Floyd Rose confusion - 80s Kramers

clarkefan

<img alt="" src="https://i.imgur.com/fDWwPVk.jpg?1">

The two parts above are part of a Floyd Rose trem, they are mounted between the base plate and the big metal block inside the guitar.

The first fine-tuning Floyds in the 80s, on Kramers, didn't have these parts and they worked just fine.

I just removed them from one of my Floyd guitars and it works perfectly; no issues with tuning and if anything the Floyd operates smoother than it did before (but that might be because it's now floating slightly where previously it was decked).

I thought the spring thing was there to keep the string locking bolts pressed hard against the fine tuners, but it occured to me that the tension on the strings already does that.  Everything is locked, the string to the saddle, the saddle to the base plate, so there's no danger of anything "slipping" or whatever.

I feel like I must be missing something   Does anyone have any idea what they are supposed to be improving?  The Floyd without these parts seemed to be perfectly good enough for everybody playing Kramers back in the day!

mudslide73

Maybe to hold everything in place if you're setting the intonation and removing the saddle bolts. I've had them fall out.. not sure though.

clarkefan

The spring thing wouldn't make any difference with intonation unfortunately.  Actually thinking about it intonating might be easier without it.

The *only* difference I notice is that using the fine tuners is "looser" without the spring, still works fine, just less resistance to turning the fine tuners.

FelineGuitars

I think you may be right but I'm quite happy with mine having that part.

However I am after one of the "original" non fine tuning floyds that had a noticeable lip to the saddle.

clarkefan

Thanks Jon. Weird there's so little info anywhere.  Makes sense to me to remove them and have the baseplate and big block screwed solidly together with no flimsy bits in between.

Thought they re - released the no-fine-tuners version? 

stonevibe

clarkefan said:

Thought they re - released the no-fine-tuners version? 

I believe there was more than one version of this bridge.

Mine is a modern day reissue 

FelineGuitars

clarkefan said:

Thanks Jon. Weird there's so little info anywhere.  Makes sense to me to remove them and have the baseplate and big block screwed solidly together with no flimsy bits in between.

Thought they re - released the no-fine-tuners version? 

The version they released was the later style and not the one I'd like- see below it is almost like a tunamatic saddle- makes for a much swifter drop off the edge of the cliff  when dipping the bar.

These versions were either made by Floyd himself or later Fernandes made them before production switched to Schaller in Germany

compare to the later version made by Schaller 

clarkefan

I assume you both are using this version with a standard non - locking nut, perhaps with locking tuners? I read a post online somewhere from John Suhr where he says this setup achieves 95% of what the standard double-locking Floyd setup does.

I saw a vid earlier by Warmouth which says removing the shim in the photo above converts a standard Floyd unit from 10" to 12" radius, but I can't see how that works.

FelineGuitars

clarkefan said:

I assume you both are using this version with a standard non - locking nut, perhaps with locking tuners? I read a post online somewhere from John Suhr where he says this setup achieves 95% of what the standard double-locking Floyd setup does.

I saw a vid earlier by Warmouth which says removing the shim in the photo above converts a standard Floyd unit from 10" to 12" radius, but I can't see how that works.

It's not that piece of metal - you are thinking of the one that keeps the sprung tension against the locking bolts.

New Floyds are supplied with a small shim about 40mm long that just goes under the middle 4 saddles and lifts them to simulate a tighter radius. removing THAT shim brings it back to a 12" radius.

Excuse me being a bit nerdy over Floyds - been working with them for 34 years

clarkefan

Ah cool I didn't know that, that makes sense thanks  

The FR Specials that came with my Wolfgangs didn't have the shim you're referring to.  Neither do the Gotohs I replaced them with.

No need for excusing the nerdy stuff, it's great, I've been learning a lot, FRT3, FRT5 Whale Tails, etc

FelineGuitars

clarkefan said:

Ah cool I didn't know that, that makes sense thanks  

The FR Specials that came with my Wolfgangs didn't have the shim you're referring to.  Neither do the Gotohs I replaced them with.

No need for excusing the nerdy stuff, it's great, I've been learning a lot, FRT3, FRT5 Whale Tails, etc

No - the shim would be discarded at the factory or the floyds were supplied without the shim. 
The Gotoh wouldn't have the shim

I'm more disturbed seeing guitars going out with the shim left in when they shouldn't have it

stonevibe

This is a good watch if you like the Floyd Rose trem

clarkefan

stonevibe said:

This is a good watch if you like the Floyd Rose trem

Thanks for posting this, turns out the bloke posted several vids, on the different versions over the years, total Floyd geekfest

stonevibe

Yeah, I may have watched a few of those on the last couple of days...

I'm hoping he might also work with me on something this year.