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Edge III to Floyd Rose Special

10K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  tylerlaiche99999 
#1 · (Edited)
Here is what I have done so far.

Contacted Floyd Rose support and asked straight what I would have to do to get a Floyd Rose Special to replace an Edge III
They said it would fit the route but I would have to use my existing studs as their studs had different threads.
I then replied and asked specifically if the stud spacing would be compatible.
They replied and said I would be able to use the studs as is.
So if I put both of those pieces of information together it sounds like I should be able to replace the Edge III with the Floyd Rose Special with no modification.
Except...
Everything I have read on this site, including the stickied chart says that the only mod free replacements are an Edge Pro and an Edge Pro II, noting that not all sites agree on the Edge Pro II.
On the chart, if I compare the dimension between the studs, Edge III, Edge Pro, and Edge Pro II are all 73mm.
The official mechanical drawing on the Floyd Rose site shows that dimension to be 74mm.
Assuming that they're right about the route, how critical is that 1mm difference?
Would they (Floyd Rose support) have known about that difference when they told me they were compatible?
I'm not a tech, and if the studs need to be moved I'm not going to pull the trigger on this mod.
An Edge Pro is a little over 200.00, and a full-on Floyd Rose is around 199.00.
A Floyd Rose Special is like 90.00.
I want as much quality as I can afford, but...I have to be able to afford it and justify it to myself.
Are there other decent quality trems in the 90.00 - 120.00 range?

I can't buy all the best of everything like everyone else on the internet seems to be able to do.
I have to prioritize vehicles and bills and stuff.

EDIT:
I just looked up a conversion.
So 1mm is 0.0393701?
Divided by 2 it's 0.01968505.
Is that within tolerances?
 
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#5 ·
The only thing i'd be concerned about with the schaller is the trem spring block. I am not sure about the edge 3, but all the other ibanez guitars i've been around has a 36mm block. Is the route the same size as the ibanez branded floyd rose? If so a gotoh floyd would work perfectly. Gotoh makes the edge bridges. I've owned an oringal FR, i have that schaller in gold ln a custom guitar and a gotoh on a 90's RG. I've grown more fond of the gotoh over the others. If you buy a gotoh on ebay you should he able to choose the block size.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292992070071
 
#6 ·
What I ended up doing.
Floyd Rose Special Open Box 53.00
Steel OFR Saddles, yes they fit. Open Box 60.00
HSH set Red Dragonfire Crusader pickup set. 59.95
32mm Floyd Rose fit Nickel Plated Brass Sustain Block < 12.00
Full rewire. (Included in Labor)

Parts Grand Total approx. 184.95
Labor min 90.00 max 150.00 (TBD)

The X-Factor in the labor cost is how much work is required to fit the Floyd Rose.
Because I purchased a sustain block of appropriate dimensions, the only potential issue is if the body inserts need to be plugged and redrilled.

A competent local tech is accomplishing the mods now.
 
#10 ·
Probably a normal FR block, I'm not 100% sure, but I would be surprised if Edge III sustain blocks weren't zinc.
Which for the record, zinc saddles do little to hurt the durability, but those and zinc sustain blocks tend to deaden sustain a bit and muddy the tone a bit.
The difference is noticeable but not striking if I hadn't been able to find the saddles at a price I liked I would have been okay with it.
The sustain block was going to have to be changed no matter what.
 
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