new memeber and question....

[thanasis]

first of all many greetings!!! finally registered after having hard times with the captcha....
so here it is.i am about to buy a brand new SDX maple fteboard( i finally saw maiden in Greece at the age of 40 and i must have that guitar)
i ve always played hardtails due to fear of floyds and whammy bars... but I MUST HAVE THAT GUITAR
the question is...since its a top mounted will it be easier as far as string change etc? i dont mind not doing pullups(i hope its factory set to dive only) but i mind adjusting the action and i read many things aboutneed of neck shims which i dont like...i hate taking the neck off a new guitar...any help opinions experience would be more than welcome!!!

[Mudlark]

Can't see a top mount being any different for string changes than a routed Floyd, but I'm not too experienced with them either.

As far as shims, that's not something that would be considered a common problem. It would seem highly unlikely to me for you to get a guitar that needs shims, but there may be a 10-20% chance tops. Just my wild guesstimate.

[pianoguyy]

Just to make sure you understand...
A top mount is not the same as a what is put on a Stratocaster or the vibratos put on a Les Paul.

[DonP]

Do not fear the Floyd. Are you saying people in the 70s are smarter because they could use a Floyd? Just deal with it.

If it really bugs you, you can block a Floyd making it the same as a hard tail.

But my double locking (Floyd) guitars are the most stable tuning guitars in my fleet.

[pianoguyy]

people in the 70s are smarter

Hell, people in THEIR 70s are smarter, lol.

It's 2018. You've got 7 billion videos on youtube. Many of them telling you how to operate a floyd.
You've got Amazon selling everything under the sun. All those little gizmos that can be used to block, half-block, or level a floyd.
There's no reason not to be able to use one.

[synapsistheory]

Nothing to fear about Floyds. I love them. Been using them exclusively for almost 20 years. I don't like hard tails or string through bodies. I prefer a Floyd over everything. You do have to educate yourself on them and it's pretty much trial by fire. But like pianoguyy said, there's 7 billion youtube videos you can look at to help educate yourself. Once you get the hang of them, they're so easy to keep setup correctly and your guitar will never be out of tune...even if you are yanking that whammy bar all over the place. Another positive is, if you can manage a Floyd, you won't have to spend $50-$125 just for someone else to setup your guitar. I personally don't like others tinkering with my instruments. But that's me.

[thanasis]

Great guys thanks a lot.I think i ll manage it...
If you dont mind me another stupid question...
I sweat like a pig...how do Jacksons unfinished maple fretboards hold up against that disgusting worn look???

[thanasis]

Just to make sure you understand...
A top mount is not the same as a what is put on a Stratocaster or the vibratos put on a Les Paul.

Yes i know i though it would be easier to deck for dive only my bad....

[rjohnstone]

I have an SDX, and it can do pull-ups as the trem is not flush to the body.
You can always block it or put in a trem stop so it only dives.
Recessed or top mount makes no difference on the string changes.

As for the sweat, it is not a raw neck, it is oiled. If you maintain it and clean it regularly, it will look great for a long time.

One thing I will recommend is be prepared to change the lock nut. They ship with an R4 nut (wide spacing), which has a tendency to make the high E slip off the fretboard.
Some people have no issue with it.
I swapped mine for an R3 (narrow spacing) and it's perfect for me.

[thanasis]

I have an SDX, and it can do pull-ups as the trem is not flush to the body.
You can always block it or put in a trem stop so it only dives.
Recessed or top mount makes no difference on the string changes.

As for the sweat, it is not a raw neck, it is oiled. If you maintain it and clean it regularly, it will look great for a long time.

One thing I will recommend is be prepared to change the lock nut. They ship with an R4 nut (wide spacing), which has a tendency to make the high E slip off the fretboard.
Some people have no issue with it.
I swapped mine for an R3 (narrow spacing) and it's perfect for me.

Thanks man!!! I ll test it in the shop and ask them to change it riggt there!!! I really like the maple and black pickguard but due to the sweat i was about to get the rosewood edition...but i hate to spend more.money cutting out another pickguard to replace the white one...Again million thanks.i suppose you have it some time now...is it true that the jackson singles are noiselless??(thomann says so) and also does yours have a skunk stripe???

[rjohnstone]

Thanks man!!! I ll test it in the shop and ask them to change it riggt there!!! I really like the maple and black pickguard but due to the sweat i was about to get the rosewood edition...but i hate to spend more.money cutting out another pickguard to replace the white one...Again million thanks.i suppose you have it some time now...is it true that the jackson singles are noiselless??(thomann says so) and also does yours have a skunk stripe???

They have the skunk stripe.
The stock pickups were pretty good, however I changed them. I have a DiMarzio Evo in the bridge and an HS-2 in the neck. I ditched the middle pickup when I did a pickup swap.
Mine is modified a lot. I swapped all the black hardware for chrome and had a new pickguard made.

[thanasis]

Looks stunning!!!! I guess you are American?otherwise id buy the original pickguard asap(i live in Greece...)Ha from jackson e mail the new ones are stripeless.

[rjohnstone]

Yes... American.
I have the original fully loaded black pickguard and all the black hardware.
Keeping them in the event I ever decide to sell it.
No one sells an SDX replacement pickguard, however the SoCal pickguard is a direct replacement if you ever decide you want to change it. Everything lines up.

[thanasis]

Yes... American.
I have the original fully loaded black pickguard and all the black hardware.
Keeping them in the event I ever decide to sell it.
No one sells an SDX replacement pickguard, however the SoCal pickguard is a direct replacement if you ever decide you want to change it. Everything lines up.

Nice thanks for the tip!!! Are you in a band or something?do you have anything in youtube?

[rjohnstone]

Nice thanks for the tip!!! Are you in a band or something?do you have anything in youtube?

Quit the band gig shortly after the kids were born (2007).
A few friends and I will get together on occasion and jam for a few hours.

I don't do YouTube. My best friend posts videos on FaceBook and I'll join him occasionally.