Floyd Rose setup - How low should it go?

allen

Hi there,

Just splurged on a floyd rose equipped guitar for xmas.

It arrived with the floyd at a bizarre angle and old strings. I've replaced the strings, oiled the fretboard, polished the frets and then set the floyd up using various youtube tutorials.

When setting up the action I was surprised to find that the way to do it is by lowering the 2 posts. Anyhow, I lowered for quite a while and the bottom of the bridge is about 1mm above the body on the low E side and about 1mm recessed into the body on the high E side. I know that the bridge needs to be parallel to the body and I'm really happy with how parallel it is.

It seems strange to me that the base plate is below the level of the body.

Have I gone wrong somewhere or just the variation between guitars?

By the way, I haven't done the intonation yet - seems like a massive ball-ache.

mbe

What you have described is called a recessed Floyd Rose trem, the body is routed to accommodate it.

Intonation of FR just involves checking and guesstimation of the correct position of the saddle. There are two tapped holes in the baseplate to secure the saddle position and using either one will give you the necessary adjstment When you check intonation look at the saddle position and determine whether there is sufficient adjustment in relation to the position of the locking screw. If there isn't enough adjustment then the saddle locking screw will have to come out and put into the other hole to achieve more or less string distance from nut to saddle.

allen

Thanks. So it's normal then.

tekbow

Floyd rose intonation can be a ball ache.

Unless you have one of these.

https://redbishop.jp/EN_RBIA1.html

From the OEM Maker that used to make the e-Jack for ibanez.

This One works on FR and Gotoh patterns.

Yes its worth the money, it makes intonation as easy as any other non locking, floating trem.

andy_k

If the action is set where you like it, and the trem is set parallel in the recess, slightly below the top, you might want a shim in the neck pocket.
It is all personal preference, but I like to have the trem at least level with the top, for somewhere to rest my palm on my picking hand, feels a bit weird set low, so I shim the necks on everything anyway.
Same on a tele, but if the floyd is doing what you want it to, it will be fine.

allen

Thanks everyone. All good. 

I’m playing it loads and dive bombing the hell out of it. 

ICBM

tekbow said:

Floyd rose intonation can be a ball ache.

Unless you have one of these.

https://redbishop.jp/EN_RBIA1.html

From the OEM Maker that used to make the e-Jack for ibanez.

This One works on FR and Gotoh patterns.

Yes its worth the money, it makes intonation as easy as any other non locking, floating trem.

Those are neat, and I really should get one.

The way I do it is to set the saddle intentionally too far back initially, then you can adjust it if you loosen the locking screw *just* enough that the saddle will start to creep forward under the string tension itself. You need to be very precise though, because the slightest amount too much and it will slip all the way forward straight away.

tekbow

ICBM said:

tekbow said:

Floyd rose intonation can be a ball ache.

Unless you have one of these.

https://redbishop.jp/EN_RBIA1.html

From the OEM Maker that used to make the e-Jack for ibanez.

This One works on FR and Gotoh patterns.

Yes its worth the money, it makes intonation as easy as any other non locking, floating trem.

Those are neat, and I really should get one.

The way I do it is to set the saddle intentionally too far back initially, then you can adjust it if you loosen the locking screw *just* enough that the saddle will start to creep forward under the string tension itself. You need to be very precise though, because the slightest amount too much and it will slip all the way forward straight away.

I've got the ibanez E-Jack Version which is grand because I've only got Gotoh's but I really can't communicate just how easy it makes things.

I don't even have to remove the D-tuna to use it.

I didn't have a method for setting Intonation on a Floyd before I bought it  

FelineGuitars

I prefer my floyds with the plate just above the surface of the body or only half submerged - if a bolt on then you have some adjust ability of the neck pocket.

My 25th Anniversary Lion with the floyd has it just a little clear of the body but that feels fine on an LP style

andy_k

I have a Musikraft Franky body and neck, and I don't know if it is accident, or design, but the routing of the trem means that it can be set up above the body, purely depends on the neck angle. There is no recess to the top, and the block has contact with the front edge of the rout. This means there is only downward travel, it would be a problem normally as it restricts pull up-there is nowhere for the block to move. 
EVH had his set to dive only, and this is meant to be an exact replica of Frankenstein, so I am not sure it is intentional, but it works as a design feature.
If you think about it, the Floyd should be parallel to the body, and the block and baseplate form a 90 degree angle, so the posts are there only to determine the height, which is dependant on neck angle. It has the effect of keeping the block in full contact even if the bridge appears to be floating, I like it but I suspect it is just a happy accident, would be difficult to get it set up to have upward travel as wood would have to be removed or a narrower block installed ( it currently has a big brass one ) I think the mass of the block is added to the back side of the block normally.