Torero Floyd Sustain Block Upgrade

[cmedcoff]

I really like my Torero. Tone isn't what I get out of my CU 24, not as fat/thick woody. I changed the pickups awhile back from the EMG's to passive Seymour Duncans and I liked it a bit better. Less "sterile" as they say, and makes my rig easier with all passive pickups when switching guitars. A bit brighter than the 24, which can cut the mix a bit better sometimes.

I'm thinking about a tone block upgrade. I've got all the sustain I need already. The sustain is already ridiculous really. So the upgrade is to get a thicker, more woody tone. Less bright more mid an low end.

I'm looking at the blocks here: http://www.floydrose.com/catalog/upgrades/sustain-blocks

Brass? Titanium? Size? Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Nope, but I can't imagine it's going to have a substantial difference on tone, and since you already have sustain out to a parsec or two, I'd suggest different pickups -- which SDs didja put in?

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

The block may make a little difference but it's not going to give you what you're looking for. As DC said, different pups may help. Something low output and covered.

 

[The Fight]

Hey man I'v installed the FU big brass block in both my custom 24s and I'm just gonna say it made a huge difference in tone and sustain. The guitar sound much richer and just the over all sound is improved. I didn't think it was gonna make much of a difference but it really does. Get it you won't regret it.

Oh and make sure to measure the space from the bottom of your floyd plate to the surface of the trem cavity. And then minus some. Good luck.

 

[cmedcoff]

Nope, but I can't imagine it's going to have a substantial difference on tone, and since you already have sustain out to a parsec or two, I'd suggest different pickups -- which SDs didja put in?

JB in the neck and a trembucker in the bridge. Same as what I upgraded my CU 24 with.

BTW, you said "nope", which I assumes means you don't really have firsthand experience with this. Another responder, though in reference to a 24 said it made a big difference.

On what basis do you think it will have little effect on tone, since you've not tried this yourself?

 

[Dusty Chalk]

My thinking is -- and it's entirely my thinking, so I could be wrong -- that the bridge is one of two endpoints for the vibrating guitar string, and that it's job is to be as out of the way of that (vibrating) as possible. So the optimal bridge is close to a fixed endpoint, and since you already have sustain out the wazoo, then it's doing its job as best it can.

But I'm not a luthier, and don't pretend to be one, so practically everyone else on this board has more knowledge about this than I do, feel free to get second, third, and nth opinions.

 

[cmedcoff]

My thinking is -- and it's entirely my thinking, so I could be wrong -- that the bridge is one of two endpoints for the vibrating guitar string, and that it's job is to be as out of the way of that (vibrating) as possible. So the optimal bridge is close to a fixed endpoint, and since you already have sustain out the wazoo, then it's doing its job as best it can.

But I'm not a luthier, and don't pretend to be one, so practically everyone else on this board has more knowledge about this than I do, feel free to get second, third, and nth opinions.

I'm no luthier either. I'm still learning but am often surprised by things. For example, my CU 24 and my Torero both mahogany bodies, both maple tops, nearly identical pickups and yet tone is quite a bit different.

Now my Torero has a Pearly Gates as compared with the CU's 59 so that accounts for part of the tone difference. The Torero an ebony instead of rosewood which again could contribute to more brightness, then of course the bridge.

Buts not just brightness, but a definite lack of mid/low end "woodiness" in the Toero that I'd like to achieve. Perhaps impossible.

 

[swede71]

The Torero and custom are two very different constructions.The Torero is a neck-through construction with body wings and the cu is a set neck.Torero is Jackson solist type and CU is Gibson type if you will.Neck through construction is known to be brighter and how many pickups you try to change that character will always be there.Use the two guitars character to their advantages instead of trying to make them sound the same.Im not sure how much the block will change the tone when it comes to a floyd rose,I have never owned a guitar with a floyd but on a strat for example it makes a huge difference.Btw I have never understood when "they" say EMGs sound sterile.To me they sound awesome,especially with distortion.For more mids I can recommend a Tube screamer or a Demeter fat control pedal.

 

[swede71]

Here's a good video from forum member Chris Reynolds.Personally I think it sounded better pre upgrade

 

[cmedcoff]

Here's a good video from forum member Chris Reynolds.Personally I think it sounded better pre upgrade

I've seen that and I'm not sure I'd trust anything but my ears in person as opposed to some video. I can't tell the difference on my laptop. What didn't you like, what changed from your perspective.

 

[swede71]

I kinda liked the more scooped sound it was originally.Not that it sounded bad with upgrade but to me it sounded too middy,almost muddy.You are right about trusting your own ears and we all have different sounds in our head.

 

[The Fight]

I think personally I did notice a change in tone and sound but the biggest change was the feel. How some pickups could sound similar but the feel is just so different. I'd never consider going back to a small block.

 

[cmedcoff]

The Torero and custom are two very different constructions.The Torero is a neck-through construction with body wings and the cu is a set neck.Torero is Jackson solist type and CU is Gibson type if you will.Neck through construction is known to be brighter and how many pickups you try to change that character will always be there.Use the two guitars character to their advantages instead of trying to make them sound the same.Im not sure how much the block will change the tone when it comes to a floyd rose,I have never owned a guitar with a floyd but on a strat for example it makes a huge difference.Btw I have never understood when "they" say EMGs sound sterile.To me they sound awesome,especially with distortion.For more mids I can recommend a Tube screamer or a Demeter fat control pedal.

Thanks for this info. I didn't know that neck through construction is known to be brighter.

Yes I know that two different guitars will never sound the same, and I just need to start to use my CU24 more than I have as I like that tone, but there are tunes where I like or even need that Floyd. After all, variety is the spice of life.

As far as the sterile part, I've seen that word used before to describe active versus passive as being more organic. Hard to describe but in my mind its kind like comparing an amp that has little compression (think clean Fender as compared to a over driven Marshall) and therefore its tone is responsive to how aggressive or softly you plan. To me active always sounds the same, where as organic responds differently when you roll the volume back, or play softer. In other words, to me, active is consistent no matter the guitar volume or how you play, hard or soft, whereas passive characters change. When I say "sterile" its not meant to be "bad". Yes it can be a great sound, just less variability/control. At least that's the way I think/feel about it.

There are days when I wonder if switching out to the passives was a good thing or not, but its done and I've learned from it.