floyd replacement

[steve304]

I know there is likely no 100% positive answer for this but I figured I would ask anyway. At any rate I am sure someone here can point me in the right direction.

I have a Jackson Performer (RR circa 1993 sn#j001301, built with overflow parts from the usa custom shop or so I was told). After 17 years of heavy play the bridge has seen it's better days. The string blocks keep rusting into place and some of the saddle screws are completely rusted out and are only held down my the strings. I have been looking into replacing it for a while. Everything I find is 200$+ and not guaranteed to fit. So I found a late 80s/early 90s NOS charvel floyd on ebay today for 100$. Looks nearly identical to mine other than being stamped with charvel rather than jackson, and mine has "made in germany by shaller" on the opposite side. Anyway can anyone tell me if I buy the one from ebay, should it fit without routing ect? Or can anyone point me in a better direction of replacing this thing.

Here is a pic of mine.


here is the ebay auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400093238322&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[Leftyzrule580]

I'm pretty sure that's not going to fit. You need something smaller than that. Something along the lines of this

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Floyd_Rose_tremolos_and_parts/Schaller_Floyd_Rose_Locking_Tremolo_Complete_Set.html

Hope this helps

[SEAN RAF]

I'm not so sure it wouldn't fit...why wouldn't it, as opposed to the Stewmac version...just asking an' that...

[Leftyzrule580]

I'm not so sure it wouldn't fit...why wouldn't it, as opposed to the Stewmac version...just asking an' that...

The tremolo the OP found on Ebay appears to be a JT580LP-style tremolo, which is a later innovation. The earlier trem routes were made with a Schaller tremolo in mind. But this particular Charvel branded trem would not fit, as it is not based upon the Schaller Floyd Rose.

[Tricky]

That Low Pro wont fit in the recess without doing some mods.
Not as good a trem as your Schaller.

Schaller JT590.

http://cgi.ebay.com/90s-Charvel-Floyd-Rose-Schaller-Made-in-Germany-Bridge_W0QQitemZ400111311206QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item5d287e1966

Anyone tried one of these Gotoh's?

http://cgi.ebay.com/GOTOH-Licensed-FLOYD-ROSE-Tremolo-BLACK-w-Locking-Nut_W0QQitemZ220581872996QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item335bb44564

[mustaine-who?]

G

Gotoh is an awesome trem....just ask John Suhr, as all his trem guitars are made with them.

I've used them in the past...and just bought one for my Professional Reverse. That is a great price!

That Low Pro wont fit in the recess without doing some mods.
Not as good a trem as your Schaller.

Schaller JT590.

http://cgi.ebay.com/90s-Charvel-Floyd-Rose-Schaller-Made-in-Germany-Bridge_W0QQitemZ400111311206QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item5d287e1966

Anyone tried one of these Gotoh's?
http://cgi.ebay.com/GOTOH-Licensed-F...item335bb44564

[BallooTheBear]

Sometimes the blocks also crack and expand in the saddle.You can get titanium blocks and screws from floydupgrades.com for pretty cheap if you don't want to replace the floyd.They also have a crapload of other upgrades as well for tired old trems.

[steve304]

sorry for posting in the wrong section.

Yes, one of my blocks is cracked, so I could get replacement blocks fairly cheap, but there are other problems im not sure can be fixed.

1. the little resistance bands (no idea what they are called) that push against the block set screws for fine tuning are really loose. maybe I could bend them back or just replace them too?
2. the one im not sure about. some of the saddle screws are rusted out. the threads in the bridge itself are gone on some of them so the only thing holding them down is the string and there is no adjusting intonation. My boss (work at an airbrush shop and he has been painting guitars for over 20 years) said we can tap new threads and go with slightly bigger set screws. any opinions on that vs. just replacing it?

If I could get a direct replacement for 100$ or less I think it would be worth not doing all this for a bridge will still look beat to hell, but Im not to keen on the 227$+shipping for the stewmac replacement. For that much I would rather save the money to put some decent pickups back in it and look into getting the frets leveled/crowned or just refretted (pretty sure they have been leveled/crowned once already, im not the original owner though).

So while we are at it I'll ask you guys another question. This one is just for your opinion. I had planed on fixing the paint chips and leaving it the original color. My boss is trying to talk me into changing the red(sparkle) to satin black and paint the bevels white/pearl to match the neck binding, then maybe to gloss red pinstriping on it. I do like the idea of having satin finish on the back of the neck and the scheme sounds cool but I dont know if I want to change it. Any opinions on that? How would that effect the value (not that i plan to ever sell it)? thanks for the help everyone.

[steve304]

That Low Pro wont fit in the recess without doing some mods.
Not as good a trem as your Schaller.

Schaller JT590.

http://cgi.ebay.com/90s-Charvel-Floyd-Rose-Schaller-Made-in-Germany-Bridge_W0QQitemZ400111311206QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item5d287e1966

Anyone tried one of these Gotoh's?
http://cgi.ebay.com/GOTOH-Licensed-F...item335bb44564

so what I am looking for is the jt590 correct? are you saying that the gotoh would fit or just asking about it?

[Tricky]

The trem on your axe is a JT590.
I've never tried the Gotoh, but have heard good things.
It will have the same post spacing, but I'm not sure if it will fit in the body recess.
You could measure the recess and compare to the specs in the add.

You could also watch the Kramer listings.
The old Kramer's had the real deal OFR, which should also fit.

[dg]

An OFR will overhang the rear of the recess because of the longer locking screws. I'm not sure, but a Gotoh probably will as well.

[toejam]

When did they make a neck-thru Performer series Rhoads?

[RacerX]

It's not a Performer, it's a PRO.

[Vass]

Couple points:

Not made from overflow USA parts, unless it was hardware. USA trem routs are not the same as Pro routes.

Also, the Performer series was rather low end. Your guitar is from the Professional Series, and is a "Pro" model of that series to boot- the best there were.

Some consider them on par with their USA contemporaries. That might be where you got the idea that they were made from USA parts.

So, great axe.

[steve304]

So I finally got around to pulling the bridge out of this guitar last night. Started taking it apart to see exactly what I could do for it and it isn't in nearly as bad of shape as I thought it was. Looks like the main problem is that two of the saddles are frozen at the joint that is supposed to bend, one string block is practically destroyed at the screw hole end, and just rust in general was creating the issues with screws not tightening down. So right now I am breaking it all down, working on getting the rusty parts clean and I am going to soak the two frozen saddles in oil. After that I will be repainting/clearing the parts that need it.

Question- anyone know what the underside of the original saddles for this bridge should look like? I think the two that are frozen may be replacements. Four of the saddles have a little brass plate under the string block, the other two do not. Some are numbered and some aren't. From low to high they are marked as 2 (no brass), 1 (no brass), nothing (brass, nothing (brass), 1 (brass), 2 (brass). Does it really matter if they go back on in this order? Are they even original saddles?

any other advice on getting this thing back in order?