates now? not sure
ok i am the odd one i like the floyd specials ive had many of them and no they wont last forever but i am comfortable with them as well as i find it exciting to get a new one when the old gives down a bit and then NEW pickups etc same time its like a Guitar Christmas!!
u need way more views man!
Hahah I appreciate it man. It helps if you share the video on SM or to a buddy. Also you commenting and liking helps ALOT. Thanks!
Good options. there are also a couple of non floyd trems which would make good replacements which have the 74mm stud width to drop in for those who may not want a floyd with fine tuners. I have an old aria pro II which had a japanese no name trem that was meant to be a poor mans floyd. No fine tuners or locking nut but it floats and has 74mm stud spacing. The block was rotten pot metal. schaller had the closest thing to a direct replacement i could find and it was $95. a floyd without locking tuners was my other option and that was $$ at the time
That’s true. Thanks for bringing that up man.
@@nikaxeguitar I'd like to see how well a cheap floyd could be upgraded with official replacement parts... if you're looking for video ideas
Dang that’s a good idea man
The Schaller trem is great. I have one. Love it. But is not a direct Floyd replacement. I had to do a bit of routing to get it to fit
Really? I thought the Schaller trems were the same size as Floyds? I want to replace the licenced tremolo on my Washburn with a Schaller - how much extra work is it?
@@neilkendall5499 It depends on which Schaller trem You use. The lockmeister will probably be a direct fit. But the one with the replaceable knife edges, that will need a little bit of routing
Axe man, really enjoying your channel. I’d like to get your advice on this issue I got if you can! I have one of the Fernandes trems, after they stopped producing official FRs, and started making their own licensed ones. Head Banker and Head Crasher. Great (awful) probably bad translation attempts. Anyhow, my head crasher needs to sharpen the edges or be replaced.
Here’s the tough part. It’s one of the ones that has a “U” shaped edge on the treble side and a “Flat” edge on the bass side.
I cannot fit a Jackson 1989 FR, or original FR there because the stud is off just a tiny bit, and the recess is not routed properly for those.
So what do you call those without 2 “U”s??
See how long it took me to type that question out? Imagine me at the parts counter at Guitar Center trying to explain it to a store general manager. It’ll never happen.
So does that “flat edge on the bass side like the 7 string bridges have” have a name that’s easier to say than “flat edge on the bass side”??
Hey brother. Can you message me directly on IG? @nikaxeguitar
One of your other viewers pointed me in the right direction with the Gotoh.
Good times!
I put Gotoh GE1996 on all my guitars with Floyd Rose specials. Money well spent.
I think that the floyd rose pro 1000 series is the best and john petrucci use this in one of his guitars ,the jp16 guitar , and i think that with a push in arm is going to be the best , i have a floyd rose special and i install the push in arm from floyd rose and it is amazing ,super confortable and solid made , when i have the money i will buy the floyd rose pro 1000 series for a build proyect of a custom guitar for me
I used both and the Gotoh 1996T is as good as the FR original. Plus the machine gloss finish is awesome on the Gotoh. Gotoh is definitely a go-to if I wanna upgrade my FR1000 or FR Special. And for the info FR1000 & Special is just crap, it gets worn out fast on the knife edge.
I have the gotoh Floyd in the black finish. I will say that it is a better design IMHO. BUT..... The knife edges chipped on mine when using the Floyd original studs. The gotoh studs are designed differently where the knife edge contact points are. Plus in order to use the gotoh studs takes a considerable amount of work to be done well. All of this assuming you don't drill in to the trem cavity as the gotoh studs are much wider and deeper. If I'm dropping in a gotoh, I'm definitely using the locking studs. To me it's just not worth using the gotoh as a drop in replacement. If you're building from scratch the gotoh could be a better option. My only gripe is the finish on the knife edges doesn't hold up . At least not with the Floyd original studs.
I personally prefer Ibanez Edge and Zero Resistance bridges. I really wish Gotoh and Schaller started making floating bridges in 7 and 8-string variants with more finishes.
Honestly own a Evh with Floyd it works just as well as the “cheaper” Amazon one I put on an old RG Ibanez it works well too visually lil different
Been down this road and you get what you pay for. There is nothing on the market that compares to the original or 1984. I will no longer waste money on alternatives. They don't use hardened steel. They use cheap alloy. That said you can replace the saddles and set screws with the real deal but they cost a fortune too. I will never waste money on the alternatives again. Learned my lesson the expensive way.
The Floyd Rose special is a real Floyd Rose and the Floyd Rose special are on $1,300 guitars it seems many leave that important part out
I have a floyd on one guitar but my eyesight is to bad to restring it. I do regular guitars cause they are easy to feel and memory
I swear by the Lockmeister! I spoke to a Schaller rep and he confirmed that the LM is virtually IDENTICAL to the original German Floyd Rose. The only real difference is the radius, and some people think it has a better tone. I'm from the UK, and the LM costs A LOT less than the FR branded one, so when I built a partcaster, the former was a no-brainer to me! In fact I think if you're not sure how to tell a crappy Floyd from a good one, Schaller is a more reliable brand considering all the stinkers with the FR branding.
