I've come to the conclusion that I really hate the Floyd Rose on my Jackson RR1. Don't get me wrong it's a great guitar, I love the sound but it's just too much work. It was great when I first bought it, because all I wanted to do was dive bomb to hell and back again, unfortunately now I find myself never touching the whammy bar and lately playing with alternate tunings on my strat, exploring slide and other techniques/sounds, and I find the Floyd is just a hindrance rather than a help. So I put it out to the forumites, what in the hell should I do?

Plan A) Used Les Paul Custom for $2500
Plan B) New Jackson RR1 with Tune-O-Matic for $2100-2400
Plan C) Block the Floyd Rose (Is there a way which doesn't involve gluing or drilling)
Plan D)Time for something Completely Different (You tell me, I'm open to suggestions, what do you think would be the best guitar to back up my strat aside from another strat)

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

Capo,

I played guitars with Floyd Rose Tremolos for almost 20 years. I have to admit that I like the simplicity of the Fender design.

Have you thought about an Fender (MIA) Standard or Artist model? That is if you are willing to spend 2K for a guitar, you could even get a Custom Shop for that price.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=580421

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Sell it and get what you want cause you won`t be happy until you do. I just went through 3 Teles and finally got the sound I was looking for with my 4th Tele..a Hwy 1.

You can block the trem easily, and probably for less than $5. Just get a small piece of wood, and wedge it between the trem and the trem cavity inside the trem cavity itself on the fine tuner side. No gluing needed, as long as you take your time to sand it down to a snug fit. Then if you ever want to whammy again, you just take a few seconds to remove the block. I have found that the little pieces of wood hoobyists get to make homemade stamps with works well. This is not the only way to block a trem, but I have done it in the past with a Floyd Rose guitar, and you can bend strings without the others going out of tune, and it does improve the sustain a bit as well.

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RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

Plan A - Les Paul. Or Plan D - and get a Tele. Either would be a good compliment to your Strat. Set up your Strat's bridge to float if you ever want to back to whammy land. A well set up Strat bridge should stay in tune almost as well as a Floyd.

I tried blocking my Floyd and hated it because I couldn't use alternate tunings due to the strings being still clamped down at the nut. I didn't want to waste time to unsrew, tune, and rescrew the nut clamps every time I wanted to use an alternate tuning. So I took off the nut clamps for good [haha that sounds funny...nut clamps] but realized without the clamps the guitar WILL NOT stay in tune even with the Floyd blocked. The metal Flyod nut just sucks when used conventionally. The nut slots are just not up to the task without the strings being clamped down.

Blocking the Floyd would just be a temporary solution in my opinion.

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

When I pull out a Wolfgang or EBMM EVH to foll around with I must admit they are fun guitars to play and the only ones I really use the bar with but there is no way I could have an ax with a Floyd as my #1 unless I had a live in tech as they are torture to restring.

If you like the sound of your Jackson I would get one in a stoptail version if they have your model in it. If not get the closest model feel wise they have, as you seem to like the tone and the way the guitar plays you will be familiar and comfortable with it.

I like plan A, but thats just me, I've allways wanted a Black Custom 3 pickup with a bigsby. Buy whatever makes you happiest.

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-Fender 92' Telecaster unknown
- 2007 Gretsch 6118T
- Ibanez 02' AF85 Artcore hollowbody, modded
- Epiphone Firebird
- Line 6 Variaxe 300
- Squire strat (refinished)
- 2008 Fender Supersonic
- Fender Blues Junior (original)

that was part of the reason i got rid of my first guitar. A 1988 Series 10 Bentley. Ahhhh that was a cool guitar. Black finish with red crackle... almost like the very fires of hell were cracking through the guitar body. Inverted headstock and scalloped cut away... Wish i still had that guitar for fun. But honestly, i never used the wammy bar so i always found it got in the way.

I would save myself money and take the nut locks off. Thats what I do and it works fine. albeit you can easily drop down to a D or whatever tuning you like. As long as you have the tension bar, it would work just fine. Try it out before parting with your guitar. Remember- once it's sold, it's gone. unless you sell it to someone who would sell it back in case you get 'buyers remorse'

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I play the Floyd at home by myself. Getting it "pretty close" to in tune is fine for me as long as there are no other instruments playing to hear the contrast. If I'm going to a jam I leave it at home so everyone else doesn't have to sit around and wait for me to get it set up properly. It's a love/hate relationship - the frustration of getting 5 strings in perfect tune and then giving that last string a little tweak only to find that the last string is now in perfect tune but the bridge floated up and made the other 5 go flat again. If I DO take the time to tune it properly after the strings are broken in it will stay in tune pretty much till time for another string change unless it gets banged around but I usually settle for getting it pretty close and just playing it when I'm by myself.

I wouldn't consider getting rid of it because it is just so darn fun playing it but I wouldn't want it for an only guitar either. So that would be my suggestion - keep the Floyd and save up for another Strat with a fixed trem.

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Stagemaster
Roadhouse Strat
Epi Traditional Pro Les Paul
Ovation Celeb
Esteban Celestial Night(nicely tweeked)
Blackheart tube amp

Wow, I never had as many problems with Floyd Rose Tremolos as some of you. Maybe it was because every guitar I owned for the past 18 years had one. Don't get me wrong, I am loving the Fender Design of their tremolos, and there is less amount of fine tuning when tuning the guitar. However, I could buy another guitar with a Floyd Rose (or similar system) and not have any issues. It did take 3 years to get poficient in dealing with them, especially the way I change strings (at least once a month) but no more arguous than Fender tremolos.

I do believe that there is a "Drop D Tuna" for those who like to go between standard and drop D tunning.

http://www.samash.com/p/D%20Tuna%20Guit ... _-49997635

I have never used one, so not sure how well they work.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Slide on a Jackson RR! Dude that is a hilarious visual! (Thanks)

Buy yourself a hardtail guitar (my preference is for SG's or Tele's) or a nice American Standard Strat and tighten the trem claw screws.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

I would go for a nice Tele. I have a Strat and used to play them for years but the Tremolo lost it's charm and well...my style has changed and the Tele is perfect for me and how I play!

Hi Capo,I never liked locking trems of any type,they certainly wouldn't suit my playing style.For starters you can't do above the nut bends and do open tunings quickly.Have you ever considered an Epiphone Casino? The Elitist series,the John Lennon and inspired by John Lennon are exceptional guitars,the P90s have a unique sparkle that is so pleasing to the ear and the necks are among the easiest on the hands.Also it would be worth your while to check out a Jazzmaster or Jaguar,2 great guitars that don't get the recognition and praise they deserve.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Thanks for the good advice guys, I traded my Jackson for a nice tele, I'll post pics when it gets here in 7-10 days ^^

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I traded my car in for a microphone.