The great Floyd Rose Big-Block Shootout.

[Blackflag]

I have a creepy little nephew who's half-retarded and sits around picking his nose all day... he said what he wanted more than anything was a guitar with a "floyd rose."

I told him to go fuck himself.

[jhale667]

What a supportive, encouraging uncle you are.


However, IF it's the kid's first guitar, Floyd = bad idea. A bridge that's finicky about tuning in the hands of a kid still learning to tune? Uh, no.

[Seshmeister]

I have a creepy little nephew who's half-retarded and sits around picking his nose all day... he said what he wanted more than anything was a guitar with a "floyd rose."

I told him to go fuck himself.

You should get him a banjo.

[jhale667]

You should get him a banjo.

[GAR]

If a brass block like this costs me $4 bucks in materials, I shouldn't have more than double that in labor.

That's $12 bucks, for a maybe-good idea. For a product giving some people who wanna tear their bridge apart an all afternoon tinkering thrill not unlike pissing in a wetsuit (warm feeling nobody will every notice but yourself).

If I get 200 percent markup wholesale on that 12, I'm doing pretty good at $36 so I'd say he's got it priced about right.

The Titanium is another story however.

[jhale667]

giving some people thrill not unlike pissing in a wetsuit (warm feeling nobody will every notice but yourself).

This from the guy who doesn't even play anymore, has never tried one, and doesn't know...
Again, you're seriously in the minority on that opinion. The response to this has been 99% positive.

Way T.M.I. with admitting you're into pissing yourself, btw...

[GAR]

This from the guy who doesn't even play anymore, has never tried one, and doesn't know...

Brass blocks came out in 1979, when I tried them on a brass Stars Guitars replacement as marketed by DiMarzio.

When was the last time you rode a bike, Jay? Gee I can't remember myself - year maybe? Guess I'll forget how to pedal and balance if I was so fucking stupid and dyslexic to my physical surroundings like you.

Maybe you're right: chord shapes, scales and tunings, if you don't play a year or more you're FUCKED from ever doing it again according to JayNIUS here. I can't remember which key I use off my two-key keyring sometimes to get in the gate so according to Jay's reasoning I should call a locksmith to get inside..

Again, you're seriously in the minority on that opinion. The response to this has been 99% positive.

My bitch is that the benefits and cost approaches snake-oil level promising, and I don't like that aspect.

Way T.M.I. with admitting you're into pissing yourself, btw...

What are the chances you will ever see the surf with a board this year? Bout the same as last year.. ZERO?

[jhale667]

What are the chances you will ever see the surf with a board this year? Bout the same as last year.. ZERO?

Yeah, statistically probably about the same as you posting a picture of your gear, or ever making a legitimate claim...?

STFU and get back in the woodshed, quitter. Get back to us when you've got the "Iwato" scale down.... :dafinger:


The review's been posted on the FU site now, btw...so -F.U.

[GAR]

uhhh "FU Site" huhuhuhuhuhuh...? come hither!

[Diamondjimi]

I have a creepy little nephew who's half-retarded and sits around picking his nose all day...

Not surprised with the fact that mental retardation runs in your DNA pool...

[jhale667]

Schedules permitting, will be meeting up with Adam from FloydUpgrades at NAMM this week, will see if I can get the scoop on any new products...or perhaps beta-test a few of the new block materials he's talking about...

[jhale667]

Block BUMP.

Just got an email from a longtime friend and guitarist who after hearing how jazzed I was about them, tried a Brass Block in his new Charvel:

Yes its awesome, open chords just bust out. Best thing Ive done to a Floyd for sure!!

Another completely hilarious quote from another gear forum:

I'm now seriously G.A.S.sing for a Ti Big-Block, and I'm blaming YOU, Jhale!

Sorry!

[jhale667]

This was bump-worthy, for anyone who blocks their trem for dive-only use...and ya want some extra tone-generating contact action...Brass Stoppers.




Brass Tremolo Stopper [TRS003] - $24.95 : FloydUpgrades.com!, Floyd Rose Tremolo Upgrades

I personally like floating Floyds, but if I did block 'em for dive-only this would be (and I imagine is) the shit. There's more (bigger) new stuff coming, can't spill the beans just yet...

