Next question. Floyds.

Chuffola

Any reason I wouldn't like them?

Never had a guitar with one. Like the look of the Charvel San Dimas or So-Cal.

Marmite? Shite? Great? Hit me, daddios!

ToneControl

marmite

steamabacus

Haha - well, I'm an expert on disliking Floyds!   

For me, the biggest issue is the feeling of being 'locked out' of the guitar (yeah, I know, that's the whole point) when you want to tune. Tuning at the bridge with my right hand feels all wrong.

If I really had a need for a locking vibrato system I'd probably get over it. But I don't. 

ThePrettyDamned

Marmite.

But they're amazing good fun, but much, much harder to use than a normal vibrato, even when set up correctly. You need to learn to be musical with it, whereas anyone can make a 6 point sound great.

Which is why I'm going back to a 6 point

mike_l

I Loves them.

No issues with tuning stability (unless the strings are cattle-trucked), just make sure they're properly stretched before you lock the nut down.

If you're not sure leave the trem arm off..

If you use/like a modern 2 point Fender-style trem with block saddles (not bent-steel) then it'll feel pretty similar under your picking hand.

Also, once you get used to changing the strings, and have done it a couple of times, it won't take any longer than a non-Floyd guitar to do.

Dave_Mc

Pretty much marmite, yeah. If you play music that needs a floyd (or at least would benefit from one), they're great, it's hard to do some of those tricks without one. If you don't you'll probably get annoyed with the extra hassle for little discernible gain.

Bidley

Definitely Marmite. A lot of people (mostly the type who post on sites like Ultimate Guitar) rant and rave 'till they're blue in the face about how terrible Floyds are, when really the problems they're having is that they simply don't know how they work. Like @mike_l says, once you're familiar with the re-string/setup routine, they're no hassle. Unless you get a horrible cheap single-locking type.

I like them for how they feel to play. Palm muting feels smoother and string bends feel better. All IMO, obviously. You're best off having a play with one, although I'd bet if you've never had one before it'll feel a bit strange at first.

Chuffola

Interesting.

Thank. I'll have a play but those Charvel necks! Wow.

mike_l

I think the neck is more important than the bridge in a guitars playability. Don't worry so much about what's under your picking hand, unless it's actually uncomfortable for you to play.

 

Oh yeah, the Charvel necks are very, very comfortable, and easy to play

carlos

I like them a lot but always felt the pulling on them was unnecessary, so set them up so they only go forward, i.e. pitch down not up. This makes them much much easier to set up too. Tuning stability should be fantastic if set up well. Essentially you are playing a head less guitar and the less components that go into tuning it the less likely it is something goes wrong.

viz

I have mine floating so I can do gentle vibrato, or dive bombs, or just depress by a tone, or go up momentarily instead of doing a string bend, or of course do a ping warble ruler-off-the-desk purr flutter, something which I find myself doing increasingly often.

ICBM

I hate them for many reasons but I understand how they work and why they are perfect for some players.

There is no more tuning-stable system, period - not even most hardtails! - and no trem with a greater range, so if those things are the most important to you then the other things don't matter as much.

mike_l

viz said:

I have mine floating so I can do gentle vibrato, or dive bombs, or just depress by a tone, or go up momentarily instead of doing a string bend, or of course do a ping warble ruler-off-the-desk purr flutter, something which I find myself doing increasingly often.

I taught you everything I know didn't I? (didn't take long....)

OilCityPickups

As a personal preference ... and having had one on my V for over a month ... I much prefer a Stetsbar.
Tuning stability (given I've now fitted a graphite nut) is as good as any non 'locked-off' system. Range is an octave down and a third up ... okay so it doesn't go 'string flappy' but that's a tired move really. Action is lighter and more natural feeling to me than a Floyd, and sustain and 'feel' seems to have been maintained.

ThePrettyDamned

TheGuitarWeasel;99881" said:

As a personal preference ... and having had one on my V for over a month ... I much prefer a Stetsbar.

Tuning stability (given I've now fitted a graphite nut) is as good as any non 'locked-off' system. Range is an octave down and a third up ... okay so it doesn't go 'string flappy' but that's a tired move really. Action is lighter and more natural feeling to me than a Floyd, and sustain and 'feel' seems to have been maintained.

What's the verdict on the graphite nut? I'm not sure whether to get one of those or a bone nut.

Deijavoo

Marmite. Definitely marmite. 

I love marmite actually,  but Floyd? Nope not for me I've decided after recently buying one.

xHymnal

I love them with two springs and next to no tension, bends feel easy and the whole jeff beck accurate trem usage is much much easier. However, they look crap 

xHymnal

Deijavoo said:

Marmite. Definitely marmite. 

I love marmite actually,  but Floyd? Nope not for me I've decided after recently buying one.

Did you get the trem on your Rasmus fixed?  

OilCityPickups

ThePrettyDamned said:

TheGuitarWeasel;99881" said:

As a personal preference ... and having had one on my V for over a month ... I much prefer a Stetsbar.

Tuning stability (given I've now fitted a graphite nut) is as good as any non 'locked-off' system. Range is an octave down and a third up ... okay so it doesn't go 'string flappy' but that's a tired move really. Action is lighter and more natural feeling to me than a Floyd, and sustain and 'feel' seems to have been maintained.

What's the verdict on the graphite nut? I'm not sure whether to get one of those or a bone nut.

The V has an extreme string angle in the 1st and 6th  strings because of it's head shape ... so a graphite nut was more suited in that case. I think they do change the tone slightly ... but the benefits with a trem on a V outweigh the disadvantages. I would chose bone for a six point Strat ... unless you are going to go bonkers

Deijavoo

Hymnal;99936" said:

Deijavoo said:

Marmite. Definitely marmite. 

I love marmite actually,  but Floyd? Nope not for me I've decided after recently buying one.







Did you get the trem on your Rasmus fixed?  

Not yet dude. Pesky Christmas getting in the way. Do you have any other guitars you might want to trade? That tele does look delicious mind..... ARGH!!

ThePrettyDamned

TheGuitarWeasel;99945" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

TheGuitarWeasel;99881" said:As a personal preference ... and having had one on my V for over a month ... I much prefer a Stetsbar.



Tuning stability (given I've now fitted a graphite nut) is as good as any non 'locked-off' system. Range is an octave down and a third up ... okay so it doesn't go 'string flappy' but that's a tired move really. Action is lighter and more natural feeling to me than a Floyd, and sustain and 'feel' seems to have been maintained.

What's the verdict on the graphite nut? I'm not sure whether to get one of those or a bone nut.





The V has an extreme string angle in the 1st and 6th  strings because of it's head shape ... so a graphite nut was more suited in that case. I think they do change the tone slightly ... but the benefits with a trem on a V outweigh the disadvantages. I would chose bone for a six point Strat ... unless you are going to go bonkers

It'll be a prs, but not a crazy angled headstock, so sounds like bone is the way to go. Thanks anyway!

I will be going bonkers, but I use vaseline on my nuts.

Wait, what?