Premier Rock Forum

penningtron wrote: Sun Apr 13, 2025 1:45 pm I haven’t bought a guitar in a while, but am a little curious to try putting a Floyd Rose to interesting use. So either talk me out of that, or maybe recommend a FR guitar that at least doesn’t look shitty.

I can't recommend a guitar as I don't know your tastes and mine are probably not shared by most here (my FR equipped guitars are a Solar V and a Squier Stagemaster "superstrat"), but as far as the bridge, if you like smooth sensitive vibrato or sick squealing harmonic reverse divebombs, then it's for youse. Yeah they require more setup, yeah they have limited applications (like any wang bar but with more range), and yeah some purist snob might judge you. But you won't go out of tune when you wank on your rod, and you'll have more fluid vibrato than ever.

I admit to really liking a Floyd, you can be really subtle with them if you want, and the tech works, shit stays in tune even if you're going completely mental with it. Only bad thing IMO is they look stupid on any non-metal guitar. But this Charvel is pretty benign looking for a floyd guitar:

https://charvel.com/gear/shape/so-cal/s ... 2966801500

Really though, you want this:

https://bcrich.com/product/rich-b-st-le ... loyd-rose/

MoreSpaceEcho wrote: Sun Apr 13, 2025 5:58 pm But this Charvel is pretty benign looking for a floyd guitar

Yeah.. Strat-style is the only thing I see Floyds on that don’t scream Metal Guitar. Some soloist guitars look ok if it’s a plain finish and not too pointy.

If not being "Metal..." is the primary concern?

It is worth noting that the FRX system is an option.



Probably increases the money that will need to go into it though.

Has anyone had any experience with a Kahler? I always thought they looked more aesthetically pleasing than a Floyd, but my bandmate has been around enough guitars longer than me to physically recoil whenever I mention one.

ESP makes Floyd versions of the viper and whatever their LP copy is called which I think look great, and I’m pretty sure you can get even more Gibson y versions under their Edwards marque.

Or just go full on EMG/Monkey Grip/Snakesking with a warning to always wear eye protection from the sharp points

penningtron wrote: Sun Apr 13, 2025 8:40 pm Yeah.. Strat-style is the only thing I see Floyds on that don’t scream Metal Guitar. Some soloist guitars look ok if it’s a plain finish and not too pointy.

It amuses me how knee-jerk I am about this stuff. Soloists always look fine with a floyd, it never looks out of place. But even on a strat I'm like eeehhhhh I dunno....acceptable if you play guitar in Iron Maiden or are EVH but otherwise....I don't love it.

But on a tele? Absolutely not. Bigsby or GTFO. A Jazzmaster could potentially look ok with one but who would do that?

On a Gibson? Punishable by death.

MoreSpaceEcho wrote: Soloists always look fine with a floyd,... A Jazzmaster could potentially look ok with one but who would do that?

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