Floyd "Old-style" Arm

[metalhobo]

Just got the old-style arm (the screw-in one) to put on my So-Cal since the original arm had too much play for my tastes (how did I live with that shit for six years?).

Do I really have to use that fuckin' wrench every time I take the arm off or put it on? Since it's a retrofit, I kind of had to assume on the way to install the arm. The first way I did it was to tighten the arm housing down on the baseplate as tight as possible, but then you can't screw in the arm all the way (if you tighten it it's left in one position) and you're still left with play in the arm travel when you swing the arm up. I figured out that a better way (probably the "proper" way) is to tighten the housing down such that it is just tight enough on the baseplate so that once you screw the arm down all the way into the housing, the whole housing turns when you swing the arm. The problem with this is the only way to screw the arm in all the way is to use that stupid little wrench they give you to hold the housing in place while you tighten the arm. Pretty annoying.

Someone really ought to devise a way to retrofit a Wilkinson vibrato arm housing to a Floyd baseplate. Now THERE'S a quality design. Takes 2 seconds to push the arm in (no screwing!) and not even a hint of play in the arm travel.

[Axewielder]

Well my man you've done the math and worked it out. Yup tighten down the coupler so that there's just enough resistance that it can move freely, but not too tight and not too loose. Then use the fuckin' wrench to tighten the arm down snugly. So the good news is this setup will NEVER be clunky and will give you a nice, tight, fluttering Floyd. The bad news is twofold: 1) You need to go find that fuckin' wrench to get the arm on or off. 2) Some of those couplers don't stay snug and need to be tightened down to the baseplate periodically. That is a major pain because you have to go find one of those flat fuckin' wrenches that can fit under the Floyd, OR you have to take the Floyd completely off and use a regular fuckin' wrench. They are stubborn too, I hit one with some locktight and it still loosens up slowly over time. I also tried bending that thread locker part on there a bit more, it doesn't help. If you're one of the lucky ones and your coupler stays snug, I'd keep that first fuckin' wrench handy and stay with it. Otherwise, get one of the modern collared ones. My fuckin' 2c anyways.

[84sups]

A Schaller made collared arm is the way to go. The arm on my Schaller is just right with just the right amount of resistance to keep it where I want it and no wobble, and I was lucky enough to get 2 pro mods that have tight collared arms....either that or they gave me the wrong(right) arms at GC

[metalhobo]

Well my man you've done the math and worked it out. Yup tighten down the coupler so that there's just enough resistance that it can move freely, but not too tight and not too loose. Then use the fuckin' wrench to tighten the arm down snugly. So the good news is this setup will NEVER be clunky and will give you a nice, tight, fluttering Floyd. The bad news is twofold: 1) You need to go find that fuckin' wrench to get the arm on or off. 2) Some of those couplers don't stay snug and need to be tightened down to the baseplate periodically. That is a major pain because you have to go find one of those flat fuckin' wrenches that can fit under the Floyd, OR you have to take the Floyd completely off and use a regular fuckin' wrench. They are stubborn too, I hit one with some locktight and it still loosens up slowly over time. I also tried bending that thread locker part on there a bit more, it doesn't help. If you're one of the lucky ones and your coupler stays snug, I'd keep that first fuckin' wrench handy and stay with it. Otherwise, get one of the modern collared ones. My fuckin' 2c anyways.

I'll have to see if it loosens over time. It was such a bitch to get on there that I don't expect it's going anywhere. I actually had some success adjusting the tightness with the bridge in-place by using a set of needle noses to grip the bottom coupler while tightening the top part with the wrench.

A Schaller made collared arm is the way to go. The arm on my Schaller is just right with just the right amount of resistance to keep it where I want it and no wobble, and I was lucky enough to get 2 pro mods that have tight collared arms....either that or they gave me the wrong(right) arms at GC

I'll have to look in to that!

[Axewielder]

The collared ones are a nice compromise, but then you are opening the door to the "clunkiness" issue on some of them. Most of them work great.

[xenophobe]

The collared trem arms usually have a center dead spot... at least they do when they break in. And most of mine used to loosen up with use.

I've upgraded almost all of my OFRs and Schallers to the Gotoh Floyd. The Gotoh trem arm is awesome. It screws in, and can be adjusted to whatever tension you want and doesn't have that dead spot. Even if you like your trem arm a bit loose, you can still have it set so that there isn't that center dead spot.

[leftykingv2]

I've never had an issues with any of my Original Floyd Bars.

[claxor]

I've never had an issues with any of my Original Floyd Bars.

I agree. Me too. The Gotoh Floyd's collar design is the reason why I would never consider it. One more part to lose (the collar's allen wrench)

[metalhobo]

I've never had an issues with any of my Original Floyd Bars.

Yeah, I never had any "issues" either until I picked up my Carvin with the Wilk trem. :think:

[slo100]

I've heard good things about the Gotohs, too. I have all old, original style arm like you are describing. I like the bar to swing freely so it is not an issue for me. However, what I do is adjust and lock the collar so the threads grab right at the point where I like it to sit (roughly parallel to the neck) so if I want it to float I can do that. Otherwise it is free swinging. I've been doing it that way since before the thumbscrew came out so I'm used to it that way. On the very first Floyds the bars were literally screwed on to the plate, almost a permanent attachment where a bolt affixed the bar from behind the plate. The bar is not removable unless you remove the trem from the guitar.

[j2379]

Crazy glue. I can fix anything with it and some duct tape.

[xenophobe]

I agree. Me too. The Gotoh Floyd's collar design is the reason why I would never consider it. One more part to lose (the collar's allen wrench)

You would never consider the Gotoh Floyd because you might lose an allen wrench?

Why would you use any Floyd if that worries you?

Hysterical..... lmao

[leftykingv2]

You would never consider the Gotoh Floyd because you might lose an allen wrench?

Why would you use any Floyd if that worries you?

Hysterical..... lmao

That is pretty funny. I don't use the Gotoh because every Floyd I've ever owned was German made and high quality so there was no reason for the switch in my case. I have heard from numerous people that the Gotoh Floyd is better but I wouldn't know as I've never owned or used one. EDIT; I can tell you that something as simple as an extra allen wrench wouldn't be a deterrent for me if I was in the market for a new Tremolo system.

[xenophobe]

Well, everyone has their reasons, that's just not a logical one.

I think I have 5 Gotoh equipped guitars that I swapped out from either JT590's or OFRs... I've only had to adjust one or two. When you screw the trem arm in all the way, the trem arm will sit at the proper 'just out of reach' range, you can lift it up with your pinky and it won't go back down unless you brush it back down somehow... but you can loosen it up if you want it free swinging.

It's basically just a screw in Fender/Hipshot style trem bar without the single locking trem. It'll even accept the Fender plastic or metal tips.

It has the stability of a NFT Floyd bar but is easily removable and adjustable for tension. And it doesn't have that JT590/OFR dead spot at the resting position. It's really quite nice.