Floyd Rose whammy bar problem?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MrDan666
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MrDan666

MrDan666

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So i'm having some issues with the Floyd bar on my MIJ Charvel SoCal

Where the bar goes into the collar, it seems like the actual bar is a little bit too small/thin.. So even with the collar locked down as tight as physically possible, the bar still wobbles inside the collar. This means when i use it for vibrato, the bar actually clonks around inside the collar and the noise gets amplified through my pickups.

Looked around the net for any simple fixes, but I don't want to go wrapping the thing in PTFE Teflon tape or anything like that, as i have to constantly take the bar off anytime i put the guitar back in it's case.

I used to have a real deal German Schaller OFR on my late 80's import Charvel and that bar used to fit really snug, it had no excess play it in at all. I loved the way that one worked and it performed FLAWLESSLY.

If i buy an aftermarket Schaller OFR bar and mounting collar, and fit that on the guitar instead, should it fix the problem i'm having? I seem to recall someone saying they did exactly that with their Charvel OFR and it fixed the problem completely..

This is the replacement part i'm talking about getting :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220919585765

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Cheers,
Dan
 
Hey Dan I have a similar problem with my Charvel SanDimas MIJ, I tight the trem but after few movements with the guitar on the straps It loosened again, It think to replace it with a schaller trem bar.
 
Yup that's exactly what keeps happening with mine.. It's driving me crazy!
 
The floyd doesnt sound bad to me but this problem is very :doh:
 
Yeah the Floyd on the Charvel is killer, it's just the bar that I'm having trouble with!
 
if it's completely tight, and the bar still wiggles, the washer on the trem arm itself is probably bent or deformed. There is a tiny washer behind the pin on the trem arm, up inside the collar, and it's supposed to keep the bar from wiggling when it's tightened down. Seems like the washer is made of cheap material though, and can easily get bent/deformed from over tightening the collar.

I've also seen posts on JCF where a guy used a #6 O ring at the base of the collar assembly threads, and that helped keep the collar tight during use. That's a different problem from the bar wiggling around even when tight though. You might also consider one of the old assemblies like your late 80's OFR had. AFAIK, they are supposed to work with the new OFR.
http://www.prorockgear.com/tremarmscrew-instyle.aspx

I'd PM Curt(Chubtone) if he doesn't see this thread. I bet he would know of a solution.
 
how about some tape on the bar to thicken it up a bit?
 
xzyryabx":1u9pxg92 said:
how about some tape on the bar to thicken it up a bit?
Click to expand...

I would hate to have to apply tape every time I use the arm.. Since the tape will tear/rip off every time i remove the bar when input the guitar back in its case.

Hoping a new arm/collar will solve the problem...
 
AndyK":uokyo0ua said:
What's "new" about this arm, compared to a Schaller?
Click to expand...

It's just that they call the collar type arm the 'Newer' style. The 'Old' style is where the actual bar is threaded and you screw the bar into the base plate.
 
MrDan666":1b1gge08 said:
AndyK":1b1gge08 said:
What's "new" about this arm, compared to a Schaller?
Click to expand...

It's just that they call the collar type arm the 'Newer' style. The 'Old' style is where the actual bar is threaded and you screw the bar into the base plate.
Click to expand...

Andy, if you look at the link i posted you can see how the "new" and the "old" are different. The new style is the same as the Schaller.

Mark
 
My experience is that this happens on all Floyd Rose's including the Made in Germany ones. I don't like it either. This new style bar was supposed to "fix" this, but in my opinion it never has. And again, this is the same whether it's the made in Korea or made in Germany original Floyd Rose.

You might want to try the arm that is for Schallers version of the Floyd Rose and see if that fixes it. I almost think the old style arm was better though it always had a little play in it if you let it hang loosely.

I just called our repair guy and he said that the only fix he has for this is to put the base of the trem arm itself in a bench vise and use a rubber mallet to whack the arm and put just a touch of a bend into the straight part of the trem arm that slips into the hole in the bridge. If you get it just right everything is great. If you go too far, you ruin the trem arm and you have to buy another one.
 
Curt, you ROCK!! Thanks for chiming in and providing the info/advice :rock:

I will probably give the Schaller arm a go and see how it works out. I can get it for £15 delivered, so it's not an expensive part to buy. I'm actually planning on swapping the black hardware out for chrome on my SoCal, so i'll have to grab a chrome trem arm.
 
Quick update :

Just received the Schaller replacement arm today. Just swapping in the new arm and without even removing the old collar assembly on the trem base plate, it has fixed 99% of the problem.

Once I replace the old collar assembly with the Schaller parts, I bet that it will be even better.


So to sum up this thread.. If anyone is having the problems I explained in the original post, just replace the stock arm with the Schaller arm and it'll fix the problem :)
 
Matte23":37tvu1qz said:
Thanks Dan!! I'm going to buy a schaller trem arm!!
Click to expand...

Cool! Remember to swap both the arm and the socket on the baseplate too. Should work perfectly after that :)
 
It is possible swap all without remove the floyd from his studs??
Thanks Matte
p.S.: where have you bought the trem arm?ebay?
 
Yeah I think you can do it without removing the floyd from the guitar. Not 110% sure though as I haven't done that to my floyd yet.. As I'm about to replace all the hardware on mine with chrome (including the OFR).
 
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