Schaller FR vs Original FR

Which is better and why?

I purchased a German made Schaller Floyd Rose 3 years ago and the low E string fine tuner is definitely looser than the other fine tuners. Has anyone experienced inconsistent fine tuners on these? While playing, it's pretty easy to accidentally hit the fine tuner flat.

I'm looking to build another super strat in the next coming weeks and I'm not sure what FR bridge to buy now or where to buy it.

I've never experienced that issue with a Schaller. It's not because the 'spring plate' that pushes against the string lock screw is too loose is it?

In honest, I would always take a 'proper' German made OFR over anything else (other than the Titanium one, which are awesome but stupid money). Having said that, since Schaller started to use the hardened intonation screw inserts in the baseplates, I've never had an issue with them..

sixstringking713":28hqv95d said:

Which is better and why?

I purchased a German made Schaller Floyd Rose 3 years ago and the low E string fine tuner is definitely looser than the other fine tuners. Has anyone experienced inconsistent fine tuners on these? While playing, it's pretty easy to accidentally hit the fine tuner flat.

I'm looking to build another super strat in the next coming weeks and I'm not sure what FR bridge to buy now or where to buy it.

Click to expand...

I think the Schallers have hardened steel inserts for the knife-edge where as the Original Floyd has the entire base plate hardened. On that note, you should look for a Gotoh Floyd. They're probably the best out there.

Are we talking about the actual "original" floyd? The one that actually says "Floyd Rose Original" on the base plate? If so those are awesome! The fine tuners are so smooth. They are hard to find though.

They are both made by Schaller. But Schaller sells the OFR only to fender and they sell it to other companies.
A few years ago I ordered my spare OFR at fender. They told the store where I did the order that the delivery time will take more than a half year to Germany. The funny thing is, I live only 40 km away from the Schaller factory.
We live in a weird world!

It ended up ordering mine at warmoth. Delivery took 14 days.

I bought one a few years back and is the best FR I have ever played

Theres a big misconception out there. Most people dont realize that the Original Floyd Rose is made by Schaller. It says so right on the bridge "Made in Germany by Schaller"

Schaller does produce two versions of the bridge. The Original Floyd Rose has a hardened steel baseplate. The "Licensed" Schaller Floyd Rose has a cast baseplate with hardened steel knife edges, and threaded inserts.

I have guitars with both and find anything made by Schaller to be very good quality. But, If I had a choice I'd go with the OFR with a brass block...

The Gotoh Floyd SUCKS !

Care to elabarate? I had one on a Wolfgand and it worked perfectly. And, I'm not sure if they still do but Suhr was putting them on his guitars and saying they were the best currently available? Just curious as to why they "suck". Wasn't my experience wit hthe one I had.

chumbucket":2pbf5ws3 said:

sixstringking713":2pbf5ws3 said:

Which is better and why?

I purchased a German made Schaller Floyd Rose 3 years ago and the low E string fine tuner is definitely looser than the other fine tuners. Has anyone experienced inconsistent fine tuners on these? While playing, it's pretty easy to accidentally hit the fine tuner flat.

I'm looking to build another super strat in the next coming weeks and I'm not sure what FR bridge to buy now or where to buy it.

Click to expand...

I think the Schallers have hardened steel inserts for the knife-edge where as the Original Floyd has the entire base plate hardened. On that note, you should look for a Gotoh Floyd. They're probably the best out there.

Click to expand...

I agree with this. Fine tuners on the Gotoh are meaty and are very tight. I personally don't understand why the Schaller Floyd units are in high regard, noting that they are cast metal baseplate with hardened steel inserts, like the Floyd Rose II (which were not good units). Yes the Floyd II was string through and not locking, but that's beside the point. I continually hear that the Schaller units are superior to most others out there, so they must be doing something right. Then again I have not had my hands on a Schaller, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I still prefer the Gotoh GE1996T over the OFR myself. I think those are what Suhr puts on his guitars if I'm not mistaken.

Schaller



Floyd Rose II



Gotoh 1996T

There was a point in time that real Floyds weren't available to everybody, and I think Suhr, Music Man, and Peavey all used what they could get...it would be hard to justify saying the Gotoh was best when nothing else was available, but the minute OFR became available again you switched...I had a Music Man EVH model and the Gotoh Floyd felt flimsy to me compared to an OFR or a Schaller.

Plus EVH came out in the press bashing Floyd Rose for "not being able to sell them to Music Man" when his guitar came out (I think this was right after Fender got the rights to OFR), and EVH said something like "I designed the fuckin' thing, now I can't get one ???!!!"