HEVYDEVY FORUMS

Hi there!
I was wondering aboot the idea of getting rid of my Floyd Rose and putting a Tune O Matic bridge instead. The back of the Floyd has been blocked for years now and I know I'll never use it again on this guitar.
Do you think I can do it mysef?
Is it that hard?

I'd like to change the bridge PU too. I have a Charvel one and I'd like to put an emg 81 instead. Is it hard to plug an emg 81?

Take it to the instrument shop. Dont do it at home!

But it's a cheap guitar..
I don't want to spend too much money...

Hey dude!

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is very difficult (if not impossible) to convert a Floyd Rose to a Tune O Matic. Floyd Roses involve removing a lot of wood, which is needed to put your Tune O Matic in place. Even if you were to route out a bigger section of wood and block it off there are still lots of problems with changing over.

One of the biggest obstacles will be the angle of your neck. Its hard to describe, but basically most guitars with trem systems don't have much (if any) neck angle, while Tune O Matics need to have neck angle as they are so tall. Compare the neck on a Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul. The LP will be the only neck which is angled back, and that's for the TOM bridge. It is damn near impossible to change the neck angle on a guitar if it is set neck, and if it is a bolt on then it involves using a lot of shims, which just compromises the sustain.

I've put a couple of guitars together, and I would say that unless you were very competant with woodworking (which I'm not) then both these tasks are beyond your skills.

Fitting new pickups is easy enough if you have used a soldering iron before. I think EMGs are even easier as they just use clips for connecting them up. However, you need to go completely EMG - you can't mix active and passive PUs, and the connections on EMG may not be compatible with other similar systems.

If you really want to change that much about your guitar you could consider selling it and buying something that you really want - no Floyd Rose, PUs that you want and it will be built with all the parts designed to work together. IMHO that's probably a better option than compromising on one guitar. If may even be cheaper than replacing the Floyd Rose, angling the neck and replacing the PUs.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

sounds like one hell of a summer project.

...good luck

ianlogan123 wrote:Hey dude!

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is very difficult (if not impossible) to convert a Floyd Rose to a Tune O Matic. Floyd Roses involve removing a lot of wood, which is needed to put your Tune O Matic in place. Even if you were to route out a bigger section of wood and block it off there are still lots of problems with changing over.

One of the biggest obstacles will be the angle of your neck. Its hard to describe, but basically most guitars with trem systems don't have much (if any) neck angle, while Tune O Matics need to have neck angle as they are so tall. Compare the neck on a Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul. The LP will be the only neck which is angled back, and that's for the TOM bridge. It is damn near impossible to change the neck angle on a guitar if it is set neck, and if it is a bolt on then it involves using a lot of shims, which just compromises the sustain.

I've put a couple of guitars together, and I would say that unless you were very competant with woodworking (which I'm not) then both these tasks are beyond your skills.

Fitting new pickups is easy enough if you have used a soldering iron before. I think EMGs are even easier as they just use clips for connecting them up. However, you need to go completely EMG - you can't mix active and passive PUs, and the connections on EMG may not be compatible with other similar systems.

If you really want to change that much about your guitar you could consider selling it and buying something that you really want - no Floyd Rose, PUs that you want and it will be built with all the parts designed to work together. IMHO that's probably a better option than compromising on one guitar. If may even be cheaper than replacing the Floyd Rose, angling the neck and replacing the PUs.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

I'll try to find a new axe then...

No Floyd, EMG PU, Mahogany body...

Anyway, I never thought it would be this hard to replace a Floyd by a Tune O Matic...
I was aboot to take it off, and screw on a Tune O Matic at the same place...

I fixed my Floyd by hammering two wedges of wood in front and behind the thing inside the body. I have been told that you can fix the thing by just screwing it tight with the screws that make the thing "float". Supposedly you only need to move the thing down one tier. Haven't tried it myself though!

IBrokeAString wrote:I fixed my Floyd by hammering two wedges of wood in front and behind the thing inside the body. I have been told that you can fix the thing by just screwing it tight with the screws that make the thing "float". Supposedly you only need to move the thing down one tier. Haven't tried it myself though!

I've been blocking this with a battery for years!!!!!

hairy wrote:I'll try to find a new axe then...

No Floyd, EMG PU, Mahogany body...

You know it makes sense!!!

Epiphone?
I'd go for an Anderson myself, even though they do not have EMG pickups, they are extremely good guitars.

I'd rather have the Gibson Custom shop version, but I couldn't find a decent sized picture of it on google. I've never tried an Anderson (you just don't get them in Aberdeen!), but I like the look of them. And the new PRS Modern Eagle. And Parker Flys (Flies?). And I wish I had the money to just buy all these things and then decide if I like them.

And if money is a consideration.... Ibanez SZ320MH, take the stock pickups out and put EMGs in. I got a SZ 320 and it's a very decent guitar, great value for money...

Tammo

My new copy of Guitarist just came through the letterbox this morning. There is footage on the coverdisc of Zakk Wylde playing one of the Epiphones. They sound pretty decent (when played through a bunch of pedals and into an expensive amp).

boogie wrote:And if money is a consideration.... Ibanez SZ320MH, take the stock pickups out and put EMGs in. I got a SZ 320 and it's a very decent guitar, great value for money...

Tammo

Guitar seems very nice!
I wish they sell it in black...

I want a black guitar...
I like the old explorer shape, the eclipse shape...

To Ian: Zack playing on epiphone???? weird...
But as you say, with a killer equipment, you can make any guitar sounds good!