TONE REPORT - Titanium Big Block

[Trussrod]

Are OFR blocks compatible with Gotoh trems?

I don't think so. Places like floydupgrades have a different block for gotoh trems because the screw spacing on the block and base plate are different. You can verify this on their site. An OFR and JT580LP both have 17 mm screw spacing so they are interchangeable.

[Trussrod]

though I've read a lot of great reviews on any kind of material used for sustain-blocks and I'm highly curious to try out (most likely) a brass one myself, I start to consider the possibility pretty much every material is used for these blocks that has a nice/rare/exotic/expensive sounding name and sells the product in first place. :think:

Brass (CA 360=bell brass) is tried and true and not very expensive so I think it will always be around. I'd like to hear what a solid silver base plate or block would sound like but who wants to spend the money on that? Eventually we might see a two piece block--titanium under the unwound strings and brass under the wound strings. I'm all for experimentation.

[Endrik]

now I wonder where titanium comes from anyway, since everyone seems to be chasing mass for a first priority

I personally am interested in the musicality of the metal/alloy hence why I am interested in bronze block and not too eager to buy titanium block as titanium to my ears is too harsh and bright sounding metal.

[jhale667]

Brass is definitely the all-purpose fave, that's for sure. I don't think I'd necessarily put a Ti block in an already harsh-sounding guitar, but I could see where a Brass one would warm that same instrument's tone up.

[Endrik]

based on this chart the "musical metals" are pretty much in the same weight class http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_metals.htm

by musical I mean metals like these:
brass (horn instruments(trumpet, sax etx.), cheaper cymbals)
bronze (expensive cymbals, guitar strings)
nickel (guitar strings)
(stainless) steel (piano strings, guitar strings)

there's not much difference in weight.

I wonder how much they would differ when used as a trem block

[jhale667]

I've also heard of people asking for Aluminum and Tungsten blocks, true. Wonder which new material FloydUpgrades will offer next? The Tungsten one sold at the prorockgear.com link, while made of the material is still the same dimensions as the original crap blocks, I noticed...I want BIG Blocks, baby...lol.

Of course if Tungsten is 4x as dense, a Big-Block sized chunk in there might make things....cumbersome?

[jhale667]

No, tungsten is out of style....depleted uranium is where it's at!

Yeah, DU Blocks are gonna be the next big thing...

[Endrik]

fuck, I want some space iron, a size of one coffee cup can weight tons

[jhale667]

fuck, I want some space iron, a size of one coffee cup can weight tons

OK, but think about it...way more of a pain to schlep to the gig than a 4x12.

[jhale667]

Next week = mad scientist time...

Soon I get to have some real fun: Re-imagining a Charvel Mutt I built shortly after high-school from parts purchased from a then-nearby supplier with a Charvel parts deal back in the day. At any rate, decided to swap bodies, am trading out an old no-name Maple one for a KnE Northern Ash replica one (sure, swamp would have been preferable, but the price was right) due to show up next week and now I get to find out which block type works best with this baby. Using one of my two prized vintage R5 Charvel Maple Strat-head replacement necks. Lurves them.

Fortunately I have a couple of spare black Floyds; going to do a dry run assembly before sending it off to Mike Learn for paint, will try the Titanium Big-Block first, but the plan is to have another Floyd with the Brass Big-Block installed at the ready should I decide the Ti is too much in that body...can't imagine it will be, but gotta love options, right?

Plus I know from my other Maple Charvel necked- Northern Ash body with the Brass Big-Block installed, in the unlikely event I don't dig the Ti in the new one, I'll certainly dig it with Brass.

[jhale667]

Almost time for another Big-Block party...!

OK, the KnE body arrived today - very impressed thus far, did a test-fit after unwrapping it...



Neck-pocket fit w/my old Charvel neck is virginal tight (like I feel like I should at least cuddle with it, if not take it to dinner, after hearing the 'click' when it popped in )- I notice subtle differences (kidney-shape for the control cavity, ever-so-minor contouring differences) to the other Musikraft repro body I have or any FMIC Charvel offering I've seen, but DAMN close - this is one of those times I wish I actually HAD a (rear-routed) Production-model body to compare both the Musikraft AND the KnE against; hard to say WHICH one is more accurate..

Already pimped out the (go-to) Floyd with the Ti Big-Block, Graph Tech saddles (first experiment with these) and FloydUpgrades stainless steel hardware... like I said earlier, have a black Floyd with the Brass block installed at the ready just in case, but don't think I'll have a problem with the Ti...

Direct-mounting the pickups...a Duncan STK-S1N and a CC that may eventually morph into a C8....