Floyd rose locking whammy on strat?

I'm thinking of upgrading my strat's tremolo bar by putting in a floyd-rose since everytime i touch my tremolo now, the guitar loses all sense of tuning. If it's not going to be Floyd Rose, then i want it to be at least locking. So any suggestions? Would you say this would be a good idea to upgrade? 

Wha?!?!! deja vu

Edited by darqdean - September 27 2007 at 12:57

There are several possible culprits for your tuning problems. The slots in the nut are one possible source of trouble. When the strings move back and forth as you use the trem the slots can bind the string not letting it return to the "zero" position. The slots need to be checked for wear and for correct sizing much more often on guitars with tremolos. The nut slots should be .001"-.002" larger than the strings you're using. If you've changed the gauges of string you use (up or down) you'll need to have a new nut made for them.

Another possibility may be a similar situation with the metal saddles on the bridge. Metal strings (wound strings in particular) cause abrasion as they slide across the saddles during tremolo use and "burrs" can develop which make the strings "jump" rather than glide when the trem is used. This prevents them from returning to the true "zero" position.

The final area to check are the tremolo springs. If the tension is not set eqaullay across all the springs (3 or 5) the trem will be pulled harder on the high (or low) strings and cannot return to its original position properly. Remember that a milimeter of difference in the retun position will throw you hopelessly out of tune.

Tremolos are absolutely 100% dependent on good set up and adjustment techniques. if you don't learn these techniques on your own, you'll be spending a lot of money at the guitar shop having it done by someone who has taken the time to learn. If you are really insterested in learning how to take care of your instrument/investment, I'd recommend getting Dan Erlewine's book (or video) on electric guitar set up and maintenence. I worked with Dan for five years as a repair tech at Stew-Mac and there is no one better to learn from. In my own book on building electric guitars, I simply recommend staying away from tremolos altogether. They are a much bigger pain in the ass than any benefit that ever comes from them, but that's just my opinion.

A Floyd Rose type system is a HUGE undertaking as a retro-fit. If you do not understand the set up issues of the trem you have now, you certinly would not be up to the task of routing out both the body cavity and the nut slot to install the Floyd. And even then, spring tension issues still apply. Floyd Rose systems have their own set of set up requirements, and if you don't learn them, your Floyd will be just as frustrating.

Having a Floyd Rose installed by a pro will cost about $200 - $250 JUST FOR THE LABOR. It is a really big job. I've done dozens of them in my own shop as a repair man and I was never so happy as I was when they began to fade in popularity.

Locking tuners and a GOOD SET UP are all you need. Locking tuners should have no more than half a "wind" of the string around the post. More than that and the benefit is lost. Winding strings around the post allows them to slip where they overlap and defeats the purpose of the locking mechanism. With locking tuners you pull the string as tight as hummanly possible and while holding it tight with one hand, engage the lock with the other. This should allow you to tune to pitch without winding the string more than half way around the post. If you wind the string far enough that it overlaps iteslf, undo the lock and do it again.

If you want to "dive bomb" look into the Wilkinson tremolo systems. It is much better for that type of use than the factory Fender trem or the Hipshot trems and is much less expensive and simpler to install than the Floyd. Judging by your posts though, I'd still recommend a professional installation. One of the guitars I built for Roye Albrighton of Nektar has a Wilkinson trem on it and he loved it.

In this day and age there is simply no reason for anyone to bother with the frustration and hassle of a Floyd Rose trem. It's just one more thing to hold a grudge against EVH over.

Edited by Trademark - October 18 2007 at 23:06