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Floyd Rose Speed Loader


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What do you all think about the new "Speed Loader" from Floyd Rose?

Just reading up where the strings no longer need to be broken in or stretched and return to almost perfect pitch with just a fine tuning on a change has promisses. No more allen wrenches or screw drivers as well after the initial setup. :o

Having the nut and trem retro-fit already equipt guitars was a great idea as well and of course till major string manufactures catch up it will be a bit limited on where and how you can get strings..... :D

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I think it might be something to look into. As you said, Brian, I like the trem has promise. But what about headstocks!? That is half a guitars character.

Would a guitar look as good with a naked headstock, or...gulp...none at all? I will be the first to say that Steinbergs are nasty looking....but then again I DO have the Egyptian guitar in planning stages...hmmm. An Osiris shaped headstock anyone? Not a big one, just subtle...

Did some more reading on the Speed loader. B.C. Rich showed a handcrafted Beast with the unit on it. I like what they did with their headstock. What I wonder is: Will the trem be avail. only for 25 1/2 scale or will 24 3/4 and 25 follow. Since obviously the strings have to be a specific length.

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Good news and bad news, guys.

I got to play one the last time I was at Hoshino. It was put on a VWH body with a 570 neck.

Yes- string changes are fast as hell. They can be done in the middle of a solo! :-)

But, where am I going to find strings in the middle of Austin? Or Fargo? Or even NYC? Like the Steinbergers, pre-cut strings will be hard to find, as opposed to 'normal' strings that can be found in any city with more than 200 people in it.

Word has it that Floyd is trying to get a major string manufacturer to back him on this little project. That might help, but....

It is NOT a drop-in, 100% retrofitable replacment on Edge/LoPro-equipped guitars! They had done some serious trem post moves (read: re-drilling several times) to get it to fit and intonate properly. Looked like poo, but then again, they were just trying it out. On the other hand, the nut did seem to bolt right on.

Alternate tunings? Hmmm...I don't think so. I think you're stuck with EADGBE, or however you set it up initally. One tuning, and you're done. But you get fast string changes. LOL

Floyd is NOT selling licenses for this trem; he's selling them himself. This could burn him in the end, and could potentially provide parts problems in the future.

I'll hand it to Floyd for coming up with a cool idea for zippy string changes (which we all hate doing), but there are a ton of other issues that need to be addressed.

Plus, that VWH/570 looked silly with no tuners on the headstock. :-)

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Redmond, WA - July 16, 2002

Floyd Rose strikes manufacturing deal with Schaller Electronics Inc., Germany to produce the new SpeedLoader Series bridges.

Redmond, WA - July 12, 2002

Floyd Rose announces that Dean Markley Strings, Inc. has acquired domestic and international distribution rights of Floyd Rose SpeedLoader Strings.

Yeah Kev, unless there is a way to either quick change positions on the nut or saddles alternative tunings would be a pain in the butt..........

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AHHHH this all too much to take in lol "i fear change" :o lol i like my Floyd rose edge/lopro trem......sure it's a pain changing strings...dont get me wrong the speedloader looks pretty sweet but i don't know.......i maybe getting all paranoid over nothing :D oh well if this is the new direction in trems then i guess i'll change with it lol

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  • 1 year later...

whats everyone think about these things

you can change all the strings completly in 1min 30 seconds. they have specially made strings which as soon as you put them in tune up to near exact pitch with only a quater or less of a turn needed at the bridge if thery arnt.

Floyd-Rose-Bridge-Brochure1.jpg

these things need no tuning pegs either

example on one of thier guitars

sixguitars.jpg

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I think it's great. Seems similar, though even easier, than the Steinberger system. If I make a Steinberger-style 'broom' guitar some day, I think I'd prefer this Speedloader over traditional Steinbergers-style hardware.

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I like it.. there is a great little article about them in the newest Guitar World.

What month/page?

I had just got the issue in the mail this week, so not sure if it's out on magazine stands yet, but should be. It's the May 2004 issue, page 172, the one with Jack White on the cover. It's basically a review of the BC Rich NJ Series Warlock that has a Floyd Rose SpeedLoader already installed on it, with a small interview with Floyd Rose himself about the SpeedLoader. It looks interesting.

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they offer 8's all the way to 13's.... aswell as the light tops heavey bottoms....

some distributors *cough cough* even include 2 free sets of strings with the bridge.

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they offer 8's all the way to 13's.... aswell as the light tops heavey bottoms....

some distributors *cough cough* even include 2 free sets of strings with the bridge.

but my radius is 12 :D((((((((((

hey so can you use this bridge with those headless guitars? (like in the end of bill and teds excellent adventure)

how would that work with balance as far as weight distribution goes? would you have to route some extra wood out of the body B)?

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they offer 8's all the way to 13's.... aswell as the light tops heavey bottoms....

some distributors *cough cough* even include 2 free sets of strings with the bridge.

but my radius is 12 B)((((((((((

:D Radius? Those are gauges :D. From krazyderek's site, radii available: "Speed Loader 6-String, with 9.5", 12" or 17" radius" so you'd be fine!

hey so can you use this bridge with those headless guitars? (like in the end of bill and teds excellent adventure)

I believe those were Steinbergers. You won't be able to use it as a direct replacement... you'd have to fill the R-trem rout and re-rout for the floyd with a similar mod for the nut. It'd probably be "easier" to build an steiny "L" body from scratch. :D

how would that work with balance as far as weight distribution goes? would you have to route some extra wood out of the body :D?

I have a GT-Pro and the balance is great! I don't know how a floyd rout would affect the balance though.

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It was Vendelcrow that built it for his son here:

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...?showtopic=4916

Heh, that $700 trem is a trans-trem. The word is that Ned Steinberger is designing a newer and CHEAPER (cost-wise) "soon" :D.

this guitar interests me...i have never played a steinberger.

how hard would it be to build one and where would you get all the special parts.how does the trem hold up?

It'd almost be "cheaper" to buy that one but it depends on if you want a graphite neck, steinberger trem, etc.

$300 Moses graphite neck

$55 Langley headpiece

$300 Steinberger S-trem currently not listed on that page (other choices for bridge, $700 for T-trem or $90 for R-trem.)

$198 2 EMG-85's

$853 Total... plus shipping... and no body, gig bag, paint, etc yet B). As far as how well the trem holds up, on the steinberger mailing list, people are still using the original ones from the 80's.

If you just want the compact look of the steinberger "L" series, a wood neck with a speedloader would be awesome, don't ya think! :D

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no no, there was someone else.... he painted it blue..... i think he had a maple / mahog / maple neck??

anyways, ya, the nut for a speedloader isn't designed to be like a end cap like the steinberg nuts are, it could still be done though, it would just be a bit different.

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