Victor Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi everybody ! Right now I'm doing research because I want to start building my own guitar. The thing is that The desired shape would be that of an either Les Paul or PRS. The problem is that I can order the blueprint with the dimensions on-line or I can measure an existing guitar. But I want to have a Floyd Rose system. Does anybody knows how I can get the positioning right ? I mean what should be the proper distance from the headstock to the place where I make the insertion for the Floyd Rose ? Any info on this would be useful. Thank you ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi everybody ! Right now I'm doing research because I want to start building my own guitar. The thing is that The desired shape would be that of an either Les Paul or PRS. The problem is that I can order the blueprint with the dimensions on-line or I can measure an existing guitar. But I want to have a Floyd Rose system. Does anybody knows how I can get the positioning right ? I mean what should be the proper distance from the headstock to the place where I make the insertion for the Floyd Rose ? Any info on this would be useful. Thank you ! The Floyd Rose system is like any other bridge. It needs to be positioned at the end of the scale length (the distance from the nut to the bridge - it determines where all the frets are placed). That is a pretty basic piece of knowledge, might I suggest before you start, get hold of a copy of Make Your Own Electric Guitar, by Melvin Hiscock, it's a great book and will cover every question like this you have. As for fitting a Floyd to a Les Paul/PRS, if you want to do it, that's cool - if you go ahead with it, might I suggest doing the routes before you carve the top - to give your router something stable to move across, instead of trying to balance it on the carve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 go to the stewmac site, they have that info for all types of bridges. Use the fret calculator, enter all that good junk they ask like scale length, etc. Then after it calculates scale scroll down and it'll tell you where each type of bridge needs to have it's posts put. Then from knowing the post position you can use the route diagramf rom the floyd site. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrasher! Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Kahler do a floating trem that will fit onto a carve top Note I've never used a Kahler but have one on order for my project - I hope they're as good as the hype! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Ramsay Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Victor, I would say don't do it, or to look very carefully at the set-neck construction issue. When a friend asked me to cut into his Les Paul to put one of my trems into it. I noted the the neck and body on a Les Paul is joined so the the body drops away from the level of the strings far too much at the bridge. The trem would have to be elevated out of the body too much. Had to decline on that one. There is a Gibson Neil Schon signature model with trem that is made especially for the trem. although I've been told it is very expensive, I'd check this out if you have to have that kind of trem. There is also the Stetsbar (www.stetsbar.com) Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Victor, I would say don't do it, or to look very carefully at the set-neck construction issue. When a friend asked me to cut into his Les Paul to put one of my trems into it. I noted the the neck and body on a Les Paul is joined so the the body drops away from the level of the strings far too much at the bridge. The trem would have to be elevated out of the body too much. Had to decline on that one. There is a Gibson Neil Schon signature model with trem that is made especially for the trem. although I've been told it is very expensive, I'd check this out if you have to have that kind of trem. There is also the Stetsbar (www.stetsbar.com) Don Since I can buils the guitar how I want it to be would you guys rather suggest a bolt-on neck or a neck through body ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Fernandes has been doing LP + FR guitars for years. They can't sell them here in the US due to obvious infringement issues (*cough*Gibson*cough*). http://www.fernandes.co.jp/burny/rlc/rlc65s_sw_index.html It's absolutely do-able. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Victor, I would say don't do it, or to look very carefully at the set-neck construction issue. When a friend asked me to cut into his Les Paul to put one of my trems into it. I noted the the neck and body on a Les Paul is joined so the the body drops away from the level of the strings far too much at the bridge. The trem would have to be elevated out of the body too much. Had to decline on that one. There is a Gibson Neil Schon signature model with trem that is made especially for the trem. although I've been told it is very expensive, I'd check this out if you have to have that kind of trem. There is also the Stetsbar (www.stetsbar.com) Don The stretsbar tremolos look nice, thx for the link, but they are very expensive and I don't think they pack the versatility of a Floyd Rose Thx to everybody for advice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 stetsbar has a video on their site showing what it's capable of. However, if you don't mind the look of a fr, and you don't mind the routing, I'd say that's the way to go. A stetsbar probably has a range closer to that of a standard strat trem than a floyd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Victor, I would say don't do it, or to look very carefully at the set-neck construction issue. When a friend asked me to cut into his Les Paul to put one of my trems into it. I noted the the neck and body on a Les Paul is joined so the the body drops away from the level of the strings far too much at the bridge. The trem would have to be elevated out of the