[Diamondjimi]

Simple, yet cool design. For years I've been using a thin wedge glued in place.
Gonna look into gettin one of these.
I'm also a floating bridge fan, but I like to keep a couple blocked. For, you know, insurance purposes...

[jhale667]

Yeah, I used a homemade wedge deal forever for setups, but those are pretty cool...I'm throwing one of the regular ones in my Koa Strat for travel and setups, but would totally use the brass ones if I did decide to block something for dive-only someday..

[Diamondjimi]

How much are they?

Does F.R.U. have distributors or is it buy direct only?

[Diamondjimi]

I'm throwing one of the regular ones in my Koa Strat for travel and setups,

For setups... a good sales angle. Setting up a "floater" can be a pain in the ass without an accurate wedge or this type of gizmo.
I'm sure GARfail designed this years ago, but (you know) could'nt raise the capitol to market the thing...

[Seshmeister]

I've been following this thread for a while and I applaud the absolute crazy nerdiness of it.

I honestly don't mean that in a bad way.

[jhale667]

How much are they?

Does F.R.U. have distributors or is it buy direct only?

Brass ones are like $25, the standard one is cheaper...you can buy directly through his site...

http://www.floydupgrades.com

I've been following this thread for a while and I applaud the absolute crazy nerdiness of it.

I honestly don't mean that in a bad way.

Thanks. I think.

[Nitro Express]

Ed has recorded with so many guitars. No Floyd at all on VH I and VH II.

[jhale667]

Recorded with the Brass-block equipped Strat for the first time post Brass Claw install today, and am now officially convinced any contact point in the system should be made of tone-enhancing materials. My guitars are so resonant now it's crazy, I just love the response I'm getting from them now. Each one's individual personality is enhanced (or augmented in the case of the Koa/Ti combo) to the Nth degree, makes for a very enjoyable playing experience.

Ed has recorded with so many guitars. No Floyd at all on VH I and VH II.

Haven't confirmed it 100% but pretty sure he's Big-Blocking his shit these days...

[Coyote]

Dammit, J! Now I'm thinking 'bout getting a Brass Claw...

[Seshmeister]

I'm thinking of getting a titanium hand.

[jhale667]

Dammit, J! Now I'm thinking 'bout getting a Brass Claw...

Do it!

[jhale667]

OK, based on my initial experience with the Brass Claws, installing them in everything I own with a tremolo, even my "Traditional" builds with Fender American Vintage Bridges...



And of course the No. 2 as well as the Kramer rebuilds...



It's funny, now I'm kind of even more on the fence about the Noiseless Springs...on the one hand they DO eliminate some of the extraneous howl you'd get from say, your belt-buckle scraping against the springs as you play standing up, whatever - but I was fucking around with intentional spring-scrape noises ala "Intruder" this evening on No. 1 (Brass claw, Brass Big-Block, regular springs) and HOLY CRAP it rings like crazy in a good way...

So I'm thinking, if you wanted to get that anal about it, Noiseless Springs for recording, standard for live work...

[GAR]

So I'm thinking, if you wanted to get that anal about it, Noiseless Springs for recording, standard for live work...

Any live work Jay's done in the past has always been noiseless, so long as that cartage dolly bearings weren't shot...

[Coyote]

It's funny, now I'm kind of even more on the fence about the Noiseless Springs...on the one hand they DO eliminate some of the extraneous howl you'd get from say, your belt-buckle scraping against the springs as you play standing up, whatever - but I was fucking around with intentional spring-scrape noises ala "Intruder" this evening on No. 1 (Brass claw, Brass Big-Block, regular springs) and HOLY CRAP it rings like crazy in a good way...

So I'm thinking, if you wanted to get that anal about it, Noiseless Springs for recording, standard for live work...

Or slap in two Noiseless and one regular...

[jhale667]

It was so much nicer around here when the library was closed...

Any live work Jay's done in the past has always been noiseless, so long as that cartage dolly bearings weren't shot...

