Battle of the Floyds: Gotoh vs. Schaller

[197666]

Maybe it's just me but I find no significant advantage the Gotoh offers that makes it superior to the OFR's and Schaller Lic. Floyds I've played. I've owned a couple of axes with Gotohs and didn't find them to be all that. I might very well be one of those guys that has the old sneaker syndrome but based on my comparisons, I found the Gotoh to feel less solid (it was set up perfectly) and the arm tension was not nearly as easy to adjust as the Floyd's screw down collar. In a gig situation, I found the Gotoh arm would start to swing freely despite adjusting the tension to my liking before hand. Couldn't stop playing to grab the tool to tighten down the tension on the arm where as with a Floyd or Schaller, I can use my hand to tighten it down in a fraction of the time.
The other issue is the screws to lock the springs into the block- I've never had an issue with springs popping out of the block on any of my trems. Granted, there is no harm in being there but it's not an advantage so far as my needs are concerned. With a JEM and Vandy w/ a Kahler I had, the bar they screwed down to secure the springs was more a pain than help. If you change your springs every so often (yeah, I'm a tad picky about my Floyd performance characteristics) or change tunings, string gauges, etc. then this becomes a drag.
Lastly, the brass milled block is nice but I prefer the heavier big brass anyway so it's a non issue. For the record, the OFR and Schaller have brass blocks that are then plated with another metal (nickle?). Still brass, just different surface appearance.

As I'm debating weather or not to go with gotoh or OFR, I agree my OFR feels much more solid then my gotoh.

[leftykingv2]

They're both great systems but I prefer the OFR. Just my opinion though.

[AdRock]

I've been thinking about trying one of the Gotoh trems. Anyone know off hand who's got the best price on them?

[xenophobe]

As I'm debating weather or not to go with gotoh or OFR, I agree my OFR feels much more solid then my gotoh.

That makes absolutely no sense.

Much more solid? lmao

I like Coca Cola better than Pepsi because the can feels much more solid.

[leftykingv2]

That makes absolutely no sense.

Much more solid? lmao

I like Coca Cola better than Pepsi because the can feels much more solid.

+1 I don't understand that statement either. I've played both of them through the years and the only reason I like the OFR better is personal preference. The OFR doesn't really feel different to me than the gotoh at all and they're both "Solid" units.

[Maiden89]

Can I drop a Gotoh Floyd in my DK2M without dicking around with the guitar?

I love my my DK2M, but the Floyd is the only thing I'm considering changing. I'll adjust the arm where it doesn't swing much, but after a bar flutter, the arm gets loose and doesn't stay in position.

[dvscool]

The only advice I would give to players that really like Floyds is to TRY a Gotoh. Of course there's personal preference, and that’s cool.
I don’t personally feel one is more stable than the other. They are both rock solid and great trems. I do personally feel, like the Gotoh is more
refined then the OFR…and it feels more refined…but I’m sure others would beg to differ….

[xenophobe]

Updated with Fender Trem Post compatibility. The Gotoh knife edge design works on the Fender studs without modification. The OFR or Schaller will not.

[Dog Boy]

I like the Gotoh better.

[Number Of The Priest]

xeno!

Incredible "tremolo info project" that compliments what I've learned from Henrik's project: http://audiozone.dk/index-filer/TremoloInfoProject.htm Beautiful photos highlighting the differences, with clear written explanations. I'm admiring the Gotoh's "rolled" saddle edges and the fact that the bass side knife edge is "universal spaced", which your photos show elegantly!

Gotoh, if you're listening, shortening the string lock screws would make the overall "look" of your bridge less protruding, and possibly might even fit Schaller routes. Also, as mentioned by Devotee in post #41, find a way to offset the intonation lock screws so that they're not directly under the strings! Other than that, awesome features. Worth trying.



WARNING: Everything below is not to detract from xeno's excellent work. It's just an aside based on my limited observation of Ibanez bridges. Not mandatory reading since it has nothing to do with the Gotoh Floyd.

