"Converting" a recessed trem into "non-recessed" configuration? Anyone done this?

[Number Of The Priest]

For the purposes of this discussion, let's assume a bolt-neck Jackson with a recessed double-locking trem. Example guitars: DK1, DK2, DKMG, KE3, RR3, WRMG, WRXT, and many others.

I'm someone who enjoys the feel of a non-recessed trem sitting very high above the guitar body, with corresponding neck angle, like on the 1998 Shannon Soloist seen below. For the above guitars, is it possible to emulate this? ie - Raise the trem posts so the trem sits way above the body and still be stable, or will the trem posts not be "rooted" deeply enough in the guitar body and thus be wobbly/unstable? Obviously the neck pocket will need to be shimmed (example shims: https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...or_Guitar.html) to increase the neck angle relative to the body, and you'd need to install a longer trem sustain block (42mm or thereabouts). My main concern is the stability of the trem posts if you back them out of the body as dramatically as shown below.

Side note: The trem route carved into the body will obviously still exist. Imagine the insane pullup range you could do on your trem if the above proposed setup actually works.

[Axewielder]

The OFR studs are one size fits all. It will take some custom shimming and I doubt you'll get off easy dropping in those stock shims. Really no reason to do this IMHO, if you are in love with a particular recessed trem guitar, it's a paradox because it will become a completely different guitar. Having the full trem route there will just look wrong (unlike the partial pull-up routes which are old-school cool). At least it would all be reversible. The trem route may or may not need adjustment for the new block, not sure. The pickups would need to be raised.

[Zedder]

Old Professional Pro Jacksons have longer (Schaller) studs:



With those I think you could raise trem enough.

[Number Of The Priest]

Fascinating discussion so far. Thanks.

The OFR studs are one size fits all.

Anyone know anything about the studs for the Takeuchi-made JT580LP and if they're "the same" as OFR ones? Most of the guitars I listed in my original post are from when a lot of Jackson import models were the Japanese ones of the late 90s and 2000s with two particular attributes: bolt-neck with fully-recessed trems (particularly the JT580LP).

I guess these days we have fully-recessed Floyd Rose Specials and fully-recessed 1000 Series Floyds on current bolt-neck imports which would be "one size fits all" and interchangeable with the OFR studs.

Really no reason to do this IMHO, if you are in love with a particular recessed trem guitar, it's a paradox because it will become a completely different guitar.

What I proposed suddenly hit me last night as I was wrestling with my KE3. Since I sit down to play guitar, the huge upper wing of the KE3 in combination with the very low fully-recessed JT580LP puts my picking arm and hand at a different angle, versus playing a Shannon Soloist with its forearm contour and high-perched non-recessed OFR. Since I can't contour the huge upper wing of the KE3, I imagined I could potentially improve my comfort if the trem were raised. Just a thought experiment, thinking way outside the box, and yes you're right, it would fundamentally transform the feel of the guitar, and I would consider it an improvement (for my playing style) if I could successfully pull it off.

The pickups would need to be raised.

Thanks, I forgot about that in my original post!

Old Professional Pro Jacksons have longer (Schaller) studs:



With those I think you could raise trem enough.

Cool, thanks! Wonder if these are interchangeable with JT580LP studs?

[Zedder]

I think JT580LP has coarse threaded studs and all Floyd Rose and Schaller trem studs have fine threads.

[Axewielder]

For an import neck I'd probably just try to find a model series or pro mod body to swap out and try instead.