Best replacement for a Floyd 1000?

JerEvil

JerEvil

Well-known member
Ok y’all.

I knew ordering my Charvel that I’d want to swap the trem from the Floyd 1000 to something a bit more premium.

I was looking at the Gotoh 1996T but a guy today (builder) says they’re not really any better quality steel or construction. Is this true?

I’ve also hear the FU-Tone stuff really isn’t an upgrade either and mostly snake oil.

Should it just get a proper German Floyd??
 
FRO or Gotoh 1996. I personally find the latter to be more comfortable and disagree with the person who told you it was inferior.
That said it's not always a drop in and may require minor modifications to the guitar. The main issue with the 1000 is the hardware used.
Which can be swapped. That would be the difference between it and a 1500. There are overpriced upgrade kits available (about $60 for some springs, blocks, and screws) that will bring it on par with the 1500. If you want no concerns with a direct drop in the FRO is the way to go, imo.
 
I have assembled well over 18 partscasters over the years - along with several hardware overhauls of the dozen or so in the current stable. I have always sworn by the OG German Floyd Rose and had never been disappointed - until recently. The last couple of OG German Floyds I have bought (brand new, BTW) seemed to have loose / sloppy tolerances: slight air gaps between the saddles as opposed to the saddles sitting flush with each other; rough, almost 'stripped' feeling fine tuners and string clamp bolts; and frustrating metallic buzzing on isolated saddles that I finally tracked down to poor fitment between the saddle bolts and the spring plate that holds the saddle bolts against the fine tuners. All common gripes against the FR 'Special' Maybe a bad or sloppy run? Maybe mis-packaged from the factory or distribution center? Not sure. And I concede, I might order another one today and its 100% perfect.

Gotohs have always been top-notch quality - but I agree with the previous post that they are not always a drop-in and sometimes do require some 'massaging' of the trem route which may not be ideal.

I finally got my hands on a Schaller Lockmeister and Holy Smokes. It is everything the OG Floyd 'used' to be and then some. Perfect tolerances, smooth threads and thread travel, rock solid everywhere, zero odd vibration or tingy buzzy issues. That along with custom selectable saddle radius and block depth and - at least right now - I cannot imagine using anything else.
 
Liam said:
It is true, and that is some snake oil. Buy an original german Floyd. You’ll thank yourself year after year.

You may also consider a Schaller Lockmeister, the origin of its parts are unquestioned. You can order a block length to size as well as a nut and saddles with a perfect radius setup for a compound neck.

https://schaller.info/en/lockmeister-6/1301
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PDC said:
I have assembled well over 18 partscasters over the years - along with several hardware overhauls of the dozen or so in the current stable. I have always sworn by the OG German Floyd Rose and had never been disappointed - until recently. The last couple of OG German Floyds I have bought (brand new, BTW) seemed to have loose / sloppy tolerances: slight air gaps between the saddles as opposed to the saddles sitting flush with each other; rough, almost 'stripped' feeling fine tuners and string clamp bolts; and frustrating metallic buzzing on isolated saddles that I finally tracked down to poor fitment between the saddle bolts and the spring plate that holds the saddle bolts against the fine tuners. All common gripes against the FR 'Special' Maybe a bad or sloppy run? Maybe mis-packaged from the factory or distribution center? Not sure. And I concede, I might order another one today and its 100% perfect.

Gotohs have always been top-notch quality - but I agree with the previous post that they are not always a drop-in and sometimes do require some 'massaging' of the trem route which may not be ideal.

I finally got my hands on a Schaller Lockmeister and Holy Smokes. It is everything the OG Floyd 'used' to be and then some. Perfect tolerances, smooth threads and thread travel, rock solid everywhere, zero odd vibration or tingy buzzy issues. That along with custom selectable saddle radius and block depth and - at least right now - I cannot imagine using anything else.
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I do have the Lockmeister on my Siggi Braun and it is pretty awesome.,.
 
Another vote for Gotoh!!! Got two and they both work great and are very smooth. You can even put a D-Tuna on them.

However, what's wrong with your Floyd 1000?

I have two, one on my Wolfgang and one on a BC Rich Gunslinger. Both deliver and are very stable.
 
I have a real Floyd on one guitar and a Gotoh on the other.

I'd take the Gotoh over it any day of the week. Why? Construction is a good as you can get and the tuners are angled away from your palm unlike the Floyds or it's variants. It's just a more comfortable locking trem not to mention the arm, no additional non wobble upgrades required it works right out of the box. And the price, forget about it, hard to beat.
 
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I'd recommend Gotoh. I've played several OFR guitars and I prefer the Gotoh. Not by a ton, but enough to buy the Gotoh if I was building a guitar from scratch.
 
BenoA said:
Another vote for Gotoh!!! Got two and they both work great and are very smooth. You can even put a D-Tuna on them.

However, what's wrong with your Floyd 1000?

I have two, one on my Wolfgang and one on a BC Rich Gunslinger. Both deliver and are very stable.
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The machining of the threads for the trem are is REALLY rough as is the action on the fine tuners. I got the guitar fully intending to swap it regardless as it’s the Mexican built Charvel Warren DeMartini blood and skull. They come with chrome hardware where the USA customs have black.

I want it to be USA Custom presenting! lol!
 
Problem with the lockmeister is price. Just got a brand new gotoh 1996 in black for $120.
 
BenoA said:
Another vote for Gotoh!!! Got two and they both work great and are very smooth. You can even put a D-Tuna on them.

However, what's wrong with your Floyd 1000?

I have two, one on my Wolfgang and one on a BC Rich Gunslinger. Both deliver and are very stable.
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Owned a couple MIJ So Cal since 2011. Haven't had any issues with the 1000 either, and I like to use them. The most important part of a trem for me, is the hardened knife edges. I've owned Ibanez that break down over time, but I haven't experienced the same with the MIJ Charvels.
 
I've heard the 1000s wear away at the posts over time and lose stability because it that. Which means I'll solve that problem later.
 
demondestroyer said:
Gotoh 1996 is as good as any. Every guitar I own has a double locking on it and the gotoh is easily as good if not better than a german floyd!
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I agree. I'll take a Gotoh any day.

The 1000 series is so inconsistent, it's not even funny. You MIGHT get one that works smoothly, and another that has fine tuners with only half the travel and they lock up, some you can't turn, (even after lubing them up), arms that fit sloppy and click, or come loose after a couple dive bombs, pure garbage. Gotohs are consistently good, every time.
 
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