I got a Firefly with a Floyd Rose and it would not stay in tune. The main problem is the break angle of the strings is not great enough to keep strings flush with the nut. Also the stock locking tuner is very low quality and strips out easily. I replaced the nut with a Gotoh one and added a string retainer and it stays in tune now. Hope this helps someone out there.
On the bridge I recommend either changing the springs in the back to some with slightly stronger tension, or swapping in a Gotoh 1996t for the licenced Floyd.
Two thoughts: the tone pots aren’t wired to the bridge pickup on a real strat either. Seems like the nut clamp isn’t clamping correctly. Given that you replaced both the bridge and the locking nut, I’m not sure this review is relevant.
I never realized there’s no tone on a normal one…I think there is on my AmProII. I took some footage of the stock Firefly before I made any modifications. I had the same tuning issues. Mostly just the G string.
@@justinbishopmusic the only way a string can go out of tune when bending, then come back after a trem dump is if it’s catching somewhere. Given it’s locked at the bridge, I’m still going with the nut clamp not grabbing it well enough.
Unfortunately that licensed Floyd you got is also not very good... Still has very soft metal and your tuning issue is likely the soft metal posts that the knife edges sit on. Due to the soft nature of that metal, if you may any height adjustments on the bridge while under string tension, you're going to cut grooves into the posts and dull the knife edged on the bridge plate. When you create those grooves, the bridge will move when you bend a string and pop into one groove and you fix it by doing what you do... Push the bar down and it pops back into the original groove bringing the guitar back to pitch. Also, you don't have to be the one who did this, with cheaper guitars it's likely the worker setting the guitar up may have done it. If you truly love that guitar, invest a little more in a Floyd Rose Special. They're not as good as a 1000, 1500 or Original, but they're light years better than the bridge you have on there.
I have that guitar with the nonlocking tremelo bridge.once I decked the bridge so now it only goes down in pitch and lubricated the nut,string trees and the bridge saddles ,I can dive bomb and it stays in tune. I bought it 3 months ago. the problem I had was with the frets. At first there were only a couple of spots where they were out of level,so I spot leveled them,the a month later more frets went out of level. I had to glue them all with thin superglue,clean the fret board ,then level crown and polish the whole neck. Of course now the action I obtained is very low. Changed the 2 single coils and may change the bridge humbucker(it doesn't sound bad but is microphonic). Overall after that work it is a nice playing guitar. On your guitar is the locknut locking? had a guitar with a kahler bridge that went out of tune after bends ,ended up changing the lock.
Thank you! Mine had some of the best fretwork I have seen and let me get below 1.75mm action. I stripped one nut, and the replacement seemed to be exactly the same. Might be worth getting the $40 true Floyd nut.
Update: a few months later my guitar started going out of tune , so went over and finally taking the strings and bridge off. Well the bridge had large burrs at the knife edge. I never tried to be the second coming of EVH,and the only time I adjusted the posts I relieve tension. Seems the bridge plate is soft metal. Also can’t seem to find a direct replacement due to string and post spacing
Replace that humbucker with something you really like. Potting wont fix it. You could swap in a ceramic magnet and leave the cover off, they use those bobbins with integral spacer posts and shim an alnico magnet. The steel keeper on the screw pole side is just floating around in there, a ceramic magnet will have enough gauss to trap it. Steel baseplates on their single coils are great but they are plastic bobbins. Same pressed in code numbers as Squiers but thats just to say the bobbinsare the same, who knows about the wind. I've had FF humbuckers with a ceramic bobbin and an Alnico bobbin that isn't spaced and just collapsing towards the baseplate, unless you favor the ceramic sound it's not worth rehabbing them, they are duds.
If the strings are properly stretched bending shouldnt throw it outta tune, expecially if its stays in tune when depressing the Trem. Very weird without having it in my hands
Was the original a lisenced Floyd like they had on their MusicMan or a knock off? They were using the cheapest 2 point Strat trems 2 batches ago, delivered with burred knife edges, a month of play looked like a few years of play on a true chrome moly bridge plate.