The Ibanez Edge pro has this too except it's a steel bar that goes all the way across the block and holds the springs in place with two screws at the middle of the block. https://www.google.com/search?q=edge...66%3B512%3B384

My first electric guitar was a 1990 Ibanez RG560 with Original Edge (not sure if that's the proper name for it) and it also had the "block lock" as seen in the Edge Pro diagram below. So we know Ibanez has been doing incremental improvements to the the Floyd ecosystem since at least 1990.



Because I'm fine with things that work well enough for me, I admit I don't really keep up with guitar innovations, which is likely how I missed knowing about the Gotoh Floyd all these years. The guy who recently sold me his USA Charvel So-Cal also owned an Ibanez RG Premium and showed me the trem cavity which resembled the below photo. I'm not too familiar in telling apart the differences between the Ibanez Edge Zero variants, but at a quick glance it appears that Ibanez (as a company) is always trying to improve on the Floyd ecosystem, including the hardware under the hood. I admired the trem claw spokewheel (which appears at the top of the photo below) and radical design (no idea if it actually performed or sounded better). Even the trem cavity cover has strategic holes so you can adjust tension without removing the cover.

[xenophobe]

Gotoh, if you're listening, shortening the string lock screws would make the overall "look" of your bridge less protruding, and possibly might even fit Schaller routes. Also, as mentioned by Devotee in post #41, find a way to offset the intonation lock screws so that they're not directly under the strings! Other than that, awesome features. Worth trying.

Yeah, see, that's my only real gripe with the Gotoh... they improved *everything* except two things that are sorely needed... they need to make intonation easier and individual saddle height adjustment would make it perfect, IMO.

Thanks for adding the latest Edge Trem stuff. Ibanez has certainly done their product improvements on their Floyd, which is manufactured by Gotoh.

And the quality is definitely a step up from the German Floyds. Japanese steel is the best steel in the world.

[Number Of The Priest]

So, Schaller (Germany) makes Schallers and OFRs, while Gotoh (Japan) makes Gotohs and Ibanez Edges?

I don't see why Gotoh couldn't just carry over some of the best features of the Edge onto their own Gotoh bridge, such as the offset intonation lock screws. Unless Ibanez has a patent on offset intonation lock screws and no one else is allowed to copy it?

I assume other companies make the Korean OFRs and Ping Floyds?

I'm getting WAY off topic here. I'll start browsing around for the least expensive place to buy a Gotoh in Canada. On Amazon.ca, they cost CAD$160.

[xenophobe]

Yeah, pretty much on all counts and I dunno on the others.

[VitaminG]

I don't see why Gotoh couldn't just carry over some of the best features of the Edge onto their own Gotoh bridge, such as the offset intonation lock screws. Unless Ibanez has a patent on offset intonation lock screws and no one else is allowed to copy it?

They possibly have some no-compete clause or proprietary arrangement with Ibanez. If the design improvements are all Ibanez's developments, Gotoh may have no right to incorporate specific improvements into their own design. They just build bridges to Ibanez's specs. Could be a patent, or maybe just part of their contract with Ibby.

I happened across Gotoh Floyds by accident. More than a decade ago I stumbled across a Model 2 in a pawnbrokers that had been upgraded with a Gotoh. For $180, I figured even if this odd looking Floyd copy was a piece of shit, the guitar was still worth it. It's a great guitar & the Gotoh stayed. A year or so ago, I swapped out the Takeuchi on a Fusion Plus with a newer Gotoh. It's a great bridge.

[Number Of The Priest]

Yeah, pretty much on all counts and I dunno on the others.

I suppose the rest don't matter.

They possibly have some no-compete clause or proprietary arrangement with Ibanez. If the design improvements are all Ibanez's developments, Gotoh may have no right to incorporate specific improvements into their own design. They just build bridges to Ibanez's specs. Could be a patent, or maybe just part of their contract with Ibby.

Makes total sense and completely plausible.

I happened across Gotoh Floyds by accident. More than a decade ago I stumbled across a Model 2 in a pawnbrokers that had been upgraded with a Gotoh. For $180, I figured even if this odd looking Floyd copy was a piece of shit, the guitar was still worth it. It's a great guitar & the Gotoh stayed. A year or so ago, I swapped out the Takeuchi on a Fusion Plus with a newer Gotoh. It's a great bridge.

Man, AUD$180 for a Model 2 is already a great deal. Getting a Gotoh is an awesome bonus.