trem route dilemma

[alfredpotter]

I don't understand this technical stuff but bear with me!
I bought this charvel model 2 body off ebay with the following description + picture:


"80's Jackson Charvel Model 2 Alder Body in Good Condition. Floyd Rose Trem Route. Humbucker Pick Up Configuration. Weighs 4 Lbs 3 oz."

I have no real problem with a floyd rose tremolo bridge but I would prefer a Kahler 2300.

But from this picture there appears to be no recession into the bodywork! This means that I won't be able to 'pull-up' on the tremolo arm, right? That's crap! Has anybody here done woodrouting on a guitar like I require? If so, how did you go about it?

Sorry for such a tedious post!

[toejam]

You'll be able to pull up still, as the Floyd will still be floating above the body. All those old Model Series Charvel bodies were like that. You just won't be able to pull back as much as you did with a recessed body.
If you think it's crap, then you shouldn't have bought that body then.

And BTW, that body is basswood, not alder.

[Sunbane]

Alfred, I think you will be surprised at how much you can actually pull up without a route under the trem. I'm a chronic Floyd junkie - I pull up on the trem a lot - yet none of my guitars have a pull-up route, and I haven't seen the need to have them routed. One thing I do though, to allow for more pull-up, is set the trem up with a slight forward tilt.

[alfredpotter]

Oh that is a relief! It'd be such a bother to get it woodrouted. Thanks for those speedy replies. Is basswood inferior? How can you tell it's basswood?

[Sunbane]

It's common knowledge (well...around here at least... ) that the bolt-on model series were basswood (except for the neck-throughs, and the special stuff, like Model 88 and the trans finish Model 7). I would not call basswood inferior at all, but of course, some people may present a different opinion. I think that M2 body will be great.

By the way, what neck will you be putting on it? You may want to get a Jackson/Charvel neck for it, so you get a proper fit between the neck and the neck pocket.

[alfredpotter]

well that's the next worry, I'll be getting it off ebay so I won't be sure if it will fit the body or not =|

But I want the usual angular headstock charvel neck. But maple.
I have a thing for maple necks/fingerboards! Hahaa

[Newc]

The big thing about non-recessed Floyds is that the neck angle has to be tilted back more than with a v-trem, otherwise your action's going to be way high.

If you put a neck from a recessed-Floyd body on there, you're going to have to shim the neck heel considerably to get low action.

Then if you want to pull up into the extremes, you're going to have to shim it even more, or cut a recess for the trem.

[alfredpotter]

Newc, this is so complicated, I'm trying to get the pieces for this charvel bit by bit. What would you recommend?

[Sunbane]

The big thing about non-recessed Floyds is that the neck angle has to be tilted back more than with a v-trem, otherwise your action's going to be way high.

If you put a neck from a recessed-Floyd body on there, you're going to have to shim the neck heel considerably to get low action.

Then if you want to pull up into the extremes, you're going to have to shim it even more, or cut a recess for the trem.

I don't think that will happen. If the model series Charvels are like the current Jacksons, then the neck angle will be determined by the angle in the neck pocket, not the neck.

[Grumpy]

I have found that a 2 degree shim works just fine for a non-recess Floyd.

[alfredpotter]

the action height isn't too much problem because i can just add on/ take off the height of the neck in relation to the body by shaving off or adding on wood, right?

But here's the real question, I hope somebody can answer.

On the model i posted above, could I expand the trem route from what it already is so that I could actually fit a recessed kahler 2300 bridge?

Plz help!

[Carbuff]

No, you wont have to do this. It will fit just fine. All the model series necks are the same. Neck angle is determined by the angle of the neck pocket on the body. As far as adding a recessed trem, then you will have neck angle problems. But a kahler 2300 is a flat mounted trem. Ive never seen one recessed. But if you wanted to use one all you would have to do is cut out the big hole in the body for it and bolt it on.

[Sunbane]

No, you wont have to do this. It will fit just fine. All the model series necks are the same. Neck angle is determined by the angle of the neck pocket on the body. As far as adding a recessed trem, then you will have neck angle problems. But a kahler 2300 is a flat mounted trem. Ive never seen one recessed. But if you wanted to use one all you would have to do is cut out the big hole in the body for it and bolt it on.

+1. However, it would probably not look very good without some major work, and it would be a shame to cut up that body.