Floyd Rose Guitars

[marnold]

Is anyone familiar with these guitars? MF is blowing them out for $149. I'm looking at an HSS one. My only concern is the availability of strings. Still, I've got to think the bridge alone is worth at least $149. Thoughts?

 

[pes_laul]

my step dad owns one and sometimes thats my main guitar and mostly all strings will work (except elixars) and by the way whats MF?

 

[marnold]

MF = Musician's Friend

These Floyd Rose guitars (guitars made by Floyd Rose, not just a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge) has their Speedloader tremolo on them. I got a chance to play a used one and a brand new Ibanez RG350MDX today. I gotta tell you, it wasn't even close. I didn't play either one plugged in. I just wanted to get a feel for it. Both guitars played relatively nicely, but the Edge III on the Ibanez went out of tune way too easily. I'm not sure if it is just poorly setup or what. I had my way with the Floyd and it stayed in tune. It had a very nice neck with a satin finish. The one I tried was an DST-2 (two humbuckers), but I'd be looking at a DST-3 (HSS). The money I got for selling my Model 7 would more than cover the cost. Hmmm . . .

 

[250Keith]

I was thinking the same thing Marnold were to get the strings?
I liked the guitar but I dont want the hassal of trying to get strings.
Keith.

 

[marnold]

I was thinking the same thing Marnold were to get the strings?
I liked the guitar but I dont want the hassal of trying to get strings.
Keith.

Most of the big-time online stores carry them. They're like $9-10 per set, which is steep, but if it's really as easy to change them as they say, that'd be worth the premium. I'm also a former bass player so I'm used to expensive strings I would guess that any music store can order them. You can also order them for $11/set directly from Floyd Rose. I don't know if they'd cut you a deal for buying bulk. I'll tell you this, the GAS is building . . .

 

[250Keith]

After I posted last night I went back to MF and looked again at the guitar, I do have to say it's growing on me, I mite have to pull the trigger on it.
I think I'm going to drop WebStrings a note and see if he can get strings for this guitar.
Keith.

 

[pes_laul]

thats funny beacause i played the rg350mdx yesterday and the bridge stayed in tune perfect except when i went backwards like really far (i was scared that i almost broke it!)

 

[marnold]

thats funny beacause i played the rg350mdx yesterday and the bridge stayed in tune perfect except when i went backwards like really far (i was scared that i almost broke it!)

The bridge on the one I tried might have been setup poorly. I didn't look very closely to check if the nut was tightened down completely, etc. The main complaint I've heard with the Edge III bridges is the knife edges dulling too quickly--a common complaint for non-original-FR bridges. I have no personal experience with those guitars though.

In looking through Guitar Center and some other places, I haven't found a guitar that I liked as much as the Floyd. There was a Jackson Dinky that I liked a lot but it was HH instead of HSS and it cost over $600. I'm sure it's worth it, but that's out of my price range.

I've been trying to see if I can find a Floyd with the Fly pickguard, but no luck so far. I may be placing an order when I return from vacation. I looked up priced on an original Floyd Rose tremolo alone and those were going for $170. To get the Speedloader for $149 all wrapped up in a pretty cool guitar seems like a no-brainer.

FWIW, there's a video on YouTube of GuitarWorld's demonstration of the Discovery series. This one has the original Floyd instead of a Speedloader, but I'm sure the pickups, et al, are the same.