And any live work you (allegedly) did was at least 15 years ago, so STFU.

[jhale667]

Or slap in two Noiseless and one regular...

There's a thought... maybe make the two outer springs Noiseless and the middle one be the standard, for when you WANT to make the moose-sounds...

In other news, another batch of Brass claws showed up yesterday, time to start swapping 'em out...

[jhale667]

Installed the Brass claw in the first vintage-trem Strat (the Sunburst one in the above pic, for those keeping score ) last night...nice! Seems open chords "ring" a little more with them, there's a little more "chime"...these aren't just for Floyds!

If you think about it, that's probably the most overlooked part in any tremolo system, can't name another one that isn't made out of who-knows-what...(?) but using one made from brass does IMO add something subtle but noticeable to the resonance of any trem system...Floyd or Vintage...

[jhale667]

Did the claw upgrade on the Purple Strat this morning, same if not better results...actually remembered to do a wiring diagram of the Eric Johnson tone mod while I had it apart (iffy volume potentiometer change-out done, too), so next time someone asks how it's done I don't have to take my guitar apart to show them, but that's another story...

Then I moved on to a restring and setup on the Koa Strat, and installed the Stainless Steel hardware...very nice!

[jhale667]

Here's a cool review none other than Steve Stevens himself posted over at Huge Rigs...


HRI • View topic - Floyd Upgrades


"Hey Fellow Geetar Playa's
I recently upgraded my Gotoh equipped Suhr Modern with the full on titanium upgrade courtesy of Adam Reiver at Floyd Upgrades.floydupgrades.com/. It's quite the chunk of change for the full deal, but this guitar is now so sonically pure, it's almost stealth. It really truly made one huge difference. I am bringing only 1 wang bar guitar on tour for Billy Idol 2010. I figured just bring the best. Through my rig, just tapping on this geetar now makes the earth shake."






Similar setup as Demartini, it appears...Ti saddles and a Brass block... :rock:

[Blackflag]

I like Steve Stevens' playing.

But I still hate this fucking thread. You know what's "sonically pure?" Fixed bridge.

[jhale667]

I like Steve Stevens' playing.

A rare moment of you showing some taste...

But I still hate this fucking thread.

Over all too soon. Ironically no one cares that you hate this thread - still.

[Diamondjimi]

It's no different J. (BF's opinion on tailpieces)...

Some people can only drive automatic cars, and some can drive standard and automatic...

[GAR]

I can't believe the size of those string clamps - they are fucking MASSIVE.

What's odd here, is = titanium is half the weight of steel or something? But these things are twice the size of the original things.. what thee fwokk is up with that?

I thought we were on about weight savings here and clearly now that I see this thing up close that's not the case at all. In fact, you add weight with that stupid big brass block, of which reason I dont get at all.

[jhale667]

I can't believe the size of those string clamps - they are fucking MASSIVE.

What's odd here, is = titanium is half the weight of steel or something? But these things are twice the size of the original things.. what thee fwokk is up with that?

The round inserts hold the string better than the original type. And you can crank them down harder because they're Ti...

I dont get at all.

Much like a neutered dog...

[GAR]

I like the round inserts dont get me wrong, but they're huge logs.

Have you ever weighed the original vs your Frankenstein concoction of a bridge in a weight comparison yet?

The socalled lite Ti bridge doesn't appear so lite at all now that I see it.

He's less of a machinist that I thought.. my idea was to make the bridge lighter and clearly this was not the case: the idea here was to make a big fucking chunk of metal you could really really crank down a little defenseless 4mm Allen wrench down onto with your hamfisted dainties and not break the clamp lock.

No wonder Floyd came up with a Ti version.. this guy couldn't do it correctly which would be to make the blocks at least original size or smaller.

The whole "smaller / lighter / faster resonance" concept seems lost on this fella. Good luck to him with that.

[Hardrock69]

Why don't you fucking leave your goddam cardboard box under the 405 and go tell Floyd how to fucking make his fucking products, Mr. Expert!

[GAR]

Adam doesn't work for Floyd.

Try to follow the topic?