Should I upgrade a Floyd Rose 1000 to an Original Floyd Rose?

Kalimna

Thanks for the reply - useful info.
Now, do you think it's *worth* upgrading the trem from a Jem Jnr? Tuning stability or tone?

Jonathanthomas83

Kalimna said:

Thanks for the reply - useful info.
Now, do you think it's *worth* upgrading the trem from a Jem Jnr? Tuning stability or tone?

I’ve no experience to comment. @FelineGuitars might have tried one at some point, to comment

Kalimna

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Kalimna said:

Thanks for the reply - useful info.
Now, do you think it's *worth* upgrading the trem from a Jem Jnr? Tuning stability or tone?

I’ve no experience to comment. @FelineGuitars might have tried one at some point, to comment

Ahh, fair enough. Im not sure which model  the trem is, but as the guitar itself is less than £500 it will be at the bottom end.

tekbow

Raj_UK said:

Tom Anderson uses the Schaller Lockmeister which is proof enough of its quality.

Re: Gotoh EVH Musicman. Fender had exclusive distribution rights to the Original Floyd Rose in the early/mid 90's and wouldn't let EBMM use them. Hence the use of the Gotoh 1996T on the EVH.

As people have stated is a very good trem. Suhr and Tyler used for a long time during a dip in the quality of the OFR.

Nerd point of order, it was the 1988T on the EVH (the famous offset saddle screws). They switched to the 1996T for the Axis in 96. Some of the earlier Axis still have 1988Ts (I guess they had a stock that needed used up).

Boromedic

Having used both a Schaller Lockmeister, a Schaller made OFR, and a Gotoh 1996T, I'd have a Gotoh tbh, it's more stable tuning wise and extremely well put together. The others are also well made but the Gotoh wins for me. 

Raj_UK

tekbow said:

Raj_UK said:

Tom Anderson uses the Schaller Lockmeister which is proof enough of its quality.

Re: Gotoh EVH Musicman. Fender had exclusive distribution rights to the Original Floyd Rose in the early/mid 90's and wouldn't let EBMM use them. Hence the use of the Gotoh 1996T on the EVH.

As people have stated is a very good trem. Suhr and Tyler used for a long time during a dip in the quality of the OFR.

Nerd point of order, it was the 1988T on the EVH (the famous offset saddle screws). They switched to the 1996T for the Axis in 96. Some of the earlier Axis still have 1988Ts (I guess they had a stock that needed used up).

I was aware but I thought that that would be too much detail. I shouldn't assume !

tekbow

Raj_UK said:

tekbow said:

Raj_UK said:

Tom Anderson uses the Schaller Lockmeister which is proof enough of its quality.

Re: Gotoh EVH Musicman. Fender had exclusive distribution rights to the Original Floyd Rose in the early/mid 90's and wouldn't let EBMM use them. Hence the use of the Gotoh 1996T on the EVH.

As people have stated is a very good trem. Suhr and Tyler used for a long time during a dip in the quality of the OFR.

Nerd point of order, it was the 1988T on the EVH (the famous offset saddle screws). They switched to the 1996T for the Axis in 96. Some of the earlier Axis still have 1988Ts (I guess they had a stock that needed used up).

I was aware but I thought that that would be too much detail. I shouldn't assume !

I was fascinated when I found this out, because it was widely thought that the trem was specific to the EBMM EVH or an EBMM exclusive. It's often referred to as the EBMM/EVH floyd and the like.

Funkfingers

For me, the deciding factor is the pivot knife edges along the edge of the baseplate. IMO, these are best formed in hardened steel - even if the majority of the rest of the vibrato is not. 

Thus, I prefer a POS zinc vibrato such as the Jackson JT-6 (which has steel knife edge inserts) over a FR Special (which does not).

Remember, the majority of the parts in these vibrato bridges can be changed. 

For full disclosure, my JT-6 vibrato is upgraded with a sustain block purchased from FatCat/Feline. 

bloodandtears

Kalimna said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Kalimna said:

Thanks for the reply - useful info.
Now, do you think it's *worth* upgrading the trem from a Jem Jnr? Tuning stability or tone?

I’ve no experience to comment. @FelineGuitars might have tried one at some point, to comment

Ahh, fair enough. Im not sure which model  the trem is, but as the guitar itself is less than £500 it will be at the bottom end.

Check the post measurements and the block size of your existing Ibanez FR licenced trem...  a Gotoh can be quite forgiving as a drop in replacement though.

FelineGuitars

Kalimna said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Kalimna said:

Thanks for the reply - useful info.
Now, do you think it's *worth* upgrading the trem from a Jem Jnr? Tuning stability or tone?