Same Guitar - Troubleshooting a Few Issues Buzz on Locking Nut for Low E and D - attempted to finger push down strings before locking down but still buzz. Purchased and installed an $8.xx string tree bar and this immediately corrected issue. Personally I feel the string tree bar is a best practice build for Floyd Rose style locking nut builds. Just my thought. :) Middle Pickup volume lower than the single pickup or the humbucker - stumped on this after research and basic testing with a multimeter with pick guard still on (all appeared okay). Any thoughts? From my hearing standpoint, the tone controls have absolutely no change in tone for either of the single pickups in position 2, 3, or 4: Not sure where to go from here other than remove the pick guard and start troubleshooting wiring. (see below) So I wanted another FFST without the Floyd Rose so I purchased a FFST Chameleon (Honestly both the FR and the Chameleon arrived cosmetically flawless and just beautiful). I contacted FF and they replied stating the wiring and components are the same. The Chameleon middle Pickup plays as expected and the tone controls work as expected though the change is not super great. Next Steps: Remove the pick guard on both and compare wiring for starters. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
@@justinbishopmusic Sadly after replacing the pickup, still a no go. I honestly believe it to be the switch and after spending more hours than I wanted on a new gitar, I am going to by a quality preloaded pickguard and call it done (I hope) Thanks for the suggestion though. I will be on the lookout for this ind of issue with your thoughts going forward!
I was a little surprised by the fret ends on my brand new American pro ll strat I bought a month ago. Both my older LPs are absolutely flawless. This is the first strat I've bought since the late 90s and I would think they would do better for what they're charging now? All in all, I love it. I mean, i bought it right? Im personally not really into these less expensive guitars out there just because of weird issues like you showed here. I mean, it dives fine but you can't bend? Bizarro. I have an older Carvin with an original FR and it's flawless. Somehow, its not coming back into position after a bend? Gotta be something simple right?
I’ve searched and searched the internet, and for the most part, people say “that’s the nature of Floyd Rose and bending…” Seems unacceptable to me. I wonder if only the original Floyds get it right? Sounds like yours did!
I got a Firefly with a Floyd Rose and it would not stay in tune. The main problem is the break angle of the strings is not great enough to keep strings flush with the nut. Also the stock locking tuner is very low quality and strips out easily. I replaced the nut with a Gotoh one and added a string retainer and it stays in tune now. Hope this helps someone out there.
Thanks!🙏
Are they all 42mm?
On the bridge I recommend either changing the springs in the back to some with slightly stronger tension, or swapping in a Gotoh 1996t for the licenced Floyd.
Two thoughts:
the tone pots aren’t wired to the bridge pickup on a real strat either.
Seems like the nut clamp isn’t clamping correctly. Given that you replaced both the bridge and the locking nut, I’m not sure this review is relevant.
I never realized there’s no tone on a normal one…I think there is on my AmProII. I took some footage of the stock Firefly before I made any modifications. I had the same tuning issues. Mostly just the G string.
@@justinbishopmusic the only way a string can go out of tune when bending, then come back after a trem dump is if it’s catching somewhere. Given it’s locked at the bridge, I’m still going with the nut clamp not grabbing it well enough.
You talked me out of these stupid issues I don’t want to deal with. Thanks
I bought a relic tele with the same neck…and it’s perfect! But yeah, I couldn’t get this one to stay in tune for anything.
Unfortunately that licensed Floyd you got is also not very good... Still has very soft metal and your tuning issue is likely the soft metal posts that the knife edges sit on. Due to the soft nature of that metal, if you may any height adjustments on the bridge while under string tension, you're going to cut grooves into the posts and dull the knife edged on the bridge plate. When you create those grooves, the bridge will move when you bend a string and pop into one groove and you fix it by doing what you do... Push the bar down and it pops back into the original groove bringing the guitar back to pitch. Also, you don't have to be the one who did this, with cheaper guitars it's likely the worker setting the guitar up may have done it. If you truly love that guitar, invest a little more in a Floyd Rose Special. They're not as good as a 1000, 1500 or Original, but they're light years better than the bridge you have on there.
Where is the link for the locking nut?
I have that guitar with the nonlocking tremelo bridge.once I decked the bridge so now it only goes down in pitch and lubricated the nut,string trees and the bridge saddles ,I can dive bomb and it stays in tune. I bought it 3 months ago. the problem I had was with the frets. At first there were only a couple of spots where they were out of level,so I spot leveled them,the a month later more frets went out of level. I had to glue them all with thin superglue,clean the fret board ,then level crown and polish the whole neck. Of course now the action I obtained is very low. Changed the 2 single coils and may change the bridge humbucker(it doesn't sound bad but is microphonic). Overall after that work it is a nice playing guitar.
