FRTO2000 vs Floyd Rose Special

[groverj3]

I was thinking today (slow at work) about the differences between these trems. Having now owned guitars with all three. I have come to the conclusion that the FRTO2000 and Floyd Rose Special are more or less the same trem.

Both made in South Korea
Saddles: Both use zinc-alloy
Base Plate: Both use steel
Hex Bolts and screws: Both seem like softer metal than the OFR
Shape: Identical to the OFR, except the area where the fine tuners are seems not to be as precisely bent (this isn't consistent though, some look identical to OFRs). Both fit in OFR routes just fine.
Color Options: Floyd specials seem to come in the most styles, but both of them come in the black-nickel as well as standard black, gold, and chrome.
Locking Nut: Identical, same dimensions as OFR nuts without the "Made in Germany" stamp (obviously)

Only one thing doesn't match up. The arm and arm housing. The floyd special's arm housing seems slightly larger in diameter than the FRTO2000 and the screw-collar on the bar is slightly longer. However, neither fit inside their respective housings as well as the schaller/ofr version. Also, a schllar/ofr bar will have excessive wobble in either the FTO2000 or special's arm housings.

My theory is that they are the same thing, sans the bar and housing. They just have some baseplates that they stamp "Special" on and others that they don't. Since you can't buy an FRTO2000 other than on a guitar that comes with one, I'm guessing they just have slightly cheaper trem arms/housings for the specials which end up on lower priced guitars. The specials also go out for sale by themselves.

I could be wrong, it's just a theory.

[DonP]

I've heard only the "Special" has zinc saddles and a zinc sustain block. I can see in my AS SDX it has a small zinc block.

[RobRR]

And unfortunately, they dont always fit in an OFR rout. I had this problem personally. The part of the base plate that has the fine tuners is actually closer towards the treble side by around .020 iirc... if you have a tight OFR rout, that little bit will def cause problems. I could not fit a MIK 2000 into my 89 custom Kelly... just wouldnt work by a hair, but it was enough. HAD to get an OFR for that one.

[groverj3]

I've heard only the "Special" has zinc saddles and a zinc sustain block. I can see in my AS SDX it has a small zinc block.

Forgot to look at the blocks. My suspicion is that the Korean OFR (FRTO2000) also will have a zinc block. If not, since that is an easily replaced part, that may be a difference between them along with the bar. Thus, giving companies justification to consider it a "better" trem and putting it on slightly more expensive guitars. Even though either trem should perform just as well under use.

I've heard people say that the FRTO2000 has zinc saddles as well but it's hard to concrete info on the thing.

[groverj3]

And unfortunately, they dont always fit in an OFR rout. I had this problem personally. The part of the base plate that has the fine tuners is actually closer towards the treble side by around .020 iirc... if you have a tight OFR rout, that little bit will def cause problems. I could not fit a MIK 2000 into my 89 custom Kelly... just wouldnt work by a hair, but it was enough. HAD to get an OFR for that one.

Didn't know that. So, they are not always a direct retrofit. If the floyd special also had the same issue it would pretty much confirm my hunch. That the trems are pretty much the same.

[Rich#6]

the only difference are the saddles which is a huge deal for many.

[groverj3]

the only difference are the saddles which is a huge deal for many.

Is there a difference in saddles between the Korean "OFR" and the Floyd Special? As I said above, supposedly they both use Zinc alloy.

Obviously this isn't as sturdy as a real OFR in either case.

I just find it interesting that the FRTO2000 is supposedly a better quality trem than the special, but from what I can gather they are basically the same. Neither as good as an OFR, but they seem to stay in tune just fine.

[wilkinsi]

So, if I read this correctly, fitting an OFR in a FRS route should be OK? Presumably, the OFR can still use the FRS's posts?

[Rich#6]

[QUOTEAs I said above, supposedly they both use Zinc alloy.][/QUOTE] and you would be wrong. there has been discussions regarding these trems all the way back to when the first usa made production charvels came out with them 5 years ago.

[groverj3]

and you would be wrong. there has been discussions regarding these trems all the way back to when the first usa made production charvels came out with them 5 years ago.

Well, there's been plenty of talk about them but I have yet to find anything definitively proving them to be made of steel. Not saying they aren't, but everything I read is people arguing back and forth about it and nothing being proven

I just think it would be interesting to find out if they are mostly the same. Since most people back the FRTO2000 as a quality unit and some say that the floyd specials are junk (although in my experience they've been plenty reliable).

[Rich#6]

looks thru threads regarding the usa charvels. They are even called OFRs in many of their descriptions. Why if the cheaper jackson now have specials have different base plates made just to fool us with the higher end guitars??

[groverj3]

I'm not saying they're trying to fool us or anything like that. Just that the differences between them may be small enough (or nonexistent) that essentially they function the same and can be considered to be of equivalent quality. Despite the opinion of many that the special is worse. With the only real difference being the arm . Anyway, this is all just a hunch I had due to the differences between them being small or nonexistent in most areas.

With regard to FRO2000s still being called "OFRs," if they are produced using original floyd rose schematics and are officially manufactured for Floyd Rose it shouldn't make any difference where they are made. Logic would say that they could still call them whatever they wanted. I haven't seen one just called a "Floyd Rose Original" though, mostly it is labeled something like "Floyd Rose FRTO2000/1000 Tremolo"

I'm not trying to call them out on shady business practices or anything, this all seems perfectly legit and they are indeed giving them different names and not trying to convince you that they are something they aren't. I just find it interesting, that's all.

Granted, I may be completely wrong in my hunch and the FRTO1000/2000 may be manufactured to higher standards despite the similarities . It just seems unlikely.

[jacksonaxes]

With regards to the saddles,just put a magnet to them, it will stick to steel, but not Zinc.

[Newc]

At one time, there was a model stamped on the top of the baseplate "Floyd Rose Original". I have one. Pretty sure it's a Schaller, as well.

And I gotta know why you'd even consider putting anything but a Schaller-made OFR on an '89 Kelly?

[Rich#6]

grover you are being a fucking troll. There are tons of thread here that say what the OEMs ones are. They can use the original floyd rose because they are made in korea using the same high standards and same metals as the German made ones. why does a country of manufacture make a difference in cost? labor. south korea labor is really really cheap. Germany same as in the usa it's very high. big difference in the bottom line.
Even the charvel snobs don't bash these like you are. read a little before you keep talking shit. All of them will work great now. 20 years from now those zinc saddles on the specials will have a high percent in a land fill. I have all three kinds and you can just look and tell the difference between the korean or german OFR and the specials. I'm not knocking the specials either since for right now they stay in tune for me.