Bmth Builder Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hey, According to the Floyd Rose depths diagram, the studs should be on a ledge at one thickness (0.2650") then the rest of the FR route drops down deeper (to 0.44") to allow for pulling up on the trem arm, Depths, http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/Floyd%20Rose%20Original_(route%20pattern,%20depths).pdf Top view, http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/Floyd%20Rose%20Original_(route%20pattern,%20top%20view).pdf You can kinda see the ledge the studs are on in this pic, Do you follow the Floyd Rose dimensions exactly? On the Stew Mac templates there is no stud ledge, but the saddle area is at one thickness and they have a second template for routing a deeper recess just for the back end of the bridge, here you can see the two different templates that overlap to create a recessed FR, That works but if the saddle section isn't routed deep enough the plate could hit the bottom of the route, with the stud ledge there is less chance of that happening as the route is at a shallower depth for less time before the deeper recess. Or do you just route the whole thing at the full recessed depth and just not screw the pivot bolts into the body studs as far to create the same bridge height? This is the simplest way but if the pivot bolts aren't screwed in as far they may wiggle a bit more than if the studs were at a shallower depth, Is it a small enough difference not to worry about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I've used the Stew Mac template a few times. First comment on it - it doesn't fit Gotoh floyd's!! Learned that the hard way. The rear of the guitar cavity is positioned different! I'm sure theres plenty others it doesnt fit also. To answer your questions though, The stew mac template comes as 2 pieces with several holes which are intended to overlap and be routed in multiple steps, so there is the stud ledge you speak of, however the template doesnt accomodate for the drop down you mention. What I did with one floyd copy was to use the template (where the drop down would be) hard left and then move it hard right to route out the area out allowing for the drop down. Just meant an extra step on top of the several already. Why not just try a kahler? Much better looking and much less work for the router! Also way more adjustablity. EDIT: After thinking about this, I reckon if I was to do another floyd, I'd make my own template rather than digging out the Stew Mac one again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmth Builder Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Is it worth worrying about the two different depths in the cavity, or is it safe to just route the whole thing to the deepest required depth and use the pivot screws to raise the height of the FR (resulting in less pivot/stud contact than if the ledge were there)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Well - I just looked at about half a dozen guitars behind me - NONE of them have two levels. I will admit though, none of them have an OFR, I'm not too experienced wit the OFR. I've usually had Gotoh or Takauchi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 You are better off with more wood around the pivot screws.I have done it both ways though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 You are better off with more wood around the pivot screws.I have done it both ways though Oh hell yeah. Years ago I made a Floyd guitar and routed out way too much, end result was the studs broke out the back of the route. I had to cut out the whole Floyd area and laminate in a chunk of mahogany then re route and re paint. Not a fun job, but a learning experience all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Like you say,though,the Kahler flatmount is so much better IMO...much much much easier to rout,and you can use one on a guitar only 1" thick if you plan carefully.At least I think so...thinnest one I put a kahler on was 1 3/16" thick,but I had plenty of room left.I usually rout 7/8" deep before finishing and it works fine. Floyds are a PITA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 I was taught to route one inch for a kahler. Nice simple measurement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hey, According to the Floyd Rose depths diagram, the studs should be on a ledge at one thickness (0.2650") then the rest of the FR route drops down deeper (to 0.44") to allow for pulling up on the trem arm, Depths, http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/Floyd%20Rose%20Original_(route%20pattern,%20depths).pdf Top view, http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/Floyd%20Rose%20Original_(route%20pattern,%20top%20view).pdf You can kinda see the ledge the studs are on in this pic, Do you follow the Floyd Rose dimensions exactly? On the Stew Mac templates there is no stud ledge, but the saddle area is at one thickness and they have a second template for routing a deeper recess just for the back end of the bridge, here you can see the two different templates that overlap to create a recessed FR, That works but if the saddle section isn't routed deep enough the plate could hit the bottom of the route, with the stud ledge there is less chance of that happening as the route is at a shallower depth for less time before the deeper recess. Or do you just route the whole thing at the full recessed depth and just not screw the pivot bolts into the body studs as far to create the same bridge height? This is the simplest way but if the pivot bolts aren't screwed in as far they may wiggle a bit more than if the studs were at a shallower depth, Is it a small enough difference not to worry about it? OK Neil, seeing as you asked: 1)...if you have the Stew Mac routing template - chuck it in the bin. I don't know who came up with that but chances are they had modifying a standard Strat in mind, it's fiddly, confusing, not very well thought out and urges you to take more wood out than you need to. 2)...buy a Kahler if you play like a pansy. If you're used to a Floyd a Kahler gives the same feel as deleted by mod OK, from the image you posted it would sort of work but i'd not make the ledge quite as wide as you can get the base plate hitting it before the fine tuners are at their full depth so it'll try to pull the base plate away from the studs. You can champher this transition to help ease the situation or as i said earlier, just start the deeper route a little closer to the studs but leave around 1/8" between the edge of the stud and the new depth. As for having the whole route at the same depth - not the best idea and will depend on exactly how deep you need to be. Having the studs half way up their travel isn't ideal as you've indicated. The main thing you need to consider depth wise is the height your neck sits from the body, obviously if you have the chance to reduce the heel depth then you have the chance to reduce the depth of your floyd route. If you have anything specific send me a PM on the UKGB forum as i rarely log into the mail address that PG is connected to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 .buy a Kahler if you play like a pansy Why does this sound like a comment I should ignore? But it is true that Kahlers dive and pull easier than Floyds,so it takes less force to use them.That is not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Kahlers are good enough for Kerry king! It's been my experience that the majority of people who bag kahlers are usually people used to cheaper guitars with floyds and in most cases have never played one. I'm not attacking the above poster, I've never had anything to do with him, I'm just putting it our there! I was a die hard Floyd man till I used a kahler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Kahler users since forever.Nobody uses a trem more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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