Old 80's Floyd Rose vs new Floyd Rose

[d4rin]

Can someone compare the OFR when it came out in the 80's with the new ones? I am curious of the quality differences...

[vector]

Other than different means of attaching the arm (screw in vs. collar screw), the OFR has remained essentially the same in design, manufacturing and materials. As for quality, while I've played OFR's since 1983, I can't really give you any objective, qualitative assessment observed in that time. In my personal experience, they've been consistently rock solid and dependable. Maybe I've come across one that had a slightly stuck or poorly turning micro-tuner or an arm housing that needed tightening. In any case of less-than-optimal performance quality, 99% of it could be attributed to installation or set up error.

Again, I have no empirical data to back this up.

[d4rin]

Other than different means of attaching the arm (screw in vs. collar screw), the OFR has remained essentially the same in design, manufacturing and materials. As for quality, while I've played OFR's since 1983, I can't really give you any objective, qualitative assessment observed in that time. In my personal experience, they've been consistently rock solid and dependable. Maybe I've come across one that had a slightly stuck or poorly turning micro-tuner or an arm housing that needed tightening. In any case of less-than-optimal performance quality, 99% of it could be attributed to installation or set up error.

Again, I have no empirical data to back this up.

I do agree %100 that setup is most important. Some people can't grasp the idea that the floyd must be blocked straight with the body when changing strings, so when the strings are at pitch you can take the block out and the floyd will be parallel with the body again.

Also stretching strings is a huge factory, before locking the nut make sure to stretch the strings over and over again. You can see many tech's on Youtube doing the same thing.

Steve vai's tech probably takes ALOT of time just stretching the strings out for Vai. He beats the crap out of the edge bridge...

[AAEA]

Some differences are the Updated tremolo arms, the insert style posts, and the way they do their finishes.

Gold on the old ones was sort of a bad joke and would take its leave as soon as months after you had purchased it.

I have seen older ones with thicker body plates and thinner body plates.

Personally I hate the new style tremolo arms with the collar. I also prefer the screw in posts.

Then there are the rare, like titanium and the hard to find "made in USA" floyd roses.

[IMG][/IMG]

[shramiac]

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I also prefer the screw in posts.

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Reason?


Give me the pop-in arm over all others too!

[d4rin]

And what size block came on the 80's Floyd Rose model? Did they come with a 42 block or 37?

37 is standard now it seems, brass with nickle plate.

I've upgraded to a 42 brass block before but it changed the sound too much, too muddy.

I wouldn't recommend getting one with a mid-heavy or bass-heavy pickup.

[rjohnstone]

The only reason to change the block size is if you're putting the trem in a different guitar.
Recess mount typically gets 37mm block and top mount get the 42mm.

Going from a 37 to a 42 in the same guitar usually results in clearance issues with the trem back plate.

[d4rin]

The only reason to change the block size is if you're putting the trem in a different guitar.
Recess mount typically gets 37mm block and top mount get the 42mm.

Going from a 37 to a 42 in the same guitar usually results in clearance issues with the trem back plate.

That's true, my new OFR came with a 37 block, also has the www.floydrose.com thing on it, a few years ago it never showed that...

[Axewielder]

The old ones used to have those brass fine tuners with black paint that wore off. That's all I got.

[d4rin]

The old ones used to have those brass fine tuners with black paint that wore off. That's all I got.

I think the new ones are like that now too, the fine tuners might still be made of brass.

[metalhobo]

the fine tuners on the 1984 reissure floyd are plain brass. and it comes with the screw in arm. so the real comparison would be THAT to an '80s floyd