Floyds

[rjohnstone]

Flutter is mainly coming from the springs and sustain block. Too stiff, and you get a little flutter... too loose and you get shitty tuning stability. Finding that balance is key.
I know the FRS and 1000 use different springs than the OFR.
The 1000 uses a brass sustain block that weighs the same as the OFR. The FRS block is definitely lighter.

In short, I agree to an extent that an OFR is great due to the sum of it's parts.
The 1000 series is pretty damn decent with a few minor exceptions. Put on better springs and run the fine tuners fully open and closed a few ties with some oil and they become smoother. Wouldn't hurt to run a file over the base of the screws as well to take out any burs that cause them to jump.

FRS is a paperweight if you're a serious player. Not very durable, but sufficient for the bedroom rock star.

[straycat]

The special I have on my AS/SDX I swapped out the sustain block for an old brass 42 mm, why it had a 37 on it is beyond me for a top mount application.
The Zinc block was not acceptable at all.
Other than that I have hammered hard on the trem on that guitar and its been perfectly fine no issues at all.
I have a 1000 on a BC Rich gunslinger retro and I have not had issues with it either.I have a big brass FU sustain block on it.
If you are having the trem arm collar coming loose slip a small O ring into the collar(all the way up) and they stay tight all night long.

[JDemon]

Basically the special material is too soft so I want to replace it... I have bought an ofr and it hasn't been delivered yet and I want to make sure it fits. Does anyone actually know? Because I didn't want to start an argument.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

I've had the same experiences w/the FRS & 1000...OFR beats them both hands down IMO....luckily I prefer a Kahler...

[BayRocker]

luckily I prefer a Kahler...

Just when the smoke was starting to clear...

[BlackRR]

From my experience a OFR will fit in place of a FR special with no issue, I have found the baseplate on the special to be slightly larger than the OFR but my FR special unit is a few years old so this may have changed, if you were changing from a OFR to special you may have issue but not the other way around.

[straycat]

To claim the material used is softer makes me ask the question how do you know that?
Have you done rockwell hardness tests on both?
I will say I like an original OFR better than the new ones but the new ones aren't bad and they do what they were made to do.

[toejam]

I did have a Korean Floyd (1000 series I guess?) on a reissue B.C. Rich Gunslinger a few years ago. It seemed fine, but I did eventually block it because I wanted dive only.
The only thing that I can recall being different is the saddles were more angled around the corners instead of the squared ones on a real German OFR.

[msaint65]

Just when the smoke was starting to clear...

You guys are killing me .

[Anders]

To claim the material used is softer makes me ask the question how do you know that?
Have you done rockwell hardness tests on both?
I will say I like an original OFR better than the new ones but the new ones aren't bad and they do what they were made to do.

According to Floyd Rose, baseplates for all series are roughly in the same ballpark as far as hardness. Around 60 HRC (I'm sure someone here knows the exact number).

The zinc alloy that's used in the saddles on the Special is clearly inferior to hardened steel saddles which come on the OFR. I'm not the only one who has had problems with this. And I wouldn't expect them to be equal, considering there's like a $200 difference in price between the Special and the German OFR.

[AAEA]

The original or nothing. I fucking hate the collar type bars, they always get loose, ALWAYS. I swap all floyds out for the 1983-1985 units, the real one. the others are simply not built to withstand professional use. if you're a kid who plays a few hours a week then no need to even care if wont matter.

also, mounting studs with the collars/mount studs are crap too. they just completely soak up tone and then your guitar sounds like a cheap lifeless heap. wood screws deliver the energy right into the body.

I've played just about all the floyds that all companies have made, the 1983-1985 original still the best.

The titanium while hella loot is quite interesting, might purchase one to check it out.

[xenophobe]

The original or nothing. I fucking hate the collar type bars, they always get loose, ALWAYS. I swap all floyds out for the 1983-1985 units, the real one. the others are simply not built to withstand professional use. if you're a kid who plays a few hours a week then no need to even care if wont matter.

That's one of the reasons why I love the Gotoh. Screw in bars are way better.

[straycat]

I love the bars on the Gotoh you can set height as well.
I like the screw in OFR bars much better.

[xenophobe]

I love the bars on the Gotoh you can set height as well.
I like the screw in OFR bars much better.

I like the Gotoh bars better... you can adjust height and tension is an easy set screw.

[AAEA]

I haven't put the gotoh on anything yet as they are pretty pricey. and I have a bucket with OFR sitting next to my bench.