For anyone wanting to build a Warmoth guitar and put a Lockmeister in it, choose the Floyd Rose routing, not the Schaller routing as the latter is for the one with replaceable knife edges (The LM's dimensions are identical to the Schaller-made Floyd Rose branded one). And order the trem itself directly from Schaller, because they recently started offering multiple radiuses to match a variety of fretboards.
Have you heard of the Wilkinson tremolo from Germany? Those are supposed to be pretty good also, proubly gold plated too.
I don't know a lot about the Schaller, but I have a FR1000 and a Gotoh1996T and they are both very good. I can't really separate them, they both do the job well but I agree with you about the arm thing.. the Gotoh's is way better. The FR is annoying and you have to constantly keep tightening the nut thing. The Gotoh's approach is what all trems should use, it just works. I saw FR prices recently.. ridiculous! I also have an Ibanez Edge, and this is also a fantastic trem. It's a shame that FR doesn't have a better arm design.
But is the Gotoh made with grade 8 steel?
Check out wilkinson tremolo.
I swear by Gotoh. LOVE the GE1996T. I have installed two of them now and wouldn't go with anything else. The price is hard to beat, at half of an OFR.
Only downside is that you have the drill the posts larger, which can be daunting if never done before.
Thanks for your insight! Drilling the posts larger can be scary!
My gotoh studs happened to fit into the stock posts just fine on my import Jackson.
I have replaced trems in Jacksons and Ibanez and haven't had to drill anything.. Everything drops right in.
Honestly I’ve had some cheap guitars with licensed/Chinese Floyd’s and usually they just need a little bit of finishing work with small files to take any burrs or sharp edges off the nut and the bridge where the string blocks are . If u put a tiny amount of oil or wax where the knife edges are it will help avoid wear. But honestly if ur the type of player that wears the knife edges down u probably are playing tons of shows so just buy a legit one.
Hs vs st, ha ha, maybe I should upgrade my Kramer, dope.
GE1996T looks really tasty
The best trem ever made for guitar is by far the Ibanez ZR. The ball-bearing pivot system just feels great and smooth and you get way more control over the note/s and you are not fighting the springs at all. It's super comfortable, sounds great and holds tune all day. I have many different guitars with different trem systems and after I play the ZR, all the other trems just feel like cheap toys. They are way inferior. None of them can make dive bombing feel so smooth and comfortable as the ZR. The only downside is that it's a threaded tightening system which means in months your arm will eventually need tightening after every song. Really sucks. The work around that is to buy a Floyd Rose mod which replaces the thread socket with a different socket that allows a push in arm, like the Gotoh in this video. That is a way superior design and eliminates arm swing.
The 1996T you've gotta be careful buying. There's a guy on reverb that was selling fake 96's.
No shit?? Who?
Harley Benton really ripped the money out of my hands. They sold me a floyd rose 1k with a guitar attached
You saved me $300+ from buying a gold floyd rose original for purely asthetic reasons lol. Thanks man
Absolutely dude!!! Glad to help! Spread the word.
Hello, My question has never been asked. Here’s my question: If my guitar came from the factory with a Bigsby Tremolo, can I remove it and replace it with a Floyd Rose style Tremolo? Thank you. ~ DonB
Damn great question. I have to find out
As soon as you recommend used Schallers, you're WAY over the price of a used FR... and everybody KNOWS why you would sell a trem...
Believe it or not, the FR Special has a VERY magnetic (read: steel) baseplate, and those "pot metal" saddles are made of ZAMAK, which is a strong as some steels, but offers the corrosion resistance of zinc, rather than wicked expensive chromium steel.
Ditch the locking nut for a roller nu and locking tuners, making the tuners the locking mechanism, this way you can actually string and tune without taking everything apart. This works with ANY locking trem, and you won't have to drill your neck.
You can actually do a drop d tuning on such a setup and stay in tune, as the tension is really so close.
You should do a video about Kahler! Specially the Kahler Spyder
i ended up with an ESP Branded Floyd style on a cheap LTD . Bought Very used LOL
Has Turned out to be Just About an 8 out of 10 Against a Real Deal Floyed Rose
Just a Thumbs up to ESP Branded Floyd Copies !
Hey Robert. Thanks for the comment. Good insight. Have a good day!
@@nikaxeguitar i modded the hell out of it
soooooo much From StuMac sooo much
Vega Trem
so heres the golden question, if i buy a cheaper guitar with a shitty floyd special, will any of these drop right it or are there other components i need to get?
The gotoh has the same pole spacing but you’ll need to route out for bigger bushings. The Schalller is more of a direct swap just make sure the poles/studs are the same metal as the knife edges/baseplate
@@nikaxeguitar thanks 👍
Always took baby oil at your Trem Hardware ...to guard from oxidation & rust ...!!
After market/Replica Floyd's made within zinc material, True Floyd's made within much better composite. Price slightly higher, longivity, leaves any/all after market floyds within land time forgot. Tune, and-or remain in tune for short lived excursions, True Floyds if set/installed correctly stay in tune 2nd to none. After market floyds stay in tune while tuning, post tuning while playing, hold tuning approx as well as a swap meet special. Example would be Kk, and-or Schon testing a after market Floyd, lucky iif they would continue within playing it any time duration past 5-minutes. They wouldn't even consider a guitar pick made from zinc, let alone a Floyd zinc composite.