Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
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Post by Tequila Rob on Sept 5, 2023 14:52:59 GMT -5
I know they have a PRS guitar that comes with one, but I have a customer that wants one installed on his Custom 24. I know Floyd Rose makes an FRX system that is for Gibson's...
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Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
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Post by Tequila Rob on Sept 5, 2023 18:50:51 GMT -5
well I couldn't find anything on line......the only option I can see is him contacting PRS....
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Post by Cal-Woody on Sept 6, 2023 16:04:27 GMT -5
Question: are you looking just to replace the unit or does the guitar have a regular style vibrato tail piece? Most of the PRS Custom 24's I see have either the standard vibrato or a Floyd Rose. Armed with this kind of information we could help you do a better search for what you are trying to find. I have seen a couple of Custom 24's that had a regular bridge and tail stop, but most of my searches show either the Floyd Rose or standard vibrato. If he has the regular vibrato, then it doesn't have the locking nut, so a Floyd Rose might be OK if you use locking tuners, but just to install a Floyd Rose vibrato, you would need to modify the entire bridge assembly with the posts to accommodate a Floyd Rose bridge. If you were just replacing an worn-out one with a new one, then that would be real easy! Just need to know the model type and purchase one. A little more information is needed. Thanks, Woody
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Post by Cal-Woody on Sept 7, 2023 19:13:18 GMT -5
After a little research I found the Vega Trem, VT1 Ultra. A little pricey, $259, free shipping, found on Reverb. It takes the place of a standard 6 screw vibrato and has a floating plate that gives the tremolo more flexibility by having the saddle portion mounted on a plate, having the front knife type edge that pivots on a stationary bar that mounts where the old vibrato used to. As you probably know, the Floyd Rose needs to have an area below the bridge cut out to increase the downward range of motion, but this offers more range of motion than a standard vibrato. Check it out and let me know what you think. My other suggestion would be the Super Vee Blade Runner, Uni Mount. It is a similar design for less money, $199.95, $15 shipping, also found on Reverb. One other thing is to add locking tuners for stability. Best regards always, Woody
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Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
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Post by Tequila Rob on Sept 8, 2023 8:56:36 GMT -5
thanks for the response.....I should have been more clear I guess.....his guitar has a PRS standard tremolo system with locking tuners...It works great...he can pull up with it and dive bomb....just like a Rose....the only thing missing from this scenario if I'm not mistaken, is the fine tuning capability that the FR would have. The FR with the cut out does provide a bit more room and range...
So after discussing this with him, I was able to talk him out of it, as the body would need modification to allow for the installation of the FR.....something I certainly don't want to do. I haven't started working on it yet, but I played if for a bit and the whammy bar works great even though the over all action needs work...He's a shredder and not infatuated with the stock pups...I agreed with him....he's gonna have a hard time shredding with them...
I'll check into your suggestions and pass them along to him....
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Post by Cal-Woody on Sept 8, 2023 11:47:36 GMT -5
It sounds like you need to work on the nut to return back to tune. If he is getting the performance he wants out of the current set up then the nut would need to be adjusted better. If you get the nut cut correctly, you shouldn't have much of any issues. I suggest using some Nut Sauce to help with the tuning when using the vibrato. It should return nicely once it is serviced and just a dab of nut sauce in the slots and a little dab on the string saddles. It would all be lubricated and perform nicely! I bought my last tube of nut sauce at Sweetwater. Best regards always, Woody PS: they do make a locking nut that goes behind the regular nut. I have one on my Japanese made Strat. The nut is black graphite and the locking unit sits just behind the regular nut. It looks like a Floyd locking nut and uses 2 screws to retain it.
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Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
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Post by Tequila Rob on Sept 8, 2023 14:29:31 GMT -5
I'm gonna have to just get some Nut Sauce.....I've been using pencil lead...for ever....it works but I keep hearing good things about the Nut sauce.....Thanks for the help!
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Post by Leftee on Sept 8, 2023 18:34:25 GMT -5
I’m partial to cherry chapstick.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Sept 9, 2023 10:21:55 GMT -5
Yeah, "talk him out of it" is the M.O. in our shop. Never worth the money, and the motivation for people to modify an existing instrument is usually "I like how it sounds but want this feature", which will lead to disappointment after they find out that it doesn't sound like it did before. Those jobs can be surprisingly tedious as you figure out center lines and hope finish chipping is minimal, too.
For nuts, I like teflon powder. Not as staining/ugly as graphite. I also go over the slot with sandpaper after filing, especially the front edge and back edge (you probably won't reangle the slot). If you have to raise slots, what you use to raise them can be an issue, too. I've been using the Nut Rescue Powder and been really happy with how it is for tuning. I only ever find it lacking with slotted pegheads, but even then it is still adequate (no one is using a trem with a slotted peghead, except maybe some ridiculous thing from the '60s). Also, I've mentioned it here before, but I'll throw it out again - sometimes replacing the trem springs will breathe new life into the instrument for tuning stability. With old, worn ones it can be a little fuzzy what the neutral place is between springs and strings, but with fresh springs they'll snap right back to the same place. I don't have the mechanical engineering chops to explain why, but we've had it work many times in our shop.
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Post by Cal-Woody on Sept 10, 2023 7:06:13 GMT -5
I agree with Funky. Replacing the springs, along with all the other things we have mentioned will probably help you to make this a better player for your friend. Once you’ve done all the maintenance and added new springs to the tremolo and the Nut Sauce, I think you will have addressed most of the issues and the stability will return to the guitar. Let your friend know that after each string change, a little dab of Nut Sauce in the string slots and a little dab on the string saddles, will keep his guitar up and running for some time! Best regards, Woody
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Post by Leftee on Sept 10, 2023 7:15:42 GMT -5
I’ve undertaken projects like this. I did so more about the journey than the final configuration.
I agree with Cal and funky. Anything he wants beyond that would be found in a different guitar.
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