DK2M JT580lp to OFR

[HoWheels]

He said why would you go buy a car and change the tyres straight away because they say they might wear out faster and why wouldnt u just wait for the old ones to wear out

I'd agree with that. I replaced my JT580 with an OFR, because I bought that guitar second-hand, and the trem was in non-repairable shape.

-a

[rockstar_jones]

Ok I guess i'll stick with the stock trem... however i guess i would want to change it ASAP lol..... So an OFR should fit? will it be able to be pushed and pulled with enough clearance?

What are the easiest and safest options is there isnt enough clearance? Cutthing the end of the bolt that touches the block things down a mm or 2? or what?

[Sunbane]

Yup.

Personally, my experiences with the JT580LP have not made me very positive towards it, and the OFR is way way superior in my opinion. But the hardened version on the 2006 Pro series should in theory hold up better than the old ones.

[St.James]

When I bought my first DKMG that had the JT580LP on it I couldn't stand the guitar and I couldn't quite figure out why. I was getting ready to send it back to Musicians Friend, but then realized the bridge felt strange compared to my other Jacksons that had the JT590, which is a Schaller.

I removed the JT580 and popped in a Schaller I had laying around and that alone transformed that guitar from lower end junk to a kickass player.

[rockstar_jones]

So prepare to have a crap tremolo when i get the guitar, and if so then order a OFR and do some screw filing lol

[soc_monki]

the JT580 and 580 LP are not crap...i have both. they both work fine and stay in tune, and ive not had a single problem with either of them. will i put OFRs on the guitars? probably will later, when i wear these trems out. but at the moment i dont see the point.

are the 580's as good as OFR's? no. are they completely useable? yes! the one thing i wish they would do better is flutter more like an OFR...they just dont want to flutter much at all. oh well, i dont care as long as they stay in tune, which they do, even after severe abuse

[RobRR]

I dont know what type of "problems" people are having with the JT580LP's, but Ive had my oldest one for 10 years, PLENTY of use, and have not had one single probelm with them. Never a stripped or broken screw, no overly worn knife edges (which isnt a problem with the new 2006 year LP's because the bases are hardened).

[Sunbane]

I dont know what type of "problems" people are having with the JT580LP's...

It's a combination of things - and while some of it comes down to personal preference and poor maintenance, some of it is also down to poor manufacturing.

For me, I realised that the forward angle in the saddles makes for really poor control over palm muting. I guess I'm just not a LoPro kind of guy.

Next, the finetuners were quirky, with uneven resistance in them. I suppose this could be from poor maintenance prior to my ownership (i.e. dirt getting into the threads), but I've rarely (if ever) felt that in a more expensive trem. I think it's due to a poor fit between the thread in the plate and the thread on the screw.

Next, the saddles all had some sideways wobble in them, even under full string tension. This was due to some idiotic "dot marking" underneath each saddle. While it may not seem like a big deal to many, I think it messes a LOT with your speed picking.

Then there was the trem arm. Many people seem to complain about the bar coming loose (mine tended to seize up, but that's a different story). Again, poor fit between threads.

Then, the material quality. My trem stayed in tune well until I decided to adjust the action while the guitar was strung up and tuned to pitch. Bye bye, knife edge.

Out went the piece of shit trem.

I switched it out for a Schaller, and MAN was that some difference! I could suddenly play with far better accuracy and with a lot more control over my palm muting. The switch turned my mediocre guitar into a monster player.

That's my JT580LP story.

[tanpsi]

I see there is a larger gap on the left and the back corners, which is just cosmetic, but it would be nice if jackson made the liscensed versions the exact demension as an OFR, but that's being picky I guess!

[soc_monki]

It's a combination of things - and while some of it comes down to personal preference and poor maintenance, some of it is also down to poor manufacturing.

For me, I realised that the forward angle in the saddles makes for really poor control over palm muting. I guess I'm just not a LoPro kind of guy.

Next, the finetuners were quirky, with uneven resistance in them. I suppose this could be from poor maintenance prior to my ownership (i.e. dirt getting into the threads), but I've rarely (if ever) felt that in a more expensive trem. I think it's due to a poor fit between the thread in the plate and the thread on the screw.

Next, the saddles all had some sideways wobble in them, even under full string tension. This was due to some idiotic "dot marking" underneath each saddle. While it may not seem like a big deal to many, I think it messes a LOT with your speed picking.

Then there was the trem arm. Many people seem to complain about the bar coming loose (mine tended to seize up, but that's a different story). Again, poor fit between threads.

Then, the material quality. My trem stayed in tune well until I decided to adjust the action while the guitar was strung up and tuned to pitch. Bye bye, knife edge.

Out went the piece of shit trem.

I switched it out for a Schaller, and MAN was that some difference! I could suddenly play with far better accuracy and with a lot more control over my palm muting. The switch turned my mediocre guitar into a monster player.

That's my JT580LP story.

thats understandable...im sure there are some 580s that get out that are sub-par...its what happens in mass-production. i havent had any of the problems youve mentioned though, so the 580s are fine for me

wait, i had one problem...the trem arm on my 580 (not LP) came loose too much. replaced it with a Schaller collar and arm and havent had a problem since. my LP has only had to be tightened once

in your case...yea id say you got a bum one and it was a big step up changing it to a better unit!

[rockstar_jones]

cheers guys. I'll go with the stock tremolo, the guy at the store said the guitars been in there for a while and he believe its pretty good and he said he's never had problems with a jackson trem, and that because they've improved it it should be fine. So i guess i should be happy, and if it has problems i'll get a OFR or a schaller (cant pronounce dammit) and figure something out. I think it'd clamp a router guide template thingy made from alluminium parrallel to the route with a 2 mm gap and route along it. The metal guide clamped should stop any paint cracking as its epoxy or whatever they call it....

I'm going back there in 2 days after a guitar lesson to try and laybuy or buy the guitar.... i want the one i saw :<

[VitaminG]

get it out of your head that you need to cut up the new guitar, or shorten the lock screws. As several have posted in this thread, an OFR or Schaller should just drop straight in with minimal fuss. If there is a clearance problem when you finally get around to changing trems (should it even be necessary), worry about fixing it then.

[soc_monki]

get it out of your head that you need to cut up the new guitar, or shorten the lock screws. As several have posted in this thread, an OFR or Schaller should just drop straight in with minimal fuss. If there is a clearance problem when you finally get around to changing trems (should it even be necessary), worry about fixing it then.

exactly...theres even a pic of an OFR in a 580LP route and its close on the Low E side, but it fits and without cutting the guitar up.

[rockstar_jones]

yeah true! thanks guys i'm working on atleast lay buying that guitar i saw... i want it heaps bad and i want THAT one as i'd rather take one i know works good (they've had it for about a month and people have played it) instead of ordering and having problems with it.... that happened with my iceman.... they kept giving me the old models....

Cheers guys ya's rock!

[soc_monki]

yeah true! thanks guys i'm working on atleast lay buying that guitar i saw... i want it heaps bad and i want THAT one as i'd rather take one i know works good (they've had it for about a month and people have played it) instead of ordering and having problems with it.... that happened with my iceman.... they kept giving me the old models....

Cheers guys ya's rock!

no problem...thats why were here