OFR is a superior trem????

[jacksonaxes]

On all of my floyded guitars I use a mix of petroleum jelly, and powered graphite mixed and apply a small anount right at the contact point where the string bends over the saddle, it helps alot, and on tun-o-matics the first thing I do is break out the nut files and smooth over all the saddle slots,just enough to break the sharp edges, and make it more rounded,like a string,( string friendly)get rid of that sharp v shaped guillotine,I know idealy you want the smallest amount of string possible in contact, but any serious shredding and like NEWC said" they start breaking like they are falling from the sky

[straycat]

Mark check the front of the saddle where the string and locking block make contact under pressure there may be a small bit of slag (burr) on the casting down in the hole and be very hard to see.I could be a sharp edge from the coating.I have used a dremel to "clean up" this area and fixed the problem.
Also I make a 90% bend in the wound strings before I put them down in the saddle and lock it down.I agree the other trems you mentioned are more "forgiving"when it comes to string placement.The OFR likes them right in the middle.

[jackson1]

Also I make a 90% bend in the wound strings before I put them down in the saddle and lock it down.

Glad to hear that i'm not the only weirdo here, doing this

[mm2002]

Thanks for all the info guys, I really appreciate it. I guess having an OFR is kinda like riding a Harley.....they may be more work but at least you can say you've got one!

[Newc]

I usually don't hit the strings very hard, but I've been known to hit them hard enough to make the trem warble as if I'd hit the bar, and still haven't broken a string.
On my old Focus 1000, I did that all the time cuz it sounded cool and impressed players who had been playing longer than I had, and they could never figure out how I was doing it

Anyhoo, I string mine backwards, but I don't cut anything off the tip (EBs don't have the unwrapped core at the end like some companies do). I stick the end in the saddle, tighten the block, then pull it tight at the post. Then put just a touch of slack in the wound strings (usually one or two wraps) and cut the excess off (ball and all).

For the plain strings, I wrap the whole string around the post except for maybe 2 inches and the ball and the twisty part.

Other than that, I don't cut nuthin.

[Endrik]

I break strings every day no matter what guitar I play

[Shawn Lutz]

remove the question marks from the thread title and leve it as a statment...a true statement at that

I have over 20 guitars with OFR's and I have no problem with sting breakage on any of them. The only time I break strings that are new are if I have to use 9's. I snap them all them so folks shouldnt let me usa a guitar whiyt wimpy 9's. I have to have 10's

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i use GHS. i bend the string at a 90 degree angle about 1 inch from the ball. cut the string where the wrap seperates at the bend. line it up in the middle of the slot. tighten it down and go.

check for a burr in the saddle. especially if you are consistantly breaking the same strings.

also check the lock block in the saddle to make sure its not rough.

[AfterForever]

The only time I broke some strings on a floyded guitar, was when I forgot to take the bar of before closing the case..

Other than that I never had any problem with strings breaking or tuning. I use the EB Super Slinkies (9's).. great strings.

[TommyD]

OFR is a superior trem????

> On my SD Soloist that burnt up,I had this problem for a couple weeks. What I did was completely take the Floyd apart,and used needle files and 400 sandpaper and cleaned up the ramp,the edges of the lock blocks,and the inside of the saddle,and reassembled. I didn't break a string for 3 years. The string material is MUCH harder than the steel the saddles are made of,and will press creases into the surrounding material,as well as dig up burrs,some of which are quite sharp. It takes skill with the files and sandpaper,but it can be done. If you can make a nut,you can do this. I feel that the OFR is truly the best trem,not only working best as a trem,but being such a mass of hardened steel,it sounds better than any other to me. Tommy D.

[fett]

Did you know that you can mount the strings with the eyelets still attached? Just remove the blocks and line the eyelets with the screw. I had a '90's Predator that came that way and it seemed to work OK.

[Shwayman11]

it could be set up wrong. My Kramer 1984 was set up with the trem leaning a little far back and i had string breakages until i fixed it. Havent had one since

[straycat]

Fett I've seen that done and it mauls the hell out of the locking screws.Not very stable really.

[fett]

Yeah. I thought the same thing. I did, in fact, load blocks in the Floyd and restrung it the conventional way before I sold it.

[straycat]

Make sure you cut about an inch off the ball end so you don't get the wraped section of the string.