Floyds Comparison...

Shredcows · #1 03-03-2005, 12:55 PM

Hi!
I've been browsing thru the forum, doing some research on floyds to replace my aging Edge trem... There are a few floyds that the guys here think pretty highly of, and they are:

1) Original Floyd

2) Schaller Floyd

3) Gotoh Floyd

Can someone tell me the differences and advantages each have over another?

And how long lasting are chrome finishes? I find that my Edge finish died really quick... It wasn't chrome (some antique silver thing) but chrome's the best matching colour for my guitar... Is the gold finish better? Since you have to pay more for it?

Finally, I saw some original floyds going for like 30USD to 50USD only! Is this too good to be true?

Cheerio!
Daniel

pete944 · #2 03-03-2005, 03:48 PM

I like the OFR the best. The baseplate is steel, not cast like the others. Floyd invented the thing and I still think he makes the best ones.

The lowest price I've seen for an OFR is $149 from Ed Roman. I tried to order one from him but he is out of stock and I really wasn't comfortable ordering from him due to the stories I've heard.
I ordered one from Warmoth for around $189 and UPS will deliver it tomorrow.
For $30-$50 I'm sure it is not an original Floyd. There are knock offs in that price range but they are even lesser quality than the Lo TRS II.

simonargento · #3 03-03-2005, 05:46 PM

schaller is the best (specially the lo pro) and it makes the OFR

pete944 · #4 03-03-2005, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonargento

schaller is the best (specially the lo pro) and it makes the OFR

True, but the OFR is made to Floyd's specs and Schaller's is a licensed copy.
I don't have personal experience with Floyd's lo pro but I've had OFR's since 1982 and never had a single problem with them.

JESTER700 · #5 03-03-2005, 07:05 PM

The Schaller has a steel base as well; well, at least the 590 Jackson version I have does. I like it pretty equally with an OFR. Never tried a Gotoh.

toshiro · #6 03-04-2005, 02:27 AM

Gotoh's trem has a hardened baseplate, afaik. It also has spring locks, rounded saddle tops, and a push in arm. They manufacture the Edge/LoProEdge/EdgePro trems for Ibanez.

When you talk about wear on the Edge trem in you S, are you talking pimpling or the cosmo discoloring to copper/chrome? Or was it that "powder cosmo" crap that looks dead when it's new?

I had one of the early Schaller trems in Chrome, and the plating started to chip off the saddles after about 2 years. The newer ones are better from what I understand.

fettouhi · #7 03-04-2005, 05:41 AM

The Gotoh Floyd is great!

Regards

André

Shredcows · #8 03-04-2005, 07:03 AM

I can't seem to find proper pictures and specifications of Gotoh floyds on the net... anyone know a site that I can go check up on?

What I hear was that Schaller floyds are more warm sounding than OFR due to a brass bassplate or something? I like that kind of sound...

How wild can the schaller/OFR/Gotoh trem go?

My Edge was in Antique Silver finish and that finish was crap, although it looked sweet. Its was sticky and not like the chrome/gold plating, more like some sort of painted on thing. Anyway, the finish has worn off (2 yrs of hard playing) and from pimpling it went to bubbling... and now its blackish and there's some rust on the saddles. It doens't affect the performance much but well, its not nice to look at and I want to give my guitar a makeover.

Cheerio!
Daniel

fettouhi · #9 03-04-2005, 08:48 AM

Not much of a description but they have few pics of the Gotoh Floyd Rose.

http://www.universaljems.com/cart/bridgelocking.htm

Regards

André

dex · #10 03-04-2005, 10:59 AM

Unles you are considering the Gotoh made Edge/Lo pro, I'd say stay away from their generic TRS II type trems.
OFR rings very bright, it's brighter than Lo Pro and Edge but it'll look a bit wrong in an edge route as it is smaller than the edge.
The Schaller FRII is smaller yet so it'll look really strange - finish on all trems will wear off inside a year if you play a lot so my advice is stick to the Ibanez Edge.

ilia

MicJustMic · #11 03-04-2005, 11:22 AM

I would also suggest sticking with an Edge, they are the only trems that look correct in the rout.

If you want a more durable finish though, go with the standard chrome. I have a 15 year old RG 550 with a 13 year old chome plated trem and it actually still looks pretty new. And this is after spending almost a year in the trunk of my car (it was a hard year, don't get on me for that).

Now that I think about it, the trem has been on the guitar for 13 years, but the trem itself is actually OLDER than the guitar. I had broken the original black plated trem and all the dealer had was the chrome, and it was left-over stock. From when I described it to Rich he seems to think it's a pre-87 model trem. But I digress . . .

Mic

toshiro · #12 03-04-2005, 04:29 PM

Oh yeah, the black and chrome Edges hold up way better than the other colors... The Cosmo finish just rubs right off, IMO, even though it looks cool.

The Gotoh made floyds are nothing like TRS at all.

dex · #13 03-04-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toshiro

The Gotoh made floyds are nothing like TRS at all.

Nothing like TRS??............

All I'm saying it it looks more like TRS than like OFR/Schaller FRII or Edge to me.
Stick with chrome edge (or lo pro edge) - all the others will look wrong for the rout and are not better in any way.

ilia

rgr · #14 03-04-2005, 07:58 PM

I've got a Gotoh on my EB/MM Axis, it's way better than the TRS. Yeah, they're both chome, but look closely at the baseplates, the baseplate on the TRS is a thin piece, the Gotoh is thicker. I'm pretty sure Gotoh makes the Edge (and maybe the TRS). If you are replacing an Edge though, I would stick with an Edge or Lo Pro Edge. For OFRs, the best price is from Drum City Guitar Land (www.drumcityguitarland.com) and they are much nicer than ER! I think they have OFRs in stock.

toshiro · #15 03-04-2005, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex

Nothing like TRS??............

All I'm saying it it looks more like TRS than like OFR/Schaller FRII or Edge to me.
Stick with chrome edge (or lo pro edge) - all the others will look wrong for the rout and are not better in any way.

ilia

How does the LoTRS II have anything in common with the Gotoh Floyd outside the one straight pivot point? The baseplate is shaped differently, the saddles are completely different, the quality is different(much higher), the whole trem is different. Hell the Gotoh comes with locking posts, something Ibanez doesn't even want to spend the money for.

BTW, aside from the straight pivot, the Gotoh has almost the exact same dimentions as an OFR. Besides which, the Gotoh isn't even low profile, it just has angled fine tuners like an Edge trem.

I've owned one of every single trem listed in this thread so far. The Gotoh is not like a LoTRS, it's more like an OFR version of the Edge trem.