The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

[Number Of The Priest]

Hmmm, I love the OFR trem, but then I started wondering why the OFR is still the most popular variant of the FR bridges. When I think about "Original", I think about the first incarnation of Mr. Rose's design, and it's still with us today. Surely he must have had a stroke of genius to be able to come up with something and still have it bear the same name after all these years.

So, if I were to buy a guitar with one of the earliest Original Floyd Rose trems on them, will the bridge be the same as an OFR that I can buy today?

[metafaza]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

I'd say no. If my memory serves me well, the OFR of today is an incarnation of the 'original' bridge. I believe some guys on the forum will have more detailed info. Floyd's web site doesn't have any history/evolution section. I think they should add it. It's a great invention.

[Jester700]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

It's pretty close. The new arms can be removed easily, and there's a "low profile" variation. But mostly it's the same thing. And in fact, I prefer the early ones, because that arm did NOT get loose - it stayed where I put it.

[straycat]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

Well I'll give my two cents.I love the old non fine tuner model solid as a rock (circa early 80s)
The fine tuner OFR early 80s to date are pretty much the same, they are solid trems as well.The lo pro OFR is a fine unit too.The shaller units are just as good as the OFR.The Gotoh floyds are very good too. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[JimmyApollo]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

For a brief history on Floyd Rose, see here:

http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts6.htm

The Floyds of today are pretty much the same as the original marketed version (plus fine tuners and a few minor changes). If you look at Floyd's original patent (4,171,661) you can see that the design of the bridge is substantially different. Of course, this one never made it to market.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

Thanks for the Kramer link! [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img] Damn, that Floyd Rose II looks revolting. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

I couldn't get the images of the Floyd Rose trem to load on the US Patent Office website. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

The first Kramer I got around '86/'87 had the first version of the Floyd Rose II, it was a single-locking unit as pictured on the above-site (though mine was black), and you just slid the ball end of the strings into the shaft, no need to cut the string, but I swapped it out for an OFR. It was an okay trem, just didn't stay in tune like a double-locking trem would. The newer version of the Floyd II is now double-locking, and I think it's a direct replacement for the Schaller. In the later '80s, I acquired an older Kramer with an Original Floyd without fine tuners. That was an interesting unit, still wish I had it and the guitar.

[j2379]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

the non fine tuner floyd is pretty cool. i had one years ago & just bought one for a project strat.

[jackson1]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

Hey, a trem thread!! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

I cant' help it so here i go again:

The majority (all) copied and licensed Floyds are not as good as the original since they are cast iron. They rust much easier, and the knife edges are metal inserts as opposed to being hardened and part of the actual trem metal itself.

Especially when buying old used tremolos, i would go for an OFR or an OFR Pro. There's a much better chance that it's not rusty, has good knife edges and no stripped threads. Thanks to the high quality, hardened steel it is made of, it can withstand much more abuse and neglected care. Every part of the OFR including finetuners and bolts and stuff are typically much better workmanship and better quality metal.

/Henrik

[model1]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

hi guys
nice to have a OFR thread here
i´ve got some problems with mine (KE2)
the wound strings tend to pull out of the trem,
so i get the naked string for some mm and the last 4-6 windings of the string stick in it...
someone familiar with that?
can you please post some closeups of your trem?
i´m not sure but i think something is different on mine
maybe the preowner inchanged some of the saddles(not correct, but i don´t know how to say)?
is it regular that one of them has got a cotter/ridge/spline/wedge (what´s it called?)?
when it is so shouldn´t this one be for the low e (c in my case) then?
as i know from other FR systems shouldn´t the little blocks that fix the string be shaped concave? mine are just straight, no wonder the string fixes not very sure
great thanks for your help
andy

[straycat]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

You are cutting the ball end off the strings before you put them in the saddle aren't you?
Some people leave the ball end on and string thru the tuning peg.Cut enough string that you will have at least 3 windings on the tuner.I personally cut the ball ends off and change strings one at a time.

[model1]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

jes i do wind my strings "reverse":
ball ends at the tuner and cutted edge at the FR
just as usual locked with the stringlock screw and the stringlock insert (found the right nouns at stew-mac...)
do the "reversed" strings matter, i can´t imagine?
just to make sure again: the low strings pull out of the Trem, and not out of the tuner or wherever...
i would be glad if you could help me
thanks
andy

[JimmyApollo]

Re: The "Original" Floyd Rose tremolo

Originally posted by Number Of The Priest:
I couldn't get the images of the Floyd Rose trem to load on the US Patent Office website. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You need a TIFF reader of some sort. I have a QuickTime plugin that lets me view them.

[Jim Shine]

Re: The &quot;Original&quot; Floyd Rose tremolo

The new ones seem to be made really close to the old ones. The only change I noticed other than the way the bar is attached and the stud style is the thickness of the baseplates seem to be thinner on older trems.

[straycat]

Re: The &quot;Original&quot; Floyd Rose tremolo

Sounds like you are not cutting enough of the string off.Are you trying to lock the string down on the center wire on the wound string?If you are cutting enough of the string off take your pliers and bend a right angle in the string before you place it in the string saddle then lock the string down.I bend enough of the string to make sure the locking pad gets a solid grip on the string.May be you are not tightening the string locking screw tight enough.Don't tighten too much though you could break the saddle snug should be fine.