FR = PIA
IMHO
FR = PIA
IMHO
Fanboy of the Jester (AKA) James (Previously known as 11top)
I would love to have a player PRS equipped with a Floyd Rose. If you play music that gives the tremolo a workout, the Floyd is a must. They stay in tune; period. I have gotten used to stringing a Floyd because all of my guitars in the '80s had them. If you're not used to doing that, it's a PITA...like stringing Phase I locking tuners.Originally Posted by 38Roars
But once you're used to it, they're simple. If you only have one guitar, and you love to change string gauges or experiment with tunings, then a Floyd will be more work than good. I will say adjusting the intonation on a guitar with a Floyd is a royal PITA but once they're set up, and you don't change tunings or string gauge, they're wonderful. It just depends on your application.
I played FR equipped guitars for nearly 20 years and sometimes I still miss them. Being used to heavy trem (ab)use I have mixed feelings about the PRS trem, on my Tremonti it works like a charm and comes quite close, but I had to sell two other trem equipped PRS because they didn't stay in tune under heavy use.
So yes, I really would like to see more FR equipped PRS.
I can't tolerate them.
I had a Jackson with a Floyd in the 80s, and while it did stay in tune very well, string changes were too much of a pain for me. Great bridge if you have a guitar tech on tour with you to do all that, I suppose...
My particular guitar didn't sound very good, either, but I have no idea if that was related to the bridge.
Music is the voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows.
--Napoleon Bonaparte
In the 80s I wouldnt own a guitar without a floyd. They work, plain and simple. Got to dreading string changes as I cant go more than 2 gigs on a set of strings so I made the move to fixed bridges. Thought that would help me explore different ways of playing.
The last couple of years I found myself wanting a trem again but didnt really want to go back to the floyd routine. I decided to take a look at the prs trem and thought i would try one. I had been wanting a cu24 with 5909s for a while and i found a used 2011 that was stunning.
The trem works pretty well and I enjoy the cu24. Good purchase
I wonder what a floyd with locking tuners would do sans locking nut?
I really like how Floyds work. I've had several in the late 80's but always came back to the original Ibanez Edge trem.
Like others said, if your guitar has a standard tuning and string gauge, changing strings isn't that hard.
the way I do them for the last 10 years, or so, is by stringing the ball end through the tuner hole like this:
and then cutting the string where it goes to the bridge. It works and stays in tune really good even if you don't tighten the locking nut.
I don't generally do dive boms and things like this anymore, but I do like how the trem flutters. can't do it with any other trem...
1992 PRS Cu24 Tortoise Shell, "10",Birds, Reg Neck
1996 PRS Cu24 Scarlet Red Burst, "10", Dots, WT Neck, Graphtech Piezo
Friends don't let friends Floyd Rose.
___________
Mike Cantrell
I have seen Orianthi with a Floyd equiped PRS.
2010 Taylor 816CE
2012 PRS P22 in black gold wrap around
The PTC has done several FR conversions, including a few for Ori
I'd play a FR if it came with a guitar tech for string changes! haha
Paul Reed Smith 7 - S t r i n g A c t i v i s t | Fueled by P T C
Exactly. They do what they do very well but they are such a pain to do string changes on. Like you said: if you have a tech, no big deal.....but I certainly don't! For the type of vibrato I would do, a PRS trem is more than adequate. As for the Schon model: I think both the NS14 and NS15 are really awesome and well thought out semi-hollow's. I think the Floyd on there will deter people from giving it a chance as most dudes who want a Floyded up guitar will just get a Jackson or ESP. The typical customer who would be interested in a semi-hollow like the two NS guitars probably doesn't want a Floyd on there. I would love to see this model with either the 2pc bridge or the wrap around stoptail.
I would love one with the 2 pc.
I have no idea if the NS models will be big sellers for PRS or not -- I hope they do really well! But in any case, I'd sure love to see a non-Floyd option.
Music is the voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows.
--Napoleon Bonaparte
Ah, the Floyd debate.
This is just my preference, but I use a block so it dives only. That way you can break a string and still be in tune.
a Floyd on a PRS.? Well it depends on what you want to do with it. The PRS trem doesn't dive as far. So if you want to dive bomb ala EVH you need a Floyd.
But then again I have guitars for that. Lol. All in all I really don't need a Floyd on my PRS I suppose
I used to hate FR's, but then I watched some YouTube videos of Dimebag Darryl showing people how he does his dives and squeals, and I started messing around learning how to do them on an Ibanez I had that had a FR. Then a guy I was in a band with had an FR and he would see me fine tuning after a song or two on my Gibson and he goes, "If you had a FR you wouldn't need to fine tune at all." Turns out that's not 100% truthful, BUT ...after getting a guitar with a real Floyd Rose - not some licensed FR crap, I can tell you it stays in tune way better than any of my fixed bridges. If you aren't that hard on your strings ...no crazy bending or picking really hard, I guess you wouldn't see a benefit. But if you are a shredder and like to do some squeals and dive bombs, you can't NOT have a Floyd Rose trem.
I HATED doing string changes, but now I have a pattern down and it takes me about 10 minutes longer (if that) to change strings on an FR. And I will open the locked nut before a gig and really fine tune and make sure every string is in perfect pitch, lock it down, and I'm good the entire gig. I might just fine tune a few times with the bridge adjusters, but that's it. I bought a SE Custom 24 because I wanted to try something new, and I can say the PRS trem on this is nowhere near the same ball park as the FR on my Schecter and my ESP. It's good for a little vibrato but that's it. I don't know if they put something different on the American made PRS models?
So my take is that if you don't really ride a trem, and you're kind of a mellow picker ...maybe like jazz or more classic kind of musics then you aren't missing anything without an FR. But if your style is playing hard and really riding a trem, you've got to have an FR.
Last edited by Norseman; 04-15-2013 at 07:35 AM.
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