body too much. Had to decline on that one. There is a Gibson Neil Schon signature model with trem that is made especially for the trem. although I've been told it is very expensive, I'd check this out if you have to have that kind of trem. There is also the Stetsbar (www.stetsbar.com) Don But then again, if I remember rightly, your trem occupies a much bigger footprint than a floyd, doesn't it? Which is fine on a flat top, but on a carve top, your trem wouldn't really suit, would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I'm putting one on my current project...which is a carved top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 (edited) I'm putting one on my current project...which is a carved top. Yes, you're using a Stetsbar (if memory serves), isn't Don Ramsay the inventor of that new trem with the big sliding plate arrangement? Edit: Nevermind, Don Ramsay's trem dimensions aren't the big sliding thing I remember seeing - that was an old burns trem. My bad Edited February 20, 2006 by Supernova9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Fernandes has been doing LP + FR guitars for years. They can't sell them here in the US due to obvious infringement issues (*cough*Gibson*cough*). http://www.fernandes.co.jp/burny/rlc/rlc65s_sw_index.html It's absolutely do-able. Does Gibson (or Burny or whoever) alter the neck angle on the Floyded LPs or are they just raised that far above the body? Have I overlooked something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Fernandes has been doing LP + FR guitars for years. They can't sell them here in the US due to obvious infringement issues (*cough*Gibson*cough*). http://www.fernandes.co.jp/burny/rlc/rlc65s_sw_index.html It's absolutely do-able. Does Gibson (or Burny or whoever) alter the neck angle on the Floyded LPs or are they just raised that far above the body? Have I overlooked something? On the Gibson Neil Schon model, the bridge is recessed into the body - I'm guessing far enough to make it the same height as a TOM, so that they don't have to change the way the bodies/necks were made on CNC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Fernandes has been doing LP + FR guitars for years. They can't sell them here in the US due to obvious infringement issues (*cough*Gibson*cough*). http://www.fernandes.co.jp/burny/rlc/rlc65s_sw_index.html It's absolutely do-able. *cough* Gibson is doing it too *cough* New Signature Les Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Does Gibson (or Burny or whoever) alter the neck angle on the Floyded LPs or are they just raised that far above the body? Have I overlooked something? I'm not sure of the build. I haven't played either. NOTE: 'Burny' is the model name. Fernandes is the manufacturer. *cough* Gibson is doing it too *cough* New Signature Les Paul Yeah, but compare prices/availability and get back to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Does Gibson (or Burny or whoever) alter the neck angle on the Floyded LPs or are they just raised that far above the body? Have I overlooked something? I'm not sure of the build. I haven't played either. NOTE: 'Burny' is the model name. Fernandes is the manufacturer. Well, when you do, and I'm sure you will, be sure to let us know. NOTE: I know, but not everyone reads everything and the headstock says 'Burny'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I played the Burny, only seen the Gibson though (no permission to touch it ) Both Gibson and Burny have a smaller neck angle. The carve on the top is slightly lower at the neck pickup only but remains the same at the back. The bridge humbucker sits lower into the body and the mounting ring is also lower. The floyds are not recessed but the route is (so you can pull up). But I don't know if you can pull up on the shon model, because the recess is not long enough for the clamping screws on the back. So I guess this is like the Van Halen models a dive only model. I'm currently building a '58 les paul standard with added floyd rose. It is perfectly doable. I will post pictures when I'm done, plus some sound samples Do you think it would work on a carved top as well ? Because I was thinking of using a body shape of a PRS or Les Paul, but at the same time to give this guitar ultimate versatility by adding 2 SD active pickups, a FR and a nut (I'm not sure how it's called - the thing you mount just before the first fret to prevent detuning). I'm really interested in your project, maybe watching your work will help me understand better what I have to do . Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 (edited) Epiphone did it a while back. They had the Gothic series with Floyd trem... all of them! LP (carved top), Explorer, V... no SG as far as I remember. http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=3785 http://www.spectresound.co.uk/product.asp?ID=1509 Kahler do a floating trem that will fit onto a carve top Not with out mods... you still have to rout the body for the springs. Edited February 21, 2006 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 A les paul is a carved top, so I don't see any difference in a les paul or prs. I do know that the carve at the neck joint area on a gibson is parrallel to the neck angle (so you don't see the mahogany neck between the neck binding and the body). On a PRS the body is just carved and the neck is placed at an angle. I'll try to show some pics later. I'd say the PRS is easier... also a PRS style tenon is easier than e Gibson style IMO. BTW, a PRS is really a flat top which is carved at the edges. A LP has a bowl style carve without any flat surfaces except for the outer edge. gibson neck joint 1 gibson neck joint 2 PRS neck joint Do you have any idea where I can find the exact angles specified ? Because what I'm trying to do is build a carved top PRS shaped with a Floyd Rose system, so I will need to measure the exact angle in order to make the neck joint. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.