On your guitar is the locknut locking? had a guitar with a kahler bridge that went out of tune after bends ,ended up changing the lock.
Thank you! Mine had some of the best fretwork I have seen and let me get below 1.75mm action. I stripped one nut, and the replacement seemed to be exactly the same. Might be worth getting the $40 true Floyd nut.
Update: a few months later my guitar started going out of tune , so went over and finally taking the strings and bridge off. Well the bridge had large burrs at the knife edge. I never tried to be the second coming of EVH,and the only time I adjusted the posts I relieve tension. Seems the bridge plate is soft metal. Also can’t seem to find a direct replacement due to string and post spacing
Hey sirr plesa chek alip bata cover the last of mohicans..thanks sirr
Love that one! I need to react!
Replace that humbucker with something you really like. Potting wont fix it. You could swap in a ceramic magnet and leave the cover off, they use those bobbins with integral spacer posts and shim an alnico magnet. The steel keeper on the screw pole side is just floating around in there, a ceramic magnet will have enough gauss to trap it.
Steel baseplates on their single coils are great but they are plastic bobbins. Same pressed in code numbers as Squiers but thats just to say the bobbinsare the same, who knows about the wind.
I've had FF humbuckers with a ceramic bobbin and an Alnico bobbin that isn't spaced and just collapsing towards the baseplate, unless you favor the ceramic sound it's not worth rehabbing them, they are duds.
If the strings are properly stretched bending shouldnt throw it outta tune, expecially if its stays in tune when depressing the Trem. Very weird without having it in my hands
hey im watchin this thanks for the review
Thanks! The neck is amazing. Floyd drives me crazy on bends but it’s perfect for dive bombs.
Was the original a lisenced Floyd like they had on their MusicMan or a knock off?
They were using the cheapest 2 point Strat trems 2 batches ago, delivered with burred knife edges, a month of play looked like a few years of play on a true chrome moly bridge plate.
The original didn’t have any letters on it.
Same Guitar - Troubleshooting a Few Issues
Buzz on Locking Nut for Low E and D - attempted to finger push down strings before locking down but still buzz. Purchased and installed an $8.xx string tree bar and this immediately corrected issue. Personally I feel the string tree bar is a best practice build for Floyd Rose style locking nut builds. Just my thought. :)
Middle Pickup volume lower than the single pickup or the humbucker - stumped on this after research and basic testing with a multimeter with pick guard still on (all appeared okay). Any thoughts?
From my hearing standpoint, the tone controls have absolutely no change in tone for either of the single pickups in position 2, 3, or 4: Not sure where to go from here other than remove the pick guard and start troubleshooting wiring. (see below)
So I wanted another FFST without the Floyd Rose so I purchased a FFST Chameleon (Honestly both the FR and the Chameleon arrived cosmetically flawless and just beautiful). I contacted FF and they replied stating the wiring and components are the same.
The Chameleon middle Pickup plays as expected and the tone controls work as expected though the change is not super great.
Next Steps: Remove the pick guard on both and compare wiring for starters. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Check to see if any of the things copper wires on the pickup winding are cut. This can cause a slight drop in volume and cause it to sound thin.
@@justinbishopmusic Sadly after replacing the pickup, still a no go. I honestly believe it to be the switch and after spending more hours than I wanted on a new gitar, I am going to by a quality preloaded pickguard and call it done (I hope)
Thanks for the suggestion though. I will be on the lookout for this ind of issue with your thoughts going forward!
I was a little surprised by the fret ends on my brand new American pro ll strat I bought a month ago. Both my older LPs are absolutely flawless. This is the first strat I've bought since the late 90s and I would think they would do better for what they're charging now? All in all, I love it. I mean, i bought it right?
Im personally not really into these less expensive guitars out there just because of weird issues like you showed here. I mean, it dives fine but you can't bend? Bizarro. I have an older Carvin with an original FR and it's flawless. Somehow, its not coming back into position after a bend? Gotta be something simple right?
I’ve searched and searched the internet, and for the most part, people say “that’s the nature of Floyd Rose and bending…” Seems unacceptable to me. I wonder if only the original Floyds get it right? Sounds like yours did!
@@justinbishopmusic on mine I always just give a gentle tug upwards and mine falls back into tune