Have any of you installed a Floyd?

[PowerTube]

And by this I don't mean just swapping a licensed Floyd out for an OFR. Have you installed one on a guitar that came with a fixed bridge or a Fender or other style of tremolo? If so, how difficult is it?

I've also heard that a lot of them are installed the wrong way, but I don't know the details.

Any good guides out there, video or otherwise?

[Matt_B]

If you poke around the 'net you'll find plenty of tutorials and videos on installing an OFR. While I've never done it myself it doesn't seem all that difficult if you have the right tools, the templates and the right mindset (measure twice, route once). For most folks, it's a matter of the investment for the first two vs. how often they plan on doing it. I never had a need to install one, let alone multiples, myself to justify the investment. Besides which I have been able to find the guitars I want with an OFR already installed.

[dvscool]

Personally. I wouldn't dream of it lol....I'd rather let someone that's done 1000 of them do it. But if your good with a routor and have the correct template, it could be done. I'd fuck it up I'm sure

[Matt_B]

Personally. I wouldn't dream of it lol....I'd rather let someone that's done 1000 of them do it. But if your good with a routor and have the correct template, it could be done. I'd fuck it up I'm sure

That last phrase is key - if you're prepared to screw up the job then don't do it. I would try it on a cheap guitar I didn't care about destroying but I'd have to buy a guitar like that first.

[straycat]

I did a Hello Kitty strat so borrowed the templates that a friend had.
Did the route with a router attachment for my Dremel tool.
Not something I would want to tackle on an expensive guitar to be honest.
Best to let a pro do it.

[dvscool]

That last phrase it key - if you're prepared to screw up the job then don't do it. I would try it on a cheap guitar I didn't care about destroying but I'd have to buy a guitar like that first.

I would have to to buy something A) cheap that I didn't care about..but B) that was worth time and good enough to put a floyd in. I suppose you could buy a really cheap knock off and if everything turned out awesome, then buy a better trem....

I had a Floyd put in a strat once. The luthier did a great job. That guitar sadly, was stolen.

[leftykingv2]

I watched a friend who is experienced in wood working completely fuck this job up one time. After seeing that I told myself I'd never even attempt it and I still haven't to this day. The worst part of it was he ruined a perfectly good Les Paul custom. I told him right before he did it that he was retarded for doing that to a Les Paul but he wanted to be like Alex Lifeson. I told him about twenty times take it to a real Luthier but he didn't want to drop $160 bucks. Instead he butchered a 4K guitar because he was stubborn and cheap.

[sully]

Yes. This isn't difficult as long as you:

1. Have a good template (not just the schematic from the Floyd site)
2. Have a drill press (or access to one) and a brad point drill bit for the posts (10mm)
3. Can locate the actual center line of the guitar body.

Sully

[Newc]

Yes. This isn't difficult as long as you:

1. Have a good template (not just the schematic from the Floyd site) - I don't.
2. Have a drill press (or access to one) and a brad point drill bit for the posts (10mm) - I do.
3. Can locate the actual center line of the guitar body. - Probably not

Sully

So, the odds seems heavily stacked against me here

[Newc]

One thing you should know, however, is that most guitars that have a factory Floyd also have a longer headstock piece than their non-Floyded versions. Noticed that a few years ago when comparing various Floyded/non-Floyded necks and wondering why one was longer.

Routing for the nut can be done, obviously, but the low E might be really close to the nut when you get done.
IIRC, you have to take off some of the board as well because the nut curves forward right where the strings cross, which would throw off the intonation slightly. Might be able to compensate with the saddle adjustments, unless you've got one that's fully forward already.

[BigE13]

I converted a Model 2 with a Kahler on it to a Floyd. Hardest part is drilling the new post holes at the correct angle. A good and large drill press is best for it. If you take your time, measure like 10 times before cutting or drilling and use a good template like the acrylic Floyd templates from StewMac you should be fine. Like many posters here, I would not do this on a guitar that runs more than $500 as I am no expert. My job on the Model 2 turned out perfectly but I really took my time.

[straycat]

+1 to what Sully said.

[Chad]

I watched a friend who is experienced in wood working completely fuck this job up one time. After seeing that I told myself I'd never even attempt it and I still haven't to this day. The worst part of it was he ruined a perfectly good Les Paul custom. I told him right before he did it that he was retarded for doing that to a Les Paul but he wanted to be like Alex Lifeson. I told him about twenty times take it to a real Luthier but he didn't want to drop $160 bucks. Instead he butchered a 4K guitar because he was stubborn and cheap.

Was it a post 1993 Les Paul Custom? If so, I figured you were probably clapping your hands going "good riddance!"

[PowerTube]

One thing you should know, however, is that most guitars that have a factory Floyd also have a longer headstock piece than their non-Floyded versions. Noticed that a few years ago when comparing various Floyded/non-Floyded necks and wondering why one was longer.

Routing for the nut can be done, obviously, but the low E might be really close to the nut when you get done.
IIRC, you have to take off some of the board as well because the nut curves forward right where the strings cross, which would throw off the intonation slightly. Might be able to compensate with the saddle adjustments, unless you've got one that's fully forward already.

That's very interesting. I need to pay more attention to that sometime when I'm in a store and they have Floyd and non-Floyd versions of the same guitar.

[sully]

So, the odds seems heavily stacked against me here

Eh, maybe not. I've been working with a friend and will be testing a floyd template that's way better than what you can get from stewmac (based on Jackson's more modern floyd route that allows better travel). The recessed template also won't create a freekin' bathtub rout like the Stewmac one does, and these are 3/4" thick. And I can help ya find a center line.

One thing you should know, however, is that most guitars that have a factory Floyd also have a longer headstock piece than their non-Floyded versions. Noticed that a few years ago when comparing various Floyded/non-Floyded necks and wondering why one was longer.

Routing for the nut can be done, obviously, but the low E might be really close to the nut when you get done.
IIRC, you have to take off some of the board as well because the nut curves forward right where the strings cross, which would throw off the intonation slightly. Might be able to compensate with the saddle adjustments, unless you've got one that's fully forward already.

Yes, if this is a strat style neck, you're gonna have the ass end (facing the tuner posts) of the nut hanging in the breeze. It's not a huge issue, and hell, Andersons with a floyd shelf have this phenomenon. When planning out a neck, you determine the nut thickness, and on an angled headstock, the back facing side of the nut should be in line with where the break angle of the headstock begins. Obviously a strat head has the extra wood behind the nut, but it's not enough to create a full floyd platform. Some headstocks are longer (Jacksons have been known to be), but it doesn't always have to be that way.

Sully