Fitting a Floyd Rose or similar to a Les Paul

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John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
Just curious, more than a seriously likely to happen but has anyone had a trem fitted to a Les Paul?   
I'm not a fan of the look of the stetsbar, so a normal floyd would seem the best option.

The way prices are at the moment it might be a lot easier to grab a nice (and cheapish) Les Paul standard and get a trem fitted.
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    Have a look at the new floyd thread A few down from this one, that's one of the options you have or a stetsbar, of course you can route out a Les paul, and be disappointed in the resale value for the rest of your life.
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    mrchi said:
    Have a look at the new floyd thread A few down from this one, that's one of the options you have or a stetsbar, of course you can route out a Les paul, and be disappointed in the resale value for the rest of your life.
    If the job is done well and the guitar was bought for a decent price  (plenty available for 1K)  then the resale value isn't an issue - obviously it's not something to do to a more upmakret model.

    I commented on the thread about the new floyd - it looks horrific and possibly more ugly than a stetsbar.   I'm guessing someone would want around £100 for labour and another £150 for the hardware?    Seems like a reasonable option unless I'm way out on prices.
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  •  I wouldn't
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    edited December 2014
    Would it not be easier to buy a les Paul axcess ? Or les Paul studio lite that was in the classifieds here
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    edited December 2014
    I have to disagree there (with upmost respect for your opinion) , les paul factory floyd or any evasive trem are poor sellers, if you were to route a 1k lester, and install a floyd, that would make a large dent in the resale, no doubt abit it.... How ever if it was a keeper go for it, if you decide to sell it, I'd def have it, let Paul with floyds look Brill!
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    Mods- pls move to off topic. This has no place in Guitars.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    underdog said:
    Would it not be easier to buy a les Paul axcess ? Or les Paul studio lite that was in the classifieds here
    It would indeed but at twice the cost unless a used one appeared.   Personally I'd prefer an axcess for the neck joint as well but it was just a thought and I wondered if anyone had done the hard way.
    mrchi said:
    I have to disagree there (with upmost respect for your opinion) , les paul factory floyd or any evasive trem are poor sellers, if you were to route a 1k lester, and install a floyd, that would make a large dent in the resale, no doubt abit it.... How ever if it was a keeper go for it, if you decide to sell it, I'd def have it, let Paul with floyds look Brill!
    Absolutely - I'm not saying it wouldn't lose value but compared to the price drop If I bought a new axcess and then tried to sell it, the loss wouldn't be as big.  (I think :) )

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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    I would bloody love an access!
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Get a Les Paul-style guitar that was built with a Floyd.

    Fitting one to a standard Les Paul is the wrong way. The Floyd does not cover the old stopbar stud holes, even if back-routed - so it will always look a mess and an obvious conversion.

    The Les Paul body is actually too thick to take a Floyd, too - this means the back rout has to be extremely deep, making adjusting the claw (or even getting the screw holes at the proper angle) quite difficult - that's one of the reasons the Axcess is thinner than a standard Les Paul. Ideally it needs to be routed at an angle to keep the spring pull parallel to the strings as well, which is not that hard if you have proper tooling but not easy if you don't.

    The Kahler is actually a better solution if you really want a locking trem on an existing Les Paul. It still needs routing, but much less and it uses the existing mounting points.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    There's a les Paul studio on eBay in the states that you may like, can't link on my mobile but I just searched les Paul trem
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag268/mrmatthewharper/Mobile Uploads/20141101_175823_zps9f2879e1.jpg

    This is my lester, I was going to sell it but it's so versatile it's now a keeper, ugly as sin but sings like an angel!
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  • Hertz32Hertz32 Frets: 2248
    See if Feline will build you one? You wont lose as much on resale as a floyded Gibson as it was never a gibson in the first place.
    'Awibble'
    Vintage v400mh mahogany topped dreadnought acoustic FS - £100 
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  • I've mentioned this before but I had a Khaler installed on my Les Paul Gold Top several years ago.  The guitar had already been altered beyond vintage value by a previous owner and I was having trouble getting it to stay in tune for more than 3 sings in a row so I went for it.  It was the best thing I could do for this guitar, all tuning issues were solved and I had a trem!  It was my work horse guitar for several years of busy bar band gigging but I wouldn't recommend doing it to a stock Gibson, it requires a large hole be routed into the top for Khalers.

    “Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay


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  • breakstuffbreakstuff Frets: 10229
    Talking of Les Paul's with trems anyone seen this Joe Perry signature before?
    Not the most versatile of LP's,granted but I actually really like it.

    image
    Laugh, love, live, learn. 
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    Oooh love that!
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  • That is just SO cute !

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  • I know people are a bit sniffy about Indie guitars but this suits a Floyd...

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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700

    ESP do some Les Paul-based guitars, with Floyds.

    Be better than routing a Gibson.

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23926
    John_P said:
    mrchi said:
    Have a look at the new floyd thread A few down from this one, that's one of the options you have or a stetsbar, of course you can route out a Les paul, and be disappointed in the resale value for the rest of your life.
    If the job is done well and the guitar was bought for a decent price  (plenty available for 1K)  then the resale value isn't an issue - obviously it's not something to do to a more upmakret model.

    I commented on the thread about the new floyd - it looks horrific and possibly more ugly than a stetsbar.   I'm guessing someone would want around £100 for labour and another £150 for the hardware?    Seems like a reasonable option unless I'm way out on prices.
    @John_P

    You are way out on the prices!

    Thomann are selling the Floyd Original for £225 and the cheapest installation fee I can find (most are "ask for a quote") is £250. So that's just shy of £500

    (So that's £500 spend and probably the same again in devaluing your guitar!)


    The Floyd stetsbar version is $399 to $600 depending on finish. 

    So that's roughly £260 + vat (£312) to £390 + vat (£468) and you install it yourself I suppose. 


    GAK are doing an Epi Les Paul with a Floyd for £449.00
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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 11495
    tFB Trader
    Fitting a Floyd to a LP is a lot of work and there can be an issue with the depth of the sustain block and the required string cavity  depth. We have done it and had longer trem blocks made too to make it work.

    The Access and any custom built LP with Floyd will possibly have a shallower neck angle to allow a lower ride height for the Floyd and make the whole thing more workable.

    A LP with a Floyd can be a lot of fun - especially if care was taken to put the floyd studs in the right place to minimise the rise and fall of the strings when the floyd is moved (studs as close to intonation line as poss whilst still working right is the correct answer.)

    However and this is a BIG caveat - there is a huge routing channel on many Les Pauls that will cut right through where the Floyd wants to go or the spring cavity will go, so getting one already done or having a guitar made with a Floyd can be a better idea.

    Many guitars have a re-sale value. Some you'll never want to sell.
    Stockist of: Earvana & Graphtech nuts, Faber Tonepros & Gotoh hardware, Fatcat bridges. Highwood Saddles.

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