Floyd Rose's

[TRJC24PRS]

So I currently have a metal strat in the works and everything is pretty much to the spec tone wise that I like, but now I'm on the part where I get a Floyd Rose installed. Haven't purchased one yet but when I was looking at Floyds on their website, they have an Original and a Special. Both look to be the same but are priced drastically different. Does anyone know what the difference and which one is best to get?

 

[shimmilou]

German made steel and brass, vs Korean made zinc alloy. The main differences will be tone, sustain, longevity.

 

[GuitarJammin]

From floyd rose "The Floyd Rose Special is our Authentic version of a licensedFloyd Rose tremolo system manufactured in Korea exclusively for Floyd Rose. The Floyd Rose Special maintains design and features of an Original Floyd Rose, while utilizing zinc alloy saddles in place of steel and a zinc alloy sustain block in place of brass"

I'd gather from the info above that the special uses different materials and is licensed to a factory that will make them cheaper.

That said I've had both. A special on a strat and originals on Jackson USA, LTD, and a few PRS guitars. I didn't have any trouble with the special on my strat at all. It is clear to me that the originals were more stable.

Tonally they should be different as well considering the materials. I can't say too much on that because the "special" FR was on a Mexi strat. While my originals were on my Jackson PC1, and PRS cores. Hard to get a real comparison with the other guitars being so different.

 

[WEDGE]

Not something to skimp on, the original is the one. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[TRJC24PRS]

German made steel and brass, vs Korean made zinc alloy. The main differences will be tone, sustain, longevity.

Well I dont think tone should be that big of a deal and Im not looking for sustain. I just want the capabilities of a floating bridge so it should be fine
if I go with the special

 

[shimmilou]

Yep, if you don't care about tone or sustain, that's why they also make the cheaper one, it's "good enough" for many people.

 

[Jazzedout]

I am a big fan of the Ibanez Edge...

 

[Paz]

I hate Floyd Roses! Such a pain in the arse! Good luck though!

 

[gush]

I'd go with the original Floyd. But that's me.

 

[Screamingdaisy]

The Special won’t have the same durability as the Original.

If the guitar is something you’re going to use periodically with the occasional divebomb then the special might last forever.

If you plan on using this guitar as a main player and logging hour after hour on it week in and week out, you might find it’s cheaper in the long run to get the Original right off the hop.

 

[elvis]

Once you've got the pivots installed and the body routed, you can always change out/upgrade bridge parts.

I'm for doing things once, so I'd go original. But you won't ruin it if you go the less expensive route.

 

[jvin248]

Once you've got the pivots installed and the body routed, you can always change out/upgrade bridge parts....

+1 go this way.

Also get yourself a wood block to 'block the trem' after you get tired of dive bombs -- more tuning stability for string bends, Eric Clapton approved.

.

 

[shimmilou]

The way EC did it was to tighten the trem claw screws to hold the bridge fast to the body, and he didn't use any block of wood, though this is a common misconception, probably due to the fact that the EC models come with a block of wood . So, with a FR route in the body, you would need two blocks of wood, one on each side of the bridge block.

 

[TRJC24PRS]

The Special won’t have the same durability as the Original.

If the guitar is something you’re going to use periodically with the occasional divebomb then the special might last forever.

If you plan on using this guitar as a main player and logging hour after hour on it week in and week out, you might find it’s cheaper in the long run to get the Original right off the hop.

Well yeah its not going to be a main guitar but its surely going to be doing some divebombs and dimebag darrel type stuff

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I have one of the first Floyd Rose Specials on my Jackson from way back in like 2008 (bought it from Guitarpartsdepot which I don't think is around anymore). For the price they are incredible. I could beat the snot out of it in a humid setting and it would still stay true. Way better than any licensed floyd I've played.

 

[ESPVH]

+1 go this way.

Also get yourself a wood block to 'block the trem' after you get tired of dive bombs -- more tuning stability for string bends, Eric Clapton approved.

.

Better yet, get a Floyd Rose tremolo stop....it's adjustable....
secondly, you can also look for a Floyd Rose 1000, that's what came on my PRS Torero from the factory....better than a special, imho......

 

[Stevie F]

Better yet, get a Floyd Rose tremolo stop....it's adjustable....
secondly, you can also look for a Floyd Rose 1000, that's what came on my PRS Torero from the factory....better than a special, imho......

I have heard that if you fit a Floyd Rose to a Prs Se that the top locking nut will have to be positioned into the 1st fret by about 3mm , will this affect the intonation ?
Does anyone know for sure?