How much of a pain are Floyds?

[Special-K]

Spend a little bit of time the first time you setup/string change and you'll never have any problems getting it right. Its annoying that you can't downtune but that is why we have more than one guitar. Changing strings doesn't take that long really when you have the hang of it either. I like Floyd guitars too because they hardly ever go out of tune.

+1

They never get out of tune except when a string goes bye-bye

[VitaminG]

I figured if I want to play songs in drop D I can always use a second guitar, 'cause ,hey , we all need a couple of guitars anyway

hey, now you're getting the idea!

fwiw, the guys I'm playing with are tuned to Eb and I wanted to take my Model 2 to practice. Took me about 10 minutes to unlock the nut, retune the guitar from standard, adjust the bridge claw, retune & relock. If you wanted to drop your low E to D, it would take about the same amount of time.

Changing gauges requires a similar adjustment (and maybe a truss rod tweak - same as any guitar). Not that big a deal.

a floyd can be a pain, not to mention you can't getsick low action on them because you won't be able to pull up. but that are fun, and if you want to be like herman li then its a must

So what bridge are you using that lets you get "sick low action" AND let's you pull up?

My Fusions have the lowest action of any of my guitars. The rout behind the trems allow me to pull up, I couldn't say by how much because I only want to pull up to imitate my natural vibrato, not to break strings. If I was to lower the bridge to the deck (so that I had NO pull up at all), then the strings would be resting on the frets & the guitars would be unplayable.

***
regarding the "detuning when a string breaks" argument that some fall back on - I haven't broken a string in years, and that was on a trad-trem guitar. Had a bit of a burr at the tuner. If I broke a string in the same place on a Floyded guitar, the lock nut would hold the string in tune, but then, as I said I haven't broken a string on any guitar in years anyway.

[Spacelord]

I am new to the Floyd.. as of a couple months ago with my DK2M. I spent a bit of time reading up on it on the internet and this site.. really wasn't too bad. It stays in tune GREAT once you stretch the strings in the beginning, and get it all setup. My 2nd string change was really easy, since I had already adjusted the springs and string height the first time.

[kelly user]

So what bridge are you using that lets you get "sick low action" AND let's you pull up?

My Fusions have the lowest action of any of my guitars. The rout behind the trems allow me to pull up, I couldn't say by how much because I only want to pull up to imitate my natural vibrato, not to break strings. If I was to lower the bridge to the deck (so that I had NO pull up at all), then the strings would be resting on the frets & the guitars would be unplayable.

i was simply stating my opinions vita, now i can get really low action on my gibson explorer, but it is a hard tail. why does it have to be me all the time.

could it be that, inside you really like me a lot and you want to train me in your ways............. i am truly touched.

[VitaminG]

if that is your opinion, then fair enough. It seemed that you were stating a fact that you can't get really low action on a Floyd, and that if you tried, you wouldn't be able to pull up.

I just responded that you CAN get really low action and you CAN still pull up on the Floyd when you do. How much pull up depends on just how low you want to setup the Floyd

[bibz]

Action's can be low on any bridge setup, you can take ages to change strings on any setup. I did a string change on my first jackson last night, 9.5 years old and still shreds! Even the relatively 'cheap' jt580lp still goes great, and is pretty much painless to work with and use. Generally I find properly setup floyd guitars to have much better tuning stability then non-trem guitars too, but theres absolutely no technical reason for that.

Oh, and when the strings are stretched and locked down I go anywhere from completely flacid (down) to bridge digging in to the cavity (up), I likes my wiggle stick

[quiksilver]

Floyds are easy to set up and maintain, IMO.

[toejam]

i can get really low action on my gibson explorer, but it is a hard tail.

When has any Explorer ever come with a hardtail bridge? I'll bet it's got a TOM bridge with a stoptail.

[kelly user]

don't heed that joe, i was my chopper sense talking.

when i mean low, i mean 1/32 at the first fret and 1/16 at the nut. screw the metric system . ( my explorer)

where as my DK2M is 1/16 at the nut and 1/8 at the twelfth fret.

[slash]

Generally I find properly setup floyd guitars to have much better tuning stability then non-trem guitars too, but theres absolutely no technical reason for that.

Actually there is a technical reason for it. It's the locking nut. I takes out the tuning problems associated with standard nuts and tuners thus it generally stays in tune better than a guitar without it.

[soc_monki]

when people say Floyds are a pain to set up and maintain, i laugh at them. i was told for years they are a pain to use and i stuck with vintage trems slammed to the body, or hardtails. i finally got a Floyd guitar last year (my RR3) and i changed the strings and set it up in about a half hour the first time. now i take about a half hour still, but thats because i clean the guitar and check the tightness of everything on the bridge (the intonation screws will come loose sometimes and cause tuning problems...so stay on top of it!)

other than that...stays in tune perfectly, and easy to set up. i dont even change one string at a time...i block the trem and take em all off!

i love Floyds...i have three with floyds now, and really dont see me stopping anytime soon!

[toejam]

other than that...stays in tune perfectly, and easy to set up. i dont even change one string at a time...i block the trem and take em all off!

Ha! I used to just take all the strings off without blocking the bridge at all... still do every once in awhile. Takes less than 10 minutes to get everything up and running; though, like you, I usually take my time now and get it done within a half hour.

[soc_monki]

Ha! I used to just take all the strings off without blocking the bridge at all... still do every once in awhile. Takes less than 10 minutes to get everything up and running; though, like you, I usually take my time now and get it done within a half hour.

ive done it both ways...using the block just speeds up the process by a few minutes. but eh...either way works LOL

[Mr.Lizardman]

When I change my strings on my Floyd equipped guitars, I do them 2 at a time (one lock nut screw's worth) and retune between pairs. It keeps most of the tension on the strings and really helps keep spring tension on the Floyd as you go. I usually take the nut screw and pressure plate completely off for each pair so I don't have to mess around with stringing them through and under. Works for me!

[vwall]

a floyd can be a pain, not to mention you can't getsick low action on them because you won't be able to pull up. but that are fun, and if you want to be like herman li then its a must

I completely disagree with this.
I have sick low action on all my guitars-
And can pull up on them all-
This would be a set up issue and or combined with the guitars build limitations.


Also, Floyd saddle shims are extremely easy to get and install...
Fear no Floyd!
They are the best!!!