How to enlarge Floyd mounting hole studs for Gotoh locking studs?

[dinkyguitar]

Hi All,

So I bought a Charvel neck and KnE alder guitar body for a project. It was drilled for Floyd Rose studs, but I think I want to buy a Gotoh Floyd which has a fatter locking studs....I know I can use the Floyd Rose studs, but I wanted to know how much of a pain it would be for me to enlarge them myself?

Here's a pic of my project which will be a Warren DeMartini style guitar...



dinkyguitar

[data187]

I'm no expert here but I think you would need a drill press here to make sure the alignment is perfectly straight. The you would probably use a bit that is slightly bigger than the hole and keep on moving up to a larger bit until desired size.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

You would need a pretty stout drill press, something perfectly level/square and very sturdy. Drilling a slightly larger hole where there is already a hole will have the wood pulling the bit around and any slop/play/flexibility could cause the bit to wander slightly, and you don't want those holes in the wrong spot or you'll cause yourself all kinds of issues. You definitely wouldn't want to try something like that with a hand drill.

If you had a really awesome drill press I'd say the level of "pain" would be not that much. If anything you could plug them and re-drill them. But, if you don't have one, and you don't have access to one, you're probably going to make things a lot worse than having to use Floyd Rose studs.

And besides, why not use the studs that have been on the market for 20+ years? Locking studs? That's cork-sniffer bullshit, man.

[dinkyguitar]

Thanks...

I do have access to a drill press and right now I'm in the deciding stage....I might just use the Floyd Rose studs with a Gotoh tremolo...

I've been reading alot about the Gotoh vs OFR and many say the Gotoh is better but without first hand experience, I'm not sure.....Several manufacturers have moved to Gotoh due to quality issues with the OFR....but since the Gotoh is cheaper it might be that they can make more money in the end.....

dinkyguitar

[sully]

Plug the original holes, redrill with a brad point bit. Then, you'll have something for the bit to bite into. Not a big deal. Also not worth it, IMO. Just use the Floyd posts.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Plug the original holes, redrill with a brad point bit. Then, you'll have something for the bit to bite into. Not a big deal. Also not worth it, IMO. Just use the Floyd posts.

Yes!

The only time I've ever successfully done this (re-drilled a hole without plugging it) is using a template material (metal) clamped to the piece I'm drilling which will not allow the bit to move off center - and it still got a little ragged around the top edge.

I also did not consider that it really doesn't matter what you would plug the hole with since 100% of it should be drilled out.

[Newc]

Several manufacturers have moved to Gotoh due to quality issues with the OFR....but since the Gotoh is cheaper it might be that they can make more money in the end.....

dinkyguitar

I think this is the real reason. I can't imagine Floyd Rose or Schaller letting their reputation drop so drastically as to allow their competition to gain the upper-hand, so it has to be simple economics - buy cheaper hardware, pocket more money, the parter-outers on Ebay can suck it

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I think this is the real reason. I can't imagine Floyd Rose or Schaller letting their reputation drop so drastically as to allow their competition to gain the upper-hand, so it has to be simple economics - buy cheaper hardware, pocket more money, the parter-outers on Ebay can suck it

I agree. And then you talk shit about the other hardware to make your own sound good. You know, poly deadens tone, "Leo did it that way because...", cryo-treated metal has better tone, mother of pearl for "historic accuracy" and all that shit. Marketing.

[ginsambo]

I also have a body drilled for Floyd posts. Are JT-580 holes the same as Floyd holes and will Jackson JT-580 studs accept floyd posts and a floyd assembly? Also can you mount a JT-580 without a route cavity, do you need a bar under the front of it between the posts to save your paint?

How would people rate JT-580 (Takeuchi), OFR and Gotoh. Probably worth sticking with the free 580 for a cheap guitar body? Don't know whether to hammer the 580 posts in or get a OFR...

Soz to jump the post, but I bore people to tears otherwise with all my questions...and thought this was a bit relevant.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

No, the holes are not the same. No the JT580 bushings (the body inserts) will not accept floyd posts.

Your best bet is to buy a set of Floyd posts (they're like $10 USD) and you could use the JT580 with that if you want. I think it's an OK tremolo, but I'd get a Floyd if I could, if you know what I mean.

[sully]

Thanks...

I do have access to a drill press and right now I'm in the deciding stage....I might just use the Floyd Rose studs with a Gotoh tremolo...

I've been reading alot about the Gotoh vs OFR and many say the Gotoh is better but without first hand experience, I'm not sure.....Several manufacturers have moved to Gotoh due to quality issues with the OFR....but since the Gotoh is cheaper it might be that they can make more money in the end.....

dinkyguitar

The Allparts prices for an OFR and a Gotoh floyd are very similar (from a dealer perspective). Not sure that I have a preference, performance-wise, but I like the look of the Gotoh better.

Sully