I’ve no experience to comment. @FelineGuitars might have tried one at some point, to comment

Ahh, fair enough. Im not sure which model  the trem is, but as the guitar itself is less than £500 it will be at the bottom end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfCazX74w9c

Dave_Mc

Kalimna said:

I have a similar question, if I may.
I have an Ibanez Jem Jnr, with stock hardware (replaced pickups with Sunbears as I felt they lacked 'meatyness'). Ive wondered if it would be worthwhile upgrading the trem? If so, what would be a drop-in replacement? It's otherwise a fantastic instrument.
Cheers,
Adam

Probably the safest thing is to check the routing diagrams on the Schaller, Floyd Rose and Gotoh websites. It's a bit of a pain, but it's the only way to be sure. The Ibanez trems are not always direct swaps for the off-the-shelf stuff. And don't forget the diameter of the studs and the length of the string clamps (that caught me out before! )... EDIT: Or just check @FelineGuitars Youtube video!

Raj_UK said:

Re: Gotoh EVH Musicman. Fender had exclusive distribution rights to the Original Floyd Rose in the early/mid 90's and wouldn't let EBMM use them. Hence the use of the Gotoh 1996T on the EVH.

Wow that's very interesting, I didn't realise that! 

tabano

Last year I bought ( and sold) a nice Kramer made by ESP back in the 80’s which had an original Floyd that looked like new and played flawlessly.
later in December I bought a used 2016 San Dimas with the 1000 FR that plays lovely and the Floyd works just as well as the original,
tuning stability equally as good,
I hope it helps!,

Zapple

The only thing I’ve ever suffered with on FR1000s are super stiff fine tuners. Easily sorted with a bit of 3 in 1 oil and a few times turning them full in and out. Otherwise the difference is negligible imo.

All the other stuff can be changed if needed. The Push in arms are great and possibly a brass block. (You’d have to do those mods on an OFR anyway).

zerolight

I know this is an old thread now, but in case anyone else has the same dilemma. The FR1000 vs the German made original (and Lockmeister) have different centres on the stud spacing. 74.3mm vs 73.9mm. It's different enough that you can feel the original binding on the FR1000 posts and it pushes the trem back just enough that in my case, on an EVH Wolfgang USA, the back of the base plate fouls on the trem rout. In short, you can't swap a 1000 for an Original. I'm sure Gotoh would work from a centres perspective, but not in the Wolfgang either as it is too big.

Jonathanthomas83

I too found this out and should have reported back. But I didn't realise that was the case, I just saw that the string spacing was different enough to make my OCD go a bit mad. So I sent it back. Was a solid piece of kit though, fair play!

Dave_Mc

zerolight said:

I know this is an old thread now, but in case anyone else has the same dilemma. The FR1000 vs the German made original (and Lockmeister) have different centres on the stud spacing. 74.3mm vs 73.9mm. It's different enough that you can feel the original binding on the FR1000 posts and it pushes the trem back just enough that in my case, on an EVH Wolfgang USA, the back of the base plate fouls on the trem rout. In short, you can't swap a 1000 for an Original. I'm sure Gotoh would work from a centres perspective, but not in the Wolfgang either as it is too big.

That's very interesting, thanks for sharing it. You'd have assumed (obviously incorrectly!) that being from the same manufacturer they'd be the same. I wonder if that holds for the Schaller Tremolo and Lockmeister?

Rkphilpot

Gotoh 1996T is the boss of Floyd style trems. I put them on all on my guitars 

skullfunkerry

Dave_Mc said:

zerolight said:

I know this is an old thread now, but in case anyone else has the same dilemma. The FR1000 vs the German made original (and Lockmeister) have different centres on the stud spacing. 74.3mm vs 73.9mm. It's different enough that you can feel the original binding on the FR1000 posts and it pushes the trem back just enough that in my case, on an EVH Wolfgang USA, the back of the base plate fouls on the trem rout. In short, you can't swap a 1000 for an Original. I'm sure Gotoh would work from a centres perspective, but not in the Wolfgang either as it is too big.

That's very interesting, thanks for sharing it. You'd have assumed (obviously incorrectly!) that being from the same manufacturer they'd be the same. I wonder if that holds for the Schaller Tremolo and Lockmeister?

I have a feeling that I remember Jon at @FelineGuitars saying that the Lockmeister is identical to the OFR.

Rkphilpot said:

Gotoh 1996T is the boss of Floyd style trems. I put them on all on my guitars 

I've heard lots of good things about these, and they're a good price too. At some point I might replace the FR Special on my Soloist with the Gotoh (although obviously what I really mean there is "get someone else to replace")

FelineGuitars

The Lockmeister should be the same as the original Floyd as Schaller made the original since 1984 ish

Dave_Mc

Thanks @skullfunkerry and @FelineGuitars Some of my usual brain snafu there, I think I said myself earlier in this thread that the Lockmeister is the same! That is very interesting, as I said... one of the reasons people (maybe including me on occasion! ) say that an FRT-x000 is a good idea is that even if it's not quite as good as the Schaller- and Gotoh-made ones, it's a direct swap for them. If it's *not* quite a direct swap, at least for the Schaller-made ones... that does complicate things a bit. I guess the Gotoh is more accommodating, though, so it's no massive problem.